When You Make It Home by Claire Ashby
Meg Michaels, a bookstore owner, has already walked away from two cheating exes. She’s learned her lesson and has her mind set on success—until she gets knocked up. Embarrassed and unwilling to discuss her situation with friends and family, she wears layers to hide the pregnancy.
When Meg gets sick at a party, she’s mortified. Even worse, Theo Taylor, the guest of honor, discovers her secret. Theo, an Army medic wounded in the war, agrees not to reveal her condition, and the two forge a bond of friendship that blossoms into love.
Theo is soon filling all of Meg’s late-night cravings—and not just the pregnancy-induced ones. But can their love overcome all the obstacles that stand between them and creating a happy family?
Author page on RAP: http://redadeptpublishing.com/claire-ashby/
REVIEW BY MAZZY OBSESSED BY BOOKS
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
I couldn't believe that this is the debut book for this author, it is so well written and the concept of the book is fantastic.
This author has taken real life issues and incorporated into a fantastic read.
Meg and Theo are fantastic characters, the ending could of been tidied up a little but it doesn't take anything away from this book.
I cannot wait to see what this author comes up with next.
View all my reviews
REVIEW BY NADIA BOOK OBSESSIVE
**Obsessed by Books, arc received in exchange for an honest review**
This is a well written debut novel about two people who make each other whole again. Theo has returned from a war zone damaged physically and mentally. Meg is keeping her pregnancy secret as her love life is complicated! Fate brings them together and this is their story showing that love really can be a cure all.
It works so well as we laugh and cry along with the characters and can put ourselves in their shoes throughout the journey. We shout at them and cheer when they work things out and that is how you can tell it's an amazing read. This book struck a chord as it's actually happening, men and women come home broken from war every day and this brought a little light into a very dark reality. Beautifully written and a feel good read, that shows what humanity is capable of if we invest in each other.
I look forward to reading more!
What’s When You Make It Home about?
Meg is a successful bookstore owner and leads a pretty public life. She discovers she’s pregnant shortly after breaking up with her fiancé, but even though he’s not the baby’s father, Meg knows everyone will assume he is.
She’s busy hiding her unplanned pregnancy when she meets Theo, an army medic who’s just returned home from Afghanistan after a life altering injury. He discovers her secret and they become friends.
Have you always liked to write?
I hated writing compositions in the 4th grade. Plus, we had to read them out loud,and I was terribly shy. But sometimes I could make the class laugh. That became like a sort of game to me.
Do you have any strange writing habits?
I tend to my nails before I write. I clean them, whether or not they need to be cleaned. I trim and file them. If I’m feeling unsure of a scene I’m working on, I might do my cuticles too.
What writing advice do you have for other aspiring authors?
Connect with other writers. Attend workshops. Go to writing conferences. Enter contest. Immerse yourself in the writing world.
Do you have a favorite conference to attend? What is it?
I’ve dreamed of going to the Romance Writers of America conference for forever, and I finally attended for the first time this year. There were so many successful writers there, it was amazing and inspiring and overwhelming. And I met Nora Roberts.
Are you a plotter or a pantster?
Technically I’m a pantster, but I don’t sit down with an empty mind and write. That’s a skill I admire in other writers. I plot in my head, but outlining ruins the authentic feeling of story telling for me. I only outline after I’ve written the scenes, to make sure I’m pulling the story together the way I think I am.
Is there anything you would never do as an author?
I would never end a book on a cliffhanger. I’m not fond of this relatively new trend of ending books unresolved. Yes, it works on television to get people to tune in next season, but as a reader it leaves me feeling ripped off.
I also would never end a book without a hopeful ending. Again, that’s a reflection of what I like when I read. If I’ve invested my time in a story, I want to walk away feeling optimistic. I do read and sometimes enjoy books that don’t end on a positive, but I don’t want to write a book like that.
What’s your favorite quote?
“My house burned down and now I have a better view of the sky.”
Actually, I think that’s a Chinese Proverb, but I love the symbolism. Now that I have a mortgage, I should probably find a new favorite quote.
What’s the best and worst part of being a writer?
The worst part is the fear and doubt. Writing a novel can feel like a silly dream. It can feel like a waste of time. I’ve faced a lot of demons at my keyboard.
The best part for me is the friends I’ve made. I met some of the coolest people in this business that under any other circumstances, I never would’ve met.
What are you working on now? What is your next project?
I’m writing the next book in the WHEN YOU MAKE IT HOME series, but I also have a side project that’s a little darker. It’s a story of revenge and redemption.
Author 
Claire Ashby was born and raised in the heart of Atlanta. At a young age, she began keeping journals and over time embellished the details of her quiet days. Eventually, she let go of writing reality altogether and delved completely into the world of fiction.
When she’s not reading or writing, she spends her time watching extreme survival shows and taking long walks after nightfall. She has an unnatural love of high places, but still regrets the time she skydived solo. She believes some things are better left to the imagination. She resides in Austin with her family and a pack of wild dogs.
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