--- product_id: 5066214 title: "Calling Me Home: A Novel" brand: "julie kibler" price: "NZ$46" currency: NZD in_stock: true reviews_count: 7 url: https://www.desertcart.nz/products/5066214-calling-me-home-a-novel store_origin: NZ region: New Zealand --- # Calling Me Home: A Novel **Brand:** julie kibler **Price:** NZ$46 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Calling Me Home: A Novel by julie kibler - **How much does it cost?** NZ$46 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.nz](https://www.desertcart.nz/products/5066214-calling-me-home-a-novel) ## Best For - julie kibler enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted julie kibler brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Calling Me Home: A Novel ## Images ![Calling Me Home: A Novel - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/510cNnxz4gL.jpg) ![Calling Me Home: A Novel - Image 2](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51ETMM4a9wL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 STARS!! ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I'VE READ IN A LONG TIME... *by L***) on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 9, 2015* One of my bookish resolutions for the year was to start reading more books that weren’t just pure romance and seeing a couple of friends who loved this particular book motivated me to finally pick it up. Without a doubt, this is a book that will be on my best books read in 2015 list. The content and sensitive topics explored were extremely thought-provoking, the heartbreaking forbidden romance both shattered my heart and mended it, and the historical backdrop of the book made the story feel so real, like I was transported in the world the author created and was a silent bystander who experienced everything the characters did. This was one of the hardest books for me to read, not because I didn’t enjoy it or wasn’t invested, but because of how powerful the author’s words are. They leaped off the pages and seeped deep into my heart, crippling me with the stark truth behind the ugly reality presented in the story. And even though all of this is fictional, the impression left afterwards is sure to impact minds and hearts alike, invigorating readers to not let the tragedies and ostracism in the story reoccur in reality.Of course, not every book that tackles interracial romance and segregation will make a profound impact on me. It all depends on the author’s delivery of said premise, and in this case, I couldn’t be more impressed with the way the author presented her story and characters. The tale follows a road trip where an 80 year old Isabelle is heading to a funeral with Dorrie, her 30 something year old hairdresser. Over the years, Dorrie and Isabelle’s relationship has gone from employer/employee to dear friends, yet there’s always this cloak of mystery that surrounds Isabelle that Dorrie can’t figure out.And even with Dorrie experiencing her own troubles with her boyfriend and children, she still embarks on this road trip with Isabelle, realizing that her old friend will need her for support. Along the way, it warmed my heart to witness the friendship dynamic between the two, from arguing about the pettiest things to confessing hidden secrets, the biggest one being Isabelle’s romance with Robert, the black son of her family’s housekeeper and her one true love, and the consequences that arose because such an interracial relationship was forbidden.From there, the author alternates between past/present scenes, with Isabelle being the narrator in the past and Dorrie in the present. This way, both women are given an equal voice and keeps the story balanced and me invested. As Isabelle’s tale is unveiled chapter by chapter, I got stomach butterflies while I read about her sweet and tender romance with Robert but also felt the unbearable heartbreak when the inevitable happened. The fact that the story is set during World War II also heightens the pure desperation, the longing and love these two experience.One word can’t really describe the range of emotions I felt while reading this story. From the beginning and little by little, I could sense my heart splintering in pieces while outwardly maintaining a calm appearance. Gradually, my throat was painfully clogged up, eyes welled with unshed tears, and mouth slightly quivering. It seemed like with each new obstacle uncovered in the story, a heavy weight would be dropped onto my heart until it completely crushed three quarters into the story and I could not stop sobbing after that point. And when I got to the very end, I closed the book feeling three distinct emotions: sadness, contentment, and determination. Immense sadness for all the injustice the characters suffered and their jagged pain. Content because the story came full circle and left me with a teary smile on my face. And determination to not let the mistakes in the story be repeated in the present, at least not by me, and to bring more awareness to the topics explored in the book because sadly, they still permeate society today.Everyone needs to read this book. Love is love, regardless of race, gender, age, and background.Calling Me Home is a part women’s fiction, part romance, part historical fiction standalone. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Love, relationships, family, tragedy, race relations all rolled into one delightful novel *by B***D on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 10, 2019* “With others, you believe you’ll never be more than acquaintances. You’re so different, after all. But them this thing surprises you, sticking longer than you ever predicted, and you begin to rely on it, and that relationship whittles down your walls, little by little, until you realize you know that one person better than almost anyone.”This story employed a writing technique that I really enjoy. It was a dual narrative with one story in the past and the other in the present. The past story dealt with forbidden love and its consequences, as well as the relationships between parents, children, and siblings. I found the relationship between the main character’s parents to be very unusual for the time and this is the one part of the story I found hard to believe and understand. Otherwise, I felt the author did a fabulous job creating a sense of time, place, and history that drew me in and was very realistic. I could feel the heat, smell the dust, and taste the lemonade. I also really enjoyed slowly discovering the story of Robert and Isabelle. I am fortunate to be friends with a number of mixed race couples and I would love to get their perspective of this story.The present day story dealt with a journey for Isabelle and her friend/surrogate daughter, Dorrie. This journey showed the ways in which people’s attitudes and prejudices have changed and remained over the last few decades. Many elements of the race relations in this novel are relevant to today’s climate and headlines. Also, the emphasis on motherhood displayed during this journey was profound. I was partial to how beautifully the author showed that family is not only those born to you, but can be found and nurtured in the most unlikely places. I found Isabelle to be a force of nature and a woman whose time had not yet come. I admired her spunk, courage, perseverance, and way of looking at the world. She is a formidable main character that I will not soon forget. The backbone and grit she displayed reminded me of my own grandmother.This book stayed with me for quite a while after finishing it. I kept thinking about the characters, their experiences, how I wished situations could have been different, and how much circumstances have changed yet still remain the same. The novel was about friendships, love, parent/child relationships, race relationships, segregation, tragic consequences, and loss. This was the author’s debut novel and I was impressed with how sensitively and delicately she handled these themes. I look forward to reading more from Julie Kibler. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A good read *by V***N on Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on December 7, 2019* Apart from some American idiom which I don't enjoy because it is meaningless to me, I can't recommend this book highly enough. The pace was steady with the histories of the two women involved slowly being relvealed, one from the war years, the other from the recent past. It dealt with the African American race issue then and now without being excessive or whingey. It was just from a very martter of fact, human point of view. The central tale was sad to the point of tragedy but so well written that you could feel their experiences. I recommend this one and i'm generally quite critical. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.nz/products/5066214-calling-me-home-a-novel](https://www.desertcart.nz/products/5066214-calling-me-home-a-novel) --- *Product available on Desertcart New Zealand* *Store origin: NZ* *Last updated: 2026-04-24*