Coming Home (Berkley Sensation) [Paperback]

Dee Holmes (Author)

Book Description

Series: Berkley Sensation | Publication Date: December 2, 2003

Antiques lover Olivia Halsey adores second-hand goods, but is afraid of becoming a first-time bride. So she and her two best friends take a time-out on life to go home to Bishop, Rhode Island, where they'll all learn what to throw away-and what to treasure.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Three longtime friends who are at crossroads in their lives unite to repair a vandalized house and reevaluate their priorities in Holmes's (The Boy on the Porch, etc.) formulaic but heartfelt tale of friendship, love and second chances. Olivia Halsey earns a modest living renting the Rhode Island house she grew up in and working as a teacher in Massachusetts. But after breaking off a relationship with her handsome, caring, marriage-minded boyfriend, Daniel Cafferty, and learning that her childhood home has been vandalized, Olivia decides to tackle the repairs single-handedly. Her friends Lexie and Claire, however, won't let her. Party girl Lexie recently lost her broadcast news position in Chicago, and scrupulous homemaker Claire must cope alone with her wayward son's drug abuse while her emotionally distant husband travels for business. As the women restore Olivia's house, they help each other work through their dilemmas. Meanwhile, Daniel arrives to offer his assistance and convince Olivia to reconsider his marriage proposal. Holmes's characters are fully realized, but it's the universality of their problems and concerns that will really strike a chord with readers. Although this book is categorized as a romance, it holds as much appeal for women's fiction fans as for romance aficionados.
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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Berkley; Regular Print/Single Titl edition (December 2, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425193020
• ISBN-13: 978-0425193020
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,974,087 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Coming Home, January 31, 2004

By 

K. Morgan (United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Coming Home (Berkley Sensation) (Paperback)

Coming Home is the story of Olivia Halsey and her two friends Lexie James and Claire Fitzgerald. Olivia's childhood home in Bishop, Rhode Island has been vandalized. She goes back home to Bishop to repair the house. Claire and Lexie go back to Bishop to help Olivia with the repairs and to have some time together. Lexie is coming home with the issues of her job and the men in her life. Claire is coming home with the thoughts that her marriage is in trouble. Her husband is more married to his job than to her. Olivia is coming home to repair her childhood home and to also get away from Daniel, the man whom she loves but doesn't want to marry. Each of the three friends is at a place in their lives where they are unsure of what to do. They will draw upon their friendship to help see them through their troubles and indecision.

Coming Home was an OK book. It is a book about the friendship between women and also about the relationships between women and men. All three women have their own set of troubles but the fact that they give advice (whether wanted or not) ties everything together. These are three women who are leading very different lives but manage to stay friends through thick and thin.

The characters in this book were very dimensional. They all have problems and are very believable and real. The secondary characters all bring something to the storyline of this book. The storyline itself was good and well written. Dee Holmes did a good job of bringing together three different storylines and meshing them together into one story. A good book to read!

5.0 out of 5 stars For fans of modern day relationship dramas, December 2, 2003

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Coming Home (Berkley Sensation) (Paperback)

Massachusetts history teacher Daniel Cafferty proposes marriage to his girlfriend Olivia Halsey, but instead of joy she ends their relationship stating she does not want to marry. Daniel leaves heartbroken. Meanwhile, Olivia learns that her deceased parents' home that she now owns in Bishop, Rhode Island has been vandalized. Seeing an opportunity to escape, she flees for her hometown.

Olivia's two best friends, Lexie James and Claire Fitgerald join her from Illinois and Virginia respectively. The three women, though living widely differing lifestyles, are at crossroads in their relationships with men. Olivia questions whether saying no was the right thing; Lexie wonders why one night stands leave her lonely and empty; Claire questions whether her husband even cares. The past is all around them in Bishop, but it is the future each one must decide on.

Though at times having three adult women with varying relational issues to muddle through can seem overwhelming readers will appreciate this delightful contemporary tale. The story line mostly focuses on Olivia and to a degree Daniel, but also uses the subplots of Lexie and Claire to enhance the prime theme that relationships require communication, trust and work or they atrophy. Fans of modern day relationship dramas will enjoy COMING HOME with Dee Holmes who shows sometimes you can go home.

Harriet Klausner