True Places

A Novel

By: Sonja Yoerg

Narrated by: Lisa Flanagan

Length: 12 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's Summary

An Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestseller.

“True Places is a beautiful reminder that though we may busy ourselves seeking what we want, what we need has an uncanny way of finding us.” --Camille Pagán, bestselling author of Life and Other Near-Death Experiences

A girl emerges from the woods, starved, ill, and alone...and collapses.

Suzanne Blakemore hurtles along the Blue Ridge Parkway, away from her overscheduled and completely normal life, and encounters the girl. As Suzanne rushes her to the hospital, she never imagines how the encounter will change her - a change she both fears and desperately needs.

Suzanne has the perfect house, a successful husband, and a thriving family. But beneath the veneer of an ideal life, her daughter is rebelling, her son is withdrawing, her husband is oblivious to it all, and Suzanne is increasingly unsure of her place in the world. After her discovery of the ethereal sixteen-year-old who has never experienced civilization, Suzanne is compelled to invite Iris into her family's life and all its apparent privileges.

But Iris has an independence, a love of solitude, and a discomfort with materialism that contrasts with everything the Blakemores stand for - qualities that awaken in Suzanne first a fascination, then a longing. Now Suzanne can't help but wonder: Is she destined to save Iris, or is Iris the one who will save her?

©2019 Sonja Yoerg. (P)2018 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

All Suburban Mother's Dream

We, suburban Mothers all get trapped in our "super Mom's capes" sometimes. This beautiful story will let you dream or maybe even act on your feelings of being taken for granted.

This author's way with words will make you hear the birds and smell the trees.

Hallmark feel good movie book

The story is beautifully written, it is jammed packed with all the to good to be true ingredients, but it does feel a bit to perfect, morally right and easy going in the end. If the idealistic American dream, little house on the prairie is your thing you will most definitely enjoy this.

I expected more.

Love loved it

Beautifully written. I usually read more suspense novels but this one caught my interest. So glad I got it. I couldn’t put it down..

Thought provoking!

True Places is a very well written book. The characters are well developed. The author explores family relationships and living a meaningful life in a thought provoking way. I highly recommend this book!

Boring

I wanted to like this book and listened to it for nearly 8 hours. I just can't listen any more. With the exception of Suzanne (mother) and Iris (girl found), all of the other characters in this book were unlikeable. After 8 hours, I still have no idea where the story is leading and now I just don't care. If you like to read about rich, shallow people and bratty teens, go for it. I will likely try another Sonja Yoerg book in hopes this was a bad blip on her track record.

True Places

Excellent story, many themes, “real” characters. Loved the location, use of maps, history. Encourages the reader to take at hard look at life’s busyness.

Cant finish the book

I just cant finish this book, I'm sure if I could finish this book I might have a more favorable impression, but for some reason , I find the beginning of the story so boring that I just cant get past it. I've tried twice. I own not only the audible version but the kindle e-reader book this is how much I thought I'd like this book. Again. sorry for the bad review nothing against its author or narrator.

True places

A good book easy read. I couldn't put down. The story just flow off the pages

Courage before status quo

Author created a book that appealed to me to by being able to see a women stuck and having the courage and strength to change and live her own life. Women learns what’s lacking and what is important from a child who has spent her entire life in the woods. Child’s family suffered mishaps and child is rescued by women and in end both are saved. Beautiful story that I enjoyed and found many insights that I related to. Excellent.

Meh.

A lot of repeating ideas and thoughts from the characters. Redundant and it didn’t have the power that the message ultimately could have had.

Beautiful storytelling

Having read this on Kindle originally as an Amazon First Reads selection, was very happy to also try the audiobook version. It is nicely narrated by Lisa Flanagan, the performance not detracting at all from the storyline.

You might expect the focus of the story to be Iris, the mysterious waif found in the woods - and yes she is a key character, her backstory and her adjustment to life outside the bubble of the woods. But the primary focus is Suzanne, the woman who finds her and who is effectively lost herself. Finding Iris prompts her to take stock of what she wants, for the first time in a very long time. And whilst some of her actions may come across as selfish, the story is written well enough to have a great deal of understanding and support for how she tackles the family dynamics that are at the core of the story. Whilst the family characters are mostly unlikeable (petulant teenage Brynn, self-centred husband Walt, and absolute nightmare mother Tinsley (is anyone REALLY that awful!), the writing was so good at drawing you in and you learn that (mostly) they come through to becoming better people. Very enjoyable read/listen.