Welcome to Ballycove, the home of Corrigan Mills… Set against the backdrop of the beautiful Irish countryside the famed mills have created the finest wool in all of Ireland. Run by the seemingly perfect Corrigan family, but every family has its secrets, and how the mills came to be the Corrigan’s is one of them… Miranda and her husband were never meant to own the mills, until one fateful day … meant to own the mills, until one fateful day catapults them into a life they never thought they’d lead.
Ada has forever lived her life in her sister’s shadow. Wanting only to please her mother and take her place as the new leader of the mill, Ada might just have to take a look at what her heart really wants.
Callie has a flourishing international career as a top designer and a man who loves her dearly, she appears to have it all. When a secret is revealed and she’s unceremoniously turfed out of the design world, Callie might just get what’s she’s been yearning for. The chance to go home.
Simon has always wanted more. More money, more fame, more notoriety. The problem child. Simon has made more enemies than friends over the years, and when one of his latest schemes falls foul he’ll have to return to the people who always believe in him.
Ballycove isn’t just a town in the Irish countryside. It isn’t just the base of the famous mills. It’s a place to call home.
Best-selling author, Faith Hogan returns with a family tale of love, loss, secrets and finding yourself.
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Wow!
I feel like I’ve just binge-watched my next favourite series on Netflix. It’s a case of once you start you just can’t stop!
Do I need to duck for cover when I make this admission? *winces* Okay, here goes – this was my first Faith Hogan read…
I know, right? Calm your jets! (Yup, I totally wanted to say something else here, but *shrugs* this is the PG version *snorts*.) In my defence, I will just say it’s that old adage of ‘too many books not enough time’ and I want to thank the person who waved this book under my nose.
Told via past and present, and multiple POVs, TPWCH is a bewitching and beautifully written (saga) story about the lives, relationships, and secrets of the Corrigan family. Yet, that feels too simplistic an explanation. Harrumph, I’m not at my most articulate this morning it would appear *smirks*.
Every decision we make in life has a consequence, some good some bad, and the ramifications can be felt for generations to come. Sorry, I know I’m being a little mysterious, but you’ll understand once you’ve read the book (which I fervently hope you will).
I found myself holding my breath so many times whilst reading. As well as sharp intakes of breath, lots of ooohhh’s, awwww’s, giggles and smiles. I was also reaching for my metaphorical cushion to hide behind, lol. Were there tears? Maybe… *snorts*
I loved the matriarch of the family, Miranda. What a life she has led! If I had to use one word to describe her it would be love. Her heart is overflowing with love for not just for her family, but the land and people of Ballycove.
Her children were another matter entirely, lol. I’ll just say it was complicated and leave it at that because the way we started out wasn’t where we ended up.
*sigh*
Don’t laugh, but I feel all lost at sea now I’ve finished as if part of me is still in Ballycove. I’ll just have to take 5, make a cuppa and reacclimatise myself to the real world.
Ugh, the perils of being a reader!
A snowstorm gave me the opportunity to read this book about two Irish families who saw the value of living and working in a small milling community .The book follows the lives of these families and their offsprings and the people from the community who supported them. Like most families they experienced struggles, jealousies, secrets, lost opportunities. But in the end family loyalties and the bond of love usually prevails. The small Irish community is able to move forward yet at the same time live simple lives because of the hindsight and commitment of these strong caring families. An enjoyable read .
Favorite Quotes:
It’s no place for a child, not really. Old Lord Blair is as odd as a hen in a hairdresser’s.
The years had taken inches from his height and added it to his waistband; his hair had greyed into the kind of silky thickness most women of his age would trade their best shoes for.
In that moment, Ada felt such a mixture of emotion for this man who had always stood by her, but who had turned into someone she hardly saw any more. He blended with the furniture of her life, so much so that she couldn’t imagine what she’d do without him, but on the other hand his presence was as banal as a kitchen appliance, useful but hardly stirring.
Simon had a feeling that the softest part of Herr Muller was his teeth, but that was beside the point.
My Review:
This was an emotive, intriguing, and melancholy women’s fiction read with ample servings of family drama and romantic complications and told from multiple POVs. While emotional tension isn’t my preferred tone, I didn’t seem to mind the angst as Faith Hogan is a master storyteller. Her engaging storylines squeezed my heart and kept me guessing, although as I was nearing the last few pages I found myself growing increasingly restless and fearful of unresolved storylines, silly me, the crafty wordsmith had a few more tricks hidden in her purse. I gained a new phrase for my British Isles word list with Hooray Henry, which is British slang for an upper-class British male who exudes loud-mouthed arrogance and an air of superiority, and another form of one of my favorite Brit words of toff.
Miranda has been at the helm of Corrigan Mills since her husband and business partner died years ago. A world renowned manufacturer of woolen goods, it employs a majority of the local townspeople. When Miranda has a heart attack, her three children become aware of how they’d each like to see the future of the mills evolve, and childhood jealousies enter into an already difficult picture. Ada, the oldest, has been working the financial and business end of the mills ever since she was able to work. She wants to take over the whole enterprise. Simon, the middle child and only son, is a consistent loser in most things financial and can only see the selling of his shares in the mills as yet another way to get his hands on some easy cash. Callie, the baby of the family, is also the most successful in the fashion industry. But her career, and love affair with her boss’ husband, both come to a sudden halt when she is dumped by the boyfriend and fired by her boss. The severance package and a restriction on where she can design and sell her fashions are both substantial. While Callie has no definite goals regarding the mills, she want to relocate permanently from London to her hometown.
This was such a pleasure to read. The story line and characters were interesting and kept me coming back to this wonderful story. Thank you to Netgalley, the author Faith Hogan, and the publisher Aria, for granting my request for a complimentary digital copy of this enchanting novel. This is my honest opinion.
The Place We Call Home by Faith Hogan
Hogan wrote a mesmerizing epic love story that spans generations and families. Set in the beautiful western part of Ireland, where the beauty of nature lavishes in a place where your heart will settle, love will flourish, and definitely have all the right ingredients to call this place home. That is Ballycove.
Miranda Reilly met Richard Blair, a Londoner, in Ballycove as he spent his summers there for years with his grandparents and they became very close childhood friends. Through the years, their friendship developed more seriously until Richard is accepted in a prestigious university and their communication and visits between each other fell to the wayside.
The Blair family for generations have run the mills and over the years have really struggled to keep it afloat. With news that Richard is engaged to be married, Miranda entertains another suitor, Paddy Corrigan who is working for the Blairs and is helping them keep the mills afloat.
Hogan wrote and weaved beautifully the past and present about Miranda’s life, how the mills thrived into a multi-million dollar business and became the pride of Ballycove, and how the Blairs and Corrigans’ history have intertwined with secrets and revelation sure to tear your heart out. Hogan was a master of writing an amazing cast of characters in this intimate small town setting. I loved how the characters and their flaws all contribute well to the plot of the story.
The story pacing and how the present story interweaves with the past throughout the story was perfectly thought out and well placed, and moved the story beautifully. In just the right amount of time, the story revealed the next layer upon the next in a story timeline that kept my interest. The story tugged at my heartstrings and be sure to keep a handkerchief nearby. The sweet and tender story really got me and I enjoyed every minute reading about the beautiful Ballycove and it’s amazing residents.
This is based in Ireland,about a long history of the family owned weaving mills.Each family member is featured in separate chapters,with how their family business affects each of them over the years!Intriguing& well done!
I loved this story. It was about enduring, thriving, blossoming where you are planted.
Unrequited love always gets me.
I enjoyed this book tremendously
The Place We Call Home is the best family saga I’ve read in a long time. Strong characters. Strong sense of place. A complicated plot, as in “How could all this possibly turn out well?” Highly recommended.
It was just a great story with great characters. Really enjoyed it.
Very predictable and boring.