Book Review: Wish Me Home by Kay Bratt

 Hi all - It took me a few years to finally have time to sit down and read this amazing novel by Kay Bratt, and I'm so glad I did. Here is more about the book and my review.

Wish Me Home

Kay Bratt

Book Description:

 

In her first work of contemporary women’s fiction, bestselling author Kay Bratt draws on her own life experiences to create a raw, yet inescapably warm, novel about friendship and a wary heart’s unexpected capacity to love.

 

A hungry, stray dog is the last thing Cara Butter needs. Stranded in Georgia with only her backpack and a few dwindling dollars, she already has too much baggage. Like her twin sister, Hana, who has broken Cara’s heart one too many times. After a lifetime of family troubles, and bouncing from one foster home to another, Cara decides to leave it all behind and strike out alone—on foot.

 

Cara sets off to Florida to see the home of her literary hero, Ernest Hemingway, accompanied only by Hemi, the stray dog who proves to be the perfect travel companion. But the harrowing trip takes unexpected turns as strangers become friends who make her question everything, and Cara finds that as the journey unfolds, so does her life—in ways she could never imagine.

 

 

My 5-Star Review:

Wish Me Home by Kay Bratt is a touching and uplifting novel about healing, trust, and the unexpected companions who help guide us home.

The story begins with Cara, a young woman walking alone along a Georgia highway, clearly running from something in her past. Along the way she is joined by an injured stray dog she names Hemingway—Hemi for short—and the loyal little companion quickly becomes her only source of comfort as they travel together.

At first, Cara keeps everyone at arm’s length, and it’s clear she has good reason to be wary. As she makes her way toward Key West—inspired by her admiration for Ernest Hemingway—the pieces of her troubled past slowly come to light. The story reveals the difficult childhood she shared with her twin sister and the painful events that pushed her onto the road.

Along the journey, Cara encounters both kindness and hardship, but the people she meets begin to restore her faith in others. When she finally reaches Key West and finds a safe place working with dogs, she begins the slow process of trusting again and confronting the painful truths she has carried for so long.

Warm, emotional, and beautifully written, Wish Me Home is a powerful story about resilience, self-discovery, and the healing power of love—both human and canine. It’s a heartfelt novel that will stay with readers long after the final page.

 

Buy now on Amazon

 

About the Author:

Writer, Rescuer, Wanderer

Kay Bratt is the powerhouse author behind over 30 internationally bestselling books that span genres from mystery and women's fiction to memoir and historical fiction. Her books are renowned for delivering an emotional wallop wrapped in gripping storylines. Her Hart's Ridge small-town mystery series earned her the coveted title of Amazon All Star Author and continues to be one of her most successful projects out of her more than two million books sold around the world.

Kay's literary works have sparked lively book club discussions wide-reaching, with her works translated into multiple languages, including German, Korean, Chinese, Hungarian, Czech, and Estonian.

Beyond her writing, Kay passionately dedicates herself to rescue missions, championing animal welfare as the former Director of Advocacy for Yorkie Rescue of the Carolinas. She considers herself a lifelong advocate for children, having volunteered extensively in a Chinese orphanage and supported nonprofit organizations like An Orphan's Wish (AOW), Pearl River Outreach, and Love Without Boundaries. In the USA, Kay served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for abused and neglected children in Georgia, as well as spearheaded numerous outreach programs for underprivileged kids in South Carolina.

As a wanderlust-driven soul, Kay has called nearly three dozen different homes on two continents her own. Her globetrotting adventures have taken her to captivating destinations across Mexico, Thailand, Malaysia, China, the Philippines, Central America, the Bahamas, and Australia. Today, she and her soulmate of 31 years live in Saint Augustine, Florida.

Described as southern, spicy, and a touch sassy, Kay loves to share her life's antics with the Bratt Pack on social media. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to join the fun and buckle up for the ride of a lifetime. Explore her popular catalog of published works at Kay Bratt Dot-Com and never miss a new release (or her latest Bratt Pack drama) by signing up for her monthly email newsletter.