JDCMustReadBooks

By Julie Kibler  

ISBN-13: 9781250020437

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Publication date: 1/7/2014

Pages: 352     

My Rating:  (5 Stars) 

A poignant, debut novel – a winner out of the gate, filled with careful description and woven skillfully! A vivid, engaging first book with strong characters, dramatic storytelling, which should establish Julie Kibler as a strong novelist. She most definitely possesses a gift of telling a tragic story, in an entertaining way with an inspiring takeaway of friendship and love. (She has just been added to my favorite author list, and so look forward to following this author)!

A complex and compelling portrait of the painful intricacies of love, loyalty, discrimination, and racial tensions. An insightful story of two women caught between their hearts, families, and their future. 

Calling Me Home is no ordinary love story; however, a book of astonishing precision from past to present, from one younger black woman and an older white woman; raw, painful, beautiful feelings told in honesty, unfolding precisely and eloquently, during this long road trip between friends of two different eras and color. 

The real magic of the book was the subject matter of two families (black/white) trying to survive in an era in which men and women found themselves bound by strict constraints, dictated by society and ignorance. A heart felt story and forbidden love of two people –fighting for a life they so deserve – a fearless, heart wrenching story about the power of true love and friendship. 

There was much depth and power to this relationship between Robert/Isabelle; a timeless love derailed by others, secrets, and an era which did not accept this sort of relationship between a man and woman. A complex tapestry of lives intertwined, a compassionate story of those who are destroyed by love by secrets and betrayal. 

There is warmth and love, even with such painful subjects, as the bond these two women share, not bound by blood, but by a friendship which changes Dottie’s life and her future, is remarkable – a portrait of resilience told with clarity and painful precision, probing the dark history of Isabelle’s past with a few surprises readers will love before it ends, making you smile.

An emotionally charged, absorbing novel about friends, lovers, secrets, and families. Kibler’s sensitive and gripping examination of a family’s past is engaging from the beginning and gets better with every chapter, with unforgettable characters. Eloquently told and making it more special, the author’s insight into the subject matter from her family’s history. A powerful and memorable story you will not soon forget. Ideal for book clubs and discussions - A winner!!