A beautiful story, set in the mountains of New Mexico. Full of wonderful characters who are carving out a life of meaning….I highly recommend!

What makes a place a home? What constitutes a family? How does one's capacity to and for love affect one's life?

Where do I belong? Where is my home? Where is my future? These are the questions that Willow, a 39-year-old cello player, suddenly faces. In a single day she finds herself in a dire situation: She is dumped by her boyfriend of three years and learns that her mother has died in a riding accident. Both of these events are actually a blessing in disguise for Willow. Homeless and almost penniless, she is forced to go to her mother’s ranch to make funeral arrangements and to try and sell it. Arriving there, she also finds out she is pregnant.

Now Willow must decide quickly what to do with her life and that of her unborn baby. She always thought she did not belong anywhere. First, her mother moved her from Washington to New Mexico, where she was the only blond kid in the whole school. Then, her father remarried and focused on his new family. After that, when she finished high school, she moved to L.A. to pursue her music career, unfortunately without too much success. Nothing went the way she had planned. Suddenly she needs to reexamine her life and decide whether to return to her old and empty life in L.A. or build a new one in New Mexico surrounded by her childhood friends and her mother’s friends.
Full review available at: https://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/the-road-to-enchantment

This coming of age story for Willow was well written and my first book by McLaren. Willow finds herself in the last place she expected but it's just what she needs to move forward.

It is really an enchanting journey with this story. There was something magical in this book, maybe it was the setting, the fascinating character, the music or the mix of it all.
It was the story of self re-discovery, of understanding and learning from the past and of strong ties with places and persons.

It was a great journey i had with this book, i felt transported to this unique atmosphere in New Mexico, close by an Apache reservation, in the Winery and Goat Ranch that Willow's mother bought and worked hard on it. The place that Willow wanted to escape when she was growing up, that represented everything she hated. The same place she had to face when she came back 20 years later to bury her mother and get rid of it for ever.
Only, things are never that simple.

I can't exactly say what really touched my heart in this story, but it definitely caught me. The fact that it was told by Willow helped with that, the author did a great job in painting her fears, hopes, thoughts and decisions. And also in bringing that Winery/Ranch into life, i can almost see it and feel the breeze playing with the Aspen trees when i close my eyes.

It was a a delightful story and i would recommend it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story about a woman's return to her roots. The descriptions of New Mexico almost had me smelling the sage.

A full circle kind of book about a daughter that goes back to her teen age home to settle her mom's estate and ends up realizing exactly why her mother loved the land and the home that she made there.

I was not able to review this book. I tried three times and was not able to get 'into' the book.

"It will be ok... you don't even know yet what is possible." Willow's story is told with flashbacks of who she was, and she's becoming now, with details and layers of life in between. The mother-daughter dynamic is huge, as Willow fights against what she wishes wasn't between them, and how she finally finds peace. This is a story of finding balance, forgiveness, and allowing the best version of yourself shine through.
Interesting pieces throughout- the Apache traditions, beliefs and family Willow finds is touching. Being a cloud 'whisperer' is a fun touch, and the unique cast of characters that all make up the layers of Willow's life make this a wonderful read.

I was given an ARC of this book for an honest review from Net Gallery.

One of my favorite things about reviewing books is getting to discover wonderful new-to-me authors. This book has made this author one of my new favorites and I will definitely be seeking out her back catalog.

This book had all the components of a great woman's fiction book that I look for...terrific characters, intense storyline and a setting, in this case New Mexico, that really made me feel like I was there. The themes of this book-mother/daughter relationships, friendships, families, divorce, heartbreak and grief are all universal and the author handled them in a beautiful way. This was one of those books that I would highlight quotes and passages because they were so beautifully written. I also enjoyed learning more about Native American culture, farming and the life of a musician.

All in all a 10!

Gorgeous tale. One review said it was reminiscent of "The Bean Trees". Now, whenever a book is compared to one of my favorites, I tend to approach it with hesitation, because I'm generally disappointed.

Not this time.

Vivid in imagery, rich in detail, this book was delicious.

Do yourself a favor and try this one. McLaren has written a lovely story of a woman dealing with the loss of her mother, an unexpected pregnancy, and her own past. Monica's decision to move her daughter off the grid in New Mexico might seem ill considered to some but McLaren has done a terrific job of capturing her, as well as the local area and what it's like to live that way (or how important pickle relish can be), up to and including how Willow is bullied. What I loved was how the small town rallied around her and made her part of their family. Darrel- well, we should all be so lucky. There are so many special images here (the kite, the Disney trip with Hailey). I read this straight through an appointment at the salon, skipping the opportunity to read all those magazines. THanks to netgalley for the ARC- this is a winner.

The Road to Enchantment is the first book I have read by Kaya McLaren. It is a sweet gently read that is like hot chocolate for the soul.
When she was little, Willow witness her mother set fire to the mattress of the marital bed that she had shared with her cheating husband.
Soon after mother and daughter hit the road and head for New Mexico. However as soon as she can Willow leaves and makes a life for herself. When her mother dies Willow takes a break from her jot and returns ‘home’.
It becomes apparent that her mother dies owing money and if a pregnant Willow wants to keep the ranch she will need to raise some serious funds.
Thanks, NetGalley and St Martin’s press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange of my honest review.

Willow and her mother literally leave Washington State in a blaze (of glory if you will) after Willow's rather eccentric mother discovers her husband's cheating. They set off to New Mexico near an Apache reservation but somewhat isolated where her mother sets up a goat ranch and a winery. As an adult Willow can't wait to get away and moves to L.A. And becomes a musician. All is well until her mother dies, her boyfriend ends the relationship and she finds out she's pregnant. All she can do is return to New Mexico, try to pick up the pieces of her mother's businesses which are in severe financial difficulties and make her own decisions about her baby and her future. This is a feel good story that goes to show you can go home again.

The Road to Enchantment by Kaya McLaren is not all that enchanting.

In this novel, Ms. McLaren tells the story of a young girl Willow, who is torn from her home and uprooted to a farm in New Mexico where she knows no one. It is hot and dirty and it is in the middle of nowhere. And her mother doesn't seem to care that she has destroyed her daughter's life. Willow is bullied at school and wants to disappear, but she makes friends with a neighbor, Darrel, who lives on a bordering apache reservation and he takes Willow under his wing and protects her. Even though she has Darrel by her side, Willow longs for graduation day, when she can get away from her mom and this awful town.

Fast Forward years later, when a single & pregnant Willow returns to the farm (now a winery), to tend to her mother's funeral and save the farm from financial ruin. In doing so, Willow discovers who she truly is and finds out what has been missing from her life all this time.

The author, Kaya McLaren wrote a sweet, endearing novel but unfortunately I found it to be wholly predictable.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Kaya McLaren for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Published on NetGalley and Goodreads 1/29/16.

**Will be Published on Amazon on 1/31/17.

I can't quite remember why I requested this book (perhaps it's because of the cover), but I found myself enjoying it despite the fact that nothing happens.

The Road to Enchantment starts when Willow receives word that her mother has died, breaks up with her boyfriend, and then finds out she's pregnant (in said order). Having moved back to the home she and her mother lived in, Willow must find a way to pay off her mother's debts and decide what to do with the baby.

The solutions to these problems are actually very simple. Willow sells the wine her mom has been making, and the animals on the farm, and solves the debt problem (more-or-less). The community rallies around her and manages to dissolve her already hesitant decision to abort the baby. The biggest question is whether she will go back to where she was, or stay in New Mexico (and it's pretty obvious to the reader which it is, even if it's not to Willow).

To me, the beauty in this book are the characters and the gradually merging of past and present. First, the characters. The place in New Mexico where Willow grew up borders an Apache reservation and the community is almost all Apache. I really loved how that became part of the story - how the customs and language and people became a part of her life, even if she didn't initially feel like she belonged.

And speaking of characters, both Willow's mom and dad were flawed people. I probably sympathised more with her dad than mom, despite the fact that it would normally be the other way round because I so acutely felt the embarrassment that Willow's mom caused her. Her dad, on the other hand, was largely absent (because her mom moved her to New Mexico) so my impression of him wasn't so bad.

The second: Willow's acceptance of her past. The book alternates between the present day and Willow's memories, and it quickly begins to be clear that how Willow saw and experienced the world back then still affects her. So when she can finally accept her past, her present can start moving into the future.

The only thing that I didn't like about the ending (mild spoilers ahead! Although to be honest there isn't much plot to spoil) is that Willow still ends up with a man in her life. A better man, to be granted, but for a good portion of the book, I thought this would be about the non-romantic type of love and how it can support people. To end with Willow in a relationship seemed to say that in the end, women need a man to be happy.

Apart from that one (fairly large to me) point, I enjoyed this book. Willow's journey isn't dramatic, but she does make a journey and I dare say that she's happier at the end of it.

Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review.

I received an ARC from Net Galley, and I absolutely loved this story. This is Willow's story. We follow her from teenage years to adulthood. It really is a story of her finding herself and becoming ok with who she is. Most of the story takes place in the desert of New Mexico, and the writer made me want to visit to see firsthand everything she described. It is a story of the mother/daughter relationship, strong friendships and self. Willow discovers how really strong both she and her mother were. I was sad to see the story end, and I am hoping that the author could see her way to a sequel, because although the story ended - I could really see another book pick up where this one left off

This was a really nice, relaxing book to read and I’m really glad I picked it ip. I was immediately entranced by Willow’s past with her mother - from the way her mom response to her marriage breakdown by roasting marshmallows over a burning mattress to her dragging Willow off to the middle of nowhere for a fresh start. I loved how eccentric her mom was and how normal Willow just wanted to be. I did find some of Willow’s reactions to her mother a bit extreme from focusing on her mother’s alcoholism for ruining her childhood and making it sound like her mom was a mean, angry, abusive drunk (which she wasn’t but did seem to drink a bit too much) and then one point during the grape planting years when she had damaged hands and wanted to lie to a social services worker about her mom being abusive. I found that a bit strange.

Willow herself was an odd enough character and I definitely warmed to the people in her life such as her mom, Darrel and Darrel’s grandparents, rather than Willow herself. I kept forgetting she was 39 year olds as her life seemed so..unorganised for an almost middle-aged woman. She could hardly afford half her rent, seemed shaky in her job and didn’t have great relationships with men or even any close friends in LA and it kept making me think she was in her 20s rather than late 30s (which, apparently, in my mind means people need to have it figured out).

I loved the bits of Apache culture that were put into the book from Willow’s occasional use of the language and then her inclusion in the culture and tradition of the tribe and how she was included in events on the reservation growing up. I loved how this book focused on family and how sometimes family can be all around you without you noticing and that people who aren’t necessarily blood-related can also be as strong family members as those who are. I really enjoyed the ending of it and how Willow’s spirit really seemed to settle and her new affinity with her land and her plans for the future that also included her cello dreams, just slightly new ones. I also liked how Willow’s romance with Mark was hinted at with the clear attraction and spark between the two but nothing was really pushed and/or became inappropriate considering she was newly pregnant with her ex.

Overall, really enjoyed this book. It was a comforting read and I definitely recommend it

I would like to thank Kaya McLaren, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for giving me this book for my honest review.
Review By Stephanie
3.5-4 Stars
The Road to Enchantment was a delightful read. The story of Willow's life is told from her past and then present. In the past she is dealing with her parent's divorce, her mother's drinking and being up routed to New Mexico where she knows no one and sticks out like a sore thumb amongst her 99% Native American classmates. Present day she is dealing with the death of her mother and needing to tie up all her mother's affairs, then she is forced to deal with her own......
This story was a light read and I loved the interesting things I learned about the Native Americans. Those parts were truly my favorite. The story flip flops ever so gracefully from past to present. Kaya's writing was really good, this is the first book I have read from her but I totally would read more.
I know we are still in January but The Road to Enchantment would really make a good beach read!