First Book in the Hilltown Series

What happens when the life you built no longer feels like your own?

Kathleen Hill has spent years chasing a version of success that never quite fit. Leaving behind her blue-collar roots in Hilltown, she earned a college degree, crafted a polished life in Chicago, and became someone she thought she should be. But behind the curated smiles and fancy dinners, she can’t shake the feeling that she’s lost touch with who she truly is.

When a family crisis calls her back to the hometown she once fled, Kathleen is forced to confront the people—and pieces of herself—she tried to leave behind. The town is struggling, her family is fractured, and the boy she once loved, Jase Thompson, has grown into a man who knows the value of roots, community, and self-worth. As Kathleen begins to reconnect with her past, she realizes that healing isn’t about becoming someone new—it’s about remembering who you’ve always been.

Journey Back to You is a heartfelt exploration of identity, belonging, and the long road to self-acceptance. Leigh Shalloway beautifully captures the quiet struggles we all face—feeling not enough, torn between expectation and desire, and searching for meaning in a world that often measures us by what we do, not who we are.

Perfect for fans of deeply emotional women’s fiction, this powerful first installment in The Hilltown Series invites you to rediscover the strength it takes to come home—to your town, your family, and yourself.