I really wanted to like this book. I loved the author's first series After the Leaves Fall and I remember saying to someone that it was like reading poetry. It was beautifully written. The author has slowly evolved since then and this book just didn't do it for me. I enjoyed the way the book was set up. I liked the different POV in each part and I liked all the different things that were interspersed between the chapters in each different section. I found those interesting to read and thought they added to the story.
I quite enjoyed the first part of the book and was quickly reading to find out what happened to Eva. But the story took an odd turn and it just didn't fit with the first part of the book. I found Charlie to be a bit on the annoying side and didn't really care for her character. I really liked Eva's character and was rooting for her.
The author does have some more poetic type phrases in this book but instead of me thinking of it as beautiful writing they just annoyed me. In my mind they just didn't fit in this type of genre. For example: "The slam of the front door hits Eva like a bullet to the chest." "Charlie can feel frustration coming to a head, foaming up and out of her chest in a fizz of frantic energy."
There was a few instances of mild profanity.
This book was reviewed on the Literary Club Podcast episode 59
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1984185 ( )

The Long Way Back by Nicole Baart is a very highly recommended domestic thriller with several surprising twists in the plot.

When her thirteen-year-old daughter Eva begs her for an Instagram page, Charlie, mother to Eva, agrees to open a shared one as mother and daughter. The page is titled The Sutton Girls and a photo Charlie takes of Eva goes viral and the two actually begin to become influencers. After a year, the name of the account is changed to Eva Explores. The two share photos and descriptions of places they traveled, camped, and explored in their vintage Airstream trailer. Charlie is always very careful to never photograph their full faces.

When Eva is ready for her senior year of high school, she asks if the two can settle down so she can attend high school. They temporarily settled in Minnesota on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Eva has a job and is sending off applications to colleges. Charlie is hoping for one more summer on the road, but Eva isn't interested. The two do take their boat out on the lake one day just before Eva's graduation. When Charlie falls asleep on the boat, Eva disappears and Charlie is the main suspect. But hold on because that is just the first act of this novel. Things are about to get much more complicated and twisty.

The well-written narrative is told through the point of view of Charlie, Eva, Instagram posts, and Eva's college application essays. The presentation of these various plot elements work very well. The novel is almost divided into several sections. They are all interconnected, but each new revelation will be totally unexpected and shocking as it is explored in the novel.

One important point that can be written about is the two largest fears that are tapped into: a child's disappearance and the risks inherent in social media. Both Charlie and Eva are characters you will care about and long the best for in the end. The writing is pitch-perfect as it reveals new information and twists in the plot. Readers will not be able to guess the direction the plot is going to take.

A note must be made about the quality of the writing. Baart does an exceptional job presenting the story in the most caring, suspenseful, and intricate way possible. The Long Way Back goes above and beyond many mother and daughter novels. This will be a perfect choice for book clubs as there is so much that could be discussed.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Atria Books via Edelweiss.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2023/06/the-long-way-back.html ( )

Such a great read! The characters were likeable and easy to relate to. There are layers to the story that were both fun and exciting to uncover. Thriller lovers should add this to the top of their lists!! ( )

This is a look at the relationship between mothers and daughters and asks how well mothers know their daughters and how well daughters understand their mothers no matter how close their relationship appears to be. For the mother and daughter duo in this story the truth is revealed when the daughter disappears.

Mother Charlie and daughter Eva have always been close -- it's always been just the two of them against the world. A picture that they post on social media goes viral and they end up creating an Instagram account called Eva Explores. They pack up an old airstream camper and travel around the country while keeping their fans updated on their travels. Eva tires of the travel and asks if they can settle down while she finishes her final year of high school and makes plans for college. They settle in a small town in Minnesota on Lake Superior and their relationship continues to be very close - or is it? When Charlie admits that she's tired of being settled down and wants a few more months of travel, Eva refuses. After much discussion, Eva relents but the next day, she disappears from the small boat that she and her mom were on while her mom was taking a nap. When Charlie is rescued, the police become involved and Charlie is the main suspect in her daughter's disappearance. Even as the FBI becomes involved, Charlie remains the main suspect. She knows that she is going to have to do some investigation on her own to clear her name and find her daughter. I really can't say much more about her investigation without spoiling the book for other readers but I will you tell you that the second half of the book was full of twists and turns that kept me rapidly turning pages.

The story is told from both Charlie and Eva's points of view and their chapters are interspersed with Instagram posts and college application essays that Eva has written. I thought the addition of the essays helped give much more depth and background to Eva's story.

This book was a look at two major issues -- the effects of a family living their lives on social media for the entire world to see and a look at the difficulty that some mothers have in realizing that their children are growing up and need to have a life of their own separate from them.

This was a definitely suspenseful read. It drew me in quickly and even though I found Charlie to be overbearing at times, I still hoped for a positive outcome after Eva's disappearance. You don't want to miss this one especially if social media is a major part of your life. ( )