Home is Where You Are is an uplifting read with a sweet romance and a hopeful message. It was such an easy book to read. I thought the romance and both Anna and Dean's struggles were very well-written. 
 Anna is your typical smart, hard-working girl, who has lost herself along the way in her goal of getting into an Ivy League school, (view spoiler)[all because her dead father said she had the potential. (hide spoiler)] Dean is a homeless (view spoiler)[orphan, who dropped out of the foster system after constant abuse from his foster father, in hopes that he can find his younger sister, who was separated from him when his parents died. (hide spoiler)] It is clear that Dean has definitely been dealt with a bad hand but he perseveres on anyway in the most admirable way. It is easy to sympathise with his circumstances as he has tried the best he can with what he has got. I think the way Dean was characterised was very well done, as was the stigma of homelessness and Dean's internal struggles. 
 It may seem that at first Anna has the perfect life, but it soon becomes apparent that at home, her family life is not as it seems. Her mother is often absent and her brother has taken off, leaving Anna alone and isolated. Anna really grows in this story, through her family and especially after meeting Dean. I was a little sceptical of how a relationship could work between Anna and Dean, since they come from such different backgrounds, but the author made it work. Anna and Dean had great chemistry and their relationship developed in a very sweet and realistic way. Throughout the course of the novel, Anna and Dean help each other to believe in themselves and to overcome some of life's struggles. 
 I want to mention Marv, probably my third favourite character. He was such a great (view spoiler)[role model and father figure (hide spoiler)] to Dean and was an all-round really nice guy. 
 I think it was really effective having dual POVs. Anna and Dean's POV would alternate almost every chapter and it was great to see both of their perspectives on the romance as well as their own issues. 
 The writing was very smooth and easy to read. I did notice a few typos but they didn't detract from my reading experience. 
 I want to say that this book is a very character-driven book rather than a plot-driven one, as the characters come to terms with their losses and their future. To be honest, there wasn't any huge complication but the characters' journeys and development was enough for me. 
 Everything was wrapped up by the finish with a very uplifting and satisfying ending. I really enjoyed reading Home is Where You Are and would recommend to anyone looking for a nice afternoon read, especially in Autumn (or Fall for you Americans), as it is set there and there were so many descriptions of raking leaves, and eating cinnamon bagels and drinking coffee that had my mouth watering and wishing for the Autumn season. I will definitely be checking out Marie's other books. 
 Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.