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When the Harvest Comes
A young Black gay man reckoning with the death of his father must confront his painful past—and his deepest desires around gender, love, and sex.
The venerated Reverend Doctor John Freeman did not raise his son, Davis, to be touched by any man, let alone a white man. He did not raise his son to whisper that man’s name with tenderness.
But on the eve of his wedding, all Davis can think about is how beautiful he wants to look when he meets his beloved Everett at the altar. Never mind that his mother, who died decades before, and his father, whose anger drove Davis to flee their home in Ohio for a freer life in New York City, won’t be there to walk him down the aisle. All Davis needs to be happy in this life is Everett, his new family, and his burgeoning career as an award-winning violist.
When Davis learns during the wedding reception that his father has died in a terrible car accident, years of childhood trauma and unspoken emotion resurface. Davis must revisit everything that went wrong between them, his fledgling marriage and irresistible self-confidence spiraling into a pit of despair.
In resplendent prose, Denne Michele Norris’s When the Harvest Comes fearlessly reveals the pain of inheritance and the heroic power of love, reminding us that in the end we are more than the men who came before us.
The venerated Reverend Doctor John Freeman did not raise his son, Davis, to be touched by any man, let alone a white man. He did not raise his son to whisper that man’s name with tenderness.
But on the eve of his wedding, all Davis can think about is how beautiful he wants to look when he meets his beloved Everett at the altar. Never mind that his mother, who died decades before, and his father, whose anger drove Davis to flee their home in Ohio for a freer life in New York City, won’t be there to walk him down the aisle. All Davis needs to be happy in this life is Everett, his new family, and his burgeoning career as an award-winning violist.
When Davis learns during the wedding reception that his father has died in a terrible car accident, years of childhood trauma and unspoken emotion resurface. Davis must revisit everything that went wrong between them, his fledgling marriage and irresistible self-confidence spiraling into a pit of despair.
In resplendent prose, Denne Michele Norris’s When the Harvest Comes fearlessly reveals the pain of inheritance and the heroic power of love, reminding us that in the end we are more than the men who came before us.
291 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 15, 2025
58 people are currently reading
16119 people want to read
About the author
Denne Michele Norris
7 books81 followersDenne Michele Norris is the author of the chapbook Awst Collection—Dennis Norris II, named a best book of 2018 by Powell's. A recipient of fellowships from The MacDowell Colony, Tin House, VCCA, and Kimbilio Fiction, her stories have twice been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and named a finalist for the Best Small Fictions Prize. She currently serves as Assistant Fiction Editor at The Rumpus and co-host of the critically acclaimed podcast Food 4 Thot. Based in Harlem, she is hard at work on her debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 252 reviews
July 17, 2025
i'm a sucker for a heart wrenching debut novel...
but honestly, in spite of being billed that way, this book is mostly very nice.
it is nice to read about a character finding themselves, and the people around them being confused but mostly extremely supportive and loving, and even loved ones who seemed beyond comprehension feeling that way too.
i think in moments it all felt a bit too happy. people do extremely f*cked up things out of nowhere, and then quickly repent and go back to normal (if not better than before). there are a few characters who get forgotten completely in order to cleanly tie up our loose ends.
but...
bottom line: i expected wrenching pain from this and was pleasantly surprised to find almost exclusively loveliness.
(3.5 / thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
but honestly, in spite of being billed that way, this book is mostly very nice.
it is nice to read about a character finding themselves, and the people around them being confused but mostly extremely supportive and loving, and even loved ones who seemed beyond comprehension feeling that way too.
i think in moments it all felt a bit too happy. people do extremely f*cked up things out of nowhere, and then quickly repent and go back to normal (if not better than before). there are a few characters who get forgotten completely in order to cleanly tie up our loose ends.
but...
bottom line: i expected wrenching pain from this and was pleasantly surprised to find almost exclusively loveliness.
(3.5 / thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
March 17, 2025
I haven't seen much buzz about Denne Michele Norris' upcoming novel, WHEN THE HARVEST COMES, but it immediately caught my attention and moved right to the top of my TBR. This book sounds very much like a Bryan Washington (Lot, Memorial, Family Meal) type of vibe, so I knew that I wanted to dive in.
n the eve of his wedding, Davis, a young Black gay man, is ready to embrace love and the life he has built—until news of his estranged father’s sudden death forces him to confront the painful past he thought he left behind. As childhood trauma resurfaces, his confidence and new marriage teeter on the edge, challenging his understanding of family, identity, and desire.
This synopsis doesn't really paint the picture accurately because readers get so much more than that in WHEN THE HARVEST COMES. The story behind Everett and Davis is really at the forefront and this book is more of a love story than of a drama between Davis and Davis' father. I loved the characterization and the POVs we are provided. The love story between Davis and Everett is beautiful, unique to their story, and something that I really resonated deeply with. The story is not so much a fast-paced plot powerhouse, but more of a voyeuristic character-driven emotional journey for our characters. I would be shocked if you didn't take something away from this book by the time you get to the end. This story will stay with me for some time.
n the eve of his wedding, Davis, a young Black gay man, is ready to embrace love and the life he has built—until news of his estranged father’s sudden death forces him to confront the painful past he thought he left behind. As childhood trauma resurfaces, his confidence and new marriage teeter on the edge, challenging his understanding of family, identity, and desire.
This synopsis doesn't really paint the picture accurately because readers get so much more than that in WHEN THE HARVEST COMES. The story behind Everett and Davis is really at the forefront and this book is more of a love story than of a drama between Davis and Davis' father. I loved the characterization and the POVs we are provided. The love story between Davis and Everett is beautiful, unique to their story, and something that I really resonated deeply with. The story is not so much a fast-paced plot powerhouse, but more of a voyeuristic character-driven emotional journey for our characters. I would be shocked if you didn't take something away from this book by the time you get to the end. This story will stay with me for some time.
March 23, 2025
This book offers a front-row seat to the intimate, often painful journey of two individuals wrestling with their past traumas, all while striving to build and nurture a complicated, yet undeniably real, relationship. At times, their actions may feel frustrating or perplexing—one moment it seems like they're merely surviving, and the next, their behavior teeters on the edge of toxicity. There are moments of surprise, of bewilderment, and moments when you feel the rawness of their humanity. But this is life, isn't it? Messy, imperfect, and unpredictable.
The story unfolds as the delicate dance of two souls who, against all odds, found each other in the chaos of the world. They fight not just to be together but to understand and support one another despite the limited examples they've had of what love and connection can be. It’s easy to pass judgment from the outside, to critique decisions and reactions that don’t align with our own experiences, but how fair is it to judge when we have never walked in their shoes?
The final letter in this book broke something inside me. It moved me in ways I can’t fully articulate, leaving an ache in my heart that I know will linger long after the last page. This is a story that stays with you—one that demands you read with both an open mind and an open heart. It’s not just a book; it’s a quiet reminder of the fragile beauty in human connection, and it will hold a special place in my heart forever.
The story unfolds as the delicate dance of two souls who, against all odds, found each other in the chaos of the world. They fight not just to be together but to understand and support one another despite the limited examples they've had of what love and connection can be. It’s easy to pass judgment from the outside, to critique decisions and reactions that don’t align with our own experiences, but how fair is it to judge when we have never walked in their shoes?
The final letter in this book broke something inside me. It moved me in ways I can’t fully articulate, leaving an ache in my heart that I know will linger long after the last page. This is a story that stays with you—one that demands you read with both an open mind and an open heart. It’s not just a book; it’s a quiet reminder of the fragile beauty in human connection, and it will hold a special place in my heart forever.
December 30, 2025
i wasn’t gonna finish it but then i remembered that my lovely boyfriend bought it for me so i had to 😔
didn’t enjoy a single second of this, though it’s hard to pinpoint what exactly didn’t work for me. definitely disliked all the secondary characters and honestly didn’t care for the mains either. too many POVs, plot didn’t engage me at all, didn’t see the “plot twist” coming but honestly it could have ended any other way and would have gotten the same “thank god it’s finally over” reaction from me.
didn’t enjoy a single second of this, though it’s hard to pinpoint what exactly didn’t work for me. definitely disliked all the secondary characters and honestly didn’t care for the mains either. too many POVs, plot didn’t engage me at all, didn’t see the “plot twist” coming but honestly it could have ended any other way and would have gotten the same “thank god it’s finally over” reaction from me.
June 11, 2025
Denne Michele Norris and L Morgan Lee one of you better be outside with a lifeboat, you’ve created a river of tears here, and I can’t swim!
Stunning!
Every single star ⭐️
#Jorecommends
Stunning!
Every single star ⭐️
#Jorecommends
October 6, 2024
Thank you to Net Galley and Random House for sending me an e-ARC of this book.
The plot of this book was very good, and it's definitely the type of story I could like. However, I didn't really gel with the writing. I felt there were a few more POV's than entirely necessary. If it had stayed between Davis and the Reverend, with an occasional chapter for Olivia in there, I think the story would have been more impactful. I think, because of this jumping around, the characters weren't very dynamic either. There was a lot of dialogue that felt unnatural. It was like the author was trying to prod the conversation in a specific direction, but hadn't been able to think of a more organic way to get it there.
I also think the book just needed more. It didn't feel very satisfying or complete, even though the plot has a very definite end. I think part of this is that POV jumping I mentioned. For all the emotion and heart that's in this book, it still felt very flat to me.
The plot of this book was very good, and it's definitely the type of story I could like. However, I didn't really gel with the writing. I felt there were a few more POV's than entirely necessary. If it had stayed between Davis and the Reverend, with an occasional chapter for Olivia in there, I think the story would have been more impactful. I think, because of this jumping around, the characters weren't very dynamic either. There was a lot of dialogue that felt unnatural. It was like the author was trying to prod the conversation in a specific direction, but hadn't been able to think of a more organic way to get it there.
I also think the book just needed more. It didn't feel very satisfying or complete, even though the plot has a very definite end. I think part of this is that POV jumping I mentioned. For all the emotion and heart that's in this book, it still felt very flat to me.
January 5, 2026
For some reason I always start the year reading serious and moving books, usually literary fiction, and I'm always surprised by how much I love the genre. This was such a great book, the end had me in tears, not of sadness but because of how beautiful it is.
I cannot possibly talk about the plot because everything I could say would be a disservice, I need everyone to read it without knowing anything just like I did.
It's reasonably short, I read it in a day. If you are looking for a great book about humanity, love and acceptance that will leave you feeling hopeful, this is it.
I cannot possibly talk about the plot because everything I could say would be a disservice, I need everyone to read it without knowing anything just like I did.
It's reasonably short, I read it in a day. If you are looking for a great book about humanity, love and acceptance that will leave you feeling hopeful, this is it.
December 3, 2025
This is a story about a wedding. Two people who love each other and promise to stand beside each other for the rest of their days. On the day of the wedding, Davis’ father dies in a horrific car accident. Although the story begins around the wedding and the relationship between Davis and Everett, it’s about Davis’ history with his father who didn’t accept Davis for who he was and had been estranged from his son for quite some time. Davis believed his father would never change and he was learning to accept that fact. But after his father’s death, Davis finds out some things about his father that he never knew. Now Davis, with the support and love of Everett, must learn to deal with all the new emotions; anger, hurt, disappointment, regret and needing to figure out how to face his own pain and accept his father for who HE was (or proposed to be) at the time of his death. It’s a story that tears at your heart and think about the people in your life … who were no longer in your life and never knowing if it could have been different.
Disclaimer - I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway.
Disclaimer - I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway.
June 10, 2025
I feel constrained to admire this, or at least to admire its perspective (which is generous toward even its most difficult characters -- the father of one, the brother of another). But it never engaged me. Elliott was, and remained, too perfect (and his non-reaction to the revelation at the end is really not believable, considering what it implies for his own identity and personal history); as for the revelation itself, it suffers from being both telegraphed and, in terms of Davis's characterization, cliched.
I said I wasn't fully engaged, meaning that I was bored and impatient because everything happened so slowly and so earnestly. The liveliest passages came when Davis was telling Elliott's family about the special challenges of playing the viola, an instrument whose acoustic range isn't easily expressed by its physical form. Now that I think about it, this was all very symbolic and way too on the nose.
2.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC.
I said I wasn't fully engaged, meaning that I was bored and impatient because everything happened so slowly and so earnestly. The liveliest passages came when Davis was telling Elliott's family about the special challenges of playing the viola, an instrument whose acoustic range isn't easily expressed by its physical form. Now that I think about it, this was all very symbolic and way too on the nose.
2.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC.
September 12, 2025
This review is for child abuse survivors - especially trans ones. I want to emphasize that I do not think this book should be avoided at all costs, and if you are into fanfic, you may really enjoy this - I just don't think this book is what it says it is, and I wish it had been marketed more truthfully. In my experience, being misled in this way was very harmful. I believed I was setting out to read literary fiction that would be exploring and grappling with trauma in a constructive fashion, but was surprised instead to find myself knee deep in romance fan fiction that, in my opinion, sensationalized experiences of trauma in order to romanticize the passion generated by that tension.
The reason I take issue with this distinction is because fan fiction by definition anchors itself in worlds that resolve real-life problems (whether interpersonal, structural, or both) with fantastical, deeply unrealistic solutions. It is escapsim via fantasy, and these fantasies are pretty typically quite toxic in nature. This isn't my issue though - I am not here to police what kind of stories marginalized folks create and tell in order to cope; I am well aware that we all cope in different ways, and while I personally have found fantasy-as-coping-mechanism to be extremely destructive, I don't begrudge others their fantasies if that is a tool that serves folks. What I do take issue with is being denied the ability to make an informed choice about reading a book that romanticizes trauma as a functional pathway to a perfect life, and seeks to resolve that trauma by way of fantasies I have, as a survivor, had to work extremely hard to let go of. Rehashing that pain is something I wish I could have avoided, and which I would have avoided, if I'd been adequately informed about what this book was. If I'd known it would so casually engage with things like child abuse, parental estrangement, and the incredibly long, tumultuous road back from these traumas, I'd have abstained from reading.
Unfortunately, where the book seeks a perfectionistic solution (fantasy), I, in the real world, felt myself once again pressed face to face with the impossibility of ever accessing the kind of life this character got to have. There was, in my opinion, no meaningful exploration of trauma, only a fetishization of it for the ultimate purpose of avoiding its true depths. It felt much more like a smoothing-over than a true grappling, which is necessarily messy, gritty, uncomfortable. What this book offered instead was a fantasy of comfort, compulsive tidiness to meet the mess upon arrival, and anodyne conflict that was barely tense, except for the tension necessary for exquisite lovemaking; Everett as a character was, in fact, more an embodiment of this glossy, sanitized motif than a real person. By the time we got to Vivian's big reveal (which, as a trans person, I saw from a mile away, down to her father's revelation he'd always seen her) via her dad's letter, I felt like my heart was being ripped out all over again. This was another heartache gratuitously rehashed, because the kind of acknowledgement the reverend offers to Vivian here is every trans *and* abused child's dream; but, in my experience, about as likely to actually happen as winning the lottery. In fact, it is, in its own way, hitting the abused kid jackpot. This fantasy was not feel-good to me; none of it was, because I have spent most of my life actively seeking this kind of repair, as well as escaping into fantasies that similarly smooth over deep, historical violence and wounds, and none of it has amounted to any kind of closure, healing or life advancement. It's all been an extension of the original traumas for me. True healing work has only been possible by way of conscious engagement with the intense pain and despair of abandonment, which for me has involved, among other things, moving away from fantasy as a means of coping. All I could think, choking back tears, listening to the reverend's letter to Vivian, was "why are you doing this to me?" The last hour of the audiobook felt like torture, and I had to leave my body just to finish it.
In the end, these fantasies of devotional love - fatherly, familial, spousal/romantic - are just wounds reopened. A carrot dangled above my head, just out of my reach, as I have done so much work to adjust to starving and imagine new ways of accessing nourishment. I don't want to be reminded of the things I have sought most in life but will never get. That is not fun for me; it is intensely painful and devastating to have to revisit, especially in the context of a totally unrealistic fantasy wherein everything is fixed in an instant by the overwhelming power of love. In my experience, none of this is real or possible. It's the kind of toxic idealism I escaped into for much of my life, convinced by society I would find my way to the inside of if I just held out a bit longer, tried a bit harder, burnt myself out a bit more, performed desirability a bit better. If I could go back in time and intervene, tell my younger self that these kinds of fantasies would never serve me, but actually just harm me and attenuate my chances of accessing the things in life that mean the most to me, I would without a second thought. I just don't want to revisit this stuff.
I think the author did a great job writing this, because no matter how triggering or upsetting the fantasy became, I always found the story itself very readable/listenable (audiobook). And I suspect it was more of a publishing decision to label this as literary fiction, so I really don't even want to trash the author or her work, because I don't really feel like she is to blame here, and I love to see a Black transfemme author making it. So I feel very complicatedly about it all. I just wish I'd known going into this what it really was, so I could have identified ahead of time that this book would not serve me, that this book would probably harm me to engage with, and simply leave it for folks who either don't have the same baggage as me, or who might be better served by this kind of escapism.
At this point in my life, hearing about someone's perfect elite life, perfect elite career, perfect strapping, devoted elite husband, perfectly neat and finite process of grief and trauma that only potentiates one's perfectly elite life in the end, is destructive. These are not only things I'll never access, but things which I have had to work very hard, in isolation, to come to terms with not "living up to" as a survivor. I think survivors, given all we have endured, at the very least deserve to be told the truth about media that may make us feel erased, our incredibly complex experiences flattened. So I am writing this review in case any other survivors are considering reading this - read at your own risk and just understand that this book is very different from what it is marketed as.
The reason I take issue with this distinction is because fan fiction by definition anchors itself in worlds that resolve real-life problems (whether interpersonal, structural, or both) with fantastical, deeply unrealistic solutions. It is escapsim via fantasy, and these fantasies are pretty typically quite toxic in nature. This isn't my issue though - I am not here to police what kind of stories marginalized folks create and tell in order to cope; I am well aware that we all cope in different ways, and while I personally have found fantasy-as-coping-mechanism to be extremely destructive, I don't begrudge others their fantasies if that is a tool that serves folks. What I do take issue with is being denied the ability to make an informed choice about reading a book that romanticizes trauma as a functional pathway to a perfect life, and seeks to resolve that trauma by way of fantasies I have, as a survivor, had to work extremely hard to let go of. Rehashing that pain is something I wish I could have avoided, and which I would have avoided, if I'd been adequately informed about what this book was. If I'd known it would so casually engage with things like child abuse, parental estrangement, and the incredibly long, tumultuous road back from these traumas, I'd have abstained from reading.
Unfortunately, where the book seeks a perfectionistic solution (fantasy), I, in the real world, felt myself once again pressed face to face with the impossibility of ever accessing the kind of life this character got to have. There was, in my opinion, no meaningful exploration of trauma, only a fetishization of it for the ultimate purpose of avoiding its true depths. It felt much more like a smoothing-over than a true grappling, which is necessarily messy, gritty, uncomfortable. What this book offered instead was a fantasy of comfort, compulsive tidiness to meet the mess upon arrival, and anodyne conflict that was barely tense, except for the tension necessary for exquisite lovemaking; Everett as a character was, in fact, more an embodiment of this glossy, sanitized motif than a real person. By the time we got to Vivian's big reveal (which, as a trans person, I saw from a mile away, down to her father's revelation he'd always seen her) via her dad's letter, I felt like my heart was being ripped out all over again. This was another heartache gratuitously rehashed, because the kind of acknowledgement the reverend offers to Vivian here is every trans *and* abused child's dream; but, in my experience, about as likely to actually happen as winning the lottery. In fact, it is, in its own way, hitting the abused kid jackpot. This fantasy was not feel-good to me; none of it was, because I have spent most of my life actively seeking this kind of repair, as well as escaping into fantasies that similarly smooth over deep, historical violence and wounds, and none of it has amounted to any kind of closure, healing or life advancement. It's all been an extension of the original traumas for me. True healing work has only been possible by way of conscious engagement with the intense pain and despair of abandonment, which for me has involved, among other things, moving away from fantasy as a means of coping. All I could think, choking back tears, listening to the reverend's letter to Vivian, was "why are you doing this to me?" The last hour of the audiobook felt like torture, and I had to leave my body just to finish it.
In the end, these fantasies of devotional love - fatherly, familial, spousal/romantic - are just wounds reopened. A carrot dangled above my head, just out of my reach, as I have done so much work to adjust to starving and imagine new ways of accessing nourishment. I don't want to be reminded of the things I have sought most in life but will never get. That is not fun for me; it is intensely painful and devastating to have to revisit, especially in the context of a totally unrealistic fantasy wherein everything is fixed in an instant by the overwhelming power of love. In my experience, none of this is real or possible. It's the kind of toxic idealism I escaped into for much of my life, convinced by society I would find my way to the inside of if I just held out a bit longer, tried a bit harder, burnt myself out a bit more, performed desirability a bit better. If I could go back in time and intervene, tell my younger self that these kinds of fantasies would never serve me, but actually just harm me and attenuate my chances of accessing the things in life that mean the most to me, I would without a second thought. I just don't want to revisit this stuff.
I think the author did a great job writing this, because no matter how triggering or upsetting the fantasy became, I always found the story itself very readable/listenable (audiobook). And I suspect it was more of a publishing decision to label this as literary fiction, so I really don't even want to trash the author or her work, because I don't really feel like she is to blame here, and I love to see a Black transfemme author making it. So I feel very complicatedly about it all. I just wish I'd known going into this what it really was, so I could have identified ahead of time that this book would not serve me, that this book would probably harm me to engage with, and simply leave it for folks who either don't have the same baggage as me, or who might be better served by this kind of escapism.
At this point in my life, hearing about someone's perfect elite life, perfect elite career, perfect strapping, devoted elite husband, perfectly neat and finite process of grief and trauma that only potentiates one's perfectly elite life in the end, is destructive. These are not only things I'll never access, but things which I have had to work very hard, in isolation, to come to terms with not "living up to" as a survivor. I think survivors, given all we have endured, at the very least deserve to be told the truth about media that may make us feel erased, our incredibly complex experiences flattened. So I am writing this review in case any other survivors are considering reading this - read at your own risk and just understand that this book is very different from what it is marketed as.
Read
July 6, 2025DNF @ 20%. Apologies in advance for the stream-of-consciousness thoughts incoming!
Upside: the claustrophobia of the writing style - you’re directly inside all of these characters’ heads at once, and there’s never any reprieve either - is fantastic. Thanks to that plus the very condensed timeframe, you really feel the tension. Downside: you’re trapped in this eerie little diorama, so you never get to see what any of the characters are actually *like*. That’s all covered through (a) extended flashbacks/memories, which add to the accumulation of facts we know about these characters but don’t show us anything different in terms of who they are in reality, or (b) the characters telling themselves or each other what they think the other characters are like.
What was fascinating about this book:
(1) What genre is this supposed to be? Because the tone is terrifying, but I can’t tell if that’s fully intentional. I picked this up from the cover and the writing in the writing in the first few pages, from which I assumed that the book was horror. But with what I’ve read of it, and looking at the synopsis and some reviews, it seems like maybe that isn’t the genre at all?
(2) The book feels cinematic - so much of the backstory and sideplot is being introduced through these additional little scenes, and the imagery is so vivid… and the characters are opaque. I said you’re directly inside all of their heads at once, but that’s not really it - it’s more like you’re the lens, and all you’re doing is ultra-high-focus close-up after ultra-high-focus close-up. You can see every wrinkle and pore, but no matter how much you zoom in you never see what makes them tick, because a camera lens can never do that. And at the same time, the camera’s never zooming out, so you never really get an objective perspective on what’s going on. You’re just trapped here, examining the faces of these characters whether you want to or not.
This book was an interesting reading experience because I think there’s something so close to genius in the writing - but also it absolutely does not work at all. I speculate that Norris’s editor (and maybe Norris herself) do not actually understand what specifically is good or unique or compelling about Norris’s writing, because it feels as though the wrong things have been emphasized here. Like it would have been better served by doubling down in some particular direction, and doing so in a way that’s maybe a little more intentional about the particular marriage between substance and form that is, specifically, a novel.
The POV (are we still calling it “third person omniscient”?) feels a little like a hive-mind version of the ao3 house style… but whereas the ao3 house style usually has those long soothing expository passages where the routine actions of the character’s life are described (lulling you in security so they can hit with you with those big big emotions!), here it’s like those passages have all been cut, so you can’t trust that what’s left is telling you the *truth* about who these characters are at all. Maybe?
Basically - I extremely appreciate what I read of this book for making me think really deeply about writing, which not many books do. I hope that Norris goes on to write some excellent stuff after this because she clearly has the capacity to be a great writer. However… this book isn’t quite that and if you’re like me you will probably find it slightly more frustrating than it is worthwhile.
Upside: the claustrophobia of the writing style - you’re directly inside all of these characters’ heads at once, and there’s never any reprieve either - is fantastic. Thanks to that plus the very condensed timeframe, you really feel the tension. Downside: you’re trapped in this eerie little diorama, so you never get to see what any of the characters are actually *like*. That’s all covered through (a) extended flashbacks/memories, which add to the accumulation of facts we know about these characters but don’t show us anything different in terms of who they are in reality, or (b) the characters telling themselves or each other what they think the other characters are like.
What was fascinating about this book:
(1) What genre is this supposed to be? Because the tone is terrifying, but I can’t tell if that’s fully intentional. I picked this up from the cover and the writing in the writing in the first few pages, from which I assumed that the book was horror. But with what I’ve read of it, and looking at the synopsis and some reviews, it seems like maybe that isn’t the genre at all?
(2) The book feels cinematic - so much of the backstory and sideplot is being introduced through these additional little scenes, and the imagery is so vivid… and the characters are opaque. I said you’re directly inside all of their heads at once, but that’s not really it - it’s more like you’re the lens, and all you’re doing is ultra-high-focus close-up after ultra-high-focus close-up. You can see every wrinkle and pore, but no matter how much you zoom in you never see what makes them tick, because a camera lens can never do that. And at the same time, the camera’s never zooming out, so you never really get an objective perspective on what’s going on. You’re just trapped here, examining the faces of these characters whether you want to or not.
This book was an interesting reading experience because I think there’s something so close to genius in the writing - but also it absolutely does not work at all. I speculate that Norris’s editor (and maybe Norris herself) do not actually understand what specifically is good or unique or compelling about Norris’s writing, because it feels as though the wrong things have been emphasized here. Like it would have been better served by doubling down in some particular direction, and doing so in a way that’s maybe a little more intentional about the particular marriage between substance and form that is, specifically, a novel.
The POV (are we still calling it “third person omniscient”?) feels a little like a hive-mind version of the ao3 house style… but whereas the ao3 house style usually has those long soothing expository passages where the routine actions of the character’s life are described (lulling you in security so they can hit with you with those big big emotions!), here it’s like those passages have all been cut, so you can’t trust that what’s left is telling you the *truth* about who these characters are at all. Maybe?
Basically - I extremely appreciate what I read of this book for making me think really deeply about writing, which not many books do. I hope that Norris goes on to write some excellent stuff after this because she clearly has the capacity to be a great writer. However… this book isn’t quite that and if you’re like me you will probably find it slightly more frustrating than it is worthwhile.
April 17, 2025
When the Harvest Comes is a beautiful love story about acceptance and identity, how to navigate both in a gay marriage. Warning should be given about several scenes of erotica, but they are more than overshadowed by me by the lovely descriptions of the experiences of a virtuoso with their viola.
May 5, 2025
When the Harvest Comes follows Davis and Everett in the early months of their marriage after a tragedy in Davis' life. Norris tackles themes of grief, gender, and complex family dynamics. However, the heart of the book centers around Davis and Everett's love story, how transformative it can be when someone cares for you as you are, giving you the space, freedom, and support to come into yourself, and confronting trauma after death in a complicated parental relationship.
The premise of the story intrigued me, but I found the characters to be a bit superficial, and there were several plotlines I hoped would have more depth. I think my primary issue with this book is that it attempts to do too much: Davis' musical career, the exploration of gender dynamics, both within Davis and in the marriage, Everett's familial issues, interracial relationships, Davis, Olivia, and their father, even some brief discussion of miscarriage and abortion. Focusing on a few of these issues or making the book slightly longer would have been beneficial. The time jumps leave some odd gaps in the pacing; the reveal toward the end of the novel felt abrupt, though there were hints sprinkled throughout the earlier parts of the story. Something about the writing style also didn't click for me—I often felt like the reader was being told things instead of shown them—but I did love the lyrical descriptions, especially of Davis' viola performances.
Overall, I'm still glad I read this; I appreciate that it has a hopeful ending, celebrating queer, trans, and Black joy. I'm looking forward to reading whatever Denne Michele Norris puts out next!
Thank you to Net Galley and Random House for sending me an e-ARC of this book!
The premise of the story intrigued me, but I found the characters to be a bit superficial, and there were several plotlines I hoped would have more depth. I think my primary issue with this book is that it attempts to do too much: Davis' musical career, the exploration of gender dynamics, both within Davis and in the marriage, Everett's familial issues, interracial relationships, Davis, Olivia, and their father, even some brief discussion of miscarriage and abortion. Focusing on a few of these issues or making the book slightly longer would have been beneficial. The time jumps leave some odd gaps in the pacing; the reveal toward the end of the novel felt abrupt, though there were hints sprinkled throughout the earlier parts of the story. Something about the writing style also didn't click for me—I often felt like the reader was being told things instead of shown them—but I did love the lyrical descriptions, especially of Davis' viola performances.
Overall, I'm still glad I read this; I appreciate that it has a hopeful ending, celebrating queer, trans, and Black joy. I'm looking forward to reading whatever Denne Michele Norris puts out next!
Thank you to Net Galley and Random House for sending me an e-ARC of this book!
April 14, 2025
i’m wayyyyy too much of a bitch for this
*arc provided by netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
*arc provided by netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
July 5, 2025
✨4 star✨
Feeling all the feels 🥰👨🏼❤️👨🏽🤗
Feeling all the feels 🥰👨🏼❤️👨🏽🤗
June 17, 2025
Could’ve been a 5, but Everett was too cringe.
September 11, 2025
You know when you first start a book and it immediately captures you? You’re enraptured, fastidiously reading, as the rope continues to tug you further and further into the depths of each chapter as you turn page after page. Knowing from the very beginning this story was going to be one that will touch your soul; one that will break your heart, one that will be embedded into your mind for years to come. This is THAT book.
This book is love. This book is death. This book is grief, hate, ignorance, betrayal, forgiveness, partnership, understanding, desire, and so much more. This was a very worthwhile read.
Davis a young black gay man and Everette a middle age white man are professing one’s love for each other by exchanging vows in front of their love ones. Davis has longed for someone like Everette and Everette knew Davis was his soulmate the minute he laid eyes on him. They’re basked in love and joy when Davis’s world is turned upside down. During the wedding reception he learns of his dad’s tragic car accident and all the years of unspoken fear, suppressed emotions & past childhood trauma come flooding in. Something deep within him shatters, unknowingly. An ache so deep, so inaccessible, for months he couldn’t be touched emotionally.
We see him, feel how raw his emotions become; wreaking havoc on his relationship with his new husband, sister, and in-laws. It collides with the last memory of him running away and out of his estranged father’s life at the age of 18. The death of his mother at the tender age of 6 slams into him.
Even though his father did something so horrendous, so unspeakable to him…it was still his father. Years passed, thoughts left unsaid. So many things avoided by them not saying anything at all.
In the end we see Davis really come into himself to live his true self. This was exquisitely written. Intimate. An absolute MUST read. Wow! Read this on my Libby app but I absolutely need this on my shelf.
“…it’s not about the wedding day. It’s about tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after, and the day after that. It’s about the privilege about having Davis by his side for all the tomorrow’s coming down the line.”
Everette also had his own familial issues he had to deal with while trying to also be there for his newlywed in every way he could. There were times his POV took over the book which I think we needed. We get to see his perspective and also sympathize with him and the emotions he went through. The way he had to check his family. Everyone needs an Everette in their lives. Such a doting, emotionally available & intelligent man.
There’s just not enough I can say about this book and I think I’ve said too much already.
This book is love. This book is death. This book is grief, hate, ignorance, betrayal, forgiveness, partnership, understanding, desire, and so much more. This was a very worthwhile read.
Davis a young black gay man and Everette a middle age white man are professing one’s love for each other by exchanging vows in front of their love ones. Davis has longed for someone like Everette and Everette knew Davis was his soulmate the minute he laid eyes on him. They’re basked in love and joy when Davis’s world is turned upside down. During the wedding reception he learns of his dad’s tragic car accident and all the years of unspoken fear, suppressed emotions & past childhood trauma come flooding in. Something deep within him shatters, unknowingly. An ache so deep, so inaccessible, for months he couldn’t be touched emotionally.
We see him, feel how raw his emotions become; wreaking havoc on his relationship with his new husband, sister, and in-laws. It collides with the last memory of him running away and out of his estranged father’s life at the age of 18. The death of his mother at the tender age of 6 slams into him.
Even though his father did something so horrendous, so unspeakable to him…it was still his father. Years passed, thoughts left unsaid. So many things avoided by them not saying anything at all.
In the end we see Davis really come into himself to live his true self. This was exquisitely written. Intimate. An absolute MUST read. Wow! Read this on my Libby app but I absolutely need this on my shelf.
“…it’s not about the wedding day. It’s about tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after, and the day after that. It’s about the privilege about having Davis by his side for all the tomorrow’s coming down the line.”
Everette also had his own familial issues he had to deal with while trying to also be there for his newlywed in every way he could. There were times his POV took over the book which I think we needed. We get to see his perspective and also sympathize with him and the emotions he went through. The way he had to check his family. Everyone needs an Everette in their lives. Such a doting, emotionally available & intelligent man.
There’s just not enough I can say about this book and I think I’ve said too much already.
November 2, 2025
Reading When the Harvest Comes was, for the most part, a pleasure. It's the kind of emotionally detailed story with characters deeply committed to one another that can—dare I say it?—make one hope for things turning out well in the world. Not necessarily perfectly, but well.
The more problematic characters are problematic in that they aren't yet being the people they hope to be: not quite as accepting, not quite as aware of others' feelings as they might be. And the non-problematic characters are easy to love because they love one another so well: the kind of loving well in which one can make mistakes, but hurt feelings are problems in communication being worked out, not acts of deliberate unkindness. Well, maybe with an exception or two.
Why I've given When the Harvest Comes a three stars out of five rating is that the last 30% or so of the novel has one of the central characters coming to a new, transformative sense of self almost instantaneously, and immediately moving to a new identity—which is also embraced by that character's partner. It's not that I don't want self-actualization for the characters. It's that the changes resulting from self-actualization strike me as changes that should involve a bit more discomfort and a bit more working through together than they get in When the Harvest Comes.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title; the opinions are my own.
The more problematic characters are problematic in that they aren't yet being the people they hope to be: not quite as accepting, not quite as aware of others' feelings as they might be. And the non-problematic characters are easy to love because they love one another so well: the kind of loving well in which one can make mistakes, but hurt feelings are problems in communication being worked out, not acts of deliberate unkindness. Well, maybe with an exception or two.
Why I've given When the Harvest Comes a three stars out of five rating is that the last 30% or so of the novel has one of the central characters coming to a new, transformative sense of self almost instantaneously, and immediately moving to a new identity—which is also embraced by that character's partner. It's not that I don't want self-actualization for the characters. It's that the changes resulting from self-actualization strike me as changes that should involve a bit more discomfort and a bit more working through together than they get in When the Harvest Comes.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title; the opinions are my own.
July 22, 2025
largely, i think that this was a case of mismatched expectations -- i went into this expecting more of a "don't cry for me" vibe, which i didn't get and was a little disappointed by as i adored that book. i also (unsurprisingly) wasn't a huge fan of the multiple POVs, so overall, it was a bit of a letdown, though i can appreciate why people would enjoy this
February 20, 2025
This is an intense love story like no other.
It started with Davis and Everett getting married with the anticipation that this would be the best day of their lives. The emphasis was on Davis who was overjoyed to be with a strong man who appeared to be perfect for him: protective, passionate, charming and successful.
The wedding celebration in Montauk was huge although it was with mostly Everett’s family. At the last minute, Davis found out his sister, Olivia, would be there. However, not long after they said their vows, Olivia had sad news to share with Davis. Their father died that afternoon in a car accident and suddenly the excitement of the day was gone.
While it was tender and sweet, their love had a lot of complications from the past. They were a same-sex couple, Davis was Black and Everett was white and his brother at one point had a MAGA flyer in his bag. Davis had issues to resolve from his relationship with his father, the Reverend.
The reader also learned all about how Davis started playing a viola when he was young. After the wedding, Davis was on his way of becoming a famous musician with solo concerts and this was one of the highlights of the book.
The author put her heart and soul into this original story with picturesque writing. She made you feel the power of intimate love between Davis and Everett. However, I wish there was more background with Everett’s career and both of their fathers. The chapters were relatively short and easy to grasp. It had a lot of movement and joy with a satisfying ending.
My thanks to Random House and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of April 15, 2025.
It started with Davis and Everett getting married with the anticipation that this would be the best day of their lives. The emphasis was on Davis who was overjoyed to be with a strong man who appeared to be perfect for him: protective, passionate, charming and successful.
The wedding celebration in Montauk was huge although it was with mostly Everett’s family. At the last minute, Davis found out his sister, Olivia, would be there. However, not long after they said their vows, Olivia had sad news to share with Davis. Their father died that afternoon in a car accident and suddenly the excitement of the day was gone.
While it was tender and sweet, their love had a lot of complications from the past. They were a same-sex couple, Davis was Black and Everett was white and his brother at one point had a MAGA flyer in his bag. Davis had issues to resolve from his relationship with his father, the Reverend.
The reader also learned all about how Davis started playing a viola when he was young. After the wedding, Davis was on his way of becoming a famous musician with solo concerts and this was one of the highlights of the book.
The author put her heart and soul into this original story with picturesque writing. She made you feel the power of intimate love between Davis and Everett. However, I wish there was more background with Everett’s career and both of their fathers. The chapters were relatively short and easy to grasp. It had a lot of movement and joy with a satisfying ending.
My thanks to Random House and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of April 15, 2025.
May 22, 2025
On the day of Davis and Everett’s wedding, Davis’s father dies in a motor vehicle accident. Celebration should characterize the momentous occasion, but it now shares a date with the Reverend’s death. Thus marks the end of the vexed parent-child relationship, which began when Davis left his childhood home having sustained his father’s physical assault, or so Davis materially intuits. Davis soon realizes that the strained relationship between Davis and his father continues; more accurately, the Reverend’s presence lingers and haunts Davis’s subconscious mind. The two no longer have the opportunity to reconcile, and the death only exacerbates the broken relationship and repressed memories. Meanwhile, Davis navigates his new dynamic with Everett in their marriage. Norris explores topics like mixed-race relationships (i.e., between a Black person and white person), sexuality and gender, and pursuing a career in the arts (i.e., as a violist). Central themes include queer experiences, grief’s malignant effects, and one’s biological and chosen familial unit, including the one you married into.
I enjoyed learning about Davis’s childhood, and I would’ve enjoyed When the Harvest Comes more if Norris further developed this timeline. Norris spends the first third of the book on the wedding. Important events occur in this section, but I think more space should have been apportioned to Davis’s past. Honestly, as lovely and dulcet as the writing is, I worried this would turn into a novel-length wedding ceremony. Not only are these stories generally less interesting to me, but I found myself longing for more movement—“a story that travels,” as a friend says. I hungered to grow a stronger attachment to Davis, and the coming-of-age window always presents the best opportunity for me. This could be said about Everett’s past as well, though this is less pressing since Davis is Norris’s main Main. The resolution at the end felt slightly tidied for my preference. I rate When the Harvest Comes 2 stars for these spaces in the narrative.
My thanks to Random House and NetGalley for an ARC.
I enjoyed learning about Davis’s childhood, and I would’ve enjoyed When the Harvest Comes more if Norris further developed this timeline. Norris spends the first third of the book on the wedding. Important events occur in this section, but I think more space should have been apportioned to Davis’s past. Honestly, as lovely and dulcet as the writing is, I worried this would turn into a novel-length wedding ceremony. Not only are these stories generally less interesting to me, but I found myself longing for more movement—“a story that travels,” as a friend says. I hungered to grow a stronger attachment to Davis, and the coming-of-age window always presents the best opportunity for me. This could be said about Everett’s past as well, though this is less pressing since Davis is Norris’s main Main. The resolution at the end felt slightly tidied for my preference. I rate When the Harvest Comes 2 stars for these spaces in the narrative.
My thanks to Random House and NetGalley for an ARC.
May 28, 2025
(Realistically, a 2.5 or 2.75) This novel explores themes of unconditional love, self-acceptance, grief, and personal growth. It feels clear that this work is a labor of love for Norris and has come from within the heart. The story is easy to pick up, and the author lays it all out for the reader--although I wish there had been more exploration for all the characters involved. There is much left to be desired for every character, almost to the point of them feeling a bit shallow. We learn about these characters, and as a reader, we come to know them, but it feels objective and factually stated. I understand that a character feels a certain way because it was stated, but I don't truly feel what that character feels. This notwithstanding, some beautiful passages throughout the book encapsulate the depth of emotion that I was seeking with these characters. I also thought that a lot of what was explored towards the end of the novel () was unsatisfying. There is so much depth and complexity for that topic, and it felt so perfectly wrapped up that it was almost disappointing; the main character has struggled throughout this novel, and for everything to conclude with such ease felt a bit lackadaisical and simplistic. The backstory for the main character and the level of pain and discomfort that they experienced was a significant highlight throughout this novel; it was a throughline for everything the story entailed, and the character and plot development would have benefited from a more complex exploration of that topic.
April 10, 2025
If you're in need of a beautiful read that will tear your heart open from the first page and leave it aching all the way to the last, When the Harvest Comes is that book.
Denne Michele Norris delivers stunning, lyrical prose and a gut-wrenching story that unpacks the trauma we carry from our past—and the lasting wounds inflicted by the ones who raised us. This novel is a raw, emotional journey through grief, identity, love, and the complicated, often painful legacies of family.
The writing is just gorgeous, and the emotional weight of Davis's story hit me hard. I didn’t see the ending coming, but it felt right—honest and necessary. It’s one of those rare books that stays with you long after you’ve finished.
I wouldn’t recommend it lightly—it’s a story for someone who’s ready for a good cry and a deep, reflective experience. But it’s so worth it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the free advanced e-copy in exchange for my honest review.
Denne Michele Norris delivers stunning, lyrical prose and a gut-wrenching story that unpacks the trauma we carry from our past—and the lasting wounds inflicted by the ones who raised us. This novel is a raw, emotional journey through grief, identity, love, and the complicated, often painful legacies of family.
The writing is just gorgeous, and the emotional weight of Davis's story hit me hard. I didn’t see the ending coming, but it felt right—honest and necessary. It’s one of those rare books that stays with you long after you’ve finished.
I wouldn’t recommend it lightly—it’s a story for someone who’s ready for a good cry and a deep, reflective experience. But it’s so worth it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the free advanced e-copy in exchange for my honest review.
March 6, 2025
I’m a sucker for books representing minorities. Especially now, where many of their rights are in danger. And I wanted so bad to give this four stars, but it just didn’t hit the mark for me. It was something about how the sex scenes were written that made me slightly uncomfortable. Not because of the people involved of course, but more in result of what their minds were focused on. I do understand that this happened due to trauma, but I just couldn’t get with it, regardless of it most definitely happening in many lives. I’m also confused as to why people, especially parents, give any flying fuck about their children’s sexual decisions, who cares!!! mind your own business and grow up and have some empathy and respect for their decisions. Religion seems to be such a large barrier in people opening their minds, which makes me really sad, because I never saw being closed off as something that religion intended. Accept your neighbor and all that.
Anyway, this novel was BRAVE, so I give it a lot of credit and hope it gets good sell rates when officially published. Thank you Goodreads Giveaways and the publisher of this book.
Anyway, this novel was BRAVE, so I give it a lot of credit and hope it gets good sell rates when officially published. Thank you Goodreads Giveaways and the publisher of this book.
April 24, 2025
Davis learns of his estranged father’s death on the day of his wedding. Davis and his new husband Everett must both face their pasts before they can claim the future together. When The Harvest Comes explores so many things, but at its core it is an intimate look into Davis’ journey of self-discovery and about love, so much love.
This one was a slow start for me. I picked it up several times before reading it. And then before I knew it, I found myself immersed in these families and characters – some likeable and some not so much. The book centers some complex family dynamics, from both Davis and Everett. The flashback scenes had my heart in my throat a few times. I liked seeing how music played a part throughout past, present, and future.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the gifted e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This one was a slow start for me. I picked it up several times before reading it. And then before I knew it, I found myself immersed in these families and characters – some likeable and some not so much. The book centers some complex family dynamics, from both Davis and Everett. The flashback scenes had my heart in my throat a few times. I liked seeing how music played a part throughout past, present, and future.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the gifted e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 10, 2025
i kept putting this one off because I saw the cover and thought it would be about farming and running in a field? that was my first thought and impression. real talk. even with a synopsis my brain resisted.
this, my friends, is not about farming. man o man did I cry. I can't remember a book that's made me so emotional. everybody felt incredibly authentic. like if someone said jk this is my memoir I would believe it and then also cry some more.
I received an e-arc from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
this, my friends, is not about farming. man o man did I cry. I can't remember a book that's made me so emotional. everybody felt incredibly authentic. like if someone said jk this is my memoir I would believe it and then also cry some more.
I received an e-arc from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
July 18, 2025
This book is so beautiful, well-written, sad but it moves SO slow. It was hard to finish because I was really bored, even though as a whole the novel was excellent.
June 16, 2025
Ironically, finishing this book the day after Father’s Day, the book really dives deep into grief and how we should show unconditional love at every chance we get. Highly recommend reading this book if you’re looking to read something that centers around grief, sexuality, and forgiveness.
June 21, 2025
In her stunning debut novel, When the Harvest Comes, Denne Michele Norris crafts a deeply personal yet universally resonant narrative that explores the complex intersection of grief, identity, and healing. The story follows Davis Josiah Freeman, a talented Black violist whose wedding day joy transforms into devastating sorrow when he learns of his estranged father's sudden death. What emerges is a raw, unflinching examination of how family trauma echoes across generations and how love—both romantic and familial—can serve as both sanctuary and battleground.
The Architecture of Memory
Norris structures her narrative across three distinct books that mirror the stages of grief itself. The opening immediately establishes Davis's contentment in his relationship with Everett, a white wealth manager whose family has embraced Davis with warmth that contrasts sharply with his own fractured family dynamics. The author's decision to begin with intimate moments between the couple—tender, sensual, and deeply loving—creates a stark foundation against which the coming devastation will resonate.
The narrative technique proves particularly effective as Norris weaves between past and present, allowing readers to understand the depth of Davis's childhood wounds. His mother Adina's death when he was five, his father Reverend John Freeman's emotional withdrawal, and his sister Olivia's complicated role as surrogate parent all emerge through carefully crafted flashbacks that feel organic rather than forced.
The novel's strength lies in its refusal to offer easy answers. Davis's relationship with his father is neither purely antagonistic nor simply misunderstood—it exists in the messy middle ground where love and hurt intertwine so completely that separation becomes impossible.
Characters That Breathe
Davis: A Study in Vulnerability
Davis emerges as a fully realized protagonist whose artistic sensitivity serves as both gift and burden. His relationship with music—particularly his viola—functions as more than mere career choice; it becomes a language for expressing emotions that words cannot capture. Norris writes Davis's musical experiences with such precision that readers can almost hear the bow against strings, feel the vibration of notes resonating through his body.
The character's complexity shines in his relationship with gender expression. The discovery of wedding dress photos hidden in his bedside drawer reveals layers of identity that Davis himself is still exploring. Norris handles this revelation with remarkable nuance, neither sensationalizing nor over-explaining, but allowing it to exist as one facet of Davis's multifaceted identity.
Everett: More Than Support
While Everett could easily have been relegated to the role of supportive spouse, Norris develops him into a three-dimensional character with his own growth arc. His relationship with his brothers, particularly his struggles with Caleb's addiction, demonstrates how family dysfunction isn't exclusive to Davis's experience. The way Everett navigates Davis's emotional crisis reveals both his genuine love and his limitations—he cannot simply fix Davis through affection and privilege.
The Reverend and Olivia: Ghosts of the Living
Perhaps most impressively, Norris creates sympathy for characters who have caused Davis profound pain. Reverend Freeman emerges not as a villain but as a man crushed by his own grief and societal expectations. His posthumous letter to Davis provides one of the novel's most powerful moments—a recognition of failure that comes too late for redemption but not too late for understanding.
Olivia's character proves equally complex. Her role as surrogate mother figure creates resentment and gratitude in equal measure, and her own secret pregnancy during their mother's death adds layers to family dynamics that Davis never fully understood.
Prose That Sings and Stings
Norris's writing style demonstrates remarkable range, shifting effortlessly between lyrical passages about music and raw, visceral descriptions of emotional pain. Her background as editor-in-chief of Electric Literature shows in her precise word choices and sophisticated narrative control. The prose often mirrors Davis's musical sensibilities—there's a rhythm to her sentences that feels almost composed.
The intimate scenes between Davis and Everett are handled with particular skill. Rather than gratuitous, these moments serve to illustrate the profound connection between the characters and Davis's journey toward self-acceptance. The writing is sensual without being clinical, romantic without being saccharine.
Themes That Resonate
1. Inheritance Beyond Blood
The novel's title refers not only to literal inheritance but to the emotional legacies passed between generations. Davis inherits his father's trauma, his mother's absence, and his sister's protective instincts in ways that shape his adult relationships.
2. The Cost of Authenticity
Davis's journey toward living authentically—as a gay man, as an artist, as someone exploring gender expression—comes at the cost of family relationships. The novel doesn't present this as entirely fair or unfair, but as simply true.
3. Music as Healing
Throughout the narrative, music serves as Davis's primary means of processing emotion. His viola becomes a confidant, a therapist, and a bridge between his fractured past and hopeful future.
4. Race and Class Intersections
Norris thoughtfully explores how Davis's Blackness affects his relationship with Everett's privileged white family, his father's expectations, and his own sense of belonging in predominantly white spaces.
Critical Considerations
While When the Harvest Comes succeeds on multiple levels, certain elements feel less fully developed. The resolution between Davis and Olivia, while emotionally satisfying, happens perhaps too quickly given the depth of their estrangement. Some readers may find the pacing uneven, particularly in the middle section where Davis's deterioration sometimes feels repetitive.
The novel occasionally relies too heavily on musical metaphors, though this may be intentional given Davis's character. Additionally, some supporting characters—particularly among Everett's family—remain somewhat surface-level, serving more as plot devices than fully realized individuals.
Bottom Line
When the Harvest Comes is a remarkable debut that announces Denne Michele Norris as a writer of exceptional talent and insight. The novel succeeds in creating a deeply moving portrait of how we inherit not just our families' assets but their wounds, and how healing often requires confronting the very people and places we've fled. While not every element achieves perfect balance, the emotional honesty and literary craftsmanship make this essential reading for anyone interested in contemporary LGBTQ+ literature, family dynamics, or simply beautifully written fiction.
Davis's journey from wedding day bliss to grief-stricken despair and ultimately toward acceptance creates a narrative arc that feels both specifically personal and universally human. The harvest referenced in the title proves to be not just what we inherit from those who came before us, but what we choose to cultivate from the seeds of that inheritance.
The Architecture of Memory
Norris structures her narrative across three distinct books that mirror the stages of grief itself. The opening immediately establishes Davis's contentment in his relationship with Everett, a white wealth manager whose family has embraced Davis with warmth that contrasts sharply with his own fractured family dynamics. The author's decision to begin with intimate moments between the couple—tender, sensual, and deeply loving—creates a stark foundation against which the coming devastation will resonate.
The narrative technique proves particularly effective as Norris weaves between past and present, allowing readers to understand the depth of Davis's childhood wounds. His mother Adina's death when he was five, his father Reverend John Freeman's emotional withdrawal, and his sister Olivia's complicated role as surrogate parent all emerge through carefully crafted flashbacks that feel organic rather than forced.
The novel's strength lies in its refusal to offer easy answers. Davis's relationship with his father is neither purely antagonistic nor simply misunderstood—it exists in the messy middle ground where love and hurt intertwine so completely that separation becomes impossible.
Characters That Breathe
Davis: A Study in Vulnerability
Davis emerges as a fully realized protagonist whose artistic sensitivity serves as both gift and burden. His relationship with music—particularly his viola—functions as more than mere career choice; it becomes a language for expressing emotions that words cannot capture. Norris writes Davis's musical experiences with such precision that readers can almost hear the bow against strings, feel the vibration of notes resonating through his body.
The character's complexity shines in his relationship with gender expression. The discovery of wedding dress photos hidden in his bedside drawer reveals layers of identity that Davis himself is still exploring. Norris handles this revelation with remarkable nuance, neither sensationalizing nor over-explaining, but allowing it to exist as one facet of Davis's multifaceted identity.
Everett: More Than Support
While Everett could easily have been relegated to the role of supportive spouse, Norris develops him into a three-dimensional character with his own growth arc. His relationship with his brothers, particularly his struggles with Caleb's addiction, demonstrates how family dysfunction isn't exclusive to Davis's experience. The way Everett navigates Davis's emotional crisis reveals both his genuine love and his limitations—he cannot simply fix Davis through affection and privilege.
The Reverend and Olivia: Ghosts of the Living
Perhaps most impressively, Norris creates sympathy for characters who have caused Davis profound pain. Reverend Freeman emerges not as a villain but as a man crushed by his own grief and societal expectations. His posthumous letter to Davis provides one of the novel's most powerful moments—a recognition of failure that comes too late for redemption but not too late for understanding.
Olivia's character proves equally complex. Her role as surrogate mother figure creates resentment and gratitude in equal measure, and her own secret pregnancy during their mother's death adds layers to family dynamics that Davis never fully understood.
Prose That Sings and Stings
Norris's writing style demonstrates remarkable range, shifting effortlessly between lyrical passages about music and raw, visceral descriptions of emotional pain. Her background as editor-in-chief of Electric Literature shows in her precise word choices and sophisticated narrative control. The prose often mirrors Davis's musical sensibilities—there's a rhythm to her sentences that feels almost composed.
The intimate scenes between Davis and Everett are handled with particular skill. Rather than gratuitous, these moments serve to illustrate the profound connection between the characters and Davis's journey toward self-acceptance. The writing is sensual without being clinical, romantic without being saccharine.
Themes That Resonate
1. Inheritance Beyond Blood
The novel's title refers not only to literal inheritance but to the emotional legacies passed between generations. Davis inherits his father's trauma, his mother's absence, and his sister's protective instincts in ways that shape his adult relationships.
2. The Cost of Authenticity
Davis's journey toward living authentically—as a gay man, as an artist, as someone exploring gender expression—comes at the cost of family relationships. The novel doesn't present this as entirely fair or unfair, but as simply true.
3. Music as Healing
Throughout the narrative, music serves as Davis's primary means of processing emotion. His viola becomes a confidant, a therapist, and a bridge between his fractured past and hopeful future.
4. Race and Class Intersections
Norris thoughtfully explores how Davis's Blackness affects his relationship with Everett's privileged white family, his father's expectations, and his own sense of belonging in predominantly white spaces.
Critical Considerations
While When the Harvest Comes succeeds on multiple levels, certain elements feel less fully developed. The resolution between Davis and Olivia, while emotionally satisfying, happens perhaps too quickly given the depth of their estrangement. Some readers may find the pacing uneven, particularly in the middle section where Davis's deterioration sometimes feels repetitive.
The novel occasionally relies too heavily on musical metaphors, though this may be intentional given Davis's character. Additionally, some supporting characters—particularly among Everett's family—remain somewhat surface-level, serving more as plot devices than fully realized individuals.
Bottom Line
When the Harvest Comes is a remarkable debut that announces Denne Michele Norris as a writer of exceptional talent and insight. The novel succeeds in creating a deeply moving portrait of how we inherit not just our families' assets but their wounds, and how healing often requires confronting the very people and places we've fled. While not every element achieves perfect balance, the emotional honesty and literary craftsmanship make this essential reading for anyone interested in contemporary LGBTQ+ literature, family dynamics, or simply beautifully written fiction.
Davis's journey from wedding day bliss to grief-stricken despair and ultimately toward acceptance creates a narrative arc that feels both specifically personal and universally human. The harvest referenced in the title proves to be not just what we inherit from those who came before us, but what we choose to cultivate from the seeds of that inheritance.
November 8, 2024
Book Review When The Harvest Comes by Denne Michele Norris
Publication Date April 14/25
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the chance to read this book. The opinions are my own.
This novel is both heart breaking and heart warming with some spice. It’s a romantic story of a soul mate romance between Davis and Everett. When Davis is discovered by his father with his first boyfriend, as a teenager, he flees his father’s anger and makes a path for himself as a concert violaist. “The venerated Reverend Doctor John Freeman did not raise his son, Davis to be touched by any man, let alone a white man.” His father’s death on his wedding night sends Davis spiralling in his grief and past trauma.
Although Davis is a brilliant young musician his upbringing has left him insecure about his abilities and choices. He has not been in another relationship until he meets Everett. Their relationship is so passionate and loving. Everett has a large loving family but has also watched his father’s homophobic reaction to his uncle and then later himself when he informs his family of his bisexuality.
The exploration of the failures of both fathers and the resultant impact on their sons is wonderfully and painfully drawn out. The eventual transformation powered by regret and shame is inspiring. The story is about the importance of continual evolution in relationships and providing the space for growth and forgiveness. The relationships are all complex with hurt feelings, jealousy, misunderstandings and bad behaviour. Distance and cutoffs existing but trying to find your way back.
The exploration of Davis’s complicated grief for his father was so well done. It wasn’t rushed and quickly resolved and was allowed to meander the way grief and trauma do. His shutting down and pushing Everett away felt so realistic and natural.
Writes nuanced, well developed, flawed characters that you will love. Davis’ growth and burgeoning confidence in themselves unfolds slowly and poignantly. “I got tired of running away from what I should’ve been running toward.”
Publication Date April 14/25
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the chance to read this book. The opinions are my own.
This novel is both heart breaking and heart warming with some spice. It’s a romantic story of a soul mate romance between Davis and Everett. When Davis is discovered by his father with his first boyfriend, as a teenager, he flees his father’s anger and makes a path for himself as a concert violaist. “The venerated Reverend Doctor John Freeman did not raise his son, Davis to be touched by any man, let alone a white man.” His father’s death on his wedding night sends Davis spiralling in his grief and past trauma.
Although Davis is a brilliant young musician his upbringing has left him insecure about his abilities and choices. He has not been in another relationship until he meets Everett. Their relationship is so passionate and loving. Everett has a large loving family but has also watched his father’s homophobic reaction to his uncle and then later himself when he informs his family of his bisexuality.
The exploration of the failures of both fathers and the resultant impact on their sons is wonderfully and painfully drawn out. The eventual transformation powered by regret and shame is inspiring. The story is about the importance of continual evolution in relationships and providing the space for growth and forgiveness. The relationships are all complex with hurt feelings, jealousy, misunderstandings and bad behaviour. Distance and cutoffs existing but trying to find your way back.
The exploration of Davis’s complicated grief for his father was so well done. It wasn’t rushed and quickly resolved and was allowed to meander the way grief and trauma do. His shutting down and pushing Everett away felt so realistic and natural.
Writes nuanced, well developed, flawed characters that you will love. Davis’ growth and burgeoning confidence in themselves unfolds slowly and poignantly. “I got tired of running away from what I should’ve been running toward.”
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