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Seeking Shelter: A Working Mother, Her Children, and a Story of Homelessness in America

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From the bestselling author of The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace, a powerful portrayal of American homelessness that follows a single mother of six in Los Angeles courageously struggling to keep her family together and her children in school amidst the devastating housing crisis.

In the tradition of Evicted and Invisible Child, Jeff Hobbs masterfully explores America’s housing crisis through the real-life story of Janet Romero. This is Hobbs’s first book since The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace that focuses on a single character and her extraordinarily illuminating journey.

In 2018, poverty and domestic violence cast Janet and her children into the urban wilderness of Los Angeles, where she avoids the family crisis network that offers no clear pathway for her children to remain together and in a decent school. For the next five years, Janet works full time as a waitress yet remains unable to afford legitimate housing or qualify for government aid. All the while she strives to provide stability, education, loving memories, and college aspirations for her children even as they sleep in motels and in her car, living in fear of both her ex and the nation’s largest child welfare agency. Eventually Janet encounters Wendi Gaines, a recently trained social worker who decades earlier survived her own abusive marriage and housing crisis. Janet becomes one of Wendi’s first clients, and the relationship transforms them both.

Told from the perspectives of Janet, Wendi, and Janet’s teenaged son, Tyson Romero, Seeking Shelter is a powerful and urgent exploration of the issues of homelessness, poverty, and education in America—a must-read for anyone interested in understanding not just social inequality and economic disparity in our society but also the power of a mother’s love and vision for her kids.

336 pages, Hardcover

First published February 4, 2025

135 people are currently reading
8683 people want to read

About the author

Jeff Hobbs

6 books531 followers
Jeff Hobbs grew up in Kennett Square, PA and graduated from Yale in 2002 with a BA in English Language and Literature. He is the author of Seeking Shelter (and Amazon Best Book of 2025 so far) and The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace (winner of the LA Times Book Prize and NY Times notable book of the year), Show Them You’re Good, and Children of the State. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two children. He does not like criticizing the work of others and so only posts books on Goodreads to which he can earnestly give four or five stars.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
Profile Image for Katherine Caldwell.
2 reviews
February 8, 2025
Had low expectations but couldn’t put it down. I knew the book would aim to magnify the brokenness of our systems in America, but to me it really magnified how a few poor, selfish decisions + a lack of community within extended families can cause complete disaster. The mother occasionally has too much pride to do the right thing for her kids as far as receiving government support, while other times completely taking advantage of the system. Found myself annoyed at her a lot, but still needed to see what happened in the end because it’s a true story.
Profile Image for Darcia Helle.
Author 30 books731 followers
January 17, 2025
In SEEKING SHELTER by Jeff Hobbs, we get to know two women and their children as they navigate a life of homelessness. Their stories shatter stereotypes, while educating all of us on how easy it is to end up on the street, and how difficult it is to then get off those same streets.

Some topics we learn about along the way include:

➛Lack of affordable housing
➛Lack of affordable childcare
➛Inadequate school systems within poor areas
➛The absence of a strong support system, such as family or close friends
➛Fear of the government getting involved

One thing not discussed is that the absent fathers here did not pay a dime in child support, which is all too common. Women’s rights continue to be trampled upon, while too many fathers saunter away to live their lives as they please. If men were forced to take financial responsibility for their children, then we wouldn’t have so many single mothers with their children living in their cars and in temporary shelters.

But this book wasn’t all gloom and misery. We see remarkable strength and resilience with the women and the children. We see mothers doing everything they know how to do in order to give their kids the best education possible, setting them up for a successful adult life.

I alternated between my print copy and the audiobook. Janina Edwards provides a straightforward narration without embellishment, which I found easy to listen to and engaging.

*I received a free ARC from Scribner Books, and a free audiobook download from Simon Audio.*
Profile Image for Shelby (allthebooksalltheways).
962 reviews155 followers
February 13, 2025
SEEKING SHELTER: A WORKING MOTHER, HER CHILDREN, AND A STORY OF HOMELESSNESS IN AMERICA by Jeff Hobbs

Thank you @scribnerbooks & @simon.audio for my #gifted copies.

Seeking Shelter by Jeff Hobbs is a powerful, deeply humanizing look at homelessness in the U.S., told through the story of Evelyn, a hardworking Latina mother of six in Los Angeles. Despite holding a full-time job, Evelyn struggles to secure stable housing, forcing her family to live in motels and their car while she fights to keep her children in good schools. The book follows her five-year journey of resilience, love, and determination as she navigates poverty, domestic violence, and an unforgiving social system. Along the way, she meets Wendi, a social worker who becomes a crucial ally. Hobbs weaves multiple perspectives, including Evelyn’s teenage son, to paint a nuanced portrait of a family striving for dignity and security.

🎧 This is one of the rare occasions I actually preferred the physical book to the audio. The narrator had an odd habit of emphasizing words that didn't need to be emphasized, which became distracting and took away from the story. But as always, YMMV!

📌 Available now!
Profile Image for Steve Peifer.
504 reviews25 followers
February 22, 2025
This is one of the very saddest books you will ever read.

And you should read it.

It’s the story of homelessness in America and although the focus is on one family, it’s a means to look at the big picture.

There aren’t easy answers or obvious villains. There are personal choices made for noble reasons that don’t work out, and there aren’t enough programs that can deal with them all.

There are points in this book where you can guess what is going to happen, and the sadness you will feel is overwhelming.

Hobbs is a superior writer. You will be in good hands in a terribly unsettling ride.
Profile Image for Hope Figuero.
87 reviews1 follower
May 4, 2025
I think everyone should read this book...it would encourage a little more empathy and compassion instead of judgement and scorn to people who are suffering with homelessness. Evelyn has had it rough but she wants what's best for her children. Luckily she gets into an organization that educates and helps her.
Profile Image for Brittany.
121 reviews5 followers
July 8, 2025
This was such a good story! A work of non fiction that doesn’t get convoluted with too many facts and research.
I’ll be honest, Evelyn got on my nerves more than once. Some of her decisions had me internally yelling, but at the same time, I couldn’t help but root for her. That’s what this book does so well—it reminds you that people are messy and complex, and you don’t have to agree with everything they do to care deeply about what happens to them. A solid 5 star.
Profile Image for Kristy.
1,395 reviews179 followers
May 9, 2025
Focusing primarily on one family, this looks at homelessness in Los Angeles. It was informative and educational as well as sad. There was a lot of food for thought.

The reason for Evelyn moving from Lancaster to LA was in hope that her children would have better education and in turn a better future than what she has. Due to the high cost of living and the housing crisis, she was unable to obtain housing for her family. It makes me wonder if school districts and other public entities were more equally funded across counties (and states, etc) if it would reduce the amount of homelessness in pockets of the US, such as LA. I by no means have any answers, mostly questions, but I always appreciate when a book makes me think.

I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
562 reviews6 followers
August 16, 2025
Couldn’t put this down. A great companion to There is No Place for Us; or the same story told of a different set of families in a different U.S. city.

Anyone who believes the myth of the “welfare queen,” of the lazy person bilking the system, or any of the dismissive, false, dehumanizing tropes of the majority of the poorest in our nation simply has to read these books: These individuals show more resilience, work ethic, and resourcefulness than I’ve ever had to even think about having, let alone displaying. And, at the moment when our president is deploying our military to “clean up” the homeless in our nation’s capital, the timing couldn’t be better.

We need a national reckoning. From livable wages for the service jobs we all rely on; to affordable housing in safe communities; to a fairer public school funding model and reinvestment in our public schools; to policies that support families, including parental leave, work schedule notice requirements, and affordable health care.

But for the grace of god go I.
Profile Image for Beth.
698 reviews6 followers
April 13, 2025
Another great write by Jeff Hobbs.
This is a solid 4+ star story. I went back to see my review of his Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace which is a book that is hard not to remember and I hadn't fairly rated it. Should almost be a 5* and this story of Evelyn and Wendi was almost as good. It might have even been more relateable for me!
I am glad to see Jeff returned to the more focused story telling than he did in the prison book.

The featured women seemed like salt of the earth kind of women just born in a lousy family setting that would have continued to be a downward spiral had Eveyln and Wendi not each had their own spunk, luck and people available to help them. The story revealed the slippery slope experienced by people just getting by. It just takes one thing not even as big as the Highlander needing to be replaced or Orlando landing in jail to put you back into actual homelessness and/or a precarious financial spot.

I couldn't imagine for myself being so close to homelessness though I could relate through other setbacks that wanted to take me further back down the ladder than just one step. It's frightening and when you are frightened, your brain doesn't function in an optimized manner which makes these women's story all the more compelling.

Recommend.
Profile Image for Darcy Gabe.
255 reviews9 followers
April 20, 2025
Thank you to Simon and Schuster for an ARC of this book. I quite enjoyed it, and would recommend it!

I read Robert Peace and really enjoyed that story, and was eager to read another investigative nonfiction book by Jeff Hobbs. This book is even better than that one.

The story is heavy, but should be required reading for all Americans. It’s the best, succinct anecdote of what it’s like to be an average person in America. The book follows Evelyn, 30-year-old mother of 6 and her fight and journey to give her kids a strong education to propel them to a higher level of living and security.

This is thoroughly researched, and each character- though flawed- are presented fairly.

Being an ARC, I noticed a few mistakes - including about ⅔ through the book Evelyn refers to her son Orlando as “Ty”

But this book is so compelling and well written that the mistakes were easy to glass over.
Would recommend!
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
718 reviews19 followers
March 6, 2025
A well written account of Evelyn and her six kids and their search for affordable housing in the LA area. The author wrote in a deeply respectful way and I was pulled in at the very start.
26 reviews1 follower
February 10, 2025
Seeking Shelter is an excellent piece of journalism that follows two women who work to overcome homelessness while raising their families in the Los Angeles area. Evelyn and her family moved around the city from shelter to shelter and motel to motel, even spending nights in her SUV, giving readers a glimpse of what life is like for the homeless in Los Angeles. The author gives a detailed account of the numbers and the reality of its growth in the city.

Based on one woman in particular, Evelyn's journey was one of extremes. With six children in tow and no matter where she found herself living her main concern was getting a good education for her children. A private woman, Evelyn asked for little help, keeping her circumstances between herself and her kids. She was forever afraid that her children would be taken away from her by social services. Despite little education herself, she made education a constant priority for her children. Everything she said and did was based on that. Her love for and strong relationship with her kids and their deep concern for one another greatly impressed me.

A well-written and eye opening account of what it's like to raise a family at the poverty level in the U.S. A must read.

Thank you author, publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.
Profile Image for Jenna.
447 reviews75 followers
April 21, 2025
I would never deter anyone from reading this book or books like it. The topics, including the links between family violence and homelessness, and the struggles of the working poor especially with regard to housing, are more important than ever and we can’t have enough writings about them. One challenge of books of this type is that they often focus on a single individual or family to illuminate these vast social problems. There are common themes and characteristics, of course, but everyone’s story is ultimately unique and I worry a bit about generalizing one lived experience to the broader subject at hand. I admit I did not connect to this book as well as I did to some similar books, and I had some minor issues with some of the writing and reporting, but I’d still recommend it. Some others I really preferred are This Is All I Got, by Lauren Sandler; Invisible Child, by Andrea Elliott; the epic in scope Random Family, by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc; No House To Call My Home, by Ryan Berg; and of course the now-classic Evicted, by Matthew Desmond.
Profile Image for Kate.
483 reviews7 followers
September 2, 2024
An extremely well written look at the housing and homeless situation in this country. Should be required reading.
Profile Image for Jessica.
1,942 reviews38 followers
August 16, 2025
This is a unique look at homelessness through the story of two women, fifteen years apart, who are both helped by a unique organization called Door of Hope in Los Angeles, CA. Evelyn's family is the primary focus of the book and shows just how quickly a few bad decisions can lead to homelessness. Evelyn and her husband Manny decide to move from Lancaster, CA to Los Angeles to be in a better school system for their kids. Evelyn has 5 children, 3 with Manny and 2 with a prior boyfriend who is prison for gang-related crimes. After they move to LA, Manny quickly gets frustrated with their cramped situation living in an extended stay motel with 7 people and starts drinking more. Coming home drunk one night he punches Evelyn's oldest child, then attacks her when she gets home from work. She packs up the kids and leaves, launching them into homelessness. Shortly afterward, she finds out she is pregnant again. The whole year and a half that Evelyn and her kids are homeless, they never miss school and she is working, volunteering at the kids school, and still trying to find permanent housing. Through a social worker she gets referred to Door of Hope, a shelter that is an actual home where she receives therapy, job training, and free childcare. She has a kitchen to cook for her family and a back yard for them to play in with other kids at the shelter. After "graduating" from Door of Hope, Evelyn is matched up with Wendi, a prior "graduate" from Door of Hope who know works for the organization as a mentor to women who leave the program. Things aren't perfect for Evelyn once she leaves the shelter and is in her own place, but this help puts her family on a new path.

One of the most unique aspects of this book is that the author appears to have no agenda - no commentary on what can "fix" homelessness, no opinions on what Evelyn or Wendi did right or wrong, no political suggestions. He wanted to highlight the stories of two women who ended up homeless who weren't addicts or mentally ill to show that depending on your circumstances this can happen to anyone. Door of Hope is a unique organization that appears to be very successful in helping families go from homeless to housed, but it's help is just a drop in the bucket of the need out there. What was highlighted for me in the book is that for women being involved with the wrong man can destroy your life. The women are almost always the ones who end up with the kids and for both of these women if they had either had fewer children or the same number of children with the right man, they would have never become homeless. Definitely a very interesting and well-written book highlighting an the overwhelming problem of homelessness/affordable housing in the US.
1 review1 follower
August 6, 2025
As much as I loved the story of Robert Peace in a previous Hobbs read, I loved this story.
Hobbs has a way of reminding us that the human condition is so complicated, so interesting and so
similar that you can’t help but jump into these stories head first.
Profile Image for Michael Esquivel.
217 reviews15 followers
March 6, 2025
While statistically most people find themselves homeless because of mental illness and/or drug addiction, this is a very thorough profile of one woman and her kids who found themselves sleeping in her car or various shelters merely because of a few poor decisions. The author shows how various factors, such as having a low income, being a single parent, and having a fear of asking for help, can lead to housing instability. Very highly recommended!
Profile Image for Nan.
995 reviews7 followers
April 23, 2025
What a story. Well written and powerful. Great insight into hopelessness and how and why it could happen. A must read for those who can only blame the homeless for drug abuse, mental illness, stupidity, i.e.”bad choices.”
142 reviews1 follower
August 17, 2025
Every one needs to read this book

My heart hurts to see what people go through and how difficult our system is to navigate. It points up how fortunate I have been and continue to be.
Profile Image for Tiffany.
543 reviews1 follower
April 23, 2025
A heart rending and yet immensely inspirational tale of a mother’s determination to keep the family together and give them a better life. Also an account of how broken the American system is for keeping people from falling through the cracks
1,411 reviews2 followers
April 13, 2025
This was a well-written, respectful account of two women who experienced homelessness and how their lives intertwined. It is an extremely complicated issue I am impressed with the transitional program existing in Pasadena So much to think about and so much help like they offer, not just a quick fix but a chance for families to make plans. Very inspiring.
296 reviews3 followers
March 6, 2025
I gave this five stars because I found the information about homeless living, while keeping the family afloat, was fascinating.
933 reviews27 followers
November 3, 2024
Seeking Shelter: A Working Mother, Her Children, And A Story Of Homelessness In America is a needed, educational, engrossing, important, valuable, and illuminating book! This book is a true story told through reconstructive journalism and protects real identities through using fake names. I adore that this book is non-fiction and gives an accurate picture of how the housing crisis is affecting vulnerable individuals. This book breaks stereotypes and addresses misconceptions. It humanizes the homeless which is so needed. Heartbreaking, potent, touching, and informative this book is wonderful!

Following a single mother and children for five years as they struggle to overcome poverty, domestic violence, and a housing market which blocks their efforts at every corner this book is a must read. Evelyn works as a full time waitress to support her family yet systems do not support her enough to provide true stability. This book is told from the perspective of the mother, her social worker, and her teenage son.
Profile Image for Renée | apuzzledbooklover.
702 reviews36 followers
March 27, 2025
3.5/5 stars

This book focuses primarily on one mother’s experiences with homelessness and her dogged and desperate desire to seek help and safe housing for herself and her children. 

There are many reasons for homelessness. Employment issues, lack of affordable housing, mental health struggles, addiction, domestic violence and other factors. It can be very easy to judge people you see on the street without knowing their full story.

Some parts felt slow for me and I found my mind wandering a bit. It would have been nice to have a few more stories included to show various situations. I think it’s an important subject to address.

‘True poverty, especially the relentless vulnerability and mortal danger of being homeless, is a state of invisible burdens, warped logic and hopeless decisions.’

⚠️ | Contains some strong profanity, not frequent.
Profile Image for Michelle.
812 reviews7 followers
May 30, 2025
The third person narration felt like a barrier to really knowing what it’s like to be in Evelyn’s shoes and how she felt about everything. I learned a lot about resources available in California. It leaves something to be desired, change, solutions, policies, something to help others in the same situation, but life just goes on I suppose.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews

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