Martha Engber – 5 stars
Rarely do I find nonfiction memoirs nowadays that combine what Roz Morris accomplishes in her newest book “Turn Right at the Rainbow”: warm humor; lyrical writing; travel through physical, emotional and time landscapes; and a whimsical, yet deep rumination about what makes a house a home.
As soon as long-married writers Roz and her husband, Dave, decide they want to move out of London after thirty-odd years to a more rural location that’s quieter and allows Roz to indulge in her beloved horseback riding, their troubles begin. Rather than a straightforward transaction in which they find the home of their dreams and easily sell their charming, yet quirky house, the journey goes sideways, and backwards and askew and anything but forward. They find buyers immediately, but then can’t find a home. They fall in and out of love with a variety of abodes due to the discovery of alarming issues; cantankerous homeowners; and pushy — not to mention less than forthright — estate agents.
The yearlong endeavor takes the author over hill and dale and into the far reaches of her childhood, her deep wish to pursue writing, and the many joyous occasions spent with friends in a house where she felt most at home with herself.
If you’re a fan of Peter Mayle’s “A Year in Provence,” you’ll really enjoy this book’s cozy feel, easy humor and thoughtful look at life.
Roz Morris, author 