Book Review of 'The Way Back' by Heidi Chiavaroli

Happy Wednesday Bookworms!

Lighthouses have always been a fascination of mine. Sadly, I've never had the opportunity to visit one, but it is high on my bucket list, and I'm sure when I get to visit one it's going to be epic. What I love about books is that you can feel like you're vividly in a place, even if you've never been there before, and that's exactly how I felt while I was reading my featured novel today. After reading, my passion for lighthouses grew, and it's went higher on my list of places to visit, especially when I get the change to go to Maine.

I hope you enjoy my thoughts on this dual timeline fiction and don't forget to scroll to the bottom of this post and enter the amazing giveaway from JustRead Tours.

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for The Way Back by Heidi Chiavaroli hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: The Way Back

Series: Lights of Acadia #1

Author: Heidi Chiavaroli

Publisher: Hope Creek Publishers

Release Date: June 18, 2024

Genre: Dual Timeline Women's Fiction

Young love means everything . . . until it leaves you with nothing.

The summer before her senior year of high school, Laney Jacobs and her best friend jump from a six-story beachside cliff in an attempt to impress their boyfriends. Laney rose from the water. Her friend did not.

Six years later, when Laney’s troubled mother’s memoir hits the bestseller list airing the family’s destructive secrets, Laney is forced to relive the trauma, this time in the public eye. To escape the scrutiny, she seeks shelter at her estranged grandmother’s seaside inn. But she can’t reconcile the loving woman with the heartless parent in her mother’s book. As she seeks answers, the boyfriend who once cost her a promising future reappears, stirring up both pain and hope.

When her mother's vindictive fans threaten her grandmother's livelihood and the lighthouse Laney has come to love, she turns to the century-old words of a young lighthouse keeper to help her find the courage to move forward. But once truths from the past come to light and old love finds new beginnings, will Laney discover that forgiveness is the only way toward true healing?

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

My Review

I have read several deeper novels lately and this is one of them. The Way Back deals with some heavier subject matter as three generations of women come to terms with varying traumas in their lives and a voice from the past gives guidance in her story.

Each chapter starts with a quote of some sort from various characters which adds a unique touch to this narrative. I felt a blanket of sadness surround me as I started this novel, especially when you read the story that this story is anchored to, but there is also this whisper of hope that is also equally present. It is breathtaking in its presentation and masterfully shows off the author’s talent for evoking such deep emotions.

When I first started reading, I was invested but then it started to drag a bit in the middle. I think this is because the romantic aspect was not that appealing to me, and I feel like it could’ve been better if it would’ve stayed focused on the three women and Abbie’s story, and left the romance out, but that’s just me.

I adored that Abbie’s story didn’t feel like a typical dual timeline and more of a story within a story, and the mystery that surrounds each diary entry increased my hunger for answers, not only for the author but for Laney as well. I identified with Laney’s pain so much, having struggled in my past with the same harmful coping mechanism that she did. Yes, self-harm is present in this novel and while it could be triggering to read, I think a lot of people who have had the same struggles will see themselves and maybe find hope from the books message. I know I did.

Though the truths revealed were what I had assumed, the ending was satisfying. It ends on a happier note and shows what the strength and love of family can do, all in the shadow of a lighthouse.

My Rating: ★★★★

About the Author

Heidi Chiavaroli (pronounced shev-uh-roli...sort of like Chevrolet and ravioli mushed together!) wrote her first story in third grade, titled I'd Cross the Desert for Milk. It wasn't until years later that she revisited writing, using her two small boys' nap times to pursue what she thought at the time was a foolish dream. Despite a long road to publication, she hasn't stopped writing since! Heidi writes women's fiction, combining her love of history and literature to write both split time stories and contemporary fiction. Her debut novel, Freedom's Ring, was a Carol Award winner and a Christy Award finalist, a Romantic Times Top Pick and a Booklist Top Ten Romance Debut. Her second Carol Award-winning novel, The Orchard House, is inspired by the lesser-known events in Louisa May Alcott's life and led her to write The Orchard House Bed and Breakfast series, a contemporary twist on Little Women. Heidi makes her home in Massachusetts with her husband, two sons, and Wyatt, her standard poodle.

Connect with Heidi by visiting heidichiavaroli.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a print copy of The Way Back, themed canvas tote bag, bath salts, 3 specialty teas, ocean-inspired candle, magnet, gel pen, notebook, and $25 Amazon gift card!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight June 19, 2024 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on June 26, 2024. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!