What readers think of Calling Me Home, plus links to write your own review.

Calling Me Home affected me more than any book has in a very long time. The emotions that run through Isabelle's story of her past and the current difficulties that Dorrie is dealing with bring us a rich and satisfying tale.

Their bond grows as Isabelle unravels her life in words along the road from Texas to Cincinnati. O. Henry-like twists occur that take your breathe away.

Friendship often does come in the most unlikely places. This couple's friendship is truly a special one that deepens as Isabelle's story is revealed. Calling Me Home brought laughter as well as tears. Journey along with these amazing women and find love and longing as their journey moves forward.

Calling Me Home, which at first I thought might be a cliched story line, at the end moved me to tears (and I don't cry easily). The back and forth of the narrative between the current time and the 30's and the circumstances and hardships of an inter- racial love were both moving and hard to forget. The characters of Dorrie and Isabelle and the close bond they had was a great example of the importance of women's friendships in each others lives even though their backgrounds may be so different. A very touching book that I will be thinking about for a while.

Julie Kibler has successfully tackled the difficult issue of racial equality in her fascinating debut novel told in the first person by Miss Isabelle and Dorrie on their journey from Texas to Ohio. The long car trip gave the women the time and opportunity to divulge their life stories in a believable way; however, the ultimate purpose of the trip came as a surprise to me. As a reader who had lived in the South before desegregation, I could empathize with the societal restraints and pressures Miss Isabelle wrestled with throughout her life.
The engaging style of the author kept me reading as I discovered more and more of the intimate secrets as the women revealed them to each other. When the book ended, I realized that the lives of Miss Isabelle and Dorrie were much more alike than their ages, skin color, and circumstances might have suggested. I highly recommend Calling Me Home to readers interested in a story filled with love, mystery, life-changing secrets, and the consequences of racial inequality.

Calling Me Home is a touching story about a man and a woman who come from different life styles but are joined together by love. It is also a story of two women who develop a strong friendship and a deep respect for each other on a road trip from Texas to Ohio. The story touches on many emotions. I laughed, I cried, I became angry and in the end, I felt a deep appreciation for the diverse people in my life.
A great debut novel by wonderful storyteller, Julie Kibler. I will be watching for her next book.

This is an outstanding debut novel!
Alternating between the present and 1930/40's, the author draws you into the lives and conversations between an elderly white woman and a young black hair dresser as they drive from Texas to Ohio. Both women have secrets that they have guarded but end up sharing with each other. In reading the novel, issues such as race,love,family, segregation are dealt with in a sensitive manner.
If you liked The Help or The Kitchen House, you will enjoy this well written and researched novel.
This is an ideal book for a book club to read.
I am waiting on Kibler's next novel.

I loved this book! I couldn't put it down. It alternates between present day and the late 1930's and 1940's. It's the story of Isabelle and Dorrie. It's about family, race relations and most of all love. The two women, from different backgrounds, have lessons to learn and to share. This book has so many layers. It's sad and touching. Keep a box of tissues handy!!!

On the surface this novel could remind one of a Romeo and Juliet story, but underneath it is so much more. It makes a person question why we have our prejudices when underneath we are all just human beings with the need for friendship,love and acceptance.

I am glad that I read this book. For me, it was slow getting started, but I soon became hooked by the story of these two unlikely friends.

The relationships and memories of Miss Isabelle brought this painful period to life in a very heartfelt way.

I would definitely recommend Calling Me Home to book discussion groups.