Someone Else's Home: A story of determination, ambition and honesty.

by Janet Pywell

When life falls apart, can a new town — and a little magic — bring them back together?

When former model Carmen Bailey arrives in the seaside town of Westbay, she’s determined to make a fresh start. Her dream? To open a stylish soft furnishings shop and finally put down roots.

But life behind the perfect image isn’t so glamorous. Her husband, Jack, once a famous England footballer, is facing the end of his career — and the family’s finances are in freefall. Their two grown-up children are keeping secrets of their own, and Carmen is struggling to hold everything together.

As debts mount and her new business hits obstacles, Carmen must find the courage to rebuild — not just her life, but her family’s future. Can the Baileys pull together when it matters most? And will Westbay give Carmen the home and hope she’s been searching for?

A heartwarming, feel-good story of love, resilience, and new beginnings — perfect for fans of Heidi Swain, Phillipa Ashley, and Sarah Morgan.

Welcome to Westbay — where fresh starts, friendship, and love are always in season.

***** “This really is a great family love story and love of community - the adopted family. Definitely a recommended read.” MGB

***** “Warm, engaging, and life enhancing.” NMcCreadie

***** “This is ultimately a feel good story that will leave you thinking about your own long held dreams and whether you're brave enough to pursue them. You are in for a treat!” Jenni Perry

***** “I always look forward to meeting the characters in the next Westbay Romance series, and love the background of this charming seaside town. Carmen and Jack are such an interesting couple and the emotional crises they go are beautifully written, as always. One of Janet Pywell's best yet. Loved it!” Carol C.

***** “Someone Else's Home is an entertaining book, fast pace book with all the feels and a happy ending. Just in time for the Holidays.” Shivani McK

***** “Wonderful story. I couldn't put it down. If you have read the other books in the Westbay Romance Series, you will find characters from those books here also.” Gayle Boyce

***** “It's an easy, but hard-to-put down read, because it's so good. Of course, you don't need to have read the previous ones first, but you probably will read them all, once you've read this one, the best yet! Perfect Christmas read and stocking filler. Enjoy!”

***** “An amazing story of one family’s determination to make their lives better. Going through rough times, sometimes makes people try to change their ways and become stronger. Absolutely heart-warming, perfect story for everyone.” Jackie.

354 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 7, 2024

About the author

Janet writes gripping crime thriller novels that will keep you quickly turning the pages. The Mikky dos Santos series are set in different locations throughout Europe while the Ronda George series are set in unusual properties in the UK.

After the Covid pandemic Janet published the first book in the Westbay Romance Series, Someone Else’s Dream — a heart-warming, uplifting, feel-good novel about courage, integrity and friendship.

All the other novels in the series have a resolution at Christmas and will leave you tingling with emotion.

Janet gained an MA in Creative Writing at the Seamus Heaney Centre at Queen’s University, Belfast. She has a background in travel and tourism and she writes using her knowledge of foreign places gained from living abroad and travelling extensively.

Janet currently lives on the Kent coast.

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Janet Pywell’s recently published her first non-fiction book: Ten Simple Steps for Writing Your Book. For more details check out her website:

https://janetpywellauthor.com/

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She can also be found on Goodreads, Bookbub and TikTok.

Reviews

[MGB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Westbay is a really quiet little town. This story will make you want to live there and meet all the people, especially those on Harbour Street. It really is a story about family life. You will feel the joy, the tensions and certainly the love which comes with family life. At this point the kids are starting life away from home and that only complicates things. Even more complications come from the need to provide for the family. With different careers and goals the difficulty is compounded, yet you will feel the love which exists in the family in spite of the difficulties and tensions.

This really is a great family love story and love of community - the adopted family. Definitely a recommended read.

[Gayle B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Someone Else's Home is a heartwarming story of a family, each at a crossroads in their life, trying to figure out where they fit in as an individual and as part of the family. Carmen was a high fashion model, who gave up her career to get married and have a family. Her children are grown and her husband is on his own journey. She makes a major life change. Jack, her husband, was a famous football (soccer) player. An injury ended his career. He is trying to find a new career. Elena is the daughter who is engaged to be married and has a glamorous job as a stewardess, traveling all over the world. But is this what she really wants? Luis is the their son who is soon to go away to college and is finding their way as a person who identifies as non binary. Luis struggles trying to fit in in the small village Carmen has chosen to start over in, public opinions of them and whether to go to college. This is a story of the family struggling with their decisions on their own and whether the family unit can survive the changes each is making.
Wonderful story. I couldn't put it down.
If you have read the other books in the Westbay Romance Series, you will find characters from those books here also.
I received an ARC and voluntarily provided this review.

[Shivani McFarland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all of Janet Pywell's books in this series, and this is my favorite. Someone Else's Home is about a family who happen to be celebrities and are about to lose their home to foreclosure. What I love about the book is that Ms. Pywell takes us inside their lives, and we see that they are quite everyday folks just trying to live life with all it's ups and downs, daily drama, except they are put under a microscope due to their fame. Their troubles are no different from everyone else. Jack Bailey the husband is a famous footballer, loves the attention of the spotlight and want to hang onto their mansion, but due to an injury can no longer play and this puts a big dent in their income. His wife and ex-model is Carmen has moved to Westbay to open up a soft furnishings design shop to help out their income and hopes to get Jack and their two grown kids to relocate there. If any of you have lived in a small town you know it's like living in a fishbowl and eventually all can see your life up close and personal, but with that also comes an incredible sense of community and help from everyone. Of course, there can be that one person who wants to stir up trouble and a good book wouldn't be worth reading if there were no antagonists. Someone Else's Home is an entertaining book, fast pace book with all the feels and a happy ending. Just in time for the Holidays.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing story of one family’s determination to make their lives better. Going through rough times, sometimes makes people try to change their ways and become stronger. Absolutely heartwarming, perfect story for everyone.