The Roof Over Our Heads by Nicole Kronzer

Young adult, contemporary, warm & welcoming

5 stars

This book is so much fun! I haven’t read many books set in Minnesota, and as a St Paul native with familiarity with the James J Hill house (which at least partially inspired the Jorgensen House), I was having such a fun time imagining the lives of the characters. 

Personal connection aside, each of these characters is just so likable! Finn especially, a character who is juggling so much of not only his own issues, but taking on problems in other areas as well. I love the idea of an old mansion being a live-in historical experience and with the characters staging an authentic theater production in an effort to save the Jorgensen House, I was briefly tempted to look into acting myself. (Like Finn, however, I would struggle with memorizing lines.) Though the story focuses on Finn, I do like that we get little stories from everyone who has banded together in this production. Rather than being just names on a page, Kronzer introduces each member of the cast and includes their lives in the story as well. 

Every aspect of this book, from the descriptions to the characters to the house itself felt familiar to me, as though I was the invisible, silent audience that the crew at the House welcomed during their show. As a reader, you are welcomed in to the story. This is a fun, comforting read about the importance of family and the meaning of home. 

This book releases today, so be sure to grab your copy! And thank you to Abrams Kids for the e-copy of this book to read and review on NetGalley!