The Only Way Home by Jeanette Minniti

Category: Adult Fiction (18 +) , 242 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction, Adventure, Coming of Age

Publisher: Penning Press

Release date: 4/1/2021

Synopsis

Desperate times. Danger on the rails. A journey to save a family.

It is 1933 inside a sweltering courtroom in Macon, Georgia. Fifteen-year-old Robert sits on a bench awaiting sentencing after being picked up for vagrancy and spending a night in jail. He left his home in Illinois with a neighborhood friend to ride the rails and find work to help their families. The friend turned back, too afraid to face the perils ahead. But going back empty-handed isn’t an option for Robert.

THE ONLY WAY HOME is the story of one boy’s determination to survive loss and hardship to help his family — and how fate and a violin touch the course of his life.

Fans of Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens and Sold On a Monday by Kristina Morris will love this story set during the Great Depression of a fatherless boy fighting to keep his family together.​

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Review

This coming-of-age story set during the depression will give readers a new perspective on what life might have been like but through the eyes of a young man.

Robert has left home to try and find work to help support this family. His father has passed and there just isn’t enough money coming in due to the depression. Robert isn’t really meant for the life of someone that catches freight trains from town to town looking for work, especially since he is only 15 and people are giving jobs to the men with families. Robert has gumption and doesn’t give up. He meets a few people along the way and even though he knows he shouldn’t befriend anyone, he meets Tucker and they form a kinship and help each other out along the way.

This was such an amazing story of Robert’s experiences during the depression. There is so much that he wants to do to help his family, but at 15 it is hard. He does find some kind souls along the way but it isn’t enough to keep him from realizing that he needs to be back home with his mother and siblings. The journey he takes could be an adventure if it wasn’t such a hard time to be alive looking for work. I have always heard about those that would ride on empty boxcars on freight trains but reading how they have to catch the train and the possibilities for dying bring reality into the picture. This was not an easy life for anyone during the depression.

I admired Robert and his determination and loyalty to those around him. This can be seen with Tucker in many instances. I won’t spoil what they are, but Robert shows what true friendship is really about.

We give this book 5 paws up and suggest it if you are in the mood for historical fiction from a young man’s point of view.

About the Author

As a member of the American Association of University Women, she coordinates the Foreign Policy Association’s Great Decisions discussion group and participates in several AAUW interest groups.

Jeanette and her husband enjoy all that Colorado renders in outdoor activities including hiking and biking.

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Giveaway

Enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card courtesy of Jeanette Minniti book series! (two winners)

(ends July 26)

THE ONLY WAY HOME Book Tour Giveaway