Book Review: Far from Home

By Sara Steven

The secrets of the past will unlock her future… Working in the fast-paced foreign exchange market in Canary Wharf, Amy never expected her job to drive her to collapse. With her doctor advising she take a month off work, when Amy receives a solicitor’s letter informing her of a surprise inheritance in Italy, the timing couldn’t be more perfect.

But who on earth has left her a house in the sleepy Tuscan hills?

As she gets to know the town and its inhabitants, Amy discovers more about the mysterious man who named her in his will. Shocking family secrets come to light, leaving Amy questioning the life she knew.

The town of Sant’Antonio holds more than just secrets. Here, Amy meets Adam, a renowned TV journalist whose documentaries take him to dangerous places. But as their attraction grows, so do Amy’s worries. Her life is in England, while Adam’s is untethered and under constant threat… (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

I enjoy all of T.A. Williams’s books, but Far From Home held something even more special than usual. It felt like there were more emotional aspects to it, particularly because of Amy’s shaky foundation where family relationships and romantic relationships are concerned. It doesn’t surprise me that she’s dealing with a health scare, or that she’s been advised to take a break from the stressful life she’s been living and encouraged to take a much-needed break so she can find her bearings again.

I know I sound like I’m on repeat, considering how often I include my love of scenery within my reviews when referencing books I’ve read by Williams, but I love, LOVE the scenery! As always, I’m introduced to new places I would have never imagined going to on my own, but Sant’Antonio is going on my bucket list. I appreciated the parallels that are drawn between the dark, mysterious home that has been bequeathed to Amy, during a time when Amy herself feels lost and unsure of what her future holds for her, to the changes made to the home while Amy gradually makes changes within herself, too, very much influenced by the gorgeous landscape surrounding her, along with the friendly, warm characters who strive to make her feel like she belongs. The scenery becomes another important, pivotal character.

She gets much more than she bargains for and discovers just how much she truly does belong, considering the situation behind why she was given the home to begin with. Amy has to decide whether it is worth it to go “home” again, or whether Sant’Antonio truly can be the place she can settle roots into, regardless of what others think or want for her. The circumstances with Adam were interesting and it’s always nice to witness a potentially budding romance, but I enjoyed Amy’s evolution even more. A little bit of change here and there proves to be good for her, as well as her surroundings, and she begins to reconnect even more with those family roots she had always felt a little uncertain of. 

This wouldn’t be a Williams experience without a black Lab–and Max is just the cutest dog ever! When Amy is upset, he’s there to comfort her. I loved the scenes when Max would put a paw on her leg, or stare up at her with his soulful eyes. It added another important layer of emotion to a touching experience, making this the perfect five-star read!

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase Links:
Amazon US * Amazon UK * Apple * Barnes & Noble

Author bio:

I’m a man. And a pretty old man as well. I did languages at university a long time ago and then lived and worked in France and Switzerland before going to Italy for seven years as a teacher of English. My Italian wife and I then came back to the UK with our little daughter (now long-since grown up) where I ran a big English language school for many years. We now live in a sleepy little village in Devonshire. I’ve been writing almost all my life but it was only ten years ago that I finally managed to find a publisher who liked my work enough to offer me my first contract.

The fact that I am now writing escapist romance is something I still find hard to explain. My early books were thrillers and historical novels and I now also write cozy crime, but my first love has always been romance. Maybe it’s because there are so many horrible things happening in the world today that I feel I need to do my best to provide something to cheer my readers up. My books provide escapism to some gorgeous locations and descriptions of food to make you drool.

Visit T.A. Williams online:
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