"After Queenie Wake is dismissed from her restaurant job, she returns to North Star to cook meals for death row inmates. Hopeful that the bad memories of her late mother and promiscuous sister (now the mother of the captain of the high school football team) have been forgotten by the locals, Queenie discovers that some people can't be forgotten--heartbreaker Everett Coburn--her old high-school sweetheart. When secrets from the past emerge, will Queenie be able to stick by her family or will she leave home again?"--P. [4] of cover.
The impressions I had of Nowhere But Home from reviews were that there were many similarities to Friday Night Lights, as well as a mouth watering emphasis on Southern food. While these seemed like great aspects of the story to me, they weren’t attention grabbing. I think I’m quintessentially Canadian in that football holds little interest (at least compared to many Americans), and I’ve never tasted Southern cooking. I was still drawn to it though, and I am so glad I took a chance on this book.
I wholeheartedly recommend Nowhere But Home (as you can probably tell from this over-the-top review…) and it’s a book I think so many readers will enjoy. Its Southern elements will appeal to those who love the states under the Mason-Dixon Line, but it’s a character-driven story that is equally touching and uplifting. As Hannah wrote in her review, “It’s funny, but not fluffy. It’s sad, but not depressing. It’s Southern, but not a stereotype. It’s this perfect blend – like mixing sweet tea and lemonade – that resulted in a read I won’t ever forget.” In other words, it’s a must-read, and you need to give it a chance!
