Home Front

By: Kristin Hannah

Narrated by: Maggi-Meg Reed

Length: 15 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

"Home Front is Hannah's crowning achievement."—The Huffington Post

In this powerhouse of a novel, Kristin Hannah explores the intimate landscape of a troubled marriage with this provocative and timely portrait of a husband and wife, in love and at war.

All marriages have a breaking point. All families have wounds. All wars have a cost. . . .

Like many couples, Michael and Jolene Zarkades have to face the pressures of everyday life—children, careers, bills, chores—even as their twelve-year marriage is falling apart. Then a deployment sends Jolene deep into harm's way and leaves defense attorney Michael at home, unaccustomed to being a single parent to their two girls. As a mother, it agonizes Jolene to leave her family, but as a solider, she has always understood the true meaning of duty. In her letters home, she paints a rose-colored version of her life on the front lines, shielding her family from the truth. But war will change Jolene in ways that none of them could have foreseen. When tragedy strikes, Michael must face his darkest fear and fight a battle of his own—for everything that matters to his family.

At once a profoundly honest look at modern marriage and a dramatic exploration of the toll war takes on an ordinary American family, Home Front is a story of love, loss, heroism, honor, and ultimately, hope.

"Hannah has written a remarkable tale of duty, love, strength, and hope that is at times poignant and always thoroughly captivating and relevant." —Library Journal (starred review)

©2012 Kristin Hannah (P)2012 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“Kristin Hannah's Home Front, read with fine emotional nuance by Maggi-Meg Reed, is the kind of novel that grabs your heart as it draws you in…Keep the Kleenex close, and breathe through the lumps in your throat.” —Booklist

“The novel's second half, a moving exploration of the impact of post-traumatic stress disorder on an already shaky family dynamic, is especially well read by Maggi-Meg Reed, who inhabits all the voices and characters with skill and heartfelt emotion. A timely book that is highly recommended for all audiences.” —Library Journal, Starred Review

lovely

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes loveed the story

What about Maggi-Meg Reed’s performance did you like?

You no there are a lot of very good books out there but if u don't have a good narrator. You cant get In to it and she is great

Home Front

Home Front takes you from home to the front as one mom figures out how to raise a family while serving her country. I love everything Kristin Hammer writes.

A Journey of a Family

Home Front is a story that centers on the lives of the Zarkades; Michael, Jolene and their 2 girls; Betsy, 12 and Lulu, 4. Jolene comes from a home whose alcoholic parents die when she is 17 where her next family becomes the military. It is the story of a marriage of 12 years that started with full of love and hope that now seems to be gone. It is a story of a woman who is torn between love for her family and her duty to her country. It is a story of a man who in the absence of his wife learns about himself and his desire to regain his family back and the regret for letting his wife go to Iraq without knowing she has his heart and will be here for her on her return. It is a story of a woman that has strength to come home to face despair, depression and loss to return to the family that so desperately wants hers back.

This is my 3rd Kristin Hannah and I toyed with getting this book but glad I did. I can???t say it was an easy book to get through and at time found it heartbreaking to listen to one that tugged at my heart and emotions. I thoroughly enjoyed the 2 main characters; Michael and Jolene, and their journey through this book. I did have hard time with the 2 children. I know 12 years olds can be difficult but thought Betsy was exceptional difficult and Lulu was way too whiny.

Maggi-Meg Reed as the narrator did a great job ??? you could so feel the emotions the main characters were feeling. Again the children were a little over the top and irritating to listen to.

Life after the soldier comes homes

This book pulled me in to live daily life with a soldier and her thoughts and the hardships and struggle of returning from war, not whole, physically or mentally, after suffering severe injuries herself and losing her best friend and other close team mates in the war. Having never served, it was a small window into the life and struggles that our soldiers live with daily. The military needs to prepare soldiers for life after war with the same intensity that they prepare them to go in to war.

loved this book

THANK YOU FOR YOUR WONDERFUL STORY. IT WAS GREAT TO HEQR A STORY FROM A WOMANS INEIGHT AS MANY WOMEN FROM FAR BACK IN TIME HAS SERVED OUR COUNTRY IN SO MANY WAYS.

Kristin Hannah is a wonderful Author!

This book is a heartfelt story that you will enjoy from start to end. Hannah makes the characters com

My Musings

Great story with complex characters and a fantastic plot. I did have issues with the children characterization. Lulu and Betsy are both spoiled children and portrayed with extremely immature behavior compared to the ages they’re supposed to be, especially Lulu.
The narrator went overboard on them too. I do wish the author had given the reader more information about Keith Keller after the verdict. Happy reading and listening!

Tender! Listened with my heart

Anyone who likes stories about decent people who put their lives at risk for the safety of our nation, how an unexpected tragedy changes ones life, great character development, a well written story that moves along at a quick pace, full of raw and intense emotions that fit neatly into the story line, conflict resolution handled - not just conflict, you will absolutely love this book.
Homefront is a story that moves your heart sometimes to tears, sometimes to righteous anger and sometimes to deep compassion: It will not bore you!. In Homefront, Kristin Hannah forced me to think about it more seriously about the reality of our veterans health care and mental health programs. The statistics on Recovery from PTSD are dismal. The medical community has hardly scratched the surface on PTSD, yet our soldiers are absolute heroes. The reason we are able to enjoy safety in the US is because the veterans willingly put themselves in very dangerous situations.

Predictable

This story was very predictable. It’s not the worst book I’ve ever listened to, but it wasn’t the best.

Horrible narrator, but like led the book

The novel was very good. Hard to get into after The Great Alone. Hated the narrator. The voices of the kids nearly made me stop listening. I’ll keep an eye out for her name in the future.