Enjoyed the dual POV and the characters and storyline. Dre had a mystery about him, him lying and not being forward with details made it interesting to see what is was he was hiding and why he was hiding things. Found the thoughts he had were funny at times, same as when in Kathryn's pov. Liked her straight forward, say what she wants attitude. There were a few typos but otherwise was a good read. A young man running from his past is sidetracked by his attraction for a spirited young woman. On the surface it seems like the standard contemporary/NA romance, but, as you read, Stone deviates from the expected in some interesting ways. She gives readers lively and highly convincing characters. Dre is appealing and annoying in equal measure. We know he's up to no good when he begins pursuing Kathryn, but there's something about him that whispers to us (as it does to her) not to dismiss him too soon. Kathryn is also not quite the standard romantic heroine. She's self-assured and sarcastic. Stone also does a good job with most of her minor characters. Kathryn's best friend (Sydney) is probably the most surprising of the bunch. I won't give away her line of work, but Stone really goes out on a limb here busting stereotypes and it works.The Charleston, South Carolina setting is well described and made integral to the action. I had almost as much fun hanging around on the beach and traveling around town with the characters as I did reading about their relationships. There are a few bumps on the way to HEA. Dre, hiding a huge secret, can come off a bit juvenile for his age. He's supposed to be 28 and, as we discover, quite well educated. But at certain times his speech/actions seems to be that of an eighteen-year-old kid. Stone also drags the revelation of his "secret" out too long. This creates a slight pacing issue about 2/3 into the book. A draggy chapter or two where Kathryn wheedles the truth of his living situation out of Dre. Then the action/drama shifts into overdrive as an emergency has her accompanying him home and an even bigger secret is revealed. Dre's family, when we finally meet them, is over-the-top awful. Here I think Stone needed to pull back a little. She really crosses the line from unsympathetic to unrealistically villainous. Yes, the family has a lot to hide (so they believe), but their treatment of Dre and the language they descend to when speaking to/about him (and Kathryn) doesn't reflect the station in life Stone has given them. Despite the bumps, CAN'T GO HOME is a good book. Stone keeps the twists coming until the very end.
Do You like book Can't Go Home (2013)?
Loved this book and it my review will be on my blog come Oct 3rd while on the book tour
—dona
This was a solid four star sweet, funny and well written book. I highly enjoyed it.
—Valerie
