A picturesque small town, a cosy community garden, a facade of tolerance and acceptance – but when three women with wildly different loyalties come together, what secrets and lies will be revealed? A timely novel exploring prejudice and privilege, from bestselling Australian author Fiona Lowe.
Tara Hooper is at breaking point. With two young children, a business in a town struggling under an unexpected crime wave, and her husband more interested in his cricket team than their marriage, life is a juggling act. Then, when new neighbours arrive and they are exactly the sort of people the town doesn’t want or need, things get worse.
Life has taught Helen Demetriou two things: being homeless is terrifying and survival means keeping your cards close to your chest. Having clawed back some stability through her involvement in the community garden, she dares to relax. But as she uncovers some shady goings-on in the council, that stability turns to quicksand.
For teenage mother Jade Innes, life can be lonely among the judgement of the town and the frequent absences of her boyfriend. A chance encounter draws her into the endangered community garden where she makes friends for the first time. Glimpsing a different way of life is enticing but its demands are terrifying. Does she even deserve to try?
Can such disparate women unite to save the garden and ultimately stop the town from tearing itself apart?
A timely novel exploring prejudice and privilege, from bestselling Australian author Fiona Lowe.
Read some great reviews from our Preview readers here:
I really enjoyed this book and Lowe described the characters and situations perfectly. Living in a small rural town myself, I often see and hear judgement and negativity from people which saddens me, as not everyone has an easy life. And half the time, the people whinging have never met or spoken to the person that they are judging. A fantastic read, and I look forward to reading more of Lowe’s Books. – Annette, NSW, 5 Stars
A Home Like Ours by Fiona Lowe is one of the best books I have read recently. It is a modern story portraying the lives of 4 women in a small rural Australian town. As we follow their stories, the author skillfully highlights how prejudice and privilege can impact people’s lives. The characters are well-developed, realistic and mostly likeable. It is a thoroughly enjoyable novel. – Marjolaine, WA, 5 Stars
I wasn’t impressed with the prologue; I was thinking ‘oh no, not another sad domestic violence book’ but boy was I wrong!! I loved this story, so tenderly and sensitively written, with the three main characters so unique from different generations and backgrounds but in their own way drawing on strengths they didn’t know they each had. The climax to the story built beautifully and I couldn’t put it down until the issues were resolved!! I loved how all three women were involved in the final solution and their personal development came through in the final chapters I’m now checking out more of Fiona’s books! Thank you to Harper Collins and Fiona Lowe for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. – Kaye, SA, 5 Stars
A sensitively written but sharply incisive novel about small-town Australia and what it means to be part of a community, what it means to be Australian, and what it means to be a woman. It’s a rare joy to find a book so full of such complex, well-developed characters who are realistically – humanly – flawed, and yet still relatable and likeable. The characters are archetypes, but they rarely (if ever) fall into a tired stereotype. At a touch under 600 pages, the book is an impressive size and spans an equally impressive time frame, number of characters, and challenging personal and social issues. Lowe has handled it all with characteristic skill, and at no point does the narrative falter from its compelling, at times confronting, march forward. If A Home Like Ours doesn’t win every prize possible, there is something very wrong with the world! – Sylvia, QLD, 5 Stars
“A home like ours” is a story of hope and love. It follows the lives of Helen, Tara and Jon, Fiza and Jade, and a cast of interesting support characters. A community garden is a great concept and something that can bring different people together for a common good. The storytelling is delightful and entertaining, and the characters well rounded and flawed. – Lisa, QLD, 5 Stars
This is a beautifully written book, set in the small town of Boolanga, and focussing on four main characters, Helen, over 55, the hidden face of homelessness, Fiza, a Sudanese refugee seeking safety for herself and her three children, Jade, a teenage mother still desperately pinning her hopes on her baby’s father, and Tara, mother of two, wife of a successful business owner, who seemingly has everything but feels it is all slipping away. Each of the women face challenges in their lives that will test their very core and make them question the society in which they live. As events play out, the community garden becomes the central point of these four women’s lives, forcing them and others to question ingrained assumptions and prejudices. Lowe creates believable characters and scenarios within a well written and cohesive story that should make all of us revisit our beliefs and fears about those who are different to us. A fabulous five star read, highly recommended. – Marcia, SA, 5 Stars
A Home Like Ours is an enjoyable and thought-provoking read. I loved the community garden concept that features at the heart of the story. The garden brings together a variety of characters from very different backgrounds and life experiences and through their interactions Fiona is able to explore some really big themes including prejudice, privilege, racism and homelessness. I was really struck by the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed the story as a story, but was also left thinking about broader issues in real-life communities. I love a book that brings me new perspective and leaves me thinking! – Tamarin, QLD, 5 Stars
A lovely book that has you feeling like you are sitting on a verandah in country Australia, catching up with old friends. Shows all that is good and bad about small-town living and the strength of friendships. Well written and engaging the whole way. – Leesy, NSW, 5 Stars
‘A Home Like Ours’ by Fiona Lowe is so true to life. I live in a regional area and work with former refugees, including Yazidi, and single parents. The racism, abuse and injustice they deal with on a daily basis as described in this book is true. The characters were well developed but real. This book is worth reading. I will be looking for more of Fiona Lowe’s novels. – Shani, NSW, 5 Stars
I loved reading Fiona Lowe’s latest book, A Home Like Ours. It is a real page-turner, a celebration of women from a diverse range of backgrounds, ages and ethnicities coming together to support one another and work towards a common cause. I enjoyed discovering how the lives of the different characters intersected. Bob and his nephew were a breath of fresh air in amongst the drama of the women in the community garden. I loved how the prickly natures of Jade and Helen mirrored each other, developed through a life of merely trying to survive so many hardships thrown at them, then ultimately being able to let their guards down with each other. So many colourful characters with interesting life stories. I’ll definitely be recommending this book to friends and look forward to reading other novels by Fiona Lowe. – Kristie, NSW, 5 Stars
A Home Like Ours by Fiona Lowe is a little treasure of a tale. Set against a highly relatable regional backdrop, the narrative follows the lives of three distinctly different women: Helen, the selfless community volunteer with a tragic past; Tara, the privileged wife, mother and business owner battling relationship issues; and Jade, the teen mum barely surviving on welfare payments. All three women have to overcome personal issues whilst navigating small community life that seeks to ostracise difference without hesitation. Fiona has a real knack for effortlessly entwining characters and storylines so seamlessly that it makes for pure joyous reading. This latest offering delves into confronting social issues including racism, poverty and family violence but in a sensitive and thoughtful manner. Definitely one for a wide range of readers! Thank you Better Reading for the advanced copy. – Sarah, VIC, 5 Stars
I was very fortunate to receive an ARC of Fiona Lowe’s new book A Home Like Ours- loved it- read it over 2 days! What a wonderful story- it challenges life as we know it and the way it can change very quickly. A small town, with community members wanting to see changes, some of these more about self-interest than the wider community. You will love and support the characters in this book-things never turn out how you expect they will. Another wonderful story from Fiona Lowe-one of Australia’s great fiction writers. – Hannah, NSW, 5 Stars
Just what is it that can unite an unemployed homeless woman, a young single mother, a refugee, and an exercise-obsessed business owner? Set in a community garden in a fictional Australian country town, the lives and troubles of the four main characters are laid bare. This book looks beneath the ideals of the Australian small-town life and reveals the impacts of change on the marginalised and displaced in society. It is also a homage to the healing powers of gardening. This is an exploration of the sense of home and what it means for the homeless, the abused and the displaced. However, this is not a bleeding heart woke attempt at political correctness. It is a gritty, no holds barred look at why people fight to retain their sense of belonging and the tentative friendships that grow to bring the community together. I was not expecting to enjoy this book as I thought it would be a soppy saga based around misunderstood relationships. I was wrong. This book is wonderfully written and (coming from someone who lives in a small town) portrays a precise observation of the effects of change in an Australian regional area. – Catherine, QLD, 5 Stars
This wasn’t always a comfortable book to read – Lowe’s sharp depictions of contemporary attitudes towards African refugees and immigrants, young people, older women and homelessness and the almost willful blindness of those who don’t fall into any of those categories sometimes hit a raw nerve for me. But it’s that very thing that makes it worth reading, as the incisiveness of Lowe’s observations is matched with genuinely good storytelling and characters that came alive. From Tara, who was desperately trying to hold a marriage together and going about it in all the wrong ways, to Helen, for whom past scars made her snappy and untrusting, to Jade, the kind-of-single mother desperately wanting a happy family, to Fiza, the Sudanese-Australian woman who connects the three, they were all human and relatable and very, very real. This isn’t a genre I read much of, and I’ve never encountered Fiona Lowe before, but I’m motivated to seek out her other books and read them. If they’re as well-written as this one, they’ll surely be a deep pleasure. – Amanda, WA, 5 Stars
A Home Like Ours is a heartwarming tale which revolves around the age-old themes of love, relationships and community. Fiona Lowe brings her story into 2021 by adding in more contemporary issues like homelessness and the plight of refugees in Australia. I enjoyed the author’s portrayal of the various characters which make up this small town community and the colour and energy that the migrant women bring to the story. It is an easy weekend read which entertains and left me feeling a little more compassionate towards the minority groups in my own community. – Ruth, NSW, 5 Stars
‘Holding on means there’s still hope.’ The small (fictional) town of Boolanga provides the setting for Ms Lowe’s thoughtful and thought-provoking novel exploring prejudice and privilege. Helen, in her last fifties, has experienced tragedy, homelessness and employment-related ageism. Jade, a teenaged mother, is dealing with a frequently absent boyfriend who sees parenting their baby son Milo as Jade’s responsibility as well as with judgemental locals. Tara is struggling. She is juggling the demands of two small children and the family business and is concerned that her husband Jon is no longer interested in their marriage. Boolanga has a community garden, but some of the locals want to keep that garden exclusive. Recent migrants are excluded. Others are convinced that ‘the Africans’ are responsible for the town’s recent crime wave. Through the stories of these three quite different women, Ms Lowe shines a light on the different ways people are displaced and regarded as ‘others’. While Helen, Tara, and Jade each must adapt to changed circumstances, they each learn to accept help without being defensive and to accept difference without automatically rejecting it. I loved this novel. – Jennifer, ACT, 5 Stars
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I read it whilst on holidays in a small town so the setting caught me straight away. With three completely different characters at the centre of the story you will get to know them all better as the story moves along and like me you might be wishing you were apart of their community. – Tracey, WA, 5 Stars
I absolutely loved reading this book and didn’t want the story to end! Set in the small town of Boolanga, in northern Victoria, this novel tells the story of Helen, Jade, Tara and Fiza. The characters came alive for me as each was tested in different ways but with a common theme of community, friendship, relationships and betrayal. The issue of displacement is woven into ‘A Home like Ours’ and what it means to each of the characters in very unique ways. The story provides the reader with an insight into prejudice, racism and stereotypical behaviours, hopefully making each of us think about issues faced in every community and challenging our own thinking on those complex situations. I thoroughly recommend reading this fabulous novel by Fiona Lowe, as she continues to bring Australian small town fiction and relationship dynamics into our living rooms. – Larelle, QLD, 5 Stars
Such an epic, beautifully written book about privilege abs prejudices. A real reflection of many Australian communities, it has you falling in love with each of the different characters. Highly recommend – five stars! – Stacey, WA, 5 Stars
A Home Like Ours by Fiona Lowe is the first book I have read by Fiona. I absolutely loved it. 3 beautiful women from different cultures and upbringing discovering themselves and overcoming life’s challenges in a small country town set in Victoria Australia. What a great start to my 2021 reading, finding a new author to read. – Bronwyn, VIC, 5 Stars
Best read yet by Fiona Lowe. I loved all the layers in the plot. Very topical with a story around refugees and middle-aged homeless women. The small town cliques resonated with me. Helen went through a lot in her life and still volunteered to help others and fought for what she believed was right and fair. Bob was an endearing character and had a lot of patience. I just wanted to shake some sense into Jade. Tara was like a lot of mothers, juggling all the different balls in life. A great read and could be adapted to a movie. – Marg, QLD, 5 Stars
I found this book engaging, refreshingly down to earth and very easy to read. The multiple first-person perspectives were really well executed in this case. The three protagonists’ worlds met early on, so you aren’t left wondering how they could possibly know each other, and the time spent with each character was long enough that I didn’t feel like I was constantly changing perspective, but also short enough that I didn’t feel impatient to skip forward to find out what was happening with the others. The characters were realistically flawed, with some nice personal growth moments throughout. There was a good balance of dialogue with internal monologue, and the story flowed fairly well, although there were a few points of plot development that felt slightly rushed. Overall a really enjoyable read, incorporating some serious issues in a non-confrontational way. – Tracey, NSW, 4 Stars
It took me a few chapters to get involved with the main characters but once I did I couldn’t put the book down. Being from a small country town I found it easy to relate to their lives and the storyline and how opinions changed especially prejudice towards those not classed as “locals”! Excellent. – Judy, WA, 4 Stars
For fans of Liane Moriarty but a bit more deep, intense and complex, a story that will hook you and characters you will grow to adore, it can be a bit heavy going but worth every second you spend reading it. – Penny, NSW, 4 Stars
A small-town story with underlying intrigue, family dramas & dodgy politicians. This book is more than meets the eye. – Erin, QLD, 4 Stars
Fiona Lowe’s A Home Like Ours is a fabulous book tackling issues of racism, refugees, homelessness, disadvantage and disability and their impacts on society. It challenges attitudes and assumptions, highlighting privilege and discrimination. Three diverse women who seemingly have little in common but each with their own troubles are the central characters upon which the various storylines are woven together. A topical and thought-provoking read. Highly recommended. Thanks to Better Reading for the opportunity to read and review this great Australian novel. – Imogen, VIC, 4 Stars
I admit I initially thought this book might be a bit “gran-lit” but I was drawn in almost immediately. Each character was vividly drawn and each one aroused empathy, compassion, some amount of frustration, but ultimately, hope. The portrayal of small-town racism was unnervingly accurate. There were parts of the book where a solid knowledge of plants or gardening would come in handy, and others where I had to suspend my disbelief for a moment (no group of 30 something women would all actually read Anna Karenina for book club! Who’d have time to get through it?!) but overall I found myself deeply invested in each of the women’s stories. I took this book on a short holiday and it was a fantastic holiday read! – Katrina, TAS, 4 Stars
Fiona Lowe the author has written a beautiful Australian story. A Home Like Ours is about a small regional Australian town, struggling with change. The book follows the lives of 3 different women from the town all with their own issues and strengths. A fantastic book which I couldn’t put down. – Heather, NSW, 4 Stars
A Home Like Ours is set in a small Australian regional town around a community garden where the lives of three different women come together. All three women must overcome personal issues while uniting to save the garden and contemplating what it means to be part of a community. The book is well written and covers lots of social issues like displacement, racism, poverty and domestic violence. I have not read many books of this genre but this one is well worth a read! – Brenda, NSW, 4 Stars
Firstly, I absolutely love Fiona Lowe. I have read every book she has published and I have never been disappointed. But A Home Like Ours was nowhere near as good as her previous novels. I loved the premise behind the story. I loved and hated the characters. I found them to be adorable, self-centred and completely relatable all rolled into one. But the actual story had me dragging my heels to finish it. The start was slow, the overall revelations were predictable and I just couldn’t fully enjoy it. It’s by no means a 1-star novel but I also can’t give it a 5-star review either. I will still recommend it to family and friends but I felt the story dragged and made it difficult for me to read it quickly. – Kirstie, WA, 4 Stars
One of the main characters Helen who is living in her car finds herself in a Victorian town on the Murray River, fast forward three years we find that she is established in the town of Boolanga and living as the caretaker of the local community garden. The story continues to follow the theme of homelessness but with other characters dives into refugees, single parenting, illnesses, fraud and mistrust all set within the small town. “What really lies beneath the ideally facade of the small town?” I also live in a small town and could relate to the ideas and storylines of the books. Friends come and go, scandals and gossip but the sense of community is stronger than anything and when needed the group can come together. I enjoyed the style of writing of this novel like I did in Fiona other titles Just An Ordinary Family, it had a range of characters and storylines to hold my interest I became lost when reading the local council storyline but would bring back my interest with other chapters. I would recommend this title to fellow readers who also enjoy Fiona’s those titles, supporting Australian authors. – Crystal, TAS, 4 Stars
A true depiction of a small country town in Australia. An eclectic group of characters who experience growth within themselves and end up learning a lot about who they are. Believable characters who are recognizable in any community. The women portrayed in this book show great resilience and a great example of the true Aussie battler spirit. It tackles very real topics such as prejudice, racism, domestic violence, chronic health problems and homelessness. Situations that have been experienced personally. Very well written, despite the 550 pages or so I wanted to keep reading and wanted to find out more about each of the characters. Definitely worth the read. My 1st introduction to Fiona lowe’s written work and looking forward to reading more books by her. – Matilda, QLD, 4 Stars
It took a little while to link the characters, though my interest was held from the beginning. I felt so much for Helen and the situation she found herself in, including moments of terror. However, her strength and determination were well portrayed… so different to that of unmarried Mum, Jade, whom I wanted to shake and hug at the same time. She put her faith in someone totally undeserving, rather than in herself. I wondered what Tara’s connection would be.. she seemed an unlikely addition at first, with a husband who was more interested in cricket than her. At first, she seemed barely tolerant of her new neighbour, Fiza, a refugee, as she was so absorbed in her own problems, with their business and home. I expected it would be Helen who first reached out to include Fiza, though in some ways, it was the reverse. Strangely enough, it was a community garden that united this mixed lot, along with the aid of the gentle man, Bob and the very understanding Lachie… Fiona Lowe depicts small-town people and problems so very well.. then leaves her readers satisfied that we understand the future of the inhabitants of Boolanga. – Crissouli, QLD, 4 Stars
A small town, four very different women and a community garden – the set of a string of events that unravel conspiracy and greed. Helen a recently homeless woman, Jade a teenage mother, Fiza a Sudanese immigrant and Tara, a mum and business owner are thrown together through the many twists and turns in the tone of Boolanga – Home of the Brolgas. The passion for growing and sharing food brings the four women together, albeit a very rocky path that leads them to each other. All struggling with heartache in their lives, they are forced to carry on, helping each other as they battle to save the local community garden. Through adversity and much prejudice, the women fight for what’s right, all coming to realisations about each other. A great read, that captures real issues faced by women today and how through acceptance and awareness, we can all achieve miracles – even if they do seem small. – Suzie, WA, 3 Stars
Honestly I only kept ready A Home Like Ours in anticipation of the story spicing up for scandal or a secret that no one spoke of but unfortunately, this did not happen. The storyline was a little slow for my liking but however, it was a nice easy read. Thank you for the opportunity to honestly review A Home Like Ours for Better Reading. – Petrina, QLD, 3 Stars
I tend to avoid Australian authors for a few reasons, the main one is hitting close to home for all the wrong reasons. I enjoyed the storylines which involved a husband and wife being hit with a serious health issue, an older woman becoming a lifeline to a young mother, and vice versa, and even having the conflict of refugees in the community. But packing in several social issues and skimming them so shallowly as the characters in the actual book, confuses the reader as to what the author is writing about. I felt cheated out of answers, as questions kept arising about characters. – Amanda, VIC, 3 Stars
Fiona Lowe has covered many issues in A Home Like Ours, all of them topical and relevant. Her writing is easy to read whilst being eloquent and she has a gift for finding the various voices of her very diverse characters. Themes include homelessness, racism, infidelity, domestic violence, single motherhood, Alzheimer’s, and other issues. At times I wanted the book to be turned into five different novels so that the issues and the backstories of the characters could be examined in greater depth. The reader becomes invested in the lives and the passions and problems of the people whose lives become intertwined due to the handling and development of a Community Garden. The garden is actually a catalyst for change in the small northern Victoria town and becomes a character in its own right. A Home Like Ours is a metaphor for homes like every community. It is a holiday read which is sometimes predictable but always gives the reader ideas to think about on every page. – Janette, NSW, 3 Stars
Fiona Lowe is a great Australian contemporary woman’s fiction writer and in her latest book, she tells the story of three women from different backgrounds coming together and finding a common ground. Set in a small town on the Murray River this story has it all from a marriage that is struggling to homelessness, domestic violence, small-town gossip, judgements, racism, political nonsense and corruption. Living in a small town I found the story was very easy to relate to and was a great summer read. At times I did feel there were a few too many characters being introduced and it was hard to remember who everyone was, especially with the political members of the story. While this wasn’t my favourite Fiona Lowe book I still found the story enjoyable and would recommend it to any Fiona Lowe fan. – Ally, TAS, 3 Stars
Fiona Lowe tackles some worthy and timely topics – homelessness, domestic violence, racism, youth boredom, dealing with a debilitating disease and local politics through the eyes of three female protagonists. This however leads to a very long (545 pages) book as she tries to tackle all of the issues flipping from one to the next and back again. I didn’t find the characters convincing and felt they were all a bit one dimensional. Unfortunately for much of the book the only thing that defines Tara is her desire to have sex and her obsession with her male relationships – husband and personal trainer. This becomes ridiculous when after a break-in at their family business all she can think about is that fact she won’t be jumping into bed that morning. Helen is an unlikable woman doing some likeable things. The issue of homelessness is touched on well but then disappears as a ridiculous attempt to unravel some council corruption using the internet becomes her obsession. The most realistic character is young Jade, a single brokenhearted mum who has the threat of an angry, absent partner always looming in the back of her mind. Again though the language used by her seemed oddly old fashioned and the author is very verbose when describing emotions such as “a woosh of anger flared as high and as fast as a lit match hitting lighter fluid, scorching her from head to toe”. As I said the topics are worthy but the story would have been more readable if we focussed on a couple of major issues and dissected them with a bit more attention and logic. I struggled to finish it as it became more and more unrealistic to its final happy ending for everyone involved! – Christine, NSW, 2 Stars
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Great review roundup! I’ve been looking for my next read, and A Home Like Ours sounds like a thought-provoking choice with all those layered characters and social themes. By the way, on a completely different note, if anyone here is dealing with home maintenance stuff while settling in with a good book, I recently came across roofing near me and was genuinely impressed by their work. Thought I’d mention it in case it helps anyone. Thanks for sharing all these detailed previews!