Where the Heart Is - Billie Letts

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⭐ 8.0/10

(Originally written by Anita)

This book is about a pregnant 17-year old living in the Southern USA being left at a Walmart by her boyfriend on a cross-country move. And it just gets more intense from there. It follows both the girl (Novalee) and her boyfriend (Willy Jack) over the next few years and tells their story. Willy Jack's is an incredibly difficult read and it really brings to light some difficult subjects. He was clearly not well-loved or educated as a child and boy does it show. She wasn't either but she somehow manages to rise above it all and become one of the most endearing characters I've ever read about. She is truly so inspiring to me and models so well how to love and learn and live well. It's breathtaking sometimes. This is not a light read - it is an Oprah's Book Club book after all - but if you're interested in the small-town southern US dynamic, it's a good one for sure.

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