Review of No Place Like Home by Barbara O'Neal

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No Place Like Home by Barbara O'Neal is a book that generally dwells on the family. The narration involves a main character, Jewel, who is surrounded by several similarly significant characters, namely Michael, who is her best friend; Michael's brother Malachi; Jewel's son Shane; not to mention Jewel's family, her parents, sisters, and even her grandmother. In her teenage years, Jewel was what one would call a wild teenager who made an impulsive decision to run off to New York with her lover, an upcoming musician who unfortunately did not become a successful artist and ended up miserable, a misery in which he likewise swept Jewel along with him. Things turned around when a relative left her inheritance to Jewel, who now had no choice but to go back to her roots with her son. She decided to take his friend Michael along with her since he was now sickly, and later Malachi was to join them. When she went back to her family, for obvious reasons, she didn't seem to fit in, and life became quite awkward for her. Find out in this captivating book how things will end after many years of being away from home, having run off to get a taste of the big world.

What I like about the book is how it has brought out strong family ties that don't seem to break, no matter the circumstances.  Moreover, I like how the author has taken the good, the bad, and the ugly and put them together and has made something good out of everything; life is all about this, not just the good but also the bad and the ugly.  I additionally like how profound the book is—the way the author narrates the story deeply so that it takes the reader to another world—and how it manages to capture the reader's imagination so that it is simply difficult to put the book down.

I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.

I recommend the book No Place Like Home by Barbara O'Neal to those with a past that needs redeeming—those whose past has become their worst nightmare, particularly where family ties are concerned. I likewise recommend it to those readers who love fascinating romantic books from seasoned authors.


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