Book Review: Welcome Home Caroline Kline by Courtney Preiss
***May contain spoilers***
***Scroll to the bottom for my rating***
This book wasn’t what I expected, yet it still exceeded my expectations. Following Caroline Kline’s broken-down demeanor and journey to her hometown after unforeseen circumstances was scarily relatable. Returning home to her suddenly ill father, wanting to focus her attention on him and not what just happened back in NYC, it’s no surprise when those plans are altered, too.
Typical of someone struggling to handle a diagnosis, Leo, Caroline’s father, assuages his concerns by putting all his sights on winning the local men’s softball World Series with Caroline in his place. Managing to get her into the league stirs turmoil within the town, putting more eyes on Caroline than she wanted when returning to Glen Brook after 10 years.
After a poor decision, Caroline finds herself in an unofficial AA group. She is forced to slow down, reflect, and heal, learning that being back home isn’t the worst thing that could have happened to her.
Welcome Home Caroline Kline is a story of second chances in more ways than one. Love, loss, friends, and foes all surface throughout her time back home, creating an overall experience of growth and time to find the answer to one of life’s scariest questions: “What’s next?”
This book gave me a true sense of home, something I’ve never experienced before while reading. Although I have never played softball, let alone understood the sport, I understand that sense of community and the aspiration to make those around you proud. I especially understood the community that Caroline is trying to impress upon her return home because it’s my community.
I had the pleasure of meeting Courtney Preiss at Thunder Road Books in Spring Lake back in early June. She was so sweet and we spoke for a while about growing up in Central Jersey, where Courtney based WHCK.
I have never read a book and known and seen precisely the places mentioned throughout the pages. I’ve lived almost my entire life about 10 minutes over from Caroline’s Glen Brook. I’ve eaten at, driven past, frequented, and even worked at most places Courtney writes about in this story. It was such an incredible and exciting experience to read and constantly know exactly where Caroline was during her time back home.
This is a reading experience I would never pass up. It made me wonder how many other books I’ve read that the town mentioned reflected someone else’s hometown like Courtney had mine. It made this read super unique and memorable, so I am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.
The writing, character development, and plot elevate this story as well, but the sense of home and calm that I felt while reading made this book perfect for me.
As always, thanks for reading! 💜
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️