Set in the turbulent, formative years of Ontario, this compelling saga spans five decades and two generations.

Barely surviving a disastrous journey on a cholera-ridden immigrant ship, Rowena O'Shaughnessy and her family settle in the harsh backwoods of Upper Canada in 1832. Her complex relationship with the wealthy and powerful Launston family leads to tragedy, and eventually to redemption.

Their lives are played out against a rich tapestry of events - devastating plagues, doomed rebellions, mob uprisings, religious conflict, and political unrest.

This is a tale of passionate people and stormy relationships, of unrequited and illicit love, of betrayals and revenge. It is a story of courage, and the undaunted human spirit that manages to survive and surmount appalling conditions and tragedies. It is a celebration of the achievements of the remarkable pioneers who carved thriving communities out of an inhospitable wilderness.

A Place to Call Home is an epic story showcasing a pivotal time in Canada’s intriguing, but often unexplored history. 

The 2025 Special Edition has a new cover to celebrate Canada as "A Place to Call Home" but the story is unchanged. The Paperback edition includes brief descriptions of  Gabriele Wills' other novels, and the eBook editions have much expanded background on her historical fiction and on her other novels.