⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really liked it, stuck with me & would recommend
A very well crafted journey of self discovery that's much more palatable (to me) than something like Eat Pray Love. Losing your partner suddenly forces you to change in the blink of an eye, it just takes some time realize it and for Ammelie, it's a grand adventure. The concept of the keys was very interesting, fueling the journey. The characters were well developed and felt very real to me. The story did eventually come together, making a veritable pretty bow, almost too perfect, that I guess you sometimes need after all that emotional growth.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, NetGalley, and author Laura Pritchett for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Three Keys is out July 16, 2024.

Ammalie is waiting on her son, Powell, to be stable in his adulthood before divorcing his father, Vincent, but then Vincent then dies of a stroke. She felt trapped in her mundane life with Vincent pulling away from her that now without him, she feels lost and needs to find herself. She sets off on an adventure, and uses it as a way to say goodbye to Vincent. Three places he visited in his life, one with her, she adventures on her own pushing herself to find herself. Along the way she meets, and sorta deceives, people who end up helping her. In the end the truth comes out but who doesn't love an Eat Pray Love kind of story?

The premise of the book is endearing and it was something I couldn't put down. While parts of the story are far fetched, its a story and a feel good story at that.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Relatable read. I really enjoyed Three Keys. Following Ammalie on her adventures was sometimes like looking in a mirror. I could definitely relate to some of what she was feeling. I liked the writing style and the way the book was laid out. When I wasn't reading, I was thinking about the characters. I liked her justification for doing all the things she did; she was deep enough but open enough to lay it all out there with an explanation that was sometimes made sense to only her. I'd definitely recommend this read.

Three Keys by Anna Prichett was a horror show for me. I never ever want to bash an artists work. I’m not built that way. However I trudged through to the end of the book. I figured I owed the author that much. I was so annoyed with the main character. She was not someone I could relate to at any time in the book. I wanted to take Ammalie and send her to a therapist. The Three Keys is a road trip that this character takes rediscovering her early days with her husband. (Apparently they liked to take keys when they left.)

She is like a fourteen year old who hasn’t planned a thing, jumps in her beat up old car and drives across the country hitting these three places on her way.

I couldn’t empathize at all with Ammalie’s situation While it is only fiction her decision to use three unreturned rental keys to basically squat her way across the country was distasteful and that’s just the beginning of what I didn’t like.

I can’t even mildly suggest that you read this. I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. I felt like it started slow, but it quickly picked up. I am so glad I got a copy of this book!

Really loved the concept! This started out really strong and I loved the commentary on women’s bodies as they age as well as the small tidbits about race, gender and the planet ( though I could have used more)! Part three kind of lost me because I all of a sudden didn’t believe it., why was the narrator keeping her cash flow from the reader?? That part was weird. Otherwise I enjoyed! Rounded up from 3.5.

Ammalie is one of the most frustrating characters, likeable one moment and insufferable the next. After the death of her husband, who wanted to divorce her, her son headed off to college, and the loss of her job, she decides to go on a trip of self discovery. Ammalie has three literal keys in her possession that represent a place her husband Airbnd'd/rented, and she plans to use these keys to basically squat her way across the country. Along the way she meets interesting people, and animals, and is either super broke or spending wads of cash on nonsense, naming every inanimate object, and being an unreliable narrator to her own life. There were parts that I could relate to and some that didn't resonate. It does tend to get a little preachy or hippie, but there are some golden nuggets of wisdom as well. The story is as inconsistent as the main character. A lot of people will like this. For me, it was ok.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Dell for providing me with an advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Look for it now in your local and online bookstores and libraries.

This is one of those books that makes you want to go on a journey with yourself. It has all the makings of making you feel feelings about those you love and yourself. Highly recommend

A mid-fifties woman on her own goes on a big adventure with three keys that open doors to homes she hopes to stay in while on her trip... unbeknownst to the owners. I didn't connect with the main character and couldn't get behind the choices she was making, they just didn't make sense to me. It was full of illegal adventuring, which had the potential to be exciting, but it somehow didn't always hold my attention. I loved the concept of finding ones self after a dramatic life change by making more big changes. I like the idea of a solo adventure. It just fell a little flat for my taste.

An adventure story filled with interesting supporting characters. The story touched on many places and topics I am not as familiar with, which I enjoyed. It makes me want to look for sea glass.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Dell for the ARC opportunity.

A novel for the outdoor enthusiast, I was moved and inspired by Three Keys in a way I wasn't at all expecting! Our protagonist is middle aged and feeling alone in her life as her husband has passed away, she's lost her job and her son seems to want nothing to do with her. On a mission to get back to "her", she travels across the country, squatting and adventuring in three locations. She finds new faces to love and connect with along the way, and learns more about herself than she could have imagined. A great reminder of what it means to care for our earth and each other, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel!

Ammalie feels lost. Her husband is dead, her son dropped out of college, and she lost her job and is living in her car. Now she drives to New Mexico and rescues an abused dog named Lady. Finding an abandoned trailer, she lives there for a while and meets fellow squatter, Kit. Later she has a medical emergency and her thoughts go to Levi, a handsome man who had a crush on her when she was waitressing. At this point it's really depressing until several things help her understand she has had three "keys" in life: her husband, her job, and her role as a mother. It's been billed as a second "coming of age" novel and it's every bit as heartwarming as it is heartbreaking!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

At middle age, Ammalie finds herself a widow, jobless, and an empty nester. But who is Ammalie REALLY? In Three Keys by Laura Pritchet, she sets off on three different solo adventures to discover her true self and become freer.

Inspired by three keys that she had in her possession, Ammalie finds shelter in Colorado, Arizona, and New Zealand, using her keys to unlock her new living quarters - even if she doesn't really have permission to be in any of those places. But each place reminds her of something, usually having to do with her late husband, and each place helps her discover something about herself and the land around her.

Discussion questions at the end help guide book clubs, but I'm sure there will be enough to talk about organically. This book is for anyone who feels stuck, not seen, and who really wants the courage to do something outrageously courageous.

Three Keys is published by Dell and is available to purchase now. I received a free e-ARC in exchange for this review.

“Once you find yourself, it’s your obligation to lose yourself.”

✨ Genre: Literary fiction
💙 Steamy rating: Mild
⚡️ Profanity: High

Ammalie is in her fifties, recently widowed, and unemployed, so she takes off on a cross-country & international adventure. The catch is that she has three keys from Airbnb type properties she and/or her husband once stayed at. She decides to trespass and “squat” in these places. She meets a slew of interesting characters on her adventure. This was a lovely mix between Wild by Cheryl Strayed and Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Though parts were slow, the book was engaging overall and much different than books I usually read. I loved the variety of the places she traveled to and her “minimalist/outdoorsy” experiences. The main character was obviously grieving and going through a lot, which made her self discovery so interesting. Sometimes I’m not even sure I liked her, but I was still rooting for her.

Triggers: Animal cruelty, drug addiction, death of a partner, stroke, illegal immigration, and Cancer

Than you @randomhouse and @netgalley for arc of Three Keys. It was special!

In her mid-fifties, Ammalie is adrift, having lost the "three keys" to her life's purpose: her role as wife, her work as a mother, and her job as a waitress. She sets off on a road trip with three literal keys - to other people's rental properties - hoping to find a spiritual rebirth.

The story moves at a leisurely, descriptive, occasionally aimless pace. While the narrative voice is realistic and compelling it is sometimes confusing (Ammalie's emotions run high, and she doesn't always think clearly, which the narration reflects) and frequently unsympathetic (her journey is characterized by poor planning and self-righteous theft).

But the story deepens and becomes more interesting as it progresses. Despite Ammalie's rather nebulous goal, the author did a wonderful job of bringing her story to a satisfying conclusion. Ammalie comes out of her journey with a better sense of herself and a refreshed zeal for life; several new friends and renewed relationships with the friends and family she left behind.

Even though I was sometimes frustrated with the journey Three Keys took me on, its destination was well worth the trip.

Ammalie, a unique middle-aged woman, navigates a complex relationship with her late husband Vincent, oscillating between moments of love and disrespect. Despite being the perfect wife, she often feels isolated, frustrated, and resentful. With Vincent's sudden death from a heart attack, and with her son away at college, she seeks to prove her strength and independence. Discovering three keys from her husband's past travels, she embarks on a journey to unlock new adventures that might bring closure to their life together.

From the bustling streets of Chicago to remote mountains, deserts, and ocean vistas, Ammalie uses these keys to explore and gain a fresh perspective on her life. Along the way, she encounters friendly strangers and engages in mischievous acts like minor thefts, break-ins, and fabrications.

Despite finding Ammalie's character both fascinating and frustrating, my feelings about her fluctuated constantly. While I was sympathetic at times, she was a frustrating character. That being said, the book is a good read, delving into the fictional journey of a woman coping with loss and seeking self-discovery.

Ammalie Brooks, recently widowed, is in search of herself. She recently lost three “keys” in her life- her husband, her son going off to college and her job. Middle-aged, she is at a loss as to what to do with the rest of her life. Impulsively, she packs up her car with first aid kits, a sleeping bag, some food and some clothing- not much else. She takes off on the highway, hoping to relieve some of her husband’s trips that he took without her. He left her with three keys, which he inadvertently didn’t turn in at places he stayed. Ammalie takes this as a message to locate the three places that the keys belong to. She travels out west to the deserts of Arizona, to the mountains of Colorado and even to the shore of New Zealand.
Ammalie is heartbroken because she has no direction in her life. She feels that she is invisible. She takes risks and is adventurous. She is humorous and makes you laugh. She is thought provoking and makes you cry. Along the way, she meets a variety of characters that add much to the novel. She also is responsible for saving people and animals that she encounters. She encounters death and injuries.
This is a very character driven novel. Ammalie makes some real friends along the way, who provide much needed support when she needs it. This novel is one that requires much soul searching as Ammalie tries to discover who she is without her “three keys” to identify her.
This novel had a lot to consider- including climate change, survival and saving the planet. Looking inside yourself to discover your true self.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for allowing me to read the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Published on July 16, 2024.

Not for me. The writing here just didn’t work. The pacing and lack of fluidity didn’t feel right. On top of that the main character was just not working for me. I appreciate the idea of the plot itself but I just don’t think the execution worked.

Within a short time span, Ammalie loses her job, is widowed, and her son is moving out for college after telling her that she doesn't need to be so involved with his life and that he doesn't need her mothering. Ammalie feels as if she's lost the keys to her identity.

So, she sets off on a solo adventure to find herself, hoping to discover who she is now as a person without the ties that previously defined her, who she wants to become, and what will be the new keys in her life as she moves forward.

This is an interesting, charming, and thought provoking read. What gives us our value, our worth? How would you choose to redefine yourself? What would you want your life to look like? What's stopping you from making it happen?

My thanks to Ballantine for permitting me to read a DRC via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.