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rhjordan04's review against another edition
5.0
Second time reading this book, just as good as the 1st time. Mary Alice Monroe takes you on a beautiful journey to Vermont and makes you wish it was you.
kmthoennes's review against another edition
4.0
Loved the setting of the story (sheep farm in Vermont). I enjoyed reading this one even if it was a little predictable. Sometimes you just want a casual read with a happy ending.
kuglar's review against another edition
2.0
Fairly forgettable plot. You know that they will end up happily living on the sheep farm together. However, this is a Harlequin, so props to the author for having any plot at all.
The salt-o'-the-earth neighbors apparently lived in the 1950's while Nora and CW lived in the 1990's. Probably left behind because they're not "quality."
In 1995, $300,000 and 400 acres of land with [most of] a house and a viable business on it wasn't exactly the poorhouse. Not too shabby in 2018, either.
Some 1995 era sexist tidbits:
-Mike is a total asshole but she loves him and doesn't believe in divorce
-brother-in-law gets the family bank, sister is more qualified to run the bank but doesn't want to be more powerful than her husband so gets the ancestral home
-heroine is standing in the path of a falling tree and has to be rescued by the hero
-[ostensibly adult] hero has a jealous temper tantrum over heroine dancing at a dance with a (gasp) man
Surprises:
-a mouse was in her bed and *ran across her face* and she didn't acquire a dozen cats the next day (there was also no lovable scamp of a dog in the story)
-there was no bit at the end where his fortune pays to complete the 5 story, 6 bedroom "big house" (ew, shades of plantation life)
-there was no bit at the end where his fortune pays for new sheep
-there was no bit at the end where she's pregnant so, you know, we all know she's a "real woman" after all
-she was still driving the Volvo at the end; buy a truck, madam, you need four wheel drive for the damn hill that you persist in thinking is a metaphor for your life
-the ram/ewe mating scene - what was that all about
The salt-o'-the-earth neighbors apparently lived in the 1950's while Nora and CW lived in the 1990's. Probably left behind because they're not "quality."
In 1995, $300,000 and 400 acres of land with [most of] a house and a viable business on it wasn't exactly the poorhouse. Not too shabby in 2018, either.
Some 1995 era sexist tidbits:
-Mike is a total asshole but she loves him and doesn't believe in divorce
-brother-in-law gets the family bank, sister is more qualified to run the bank but doesn't want to be more powerful than her husband so gets the ancestral home
-heroine is standing in the path of a falling tree and has to be rescued by the hero
-[ostensibly adult] hero has a jealous temper tantrum over heroine dancing at a dance with a (gasp) man
Surprises:
-a mouse was in her bed and *ran across her face* and she didn't acquire a dozen cats the next day (there was also no lovable scamp of a dog in the story)
-there was no bit at the end where his fortune pays to complete the 5 story, 6 bedroom "big house" (ew, shades of plantation life)
-there was no bit at the end where his fortune pays for new sheep
-there was no bit at the end where she's pregnant so, you know, we all know she's a "real woman" after all
-she was still driving the Volvo at the end; buy a truck, madam, you need four wheel drive for the damn hill that you persist in thinking is a metaphor for your life
-the ram/ewe mating scene - what was that all about
iswim41's review against another edition
2.0
Finally finished this last night. I could swear I've read other book by Monroe that I liked, but I didn't like this one. Too schmalzy, I guess. I wanted to know how it ended, should have just skipped to it. Wish I had quit it earlier, too, which I'll do with most books. If they don't grab me right away, I rarely stick with it. Oh well.
amandamj's review
5.0
Although very formulaic and predictable in structure, The Long Road Home was so well written and enjoyable that I got completely carried away in the story. The characters were just likable and relatable and there was just enough twist at the end that I found myself rushing through to get to the end, then regretting that I had finished it so quickly.
annieburton's review against another edition
5.0
Such a sweet story; reading several comments I found that people didn't like how predictable it was, its a sweet romantic story ofcourse its predictable, but I just loved it, the way he talks to her, they way the story evolves and how she needs to grow and learn.
The writer makes you engage with the characters so much you feel and care for them.
I recommend you to listen to the audiobook narrated by Sandra Burr, she captures Nora MacKenzie's essence beautifully
The writer makes you engage with the characters so much you feel and care for them.
I recommend you to listen to the audiobook narrated by Sandra Burr, she captures Nora MacKenzie's essence beautifully
jbarr5's review against another edition
5.0
the long road home by mary alice monroe: an author who writes very well about all kinds of problems and how the characters in her books solve them.
I love this author. this book is about a woman who relocates to vermont to the sheep farm after her husband has used all his money and others and
commits suicide leaving her with nothing. the workers at the farm really are her family now and pitch in at any time to help out. she finds out that one
is not who she thought he was and he goes out of his way to change the things that happened in the past to clear her husbands name an the debts.
really great nature scenes that as a northeastern i treasure.
I love this author. this book is about a woman who relocates to vermont to the sheep farm after her husband has used all his money and others and
commits suicide leaving her with nothing. the workers at the farm really are her family now and pitch in at any time to help out. she finds out that one
is not who she thought he was and he goes out of his way to change the things that happened in the past to clear her husbands name an the debts.
really great nature scenes that as a northeastern i treasure.
kdurham2's review against another edition
4.0
A long read, but well worth all the pages. I absolutely loved all the twists turns and plotlines. There was a wealth of characters, but each unique and added a little piece to the story.
I was captivated to the very end hoping that it would all work out like I assumed. I loved how a part of the story was sort of predictable, but there were still a few spots where I was completely surprised. For the life of me, I can't think of anything critical that I would say to improve the book. There may have been a few descriptions that I would have ommitted, but nothing was excessive. I felt that the characters were real and the situation could honestly happen to any widow.
As for those I would recommend this read to - definitely a read for the women folk. I would not pass this onto the younger crowd, they would not relate well to Nora and the trials that she endures, but most women would enjoy the drama and romance of the book.
I was captivated to the very end hoping that it would all work out like I assumed. I loved how a part of the story was sort of predictable, but there were still a few spots where I was completely surprised. For the life of me, I can't think of anything critical that I would say to improve the book. There may have been a few descriptions that I would have ommitted, but nothing was excessive. I felt that the characters were real and the situation could honestly happen to any widow.
As for those I would recommend this read to - definitely a read for the women folk. I would not pass this onto the younger crowd, they would not relate well to Nora and the trials that she endures, but most women would enjoy the drama and romance of the book.
ashreec's review against another edition
2.0
the story was ok. one tiny thing annoyed me. she used the word "akimbo" way too much. everyone was standing with their arms akimbo, or however it is spelled. it is a tiny thing and doesn't matter one bit to the story but it bothered me.