A Thousand Roads Home by Carmel Harrington

Publisher: HarperCollins UK

Publication date: August 8th 2019

Pages: 448

Ruth is a single mother who lives with her teen son DJ in a small apartment in Dublin. Ruths ex-husband and DJ's father is out of the picture. When her landlord all of a sudden evicts them out of their home, Ruth is desperate, where do they have to go now? After consulting the government housing office, they find out they can't be helped with getting a new home of their own soon because of the long waiting list, but that they will be temporary place in a small hotel that houses people in the same position as theirs. When they arrive at the hotel, they find out it is a rundown, shabby hotel, which also houses normal guests. The two are strictly divided by the even strick hotel manager.  Ruth is secretly hiding her autism, she is only able to eat white foods. During the story, we learn more about her troubled past.

Tom is a man who had everything in his life as a doctor. A successfull practice, and a loving wife and a baby on the way. Then tragic struck his young family life, something he could not cope with well, and which landed him also homeless for years, on a bench in the park with his dog. He befriends DJ by accident after he tries to keep the boy out of trouble and along with his dog, Bette Davis, the trio become close and are soon surprised when Ruth comes upon a meeting of the group and she and Tom realize that he was the doctor that saw Ruth through her pregnancy. Both their lifes transform after they have met each other in their difficult circumstances.

I though this was a very good and surprising read. Altiough the situations of the main characters are difficult, this is not a depressing but a very positive and uplifting story. It is written so beautifully, I find it hard to explain what I like most about it; I think I go for the whole package. The characters are all amaziing and real, and the story just has so much heart!! Without further ado, I highly recommend reading this brilliant book!!