A perceptive, gripping family drama about love, loss and the power of the past. Heartfelt, candid, witty and emotional, I raced through this splendid read in no time.

More of an emotional read than I was expecting. Lots of love, laughter, sadness, heartbreak, and unresolved childhood issues. Lots of ups and downs, with great characters.
Quick read that will leave you laughing, crying, and rooting!
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you #Netgalley & Boldwood for letting me read this ARC and also thank you for allowing me to be part of the Blogtour.

Wow, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect as Samantha is a new author to me, but boy what an incredible journey she took me on, not just as a reader but as a daughter, mother and human who hasn't had the best relationship with her own mother.

Robins story certainly touched some very vulnerable spots in me, but also made me reach out to my older brother to talk about our memories.

Robin ends up being convinced to go back to her childhood home to support and care for her elderly mother Faye whose body is healing. Since she has no job and nothing else lined up.

There certainly isnt any love lost between them. Robin ran away to London at 16, shortly after her father died and hadn't spoken to her mother since. She has a daughter called Amber with whom she also has a very strained relationship from over mothering and the girl is also very cross with her mother for her own reasons.

The her old room is very much like it was when she ran away 30 years ago, she finds her old teenage wardrobe and her magazines and remembers the Dear Debbie letters she used to write when she couldn't talk to her own mother, another thing she finds is an old scroll her father used to make, this one still being sealed, would they open it to solve the riddles and clues?

Amber ends up staying with them all, due to an issue at University.
What does this mean for the 3 woman? Will they find their way back to each other? Form new bonds and create relationships worth holding on to? Or will they remain at odds with each other? Is there such a thing as the right time for everything?

I personally believe that forgiveness sets you free and is the most incredible emotional release a human being can experience.

You will no doubt laugh, cry, think about and bond with these ladies and their back stories. The absolute star of the book is Hoover the dog. If his ways don't make you laugh and feel all fuzzy inside, nothing will, I say that and I am a cat person.

The story
Robin’s elderly mother has injured herself and for the first time in three decades, she returns to her mother’s home to care for her while she recovers. Robin was 16 when she left after her father died, and moved to London, staying with her uncle. Now divorced, with a daughter Amber, studying in Manchester, it’s hard to return home to a mother who doesn’t show her feelings and finds it easy to criticise Robin. But as time passes and Amber joins Robin and Faye, the truth of what happened all those years ago is slowly revealed and old hurts begin to heal.

My thoughts
This is a sad story although really well written. Families are complicated, and become more complicated when the truth isn’t shared. The slow healing that takes place between the three generations in this family is heartwarming. I loved the sealed in time 80’s bedroom and all the clothes that Robin decides to wear again once she is in her childhood home. She lives her life in such a regimented way that her body is in the shape it was it 30 years before, this one fact feels so much of the story in itself.

I absolutely loved this!
A cleverly written and thought-provoking read about multigenerational female relationships in a family. Covering some really hard hitting topics including neglect, trauma, grief, first love, divorce, loneliness, this story is tender, believable and nostalgic, it was a book I had a hard time putting down. The 80s memories were brilliant and definitely brought a lot of the fun and innocence of that era back for me. I wasn't sure if I'd take to the treasure hunt theme but actually this was a very good structure that gelled the story together and brought a lot out of the characters and the setting.

I really enjoyed this book , I like how it shows what a parents death and do to the relationship between the other parent and child. I like the emotion between the mother/ daughter relationships overall was a really good book and would read again

I really enjoyed this book. This feels like a different direction for this author but that’s not a complaint. The 80’s talk took me back to my early teenage years and I felt like I’d be good mates with Robin. At first I really didn’t like Faye but she grew on me. I’d definitely recommend this book to friends

I blitzed through this book over the weekend as I just could not get enough. Light and witty I enjoyed every second. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Finished at 11.30 last night.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It’s focus is three generations of the same family and their complicated relationships and a lot more.

Robin, whose the main character, left(ran) her home a long time ago after her father’s untimely death. She is close to her uncle, he asks her to go back and face her past, as he tells her that her mom has had a bad fall and needs help as she recovers.

So, she’s back after thirty years, but there’s nothing changed in her relationship with her mother and she finds that the past is not forgotten like she thought it would be.

As the story continues, it goes back over the years that Robin lived at home we get to know more about both mothers, the reasons why they have difficult relationships with their daughters.

Secrets are slowly revealed and it was sad to read that their lives could have been so different if only they talked about things at the time.

I really loved the parts about Robin’s old bedroom, the posters of bands and singers from the 80’s and the clothes from that era.

Another blast from the last was The ‘Dear Debbie’ letters that readers wrote to a teenage magazine.

It was both enjoy and sad to see Robin understanding what happened after she ran away from home and the hard time her mother had when she was growing up and how this affected her as she grew up. As well as when she sought out her old friends and Yul!

There are lots of sad moments throughout the story but along with this, there is also lots of humour and uplifting moments.

The challenge that her Dad set her was nice to see when Robin, Faye and Amber were trying to work out the clues.

All in all, this is a engrossing and heartfelt read.

I definitely recommend.

I really enjoyed Under One Roof – it focuses on three strong female characters, three generations from the same family and their complex relationships but this book is more than just that.
The main protagonist is Robin who moved (ran) away from home a very long time ago following the untimely death of her much-loved father.
Robin is really close to her uncle who asks her to confront her past when informing her that her mother had a fall and could do with some help to get her back on her feet.
When Robin turns up at her childhood home for the first time in some thirty years, her relationship with her mother is not any easier and she soon discovers that the past is not as buried as she thought it was.
Set in the present day but looking back over the years we begin to learn more about the way these two mothers mother and why their relationships with their daughters have been so strained.
Many secrets are revealed and it’s so sad how different life could have been if they’d spoken about things at the time.
Although I was born in the 80’s I’m really a 90’s child, but I really enjoyed the time capsule that is Robin’s old bedroom – the posters, the girly magazines and the clothes – a proper blast from the past.
The ‘Dear Debbie’ letters written to a teenage magazine in the 80’s were very relatable.
I enjoyed Robin’s “journey” of coming to terms with what happened when she ran away to London, her mother’s difficult upbringing and the impact this had on her own childhood and reconnecting with old friends and Yul!
Although there are lots of tender and sad moments in Under One Roof, there’s lots of humour and uplifting moments too.
I really enjoyed the scroll challenge and trying to work out the clues with Robin, Faye and Amber.
And the retro 80’s themed night out was a good laugh too.
A compelling and heartfelt read, one that I definitely recommend.

Children's upbringing affects the rest of their lives & this book tells the story of this. Robin run away from home after her dad had suddenly died. She went with her then boyfriend Yul to London to start a new life. Running away from her unemotional mother, who was no support at all. Moving on to many years after, when her mother needed help after a fall & her uncle encouraged Robin to visit her & to help out for a few weeks. The rest of the book explores the relationships of mother & daughter's & how things can change.
I felt the sadness in this book, the need of a child & how these needs were not met. It took me back to being a teenager & the problems that brings too. Samantha Tonge brings all these emotions to the page, with great perspective. A good, thought-provoking read.

A Fabulous read spanning three generations of women.

This book is not at all what I was expecting. This book has death, loss, marriage, divorce, friendship and romance and lots and lots of tension. It’ll have you laughing, crying and sometimes shouting.

Robin returns to her childhood home to look after her estranged mother following a fall. They are then joined by Robins teenage daughter who has just started university. Together the three women work together to unfold secrets of the past following her fathers clues from decades ago.

I love the way the story allows Robin to go back in time. I especially love the use of the dead Debbie letters as a way in to the past. The dynamics between the characters are constantly changing and evolving as the story unfolds. At the heart of it, it’s a beautiful story about family and love.

This book will have you reading well into the wee hours fab with tea and biscuits.

An interesting book showing that relationships even with parents can be difficult. Thought provoking and relatable to a lot of people in multi generational living. Really enjoyed it. Thank you netgalley for the advance copy

Under One Roof is a compelling story with well written characters. Robin, Faye and Amber each contributed so much even though it was written from Robin's point of view. Their journey was complex with a few mysteries that are resolved along the way. I appreciate that there wasn't one big reveal because the pace of the story was better for the tidbits of the past.

The description sets up what happened in the first third of the book but the second two thirds is where the beauty lies. I won't say more because I want future readers to enjoy the ending as much as I did.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood for the opportunity to read and advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

A really great read.Robin has always had a difficult relationship with her mother and they have been estranged for years but when she returns to her family home to look after her following an accident will they work through their problems or is it too late for them to ever be close to each other. A really good mix of interesting characters and some lovely themes running throughout the story which is very emotional at times and beautifully written by this author. I really loved it

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley
#netgalley

Omg I've needed this book. I thing all multigenerational homes do too.

It really is a fabulous book.
Robin moved away from home a very long time ago. Ran away to be honest.
A tip-off from her uncle informs that her mother had a fall and could do with a bit of looking after. When Robin turns up at her childhood home her relationship with her mother is not any easier. Distinctly awkward in fact.
This story is mainly of three strong characters in Robin, her mother Faye and her daughter Amber. Even though they were related it showed that they really didn’t know each other. Set in the present day but looking back over the years. Many secrets are revealed and it’s so sad how different life could have been if they’d spoken about things at the time. Being a mother is hard and this shows all the ups and downs of life.
Reading about Robin's old bedroom was like stepping back in time to my own room, with the magazines and posters. Even the geometric print bed linen and MFI white shelves. Affleck's Palace gets a mention, I used to love shopping there.
The ‘Dear Debbie’ letters written to a teenage magazine in the 80’s were very relatable, and back in the day me and my friends used to always read the problem pages. Many of us back then didn’t talk to our mothers about personal things.
An excellent look back in time for me, capturing the feel of the 1980’s perfectly. I got all nostalgic and it brought out feelings and emotions I remember from the time! The present day scenes shows how massively things have changed in the world.
I totally recommend this book. Uplifting and serious at the same time, I absolutely loved it.
Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the review copy in which I give my honest opinion.
Review will post to blog on publication day.

I read this wonderful story over the course of one day, something which rarely happens! The story of Robin's journey through the pitfalls of motherhood, both of her own experiences with Amber and the on-off relationship with her prickly, guilt-ridden mum Faye, is an eye opener. I found this book tender, moving and intensely honest. For someone who enjoyed the flamboyant 80s joys of Adam Ant and Boy George, it was also a well documented blast from the past, and very funny in parts. Yes, we really wore those clothes! The way that first love can come back and catch us by the heart was also very familiar, and the story of Yul and Robin had me on tenterhooks right to the end. A blissful, emotional romp of a book with a realistic, sometimes gritty setting, and my favourite thing of all - a treasure hunt. In my opinion (although I always love her writing) this is Samantha Tonge's best book yet. I can't wait to see where she goes next.

I really enjoyed this book by Sam Tonge. It was by turns amusing, touching, thought provoking, and heart breaking, but ultimately uplifting. As someone who was a teenager in the 80s, I loved all the references to that era, and could definitely relate to some of the issues and experiences Robin had. At points I was overwhelmed with nostalgia - what I wouldn’t give to be able to walk back into my old bedroom, as Robin did, and rifle through all my old clothes, magazines and make-up. Robin’s relationship with her mother was very believable and, despite the difficult childhood she had experienced, it never turned into a caricature- Faye was equally damaged and, as a reader, I felt sympathy for her too. Under One Roof is a beautifully told story, and I would definitely recommend it.

I was keen to read Under One Roof knowing that it was the story of 3 generations of women.

48 year old Robin moves back to her childhood home to care for her mum Faye, after being estranged for three decades. Shortly after, Robin’s teenage daughter joins them, and the family of three learn to live together whilst trying to solve a treasure hunt left by Robin’s deceased father.

This story is extremely sad for much of the book as the trio delves into the past and tries to get along with each other in the present. Robin also tried to build bridges with her former best friend and first love, neither of whom she’d had contact with for many years.

However, it’s not all heartbreak, and it’s written in a way that makes you want to keep going to find out what happened in the past to make everyone behave the way they do. You are temped with little snippets of info that make you wonder and want to keep reading.

Although it is written in the present day, it has a fabulous 80s vibe to it looking into Robin’s teenage years. Whilst my relationship couldn’t have been further from Robin’s, the story transported me back to my teenage years of having posters on my bedroom wall, wanting to marry pop stars, reading girl’s magazines with help pages, even drinking Cinzano!

Great writing from Samantha Tonge and definitely worth a read if you like family sagas, the 1980s, and treasure hunts.