Almost Home is a gentle, engaging story set in Alabama during World War Two. Dolly and Si have opened up their home, turning it into a boarding house for people who have come to Alabama to work in the factories that have sprung up to provide supplies to the war. Everyone has a story of hardship- including the professors that lost their jobs, the young couple that lost their farm and might be losing each other, and the returned, disabled soldier. However, the continual effort of the majority of the characters to support each other, persevere and heal both themselves and each other make this an uplifting read. Add in a mystery that involves a love story and possible pirate treasure, and this became a page turner. What was so nice about the is that it really is a PG story that touches on some very human, very hard topics in such a way that you feel comforted by the resilience of the characters and the beauty of supporting each other in community.