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The Long Road Home
by
Mary Alice Monroe (Goodreads Author)
Her husband's suicide left Nora MacKenzie alone, and his shady Wall Street dealings left the Manhattan socialite penniless. By a miracle she's held on to their mountainside farmand she'll keep holding on, no matter what. The property is Nora's one chance to wring some dignity out of the sham she's been living.
The Vermont locals think she's a city girl on a nature kick, bu
...moreMass Market Paperback, 384 pages
Published
March 26th 1995
by HarperPrism
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This novel is okay if you are down to a few books to choose from. The love affair that is pushed at the reader on about every other page. There are interesting details of farming, lambing, and the beautiful countryside. I liked the motif of art. It just seemed there was too much passion brewing and then averted over and over and over.
Interesting plot juxtaposing a sheep farm in Vermont with high stakes Wall Street style financial corruption. Nora MacKenzie, a wealthy New York socialite, is left with nothing but a sheep farm in Vermont after her husband's disastrous financial dealings and suicide. There she tries to rebuild her life, learning to handle the dirty daily chores as well as the management of the farm from the 'hired hand' C. W. Unknown to Nora, C.W., her late husband's arch nemesis, has retreated from the world of...more
I enjoyed reading "Long Road Home" mainly because of Mary Alice Monroe's writing style. Although there are a lot of characters she introduce them and the continued flow makes for a easy read. Nora was a brave and courageous woman after her husband's suicide she was left holding hims debts which were way up in the Billions. Nora gave up everything except for a sheep farm in Vermont. The courage comes in when she has to learn how to take care of Ewes with no knowledge of farm life coming from New...more
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was a slower read than some of the books I've read so far this year; but the pacing seemed deliberately slow and worked for this particular book.
I enjoyed reading about the NYC Financial/Banking world in juxtaposition to life on the Vermont farm. The characters were believable, often raw, and mostly developed well. One complaint is that we had a TON of lead-up at the beginning of the book before the plot picked up (about 100 pages in). Then, the ending, which I...more
I enjoyed reading about the NYC Financial/Banking world in juxtaposition to life on the Vermont farm. The characters were believable, often raw, and mostly developed well. One complaint is that we had a TON of lead-up at the beginning of the book before the plot picked up (about 100 pages in). Then, the ending, which I...more
Nov 27, 2010
Kristin (Kritters Ramblings)
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Shelves:
kritter-reviewed-2010,
ebook
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 hav...more
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 hav...more
After Nora MacKenzie's husband Mike's suicide, and the overwhelming debts threaten to turn her world upside down, she escapes to the Vermont sheep farm—the one holding she has managed to salvage—and the promise of a new future.
A mysterious man has taken up residence at the farm as a hired hand. And "C.W." somehow manages to gain her trust over the months that follow, despite her initial resistance, as he teaches her how to run the farm and learn how to navigate this new life.
Back in New York, th...more
A mysterious man has taken up residence at the farm as a hired hand. And "C.W." somehow manages to gain her trust over the months that follow, despite her initial resistance, as he teaches her how to run the farm and learn how to navigate this new life.
Back in New York, th...more
1 like · like · see review
I despise when I know what is going to happen in a book but I stilled enjoyed the storyline in this wonderful love story. Nora has been left with nothing when her husband has commited suicide. So she tries to make a go of it on the only thing she has left, the farm. Nora is a city girl but can adapt anywhere. However she will be in for a suprise when she finds out exactly who C.W. is.
All the characters were likeable and easy to read. Mary Alice Monroe always writes with such ease and I enjoy ea...more
All the characters were likeable and easy to read. Mary Alice Monroe always writes with such ease and I enjoy ea...more
This was a good story, it kept me interested, but the anachronisms bothered me. The author originally wrote The Long Road Home in 1995, it was her first novel, but it was re-released in 2010, with that copyright. It's hard for me to read books that are written as happening in the current time in which the characters don't use technology to solve their problems. Many of the plot twists could have been easily solved if the character had just googled the information. Does anyone else get bothered b...more
Mary Alice Monroe is my all-time favorite author (followed closely by Charles Martin). She first wrote this book in 1995 and re-released it in 2010. Interestingly, she re-read the book and decided it didn't need to be changed in any way.
I was certainly blessed by her decision to re-release because I only found her as an author a few years ago and this book was out of print.
I just love the way she weaves a story and her obvious gift of using words. Not only do you always get a really good, unpred...more
I was certainly blessed by her decision to re-release because I only found her as an author a few years ago and this book was out of print.
I just love the way she weaves a story and her obvious gift of using words. Not only do you always get a really good, unpred...more
I’m a fan of Mary Alice Monroe. I’ve read all of her women’s fiction novels, and both Beach House and her romance novel Second Star to the Right, which she wrote as Mary Alice Kruesi, are among my top-100 favorites. The Long Road Home is her first novel, first published in 1995 and set for a November 1 reissue by Mira.
It is the story of Nora MacKenzie, whose marriage had become a sham before her husband killed himself in front of a banker who had rejected his loan application. All that Nora sal...more
It is the story of Nora MacKenzie, whose marriage had become a sham before her husband killed himself in front of a banker who had rejected his loan application. All that Nora sal...more
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...more
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...more
I wasn't sure what to expect when I read this book, I'd never read anything from this author before, but it was ok. It read quickly and it did keep my interest, but I was a little disappointed. Maybe because it was printed as a larger book then a regular paperback and I tend to think of those as being more impressive, (i.e. on the best books lists), which is probably silly of me. If I could rate this with fractions it would actually be a 2.5 but the stars don't allow that. I found this to be fai...more
I really enjoyed this book!
My summary and thoughts follow:
When Rose's husband, Mac, committed suicide he left her broke, worse than broke actually, he left her owing every bank in the city. Her marriage had been a sham; the Manhattan socialite found herself alone and penniless.
The only hope that she had of leaving the city with even a dime to her name was to auction all of their possessions. She had been a dealer of art and other antique treasures and had a great eye for paintings; she was conf...more
My summary and thoughts follow:
When Rose's husband, Mac, committed suicide he left her broke, worse than broke actually, he left her owing every bank in the city. Her marriage had been a sham; the Manhattan socialite found herself alone and penniless.
The only hope that she had of leaving the city with even a dime to her name was to auction all of their possessions. She had been a dealer of art and other antique treasures and had a great eye for paintings; she was conf...more
Wow! This book was great, I couldn't put it down. The main male character in this book was brilliant, meaning the author is brilliant! I wish I could think of plans like the one in this book. Wow, just wow. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes a good novel. Sure, there were parts that were cliched and predictable, but overall the book had a great storyline that was unpredictable and the writing style was one that made me not care that it was a little predictable here and there.
Though the plot might be one you've seen before, Mary Alice Monroe's honest and insightful writing draws you into Nora and C.W.'s story. I loved seeing their relationship grow stronger and tighter.
Early on you learn C.W.'s secret that will eventually blow up in his face, but this book is still very compelling as side characters enter the story, friendships are made, love is found, and everyone's lives intersect.
Great book and great characters.
Early on you learn C.W.'s secret that will eventually blow up in his face, but this book is still very compelling as side characters enter the story, friendships are made, love is found, and everyone's lives intersect.
Great book and great characters.
I thought the plot of this book had potential for charm, involving as it does a return-to-the-land motif. However, I find it so painfully formulaic I cannot continue: formerly wealthy widow reduced to only one home in the Vermont countryside, taciturn locals, the studly hired man with a big secret, evil Wall Street tycoons, and lots of sweaty sexual tension and miscommunication between the two main characters. Bored now.
Oct 29, 2010
Charlotte
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
advanced-readers-copy,
nook
The Long Road Home is the first book that I have had the pleasure of reading by Mary Alice Monroe. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth at which Ms. Monroe goes to paint the whole picture. While I enjoyed the story and the characters, there were several times that I thought 400+ pages was 150 pages longer than it really needed to be. I enjoyed the character development of CW & Nora, but some of the subplots just caused my eyes to glaze over and were unnecessary. Overall The Long Road Home...more
First published in 1995, this book was Mary Alice Monroe's debut novel. Nora McKenzie leaves Wall Street in shame, after her husband's suicide and heads out for her sheep farm in Vermont. With bankruptcy in the near future, a few locals, and C.W., one of the farm workers, Nora plans on making her farm a success.
Available for holds at http://www.alleganycountylibrary.info
Available for holds at http://www.alleganycountylibrary.info
I really like most of the books I have read by this author. This was the first book published by Mary Alice Monroe and my least favorite. I found this one a bit more complicated and had trouble keeping up with the characters in the beginning. Still, she has a nice way of writing and drawing me in. I recommend this book.
I picked this up at the library at random so did not know anything about the author. It probably will be the last book I will read by her (however unfair it might be) but I thought this book was highly predictable and lacked imagination for a good story. Boring would be my one word description.
I have never read her and my husband is the one who finds new author's books he either likes the art or what is written on the back in this situation he liked both.
I'm not sure I will read others by her but I did like this one.
I'm not sure I will read others by her but I did like this one.
It's a fairly good book so far. Though when Nora is left as she describes a "scant" amount from the remains of her husbands estate, I had to chuckle that $300,000 and a rather large chunk of land and farm house in Vermont was "scant". I could live off that fairly well for a least 8 years!!! Also, the author does a nice job with describing things, but, what could be told in 5 pages seems to drag on for 10 pages. It's a bit predictable and drawn out so after awhile it was hard for me to keep readi...more
I like the author's style but found the plot too unrealistic and too predictable. It was the author's first book, and it was the first time I read one of the author's book. I'll try another by the author.
eh....romance fluff..I gave it 2 stars because it was well written and I liked the character development. I skimmed 25% of the book. Once again, I need to be more careful at the Library sale! I didn't realize I strayed into the "romance tables"!
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.
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.
This was not one of my favorite novels by this favorite author--too much romance, and too predictable. It was, however, her first novel, republished in 2010, so she's definitely improved!
Enjoyed this book quite a bit. There's a twist that is built up through the book. I found myself emotionally connected with the characters. It's a good book.
A woman's journey to learning what is really important to her life. The financial issues that comfront her are as relevant today as when it was written.
Mary Alice Monroe is one of my very favorite authors! This was her first book and it's a wonderful story filled with romance and a little suspence.
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New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe found her true calling in environmental fiction when she moved to coastal South Carolina. Already a successful author, she was captivated by the beauty and fragility of her new home. Her experiences living in the midst of a habitat that was quickly changing gave her a strong and important focus for her books.
Mary Alice Monroe writes richly textur...more
More about Mary Alice Monroe...
Mary Alice Monroe writes richly textur...more
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Dec 02, 2010 10:59am