The House of Plain Truth

by Donna Hemans

A novel of fractured family and the search to protect–or discard–what unites them, this story traces one older woman's decision to uphold the wishes of those who have departed over her sisters’ objections.  When Pearline abruptly leaves her life in Brooklyn and returns to her childhood home in Jamaica to care for her dying father, Rupert, she leaves her grown daughter to cope, overwhelmed, with her granddaughters back in Brooklyn.  But Pearline isn’t prepared for Rupert’s puzzling deathbed wish that she find siblings she hasn’t seen in 60 years. What is revealed in the wake of Rupert’s death is the secret that splintered the family. Moving through time and place, The House of Plain Truth charts the family's traumatic past in Cuba, where Rupert had sought a better life and where three of Pearline's siblings remained when the rest of the family left for Jamaica. Everything Pearline learns challenges what she knows about her family and the place she has always called home. In lush, lyrical prose inspired by the author's own family story, this novel explores the divided loyalties within a family, the true meaning of home, and what one woman has to sacrifice to get what she ultimately wants.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Contemporary, Adult, Audiobook, Book Club, Grief

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 30, 2024

About the author

Donna Hemans is the author of two novels: River Woman and Tea by the Sea (forthcoming Spring 2020 from Red Hen Press. Her short fiction has appeared in Caribbean Writer, Crab Orchard Review, Witness, Stories from Blue Latitudes: Caribbean Women Writers at Home and Abroad, among others. She is an editor at Pree, a Caribbean online magazine.

Reviews

[BookOfCinz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written, haunting, affecting, lyrical and moving…

In Donna Heman’s House Of Plain Truth we are taken to a family home in Jamaica where the father is spends his last moments asking his daughter to find his children. Pearline, left Jamaica over 20 years to make a life for herself and provide for her family back home. She spent majority of her life in Brooklyn, married, with a daughter who she hardly gets a long with because she works so much. When she hears that her father may be dying she decides its finally time for her to move back home to Jamaica.

Pearline must now get use to living in Jamaica after being gone for a long time, reconnect with her family, especially her sisters who for some reason holds bitterness and grudge towards her. She spends her days taking care of her dying father whose last wish is for her to find her siblings she left over 60 years ago on a port in Havana, Cuba. With the passing of her father Pearl spends majority of her time unravelling family secrets, finding out things she isn’t prepared to deal with and making everyone uneasy as she prepares to grant her father his last wish. Going from Brooklyn, to Montego to Cuba we are taken into Pearline’s family history as she seeks to fix what was broken sixty years ago.

I have a lot of thoughts on this book, let me start with the good ones. This book is well written. It is clear Donna Hemans is a stellar author. She is writes so well, at times I felt I was on that veranda back in Jamaica with Pearline. I thoroughly enjoyed how she went about writing this family saga, the history of Jamaicans leaving to go work in Panama and Cuba. The family dynamic with Pearline and her sister was so believable because I am witnessed that first-hand. The person who leaves getting treated unfairly and those who stayed feeling they were slighted. The exploration of that was layered and believable.

The thing one thing that I felt the book lack was an actual plot that moved. To say this was a slow burner would be a lie, at times I felt I read 5-6 chapters and we were discussing the same thing- granted it was 5-6 beautifully written chapters. I wish the book had a stronger editor, because everything was there- the family dynamic, the history, family relatives popping up out of nowhere, Pearline getting back to life in Jamaica, the need to fulfil her father’s wish- it was all there but I just felt it didn’t come together as I would like.

Don’t get me wrong, you will read this book, you will be engaged but you will finish feeling like something is off. I finished it and I thought, “it was well written but it is was missing something”
Overall, I enjoyed the writing, it is clear Hemans did her research, the book felt very Jamaican and made me so nostalgic, I just wanted a bit more.

[Stephanie ~~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Donna Hemans. Ooooh. You'll be seeing more and more of her, just wait. THE HOUSE OF PLAIN TRUTH is over the top. Brilliant. I'm betting in five years, ten tops, she'll be a household name. Donna's writing is (yes) sublime, and her characters are unforgettable. This book stood out for me, and moving through my week after finishing it, my brain is still lost in an echo chamber of her writing. That doesn't happen often.

So yes, I'm not one to place bets, but if I did I'd bet all of you Goodreads readers that Donna is gonna be on the billboard in Times Square. She's gonna be in every magazine, and her work will be ubiquitous. Beloved.
Someone will ask you, "What are you reading?"
Your response will be, "Oh, it's this new release by Donna Hemans and I can't put it down!"
"Donna Hemans, yeah, I love her. I read in the New York Times she has a new novel out. She's one of my favorite authors..." they'll say. "Everyone I know is reading that book."

What you CAN easily find is a synopsis of the plot and storyline of this book, go ahead and click on it-- you don't need me to regurgitate that for you all. But every so often someone new soartks my interest, and they go from making a splash to being a future tsunami. Donna Hemans: future tsunami, incredible author! Read it and see.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (Annnnnd a half)

~ Look out! I'm telling you! Dang. Wordsmith on the loose!!

[Dive Into A Good Book · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am still trying to decide just how I feel about this book. It has such an interesting angle. It just fell flat for me. I felt as though I was in an endless loop that did not move until the last 60 pages.

Pearline is finally heading back to Jamica after living her adult life in Brooklyn. Her father is hanging on to tell her his one last wish, "Find them for me". This opens a mystery into Pearline's family and the history that they were told. She knew they left Cuba in 1933, to head back to Jamica and three of her siblings stayed. Her father always held a resentment, an anger that constantly burned toward them. No one was allowed to speak their names. Leaving her mother to constantly wish and hope that her children will finally make their way home. Since her father's passing, Pearline has been haunted by his duppy. She cannot sleep without feeling his eyes on her, the dreams becoming more real with each passing day. Not only is she dealing with her father's mystery, her two sisters want to sell their family home and split the proceeds. Pearline is not having it, she finally made it back to Jamica, and she is bound and determined to stay.

I enjoyed the imagery of the swaying coconut trees, the fronds lightly tapping out a beat. The feast of soursop, breadfruit, and mangos made my mouth water. I could not connect with the characters. Pearline, I felt, was extremely selfish and she really did not connect with any of the other characters in the book. Making it very one dimensional. The history of Cuba and Jamica I found extremely interesting, I just wish there was more. Thank you to Donna Hemans and Zibby Books for my gifted copy.

[Dona's Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author Donna Hemans, publishers St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of THE HOUSE OF PLAIN TRUTH. All views are mine.

THE HOUSE OF PLAIN TRUTH is about many things, as good stories often are, but above all it is about home. What home means, and what we must do to find it, reclaim it if necessary, and in the end keep it.

Three (or more) things I loved:

1. A really good expression of grief in the opening chapter: Each hymn seems louder, and she thinks of the hymns as vines wrapping themselves around her body, not comforting but choking and causing her grief to spill without control. Loc.193

2. There's an excellent example of systemic racism in the opening pages of this book. It's a concept that can be difficult to simplify, but Herman's does it perfectly: No one has said directly that Jamaicans shouldn’t be there. But the idea is culturally ingrained, a relic of the colonial past reinforced by advertisements that show tourists with pale or lightly tanned skin enjoying what the country offers and dark-skinned laborers serving them. Always. Loc.413

3. The candid descriptions of the emotional weight carried by members of the African diaspora are haunting and stunning. Hemans's style has both elegance and simplicity, so she can describe challenging concepts and ideas in easily readable ways.

4. This book is incredibly nuanced on the topics of family dynamics and property inheritance, which makes for a wonderfully tense story (if a bit slow paced sometimes).

Three (or less) things I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. Opening line is at worst ageist and at best careless.

2. Sometimes books take on too many big themes. I think this rarely works out, though. By the halfway point of the book, the reader becomes aware of a number of weighty topics under consideration. It can cause a kind of reader exhaustion.

Rating: 🏡🏡🏡🏡.5 / 5 family homes
Recommend? Yes, for fans of slow burn
Finished: Jan 26 '24
Format: Digital arc, Kindle, NetGalley
Read this book if you like:
🇯🇲 stories set in Jamaica
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 family stories, family drama
👭🏽 sister conflicts
🏠 land and inheritance

[Rhonda Lomazow · Rating 4 out of 5]

So well written so involving.a story of family relationships.I became totally involved in the characters of their drama their stories.Well written kept me turning the pages.#netgalley #zibbybooks

[Deanna (she_reads_truth_365) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The House of Plain Truth is a slow burn family drama with a bit of a mystery element about long lost family members and fulfilling a father’s dying wish. I didn’t feel like I got the closure I needed at the end of the story. I appreciated learning about the history between Jamaica and Cuba. Sadly, it was a bit of history I knew nothing about. Read this if you enjoyed Black Cake, like family relationships, secrets, and a sense of belonging.

I received an advanced electronic (eARC) copy from @thoughtsfromapage Early Reads Program. Thank you to Cindy Burnett and publisher Zibby books. I appreciated the opportunity to preview this book.

[Leslie - Shobizreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook version of this one. If you love family sagas across generations and physical locations - this one is for you.

Exploring the immigration journey & timeline of one Jamaican family from the 1930s to present day Brooklyn was fascinating.

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 that I rounded up probably because I felt bad 🤦🏽‍♀️

The premise of this story was good. Pearline is moving back to Jamaica after living for decades in Brooklyn.

The writing is ok. The Jamaican dialogue is good.

But this story was a miss for me. There seemed to have been no plot. The story rambled on and on. Page after page seemed to be the same information being covered. And then after endless recounting of the same information the ending seemed very rushed.

Hopefully this is a situation where this book just didn’t connect with me but other people will have a better reaction to it.

[Blythe · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was on TIME's list of the best Caribbean novels of the year. I dutifully checked it out and I feel like I did my duty without really much enjoying the book. I felt like the mission accomplished on the last page of the book raised more questions than it answered and I didn't really get a sense of Jamaican life or much about Pearline's. Maybe others will be more in tune and enjoy it more than I did.

[Nieves Batista · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ésta es una novela que explora temas familiares y de identidad, centrándose en la conexión de la protagonista con Jamaica y la misteriosa historia de su familia en Cuba.
"The House of Plain Truth" de Donna Hemans nos lleva a un viaje emocional a través de las experiencias de una mujer jamaicana que regresa a su hogar después de muchos años en Estados Unidos. La trama gira en torno a la relación con su padre moribundo y la revelación de un oscuro secreto familiar relacionado con sus parientes en Cuba.
La narrativa se destaca por sus cautivadoras descripciones de Jamaica, que capturan la esencia y la belleza de la isla, así como la profunda conexión emocional de la protagonista con su hogar. La casa familiar, bautizada como "The House of Plain Truth" por su madre, se convierte en un personaje en sí misma, evocando sentimientos de nostalgia y amor arraigados en la protagonista.
Sin embargo, a pesar de la intrigante premisa y las ricas descripciones, la novela parece mantener en suspenso el misterio que rodea a los familiares en Cuba hasta el final. Este enfoque me ha dejado deseando más desarrollo y exploración de la trama secundaria, ya que la resolución se presenta tardíamente en la narrativa.
A pesar de este aspecto, la obra logra transmitir el profundo amor de la protagonista por su tierra natal y su hogar, lo que añade una capa adicional de complejidad a la historia. En general, "The House of Plain Truth" es una lectura que encanta con sus descripciones evocadoras y su exploración de la conexión emocional con la tierra natal, aunque yo hubiera deseado un desarrollo más temprano y completo de la trama secundaria en Cuba.
Muchas gracias a NetGalley y a Zibby Book por facilitarme una copia digita de esta obra para reseñarla.

It is a novel that explores themes of family and identity, focusing on the protagonist's connection to Jamaica and her family's mysterious history in Cuba.
"The House of Plain Truth by Donna Hemans takes us on an emotional journey through the experiences of a Jamaican woman returning home after many years in the United States. The plot revolves around her relationship with her dying father and the revelation of a dark family secret related to her relatives in Cuba.
The narrative is notable for its captivating descriptions of Jamaica, which capture the essence and beauty of the island, as well as the protagonist's deep emotional connection to her home. The family home, christened "The House of Plain Truth" by her mother, becomes a character in itself, evoking feelings of nostalgia and deep-rooted love in the protagonist.
However, despite the intriguing premise and rich descriptions, the novel seems to keep the mystery surrounding the relatives in Cuba in suspense until the very end. This approach left me wanting more development and exploration of the subplot, as the resolution is presented late in the narrative.
Despite this aspect, the play manages to convey the protagonist's deep love for her homeland and home, which adds an additional layer of complexity to the story. Overall, The House of Plain Truth is a delightful read with its evocative descriptions and its exploration of the emotional connection to the homeland, although I would have wished for an earlier and fuller development of the subplot in Cuba.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Zibby Book for providing me with a digital copy of this work to review.

[Stephanie Affinito · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking for an incredibly immersive book that will whisk you away to another destination, another family, another saga than your own, then this book is for you. Honestly, this book couldn’t just be read. It needed to be lived. Almost immediately, I was transported to Jamaica with Pearline, a woman returning home to say goodbye to her father after spending most of her adult life in America. Haunted by her father’s last wishes to find her long-lost siblings, Pearline struggles to make sense of the family truths she is uncovering. Armed with her memory, a trunk full of old papers and a desire to grant her father his last wish, Pearline vows to find answers. As I read, I couldn’t help but get lost in the pages and would literally need to shake my head after reading to free myself from the world I entered. Pearline’s recent return home, struggles with her adult daughter and frustration at not feeling like she belonged was palpable, as was her heartbreak over losing her siblings so long ago. The writing is intense, descriptive and real and the reading experience is all of those things and more. If you love books that can make you forget where you are, if you love books with strong family ties and drama and if you love books where characters can rewrite their stories, then this book is for you. If you enjoy books like Black Cake by Charmaine Wilson or The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz, then add this book to your TBR, too.

[Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

With tenderness and pain, Hemans shows us this island where Irene, a mother, grows small white flowers to enjoy in December and

"blended raisins, prunes, and mixed peel with rum and wine for the black Christmas cake and pounded ginger root to steep with the sorrel. When everything was ready and the scent of cinnamon, nutmeg, and warm vanilla hung in the air, Irene would sit with her children on the veranda in the dark, night after night, as she waited to receive the voices from the sea..."

In adulthood, the two older girls, Aileen and Pearline, are not of the same mind. Aileen resents Pearline so easily going back and forth from New York for work, but it's in Jamaica that Pearline wants to be buried. The family always wanted "a place to fully belong," and so Pearline wants to save the house, the one Irene calls La Casa de la Pura Verdad, the legacy from their father, with "so many generations of tears and sweat poured into its surrounding fields by her ancestors." She doesn't want a new house in Jamaica like Aileen has; she wants the old one. Even if, or perhaps because, it's filled with grief. One teaching I take away is that our grief is about what we've always wanted, or what we newly appreciate now that it's gone or transformed. Our grief is still speaking and telling us what it means to want something, and thus to know who we are.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fine book. It's a story that I haven't known before; the story of anti-black racism and violence against Jamaican and Haitian migrant workers in Cuba during the first third of the 20th century. This is the needed and important context of the story, which leads to the theme of inherited and generational grief. Though Hemans tells a great story of family lost and found, historical secrets, and immigration, she also alludes to the deep story of Caribbean slavery and the justice of reparations.

[Kate Ramsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

** Won in a Goodreads Giveaway**

This is my first time dipping into this type of novel. Generally I stick to thrillers, romance and historical. Donna Hemans novel, The House of Plain Truth, hit a chord in me somewhere that I didn’t realize I had. This novel was haunting, thought provoking, emotion inducing and heartfelt. Hermans prose was drama inducing and fluid and if the pace was just a bit faster I would have given this a 5. I don’t like spoilers so instead I’m focusing on how the story pulls you from an internal place.

[Laura Machado · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a 3.5 star read for me, because the premise is strong, and the writing is good. However it is so repetitive I couldn't believe myself, the plot would just not move along!

Plus I have never read such a rushed ending in the history of endings! We could have started that ending perhaps 100 pages sooner and that would have avoided all the repetition.

I so wish this was edited differently... because it has so much potential... devastated here!

[Norah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The House of Plain Truth is Hemans’ third novel and like her second novel, which I also loved, the book is rich with emotional truth, intellectual themes, and lyrical prose. It follows Pearline, a woman who left Jamaica decades ago to pursue the dream of success abroad—a dream she’s been desperate to make true for herself because it eluded her father’s aspirations. Having achieved modest success abroad, she returns, hoping to build a life in her homeland. Through the microcosm of Pearline’s family, we see the legacy of migration, slavery, and colonialism affecting Jamaica, as well as the fascinating family secrets, and subtly crafted characters.
You can read more in my interview with the author for a publication where I am an editor, here: https://dctrending.com/blog-1/2024/2/...

[TheDiversePhDReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not happy with how this book ended. I actually like it, but there were too many questions left unanswered, in my opinion. I appreciated all the historical references that many Jamaicans are not aware of.

Pearline is a piece of work. People who move back home after being away for decades and everything has to be done their way. There is no consideration for the people "left" at home doing the work trying to keep things together. It annoys me so much.

[BernieMck · Rating 4 out of 5]

A woman goes home to Jamaica, to care for her sick father, and is tasked with finding the family members that were left behind more than 30 years ago. When she gets home, she finds herself on a mission, to unearth all the hidden family secrets, to free restless spirits, and make dreams come true. This book is a page-turner that will definitely not disappoint. 👍🏾

[Aline Monteiro-Bovell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pearline moves back to Jamaica, after living in Brooklyn for years. Her father is dying, she moves back with dreams of a countryside life away from the chaos of New York. Pearline lost her husband, her relationship with her only daughter is rocky. Now she is trying to fit in with her sisters that hold some resentment towards her. Before dying her father shares with her his wish for her to find her older siblings, who were left behind in Cuba, when her family moved back from Cuba to Jamaica. The story takes us to different times and places, as Pearline uncovers some of her family's secrets.
To me, the main character Pearline, was selfish. Just like her father, she is stubborn. She wanted to repair things, and fulfill her parent's dreams, but I think she was selfish in some of the ways she went about it.
The addition of Derek, her daughter Josette coming to Jamaica, Claudia's mom coming back from working in a different island, all seemed like events that were added to the story for convenience, to make the story go in a certain direction without too much explanation or development (I don't know if I am making sense).
The book is well written, and I was engaged from the beginning to the end. Although I will say that, when I got to around 85% of the story and things were still more of the same, I thought it was dragging. Again, the story is engaging but when I got to the end, I felt disappointed. It felt like something was off. I did not mind the way it ended, but the execution to get to that point could have been done better.
I thought to myself, the author had everything, but I don't like when I read books and then, towards the end it feels like something is missing, things don't come together smoothly.
I still recommend this book for people who enjoy stories about family and generational secrets. It is an interesting story for sure.

[ajournalforbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This week on migration, family secrets and long lost siblings.

We meet the Greaves family, a family that has for years, generation after generation, left their homeland Jamaica for betterment in another country. But an unforgivable secret divides the nine children for years until their father’s dying wish to find them ignites a haunt to find the three Greaves siblings who remained in Cuba and unravel the hidden family secrets.

At first glance, I didn’t know what to expect from this novel, but as I dove into it, I started to experience a mix of emotions. From Aileen and Hermina who shunned their sister’s otherness due to her migrating years prior. Then trying to sell their family home under her.

To Josette who was too busy working and trying to take care of her family back home and her family in Brooklyn to spend time with her daughter. Which led to their fractured relationship, that instead of mending she chose to make amends for it by caring for a young girl and her father’s outside son’s son.

I found myself questioning the meaning of parenting and why it’s so hard for parents at times to make admit they made mistakes. Admit that they’re amongst the reasons their children are battling/facing certain mental issues and working on making amends. But pride…

Despite the family drama and secrets that made up the house of plain truth, the novel was also refreshing. From the magical realism to the cultural tradition and I can’t not mention the Jamaican sayings, I was wrapped up in this story.

One of my favorite sayings, “You ‘fraid fi eye, you never nyam head.” - If you spend too much time looking for the good opinion of someone, you will never prosper.”

[laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

The House of Plain Truth by Donna Hemans is a book full of family secrets and stories. The story starts with Pearline returning to her childhood home in Jamaica to say goodbye to her father. Before he dies, he tells her, "Find them for me. You are my memory now," leaving Pearline with a desire to remember more about her family history and to search for her long-missing siblings. This story tells of complicated family dynamics as Pearline moves back to Jamaica to live near her sisters after living in New York for many years. There are typical sibling disagreements about what to do with the house and the property after the death of a parent, but the story goes deeper into the sisters' and their parents' pasts. Pearline dreams her family's story at night, feels her father's presence, and seeks to allow her father to rest in peace.
What I enjoyed most about this novel was the descriptions of Jamaican culture and the history Hemans tells of the people, including touching on the history of Jamaicans in Cuba. Her beautiful details of the lush, tropical setting, as well as her descriptions of the food, made me want to visit Jamaica. I also liked that the family house played a significant role in the story. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy books with complicated family histories and learning about other cultures.
Thanks to the Zibby Books and the Thoughts From a Page Podcast Early Reads Program for the advanced copy of this book!

[Zibby Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

The House of Plain Truth is a lush, evocative story about a fractured Jamaican family, a tapestry of family secrets buried for decades, and a daughter determined to reclaim her home. It’s a story about family secrets triggered when the main character, Pearline, decides to return to Jamaica to care for her sick father. As he is on his deathbed, he asks her two things, one of which is to find her siblings who had been left behind in Cuba sixty years earlier. The second is to be his memory. Pearline has to figure out how those two things are connected.

Told in dual storylines, modern-day Brooklyn and Jamaica and Havana in the 1930s, this multigenerational book examines what home really means. Because Pearline and her family have lived in multiple places—Cuba, Jamaica, and then New York—it comes down to wanting a place that will always be hers. A place no one can take away from her. I think that's what all of us want. Inspired by the author’s family history, The House of Plain Truth is a fascinating examination of home, family, memory, identity, and the quest for belonging across generations and continents.

To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at: https://www.momsdonthavetimetoreadboo...

[Jennydlovesthebooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pearline leaves Brooklyn (and her daughter and granddaughter) to return home to Jamaica when she hears that her father is near death. She left Jamaica and her family there behind years ago to start a new life in America.

On his deathbed, Pearline’s father tells her: “You are my memory now.” With that, Pearline knows that she must find the siblings that her family left in Cuba when they left the country to return to Jamaica 50 years ago. In addition, a family mystery arises over who owns The House of Plain Truth. Family lore says that Pearline’s parents built the house in 1933 when they returned from Cuba. While Pearline fights with her two sisters to keep the house in the family, she learns that family lore might not reflect truth.

I love a family saga and I appreciated the setting of this book and the themes of migration, family secrets and finding one’s place in the world. However, the book felt somewhat repetitive. I was shocked to see it was only 288 pages. (I read it on Kindle)

3.5⭐️

Thank you @netgalley and @zibbybooks for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Sasha-Gay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Donna Hermans is a captivating writer who masterfully draws you into the worlds she describes. Her use of descriptive language vividly captures locations, feelings/moods, etc. This book begins on a high note, setting us up for an epic tale about family: Lineage and history are key themes, while the complex dynamics of familiar relationships acts an anchor to the overall plot.

While the story is begins strong, it falls flat as you progress. The plot doesn’t really take you where you might believe you’re going when you start. Some characters read as unnecessary, all while the plot stalls and avoid any real climax. Furthermore, there is repetitive language and themes that leave you with more questions than answers. Repetition indicates importance to a reader but, in this case, the story fails to deliver on most of the repeated themes.

What gets you through this book is the writer’s pen. The writing is lovely, skilled, and easy to follow. This book may appeal to readers of literary fiction that centers women and books that teeter on the edge of historical fiction.

[Cyn_miad · Rating 3 out of 5]

A family drama ensues throughout The House of Plain Truth. The question that kept arising was - do people have the rights to their own secrets after they pass away? Should remaining family members continue to unravel the truth of their family history?

Another common theme in this book is the generational grief and trauma that carries through the next generations that follow.

I had empathy towards Pearline as she tried so hard to build a good life for her family. Consequently she kept enduring heart ache and I wanted more resolution for her. However, this does portray real life in that not everything is wrapped so neatly.

Like several novels I’ve read in 2023, an old house and the land it rests on are front row and centre in this novel.

I give this Novel a 3.5.

Thank you to Cindy Burnett at Thoughts from a Page and Zibby Books, the author, and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Amy [adleilareads] · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Pearline receives news of her father’s declining health, she immediately leaves Brooklyn, and returns to her homeland in Jamaica to care for him. Upon return, Pearline is greeted harshly by her two sisters and the devastating reveal of her father’s final wish to reunite their broken family.

As Pearline works hard to unravel her family history, the fracturing relationship with her sisters exacerbating, she discovers the secrets that shattered the family over sixty years ago. It’s a secret of their history that they were told and the one that they know but were told not to speak of. It’s a secret that split the family in two, with some siblings remaining in Cuba whilst they sought refuge in Jamaica.

This book was really well written and has a great story at its heart. At times I whizzed through yet there was a lull in the middle and moments where the plot moved so slowly. Overall an enjoyable read of an emotional family saga.

[Janel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book shares history of Cuba and Jamaica that I was not aware of. The perspective of an immigrant family traveling to survive and make things better for the next generation is a strong theme.

This book explores memories versus truth and how our loved ones can influence us even after they pass.

Pearline struggles to identify with her sisters in Jamaica but also identify with her family back in the US. She feels a need to return to her roots and fulfill her dying father’s last request.

This book is rich in character development and Jamaican culture. The pace is slow but full of wonderful stories and memories.

I enjoyed hearing Donna’s story of how she wrote this book and became an author when the Early Reads group met with her.

I read this book as part of @thoughtsfromapage’s Early Reads program for patreons. Thanks to @netgalley and @zibbybooks for providing the ARC.

[Kelly {SpaceOnTheBookcase] · Rating 3 out of 5]

The House of Plain Truth by Donna Hemans is about the emotional journey one woman makes after returning home to Jamacia, plagued by memories of Cuba and what that means for her family, and struggling to connect with her adult daughter left behind in the United States. Hemans' writing style is very lyrical and pretty, while gripping your heart as Pearline wrestles with her identity.

I read half of the book thanks to an ARC through NetGalley and listened to the second half thanks to an ALC from Libro.fm. I felt the narrator did a great job at bringing the story alive especially with the various accents and characters.

As a whole, I liked The House of Plain Truth but I struggled at times with the pacing. It felt slow, and perhaps purposefully slow, but I'd find myself unable to sprint read like I normally do.

Thank you to Zibby Books for the gifted ARC.

[Adrienne Adrimano · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Find them for me. You are my memory now."

When that is the refrain and wish of a dying man to his adult child, don't you expect an epic quest to ensue?

I expected more than this title gave. Chapter 1 set this book up to be a "Taken"-esque finding, retrieving and reuniting of left-behind family members with a sprinkle of a good old haunting Jamaican "duppy" (ghost) story.

Unfortunately, all we got was a story of return migration and family inheritance full of the nostalgia that only someone who wishes they were home in the Caribbean would write. There were many lovely but unnecessary descriptions of country life in Jamaica that did not contribute to the plot, and also characters whose purpose wasn't evident to the plot.

I don't regret reading this one, I had just hoped for so much more...

[Michelle Walters · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Pearline learns her father is dying, she travels back to her home country of Jamaica and promises to fulfill her father’s dying wish of finding her long lost siblings. The premise sounded right up my alley with themes of family drama and secrets, inter generational trauma, and a mystery. Unfortunately the execution fell short for me. It was well written and descriptive but I was not able to connect to the characters or feel anything for them, which is important in a more character driven novel. Despite its short length, it took me a long time to read, mostly because it was not holding my interest.

Thank you to Cindy Burnett from Thoughts from a Page Podcast, Zibby books, and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest reviews.