"Where the Heart Is" by Billie Letts

Most people have seen the movie adaptation of thisbook the hundreds of times it airs on ABCFamily, but here’s a synopsis. Novalee Nation is a pregnant teenager traveling with her emotionally abusive boyfriend across the country on their way to California. At a pit stop, Novalee goes into a Wal-Mart to use their bathroom and is abandoned there with no money and no place to live. Scared, Novalee lives in the Wal-Mart undetected until her baby is born, then successfully finds a home in the community, helped by the kindness of strangers.

This is a simple, uplifting story of a dynamic character that shows the triumph of kindness over meanness. What I liked about this book is that while the story is all about family and having a “home”, there are no traditional families portrayed. All of the characters, coming from different domestic scenarios, all come together to form a different kind of family. It’s a sweet book, nothing Earth shattering, but a very easy read.
3.5/5 stars