Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Published by: Avon Books
Publication date: 9th April 2026
Content warnings: death, grief, pregnancy, toxic family

“Home is where the heart is… but what if your heart is broken?”

I loved this!! It’s been a while since I’ve read a non-thriller that I’ve never wanted to end, that I’ve completely raced through, and this book was it. It was so wonderful! It was actually released back in 2005, titled Uphill all the Way, but it’s now been rereleased with a gorgeous new cover that makes me desperately want a holiday! If you’re a fan of Sarah Morgan or Milly Johnson, you really need this author on your radar. I’m so happy to be sharing my review of A Home in the Sun by Sue Moorcroft!

About the book

When Judith loses her partner, she loses her life in Malta too – including the beautiful view from her sun-warmed balcony of the sparkling blue waters of Sliema Creek.

Back in England, Judith finds a spare room in her sister’s house where she grew up – but with it comes a whole host of family dramas.

Nursing a broken heart, Judith knows she must find happiness again – and rebuild her life on her own terms. Could an island in the sun be the answer she is looking for?

The beginning

I couldn’t quite believe just how stunning the opening to this book was, but it was also incredibly heartbreaking! It pulled me in instantly with its gorgeous setting of Malta and I just wanted to get on a plane and read this on a sunbed next to the pool 😅 The author’s description was so utterly beautiful, the kind where, if you closed your eyes, you would think you were under that Maltese sun listening to the waves. We meet Judith in 2000, she’s divorced, living in Malta and working at her Uncle’s estate agency finding homes for people on the island. When she meets Giorgio one day, her world shifts and the two become inseparable. But there’s a problem. Giorgio has a wife that he’s separated from, but divorce at this time wasn’t a legal thing. His family wouldn’t approve of this new relationship, which made things incredibly difficult. And when he’s involved in a tragic accident, landing him in the ICU, his family forbid her to visit, claiming she is the reason. It was completely heartwrenching, and Judith’s pain and helplessness radiated from every page. But it just gets worse.

“Judith ignored her own pain burning inside her and threw her arms around the person who was the nearest thing she’d ever get to a son, holding him close while he cried.”

Judith makes the difficult choice to move back to the UK, staying in her sister’s spare room and questioning her decisions to leave. Should she have stayed? Tried harder? The urge to jump into this book and give Judith a hug became overwhelming at times, and without giving spoilers, deep down we know she just has to leave. To start again when something so heartbreaking was happening where she’d called home for the last four years. As much as I loved learning about her life in Malta, I also loved seeing where she came from originally, but with that came the exploration of some tough family relationships and drama. The building of these relationships was fantastic and already, I felt like I knew so much about Judith’s life and those in it. Stand out connections for me were between Judith and her lovely mum who is a care home resident, as well as her step-son, Kieran. The bond Judith has with Kieran in particular was so beautiful and their love for one another always made me smile. But there were some… strained relationships she’d left behind originally that needed some work.

The middle

Life back home is hard for Judith. She tries to keep her head above water and get back into the swing of things, and one of her first jobs is to evict her tenant so she can move back into her house. Despite Judith kicking him out, Adam LeBlond is eventually understanding and I quickly grew to really love this character. He becomes a crutch for Judith as she suffers more heartache. He gives her some work, advice, and she trusts him enough to tell him about Malta, about Giorgio. Malta always seems to be calling Judith back. It was like she belonged in this place, and when the worst news she could imagine arrives, I just knew she’d find herself back there. Joining Judith through her highs and lows, overcoming loss, tolerating her ex-husband and being there for her sister when she needs it was quite the journey, and despite the sadness, there was also a lot hope. I found her to be such a real character with real thoughts and feelings, many of which were relatable in one way or another. The author’s character development is certainly one of her many strengths as a writer.

“She’d begun to watch for him. He’d enchanted his way into her heart with his brown-velvet eyes. But there was no sense of him here now.”

I was completely floored by every bad thing that seemed to come Judith’s way. It’s one thing after another, and god, my poor heart! It broke for Judith after more bad news, something which causes even more family fall out and drama. She can’t seem to catch a break. But accepting what’s already happened to her, she reaches a point where she lets a little love in. There was some subtle light flirting between Judith and Adam at times, but nothing more than a solid friendship with occasional banter and nights getting drunk, chatting about life. They’d become the best of friends over the months. The progression of friends to something more felt like the most natural thing in the world for them. It was a romance that wasn’t shoved in your face from the moment they met, and I loved everything about how this developed. But Malta was still calling her back. It’s her place. The island she feels happiest. And whatever the future looked like for Judith and Adam, I knew she’d make the right choices at the right time. I felt quite emotional as the ending of the book got closer! Utterly beautiful.

The end

Reading about Judith in Malta just felt so perfect. Despite the serioussness of her trip, it was still an idyllic location. This trip captures another completely different moment in her life. She enjoys time away with Adam, but also has to straighten out her mind, work out what she wants. I always felt like such a big part of Judith’s life and her decision making, something that felt really special. And this combined with such gorgeous description of pretty much everything had me unable to look away. The exploration of Judith’s grief throughout the book has been tackled so sensitively, and being a part of her healing was just wonderful. Her strained relationship with Giorgio’s family over the years was so sad, but there was a lovely, unexpected moment where bridges were built, where there was some form of acceptance and forgiveness which was so beautiful. My eyes were tearing up and I just felt such a relief for Judith, like a weight had been lifted from her life, helping her to move forward. I knew I’d keep this story in my heart.

“Strolling along beside the gently lapping sea creek, watching the boats bob at their moorings, she felt as if every step was one in a new direction. The right direction. The no-more-regrets direction.”

Judith’s strength really shines through at the end of the book in so many ways, and I felt so incredibly proud of everything she’d overcome, the journey she’d been on. It’s clear the person she was had changed, that a part of her had left with Giorgio, but I sensed so much happiness in her future. A fresh start after accepting everything that had happened. That ending chapter felt like something out of a romcom film and I could totally see Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks rushing through the airport 😆 But there’s such a heartwarming sense of understanding, a subtle excitement for what the future holds, and most importantly, so much love. I never expected this book to hit me like it did – I’d loved the last book I read by sue, A Skye Full of Stars, but I do think this is my favourite of hers yet. It’s such an intense, sad book in parts, but the way Judith rebuilds her life, the people she meets, the closure she gets, all of it – it’s a journey I will hold dear, one I’ll come back to in times of need. A gorgeous, gorgeous book that I’d recommend you add to your TBR if you’re craving an island escape!

Overall thoughts

A Home in the Sun is a gorgeous escapist summer read that I fell in love with from the start. It’s set between Malta and England, but those chapters under the Maltese sun transported me there immediately. The description was consistently beautiful from beginning to end, a place so idyllic and tranquil – get me on a plane, please! Judith calls Malta home, and when she meets perfect Giorgio one day, she knows she’s found her person. That they are meant to be together. But after a tragic accident, she finds herself alone. After returning to England, staying with her sister, she navigates a life she never expected, grieving, healing, and looking ahead to a fresh start, despite the pain in her heart.

God, this story was so devastating straight away and my heart broke for Judith. She was an exceptional main character; her story one of resilience and hope, a character you grow to love so fiercely you want to protect them from the world. I loved her strength, how she faced all the heartache and drama in her life, but also her connection to Malta. It’s so beautifully written and so easy to pick up and lose yourself in, and this is the quickest I’ve read a book in a long time. It’s a story of strength, new beginnings and letting love into your heart, and I read this at the most perfect time.

This book filled me with emotion and satisfied my craving for a happily ever after, and it’s left me very hungry for another Sue Moorcroft book. If you love a book with a gorgeous setting, as well as characters you will fall in love with and never want to leave, this is the one. Emotional yet full of heart, a must read for the summer!

Huge thanks to the author, Sue Moorcroft, and the wonderful Avon Books team for my copy! You can grab your own copy of A Home in the Sun with its gorgeous new cover over on Amazon* or wherever you buy your books. Make sure you’re following Sue on Instagram for more updates!

* As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks so much for your support!

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