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Come Home to My Heart
Gloria Forman and Xia Harper go to the same high school in a small South Carolina town, but they couldn’t be more different. While Gloria is part of the popular, Christian crowd, Xia sleeps through class, antagonizes anyone who dares talk to her, and buries herself in books that help her pretend she’s somewhere else—anywhere that being lesbian wouldn’t be a waking nightmare.
When the two form an accidental friendship, they begin noticing each other in ways they promised themselves they’d avoid. After all, Xia’s isolation is self-imposed for a reason, and the last thing Gloria needs is more upheaval, especially after her parents kicked her out of the house for being gay. Ever since, she has spent her nights under the stage in the school auditorium and her days terrified of being discovered.
Xia just wants to keep her head down until the end of senior year. Gloria just wants to keep her living situation quiet until her parents come around. But as their feelings for each other intensify and the truths they’ve hidden work their way to the surface, what they truly want will change forever.
When the two form an accidental friendship, they begin noticing each other in ways they promised themselves they’d avoid. After all, Xia’s isolation is self-imposed for a reason, and the last thing Gloria needs is more upheaval, especially after her parents kicked her out of the house for being gay. Ever since, she has spent her nights under the stage in the school auditorium and her days terrified of being discovered.
Xia just wants to keep her head down until the end of senior year. Gloria just wants to keep her living situation quiet until her parents come around. But as their feelings for each other intensify and the truths they’ve hidden work their way to the surface, what they truly want will change forever.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published May 6, 2025
10 people are currently reading
3245 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
October 15, 2024
not to be insane, but this book fundamentally altered my brain chemistry.
xxx
“I wanted to find books that broke down the doors into my heart, gut, or mind, then take them apart piece by piece until I could see the clockwork that poured them. When the world felt flat and ugly, I wanted to drown in gorgeous language; when the world felt numb and anesthetic, I wanted to be lacerated by insight; when the world seemed determined to squeeze all emotion out of me, I wanted to be startled and frustrated and understood. I wanted to bury myself so deep in fiction that I could stay there forever.”
this is what this book makes me feel like. startled and frustrated and understood. to read a book description that talks about two girls in a small south carolina town while one deals with their religious family, i knew it was something i had to read. to invest myself into.
come home to my heart is like a warm hug in the sense that to be loved you have to be known. it knows me. understands those small intricacies about living in a town that is against you and what you know deep inside. that you’ll never change, despite the fear that’s instilled in you.
i know gloria. i know what it’s like to love a community that hates you. a community you’ve grown up it. a community that is all you know. i know what it’s like to be fearful of being queer.
i know xia and what it feels like to have your parents understand you and not understand you at the same time. to secretly wonder if their past comments, their imaginary fears, their real fears, is something they hold against you.
i know what it’s like to have mr. avery’s in your life. to try and find a community of people that are marginalized within the greater community. to secretly wonder if they’re a safe space for you, and to trust your gut when the time comes.
this book woke something up in me. a part that i thought i’d dealt with or pushed aside. xia and gloria are the perfect and imperfect, beautiful and ugly parts that the southern churches try to keep hidden. i hold both of them so dear to me.
“My eyes were burning hot now. Gloria looked stricken, but she was looking at me, the first time our eyes had met since November. I looked at her shoulders set back and the fall of her hair and the crucifix still sitting there between her collarbones. It felt insane that none of these people would ever know that she had been everything to me.”
xia and gloria are everything to me!!! their joy, found even in the smallest parts of the darkness that shrouded them, kept me hopeful towards the end. kept me flipping the pages. this book is addicting and intoxicating.
the care, the understanding, the very details riley redgate puts into these words is why it is so important that the southern states continue to get the support for marginalized communities. so frequently we are looked over and voted over, because our states are seen as futile. living in south carolina as a queer woman brings the very same challenges that xia and gloria face. it’s unfair. but to know that there is people here, living the same life i am, is hope. is faith in and of itself.
“As I looked into her eyes, I felt an irrepressible smile spread over my face as big and uncontrollable as what I felt. ‘I’m sure,’ I told her. ‘I’m awake.’”
to riley redgate: thank you and i love you!!! if you have no fans, i am dead!!!
to everyone else: pick up this book as soon as you can or else.
as riley redgate states in the author's comments, queer people make up a heavy percentage of the homeless population. this book's profits will go towards projects that help these very people, specifically in the areas talked about in this book, or homes that redgate has had. please, please, please support this book. it is all i ask!!!
xxx
“I wanted to find books that broke down the doors into my heart, gut, or mind, then take them apart piece by piece until I could see the clockwork that poured them. When the world felt flat and ugly, I wanted to drown in gorgeous language; when the world felt numb and anesthetic, I wanted to be lacerated by insight; when the world seemed determined to squeeze all emotion out of me, I wanted to be startled and frustrated and understood. I wanted to bury myself so deep in fiction that I could stay there forever.”
this is what this book makes me feel like. startled and frustrated and understood. to read a book description that talks about two girls in a small south carolina town while one deals with their religious family, i knew it was something i had to read. to invest myself into.
come home to my heart is like a warm hug in the sense that to be loved you have to be known. it knows me. understands those small intricacies about living in a town that is against you and what you know deep inside. that you’ll never change, despite the fear that’s instilled in you.
i know gloria. i know what it’s like to love a community that hates you. a community you’ve grown up it. a community that is all you know. i know what it’s like to be fearful of being queer.
i know xia and what it feels like to have your parents understand you and not understand you at the same time. to secretly wonder if their past comments, their imaginary fears, their real fears, is something they hold against you.
i know what it’s like to have mr. avery’s in your life. to try and find a community of people that are marginalized within the greater community. to secretly wonder if they’re a safe space for you, and to trust your gut when the time comes.
this book woke something up in me. a part that i thought i’d dealt with or pushed aside. xia and gloria are the perfect and imperfect, beautiful and ugly parts that the southern churches try to keep hidden. i hold both of them so dear to me.
“My eyes were burning hot now. Gloria looked stricken, but she was looking at me, the first time our eyes had met since November. I looked at her shoulders set back and the fall of her hair and the crucifix still sitting there between her collarbones. It felt insane that none of these people would ever know that she had been everything to me.”
xia and gloria are everything to me!!! their joy, found even in the smallest parts of the darkness that shrouded them, kept me hopeful towards the end. kept me flipping the pages. this book is addicting and intoxicating.
the care, the understanding, the very details riley redgate puts into these words is why it is so important that the southern states continue to get the support for marginalized communities. so frequently we are looked over and voted over, because our states are seen as futile. living in south carolina as a queer woman brings the very same challenges that xia and gloria face. it’s unfair. but to know that there is people here, living the same life i am, is hope. is faith in and of itself.
“As I looked into her eyes, I felt an irrepressible smile spread over my face as big and uncontrollable as what I felt. ‘I’m sure,’ I told her. ‘I’m awake.’”
to riley redgate: thank you and i love you!!! if you have no fans, i am dead!!!
to everyone else: pick up this book as soon as you can or else.
as riley redgate states in the author's comments, queer people make up a heavy percentage of the homeless population. this book's profits will go towards projects that help these very people, specifically in the areas talked about in this book, or homes that redgate has had. please, please, please support this book. it is all i ask!!!
February 1, 2025
My girlfriend got the ARC of this and I finished it over the course of two days. This is the type of book I wish so badly I could give to myself ten years ago to help me survive highschool. I resonated so strongly with both characters and felt seen in ways I realized a younger me needed too. Definitely one I'm going to recommend going forward.
October 30, 2024
Having a hard time putting together coherence because this is my favorite Riley Redgate so far and it broke me. Religious rupture, family collapse, closeted fear, youth homelessness, queer community, tender and sincere teen romance. Absolutely wonderful characters, handled with care. This is not a public read if you want to maintain your dignity. I cried a lot. It's good.
September 30, 2025
Come Home to My Heart by @rileyredgate - recommended to me by @jackiekhalilieh and wow was she right, this book was right up my alley. A story of friendship and love and self discovery and secrets and first loves and religious upbringing with a side of trauma… I wanted to just hug Gloria and her parents infuriated me. I felt so badly for her and was crying throughout the story. Xia was such a steady presence for Gloria, and brought out her true nature. The ending made me weep with happiness for Gloria to be loved, finally, as she deserved with a family and young woman who chose her. Found family in queer books never fails to make me cry happy tears. @natalienaudus and @grshalan did an incredible job with the narration on this one. A truly gorgeous story.
Want to read
February 4, 2025looks like the "we should make book titles obscure song lyrics" girlies graduated from taylor to lorde
November 11, 2025
⋆. 𐙚 ˚ 𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓱𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓶𝔂 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽-𝓻𝓲𝓵𝓮𝔂 𝓻𝓮𝓭𝓰𝓪𝓽𝓮
♡💜♡ 4.5 stars ♡🧡♡
🧡13+💜 (no spice)
⊹ ࣪ ˖triggers-homophobia, child abuse, child rejection, homelessness
࿐𝓰𝓮𝓷𝓻𝓮: romance
࿐𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓯𝓪𝓷𝓼 𝓸𝓯: heartstopper
♡💜♡ 4.5 stars ♡🧡♡
🧡13+💜 (no spice)
⊹ ࣪ ˖triggers-homophobia, child abuse, child rejection, homelessness
࿐𝓰𝓮𝓷𝓻𝓮: romance
࿐𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓯𝓪𝓷𝓼 𝓸𝓯: heartstopper
June 19, 2025
holy shit this book.
i read the description right before i started it and i was like hmmm this seems like it’s gonna be intense but ppl like it and i enjoyed one of the authors books once. welp it was so intense and not something i’d normally read but god was it beautiful. like, the writing was some of the best writing i’ve read in a really long time. beautiful and starkly terrible. when i tell you i sobbed over this book like i’ve never sobbed over a book before (except for making it). i spent most of the book crying because it was so difficult and things were just awful and the characters kept living through it. but i’m glad i read this (also things resolve well and there’s lots of beautiful moments in between the awfulness) and if anyone wants to read a book that will destroy you… here it is
actually more thoughts:
the romance was literally so wonderful and even tho she wasn’t the main focus of the story, i really loved xia and her POV. and just the way that they both thought about things and interacted with each other was so breathtakingly real and interesting. also the descriptions, the details, god fucking damn. i also really like the message about queerness and christianity (and was glad that she didn’t have to give up religion in the end). also just the way she thought about her sexuality in the beginning was heartbreaking and just like… realistic? like you could tell the author really really thought this book and the characters through
anyways. yeah. this was so good
i read the description right before i started it and i was like hmmm this seems like it’s gonna be intense but ppl like it and i enjoyed one of the authors books once. welp it was so intense and not something i’d normally read but god was it beautiful. like, the writing was some of the best writing i’ve read in a really long time. beautiful and starkly terrible. when i tell you i sobbed over this book like i’ve never sobbed over a book before (except for making it). i spent most of the book crying because it was so difficult and things were just awful and the characters kept living through it. but i’m glad i read this (also things resolve well and there’s lots of beautiful moments in between the awfulness) and if anyone wants to read a book that will destroy you… here it is
actually more thoughts:
the romance was literally so wonderful and even tho she wasn’t the main focus of the story, i really loved xia and her POV. and just the way that they both thought about things and interacted with each other was so breathtakingly real and interesting. also the descriptions, the details, god fucking damn. i also really like the message about queerness and christianity (and was glad that she didn’t have to give up religion in the end). also just the way she thought about her sexuality in the beginning was heartbreaking and just like… realistic? like you could tell the author really really thought this book and the characters through
anyways. yeah. this was so good
June 3, 2025
Read this in one sitting. Tears may have been shed.
June 17, 2025
(rounded down from 4.25)
Another excellent YA story about young adults dealing with conservative religious communities and parents. In this case, I absolutely hate Gloria's parents for literally dumping their kid on the street and not giving a shit about her safety or life for months. That said, this is emotional and sweet as a story for religious kids coming to terms with being gay and living their lives.
Another excellent YA story about young adults dealing with conservative religious communities and parents. In this case, I absolutely hate Gloria's parents for literally dumping their kid on the street and not giving a shit about her safety or life for months. That said, this is emotional and sweet as a story for religious kids coming to terms with being gay and living their lives.
May 10, 2025
Riley Redgate's Come Home to My Heart is one of those rare novels that manages to capture both the crushing weight of teenage displacement and the ethereal lightness of first love. As someone who has followed Redgate's work since Seven Ways We Lie, I can confidently say this is her most mature and emotionally nuanced offering yet. Where her previous novels showcased her talent for ensemble storytelling, this dual-POV narrative allows her to dive deeper into the psyche of two young women navigating impossible circumstances.
The Heart of the Matter: Plot and Structure
The story unfolds through alternating perspectives between Gloria Forman and Xia Harper, two seniors at Fisherton High School in small-town South Carolina. Gloria, a seemingly perfect Christian girl on the Homecoming Court, harbors a secret that has already cost her everything—her family has kicked her out for being gay, leaving her to survive undetected in the school auditorium. Xia, the school's notorious outcast, has built walls so high that even she sometimes forgets what it feels like to be human.
When these two worlds collide in the dusty aisles of the Book Alley, Redgate masterfully sets in motion a love story that feels both inevitable and impossible. What sets this novel apart from other LGBTQ+ YA romance is its unflinching examination of:
- The intersection of religious trauma and queer identity
- The hidden epidemic of youth homelessness
- The way love can flourish even in the most inhospitable conditions
- The complex dynamics of family rejection and chosen family
Characters That Breathe and Bleed
Gloria Forman: The Girl Behind the Crucifix
Gloria's character arc is nothing short of masterful. Redgate could have easily written her as a one-dimensional victim, but instead, she creates a protagonist whose strength emerges from her vulnerability. Gloria's internal struggle with her faith and sexuality is portrayed with remarkable nuance—she doesn't simply reject Christianity but grapples with reconciling her beliefs with her identity.
The author's depiction of Gloria's homelessness is particularly powerful. Rather than sensationalizing her situation, Redgate shows the quiet desperation of trying to maintain normalcy while sleeping under a school stage. The scene where Gloria discovers the secret entrance to the orchestra pit reads like a moment of divine intervention, perfectly capturing the thin line between survival and spirituality.
Xia Harper: The Armor That Conceals
Xia's character provides the perfect counterpoint to Gloria's carefully constructed facade. Where Gloria hides behind politeness and perfection, Xia weaponizes her reputation as the school's resident misanthrope. Redgate excels at revealing the soft underbelly beneath Xia's thorns, particularly in her scenes at the Book Alley and in her evolving relationship with Mr. Avery.
The author's decision to make Xia half-Chinese adds another layer to her outsider status, though this aspect could have been explored more deeply. Still, the way Xia navigates her family's expectations versus her own identity resonates authentically.
The Symphony of Style
Redgate's prose has evolved significantly since her debut. Where Seven Ways We Lie occasionally relied on clever dialogue to carry scenes, Come Home to My Heart demonstrates a newfound confidence in quieter moments. Her descriptions of Gloria's secret life beneath the stage are particularly evocative:
"I curled tighter in my bag, trying to calm my nerves enough to rest. But falling back asleep took what felt like an hour, and on Sunday morning, I slept later than I'd meant to."
The author's ability to capture teenage voice without resorting to internet slang or forced colloquialisms deserves special praise. Both Gloria and Xia speak with distinct voices that feel authentically seventeen without being clichéd.
Romance That Feels Real
The slow-burn romance between Gloria and Xia unfolds with the kind of organic pacing that makes you believe in the possibility of their love despite the odds stacked against them. Redgate wisely avoids the common YA pitfall of instant attraction, instead building their relationship through shared books, stolen moments in Xia's car, and the gradual revelation of their true selves.
The scene at the Winter Dance, where they carve out a secret space in a custodian's closet for their own private celebration, captures the bittersweet joy of hidden love with heartbreaking beauty. It's in these moments that Redgate's writing truly shines, finding poetry in the mundane while never losing sight of the larger stakes.
Where the Story Stumbles
While Come Home to My Heart succeeds on multiple levels, it's not without its flaws. The pacing occasionally lags in the middle section, particularly during some of the classroom scenes that, while realistic, don't always advance the plot or deepen character development.
Additionally, some secondary characters feel underdeveloped, especially Ellis, Gloria's former best friend. Her role in driving a wedge between Gloria and her family feels somewhat convenient rather than fully motivated.
The resolution, while emotionally satisfying, arrives a bit too neatly. Mr. Avery's intervention, though touching, risks veering into the "magical gay mentor" trope. However, Redgate avoids this pitfall by giving him a full personal life and agency beyond helping the protagonists.
A Mirror to Our Times
Perhaps what makes Come Home to My Heart most remarkable is its unflinching look at issues that remain painfully relevant. The statistics Redgate includes in her author's note—that 28% of LGBTQ+ youth have experienced homelessness—transform this story from mere entertainment into a call to action.
The novel's handling of religious trauma deserves particular recognition. Rather than painting all religious people as villains, Redgate shows the spectrum of belief, from Gloria's parents' rigid fundamentalism to Lawrence and Paul's inclusive Christianity. This nuanced approach makes the story more accessible to readers from various backgrounds while still validating the real harm caused by discriminatory religious practices.
Final Thoughts: A Love Letter to Resilience
Come Home to My Heart earns its place among the pantheon of essential LGBTQ+ YA literature not just for its romance, but for its honest portrayal of the systemic failures that leave young people vulnerable. Redgate has crafted a story that acknowledges the darkness while insisting on the possibility of light.
The novel's greatest strength lies in its refusal to offer easy answers. Gloria's journey toward self-acceptance isn't a straight line, and Xia's walls don't crumble overnight. Their love story unfolds against a backdrop of real-world challenges that won't disappear just because they've found each other.
The Heart of the Matter: Plot and Structure
The story unfolds through alternating perspectives between Gloria Forman and Xia Harper, two seniors at Fisherton High School in small-town South Carolina. Gloria, a seemingly perfect Christian girl on the Homecoming Court, harbors a secret that has already cost her everything—her family has kicked her out for being gay, leaving her to survive undetected in the school auditorium. Xia, the school's notorious outcast, has built walls so high that even she sometimes forgets what it feels like to be human.
When these two worlds collide in the dusty aisles of the Book Alley, Redgate masterfully sets in motion a love story that feels both inevitable and impossible. What sets this novel apart from other LGBTQ+ YA romance is its unflinching examination of:
- The intersection of religious trauma and queer identity
- The hidden epidemic of youth homelessness
- The way love can flourish even in the most inhospitable conditions
- The complex dynamics of family rejection and chosen family
Characters That Breathe and Bleed
Gloria Forman: The Girl Behind the Crucifix
Gloria's character arc is nothing short of masterful. Redgate could have easily written her as a one-dimensional victim, but instead, she creates a protagonist whose strength emerges from her vulnerability. Gloria's internal struggle with her faith and sexuality is portrayed with remarkable nuance—she doesn't simply reject Christianity but grapples with reconciling her beliefs with her identity.
The author's depiction of Gloria's homelessness is particularly powerful. Rather than sensationalizing her situation, Redgate shows the quiet desperation of trying to maintain normalcy while sleeping under a school stage. The scene where Gloria discovers the secret entrance to the orchestra pit reads like a moment of divine intervention, perfectly capturing the thin line between survival and spirituality.
Xia Harper: The Armor That Conceals
Xia's character provides the perfect counterpoint to Gloria's carefully constructed facade. Where Gloria hides behind politeness and perfection, Xia weaponizes her reputation as the school's resident misanthrope. Redgate excels at revealing the soft underbelly beneath Xia's thorns, particularly in her scenes at the Book Alley and in her evolving relationship with Mr. Avery.
The author's decision to make Xia half-Chinese adds another layer to her outsider status, though this aspect could have been explored more deeply. Still, the way Xia navigates her family's expectations versus her own identity resonates authentically.
The Symphony of Style
Redgate's prose has evolved significantly since her debut. Where Seven Ways We Lie occasionally relied on clever dialogue to carry scenes, Come Home to My Heart demonstrates a newfound confidence in quieter moments. Her descriptions of Gloria's secret life beneath the stage are particularly evocative:
"I curled tighter in my bag, trying to calm my nerves enough to rest. But falling back asleep took what felt like an hour, and on Sunday morning, I slept later than I'd meant to."
The author's ability to capture teenage voice without resorting to internet slang or forced colloquialisms deserves special praise. Both Gloria and Xia speak with distinct voices that feel authentically seventeen without being clichéd.
Romance That Feels Real
The slow-burn romance between Gloria and Xia unfolds with the kind of organic pacing that makes you believe in the possibility of their love despite the odds stacked against them. Redgate wisely avoids the common YA pitfall of instant attraction, instead building their relationship through shared books, stolen moments in Xia's car, and the gradual revelation of their true selves.
The scene at the Winter Dance, where they carve out a secret space in a custodian's closet for their own private celebration, captures the bittersweet joy of hidden love with heartbreaking beauty. It's in these moments that Redgate's writing truly shines, finding poetry in the mundane while never losing sight of the larger stakes.
Where the Story Stumbles
While Come Home to My Heart succeeds on multiple levels, it's not without its flaws. The pacing occasionally lags in the middle section, particularly during some of the classroom scenes that, while realistic, don't always advance the plot or deepen character development.
Additionally, some secondary characters feel underdeveloped, especially Ellis, Gloria's former best friend. Her role in driving a wedge between Gloria and her family feels somewhat convenient rather than fully motivated.
The resolution, while emotionally satisfying, arrives a bit too neatly. Mr. Avery's intervention, though touching, risks veering into the "magical gay mentor" trope. However, Redgate avoids this pitfall by giving him a full personal life and agency beyond helping the protagonists.
A Mirror to Our Times
Perhaps what makes Come Home to My Heart most remarkable is its unflinching look at issues that remain painfully relevant. The statistics Redgate includes in her author's note—that 28% of LGBTQ+ youth have experienced homelessness—transform this story from mere entertainment into a call to action.
The novel's handling of religious trauma deserves particular recognition. Rather than painting all religious people as villains, Redgate shows the spectrum of belief, from Gloria's parents' rigid fundamentalism to Lawrence and Paul's inclusive Christianity. This nuanced approach makes the story more accessible to readers from various backgrounds while still validating the real harm caused by discriminatory religious practices.
Final Thoughts: A Love Letter to Resilience
Come Home to My Heart earns its place among the pantheon of essential LGBTQ+ YA literature not just for its romance, but for its honest portrayal of the systemic failures that leave young people vulnerable. Redgate has crafted a story that acknowledges the darkness while insisting on the possibility of light.
The novel's greatest strength lies in its refusal to offer easy answers. Gloria's journey toward self-acceptance isn't a straight line, and Xia's walls don't crumble overnight. Their love story unfolds against a backdrop of real-world challenges that won't disappear just because they've found each other.
November 15, 2025
I was ENTRANCED while listening to this. At some points of this (audio)book, I would literally just stare at the Libby webpage on my computer, watching the that little tick move along the bottom edge of the screen.
!!!!!SPOILERS!!!!!
Loved this so much. Intense, devastating plot, especially Gloria's part of the story, that had beautiful character development, relationship development, and focus on the issues that some queer kids are forced to face, manage, and overcome. Gloria's acceptance of herself and coming to terms with her lesbianism in a way that mattered to her (through her faith) was well-paced and thoughtful. One of her lines that stood out to me was when she was reckoning with being back with her parents (after they had kicked her out the first time...yes, the first time) and how she was going to have to go through life asleep since she couldn't live her life as the person she was. The last line of the book, after she ended up in a stable housing situation with the goated Mr. Avery and was preparing to go to university, was Gloria proclaiming that she was awake 🥹 I do wish she got to blow up on her parents a little bit more.
Xia's development was my favorite. There's a part at the beginning, before she becomes friends and then girlfriends with Gloria, where Xia says that she wants to be buried so deep in fiction that she stays there forever, a coping mechanism she used to get through her school life, where she's ostracized and disliked, and her home life, where she feels her parents don't care about how she's feeling about moving to the small town the story takes place in. The feeling that overcame me during the scene of the winter dance where Xia was waiting for Gloria in that closet, tried to distract herself by reading on her phone, and found that she couldn't because she was too distracted and excited by real life 🥹🥹🥹 TOO GOOD!!!
At first, I did not want Xia and Gloria to like each other and instead wanted them to support each other through their respective struggles, be it with their parents and loneliness (Xia) or with their queerness and home life (Gloria). I'm not really a big fan of overt romance in books but... oh my god I loved their relationship. I loved it so much. Was literally on the edge of my seat. Their relationship was so romantic, given their situation and the struggles they faced.
!!!!!SPOILERS!!!!!
Loved this so much. Intense, devastating plot, especially Gloria's part of the story, that had beautiful character development, relationship development, and focus on the issues that some queer kids are forced to face, manage, and overcome. Gloria's acceptance of herself and coming to terms with her lesbianism in a way that mattered to her (through her faith) was well-paced and thoughtful. One of her lines that stood out to me was when she was reckoning with being back with her parents (after they had kicked her out the first time...yes, the first time) and how she was going to have to go through life asleep since she couldn't live her life as the person she was. The last line of the book, after she ended up in a stable housing situation with the goated Mr. Avery and was preparing to go to university, was Gloria proclaiming that she was awake 🥹 I do wish she got to blow up on her parents a little bit more.
Xia's development was my favorite. There's a part at the beginning, before she becomes friends and then girlfriends with Gloria, where Xia says that she wants to be buried so deep in fiction that she stays there forever, a coping mechanism she used to get through her school life, where she's ostracized and disliked, and her home life, where she feels her parents don't care about how she's feeling about moving to the small town the story takes place in. The feeling that overcame me during the scene of the winter dance where Xia was waiting for Gloria in that closet, tried to distract herself by reading on her phone, and found that she couldn't because she was too distracted and excited by real life 🥹🥹🥹 TOO GOOD!!!
At first, I did not want Xia and Gloria to like each other and instead wanted them to support each other through their respective struggles, be it with their parents and loneliness (Xia) or with their queerness and home life (Gloria). I'm not really a big fan of overt romance in books but... oh my god I loved their relationship. I loved it so much. Was literally on the edge of my seat. Their relationship was so romantic, given their situation and the struggles they faced.
May 5, 2025
*Spoilery*
Sometimes a book comes and knocks you off your feet and it will leave a mark. I wasn't expecting Come Home to My Heart to affect me the way that it has. There is a very real part of me that wants to open my home to Gloria or any other child her position. As a queer coming of age story that weaves the very real issues of family abandonment, homelessness and safety CHtMH is an important read.
This is a sincere, graceful and careful examination of the very real challenges facing some, or many, LGBTQi+ youth.
Come Home to My Heart takes the reader through the burgeoning high school relationship of Gloria and Xia. Gloria, on the surface, the picture of Bible-belt American good girl, yet at home the love provided is conditional, controlled and cloistered. Contrasted to Xia, the outsider from a big city, a choiceful misfit, feeling misunderstood by her flawed yet, parents. Her bookshop employer offers a space to 'just be'. I hope all young people have a Mr Avery at their backs.
I pray to an Athiest God that there will come a day that "coming out" is not required. As much as I wanted to wrap Gloria up and offer her a safe and supported place to lay her head, I have never felt such incredulity and anger as I did towards her fictional parents. The restrictive practices that were employed, encouraged and accepted within their church community in the face of the hypocritical nature of Gloria's parents was not lost on me.
I apprecitated the inner conflict that Gloria navigated in order to ultimately, let go of her family, hold strong to her faith but be safe to accept her queer side.
Xia has her own feelings of adriftness and loneliness. From an ostensibly loving home, her parents respect for her request for space became it's own double edged sword. The read as flawed yet, loving. I appreciated the unknown aspect of Xia's parents going forward and the open ended storyline.
This has generated a deep desire to learn more regarding the horrifying statistics included in the author's note.
Thank you to the author, Riley Redgate, Union Square & Co and Netgalley for the eARC of Come Home to My Heart.
Sometimes a book comes and knocks you off your feet and it will leave a mark. I wasn't expecting Come Home to My Heart to affect me the way that it has. There is a very real part of me that wants to open my home to Gloria or any other child her position. As a queer coming of age story that weaves the very real issues of family abandonment, homelessness and safety CHtMH is an important read.
This is a sincere, graceful and careful examination of the very real challenges facing some, or many, LGBTQi+ youth.
Come Home to My Heart takes the reader through the burgeoning high school relationship of Gloria and Xia. Gloria, on the surface, the picture of Bible-belt American good girl, yet at home the love provided is conditional, controlled and cloistered. Contrasted to Xia, the outsider from a big city, a choiceful misfit, feeling misunderstood by her flawed yet, parents. Her bookshop employer offers a space to 'just be'. I hope all young people have a Mr Avery at their backs.
I pray to an Athiest God that there will come a day that "coming out" is not required. As much as I wanted to wrap Gloria up and offer her a safe and supported place to lay her head, I have never felt such incredulity and anger as I did towards her fictional parents. The restrictive practices that were employed, encouraged and accepted within their church community in the face of the hypocritical nature of Gloria's parents was not lost on me.
I apprecitated the inner conflict that Gloria navigated in order to ultimately, let go of her family, hold strong to her faith but be safe to accept her queer side.
Xia has her own feelings of adriftness and loneliness. From an ostensibly loving home, her parents respect for her request for space became it's own double edged sword. The read as flawed yet, loving. I appreciated the unknown aspect of Xia's parents going forward and the open ended storyline.
This has generated a deep desire to learn more regarding the horrifying statistics included in the author's note.
Thank you to the author, Riley Redgate, Union Square & Co and Netgalley for the eARC of Come Home to My Heart.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2025
preliminary thoughts: this is healing & comforting me in ways i didn’t know were possible… rtc soon 🤍
full review:Come home to my heart is a heart wrenching story about two young girls falling in love with each other and trying to make sense of the changing reality around them. Xia misses Atlanta, her friends, the home she had made for herself. Now that her family has moved to South Carolina, she feels out of place. In fear of anyone of her classmates finding out she’s a lesbian, she started isolating herself and spending most of her time reading and working part-time. Gloria is one of the popular girls, although she would never dare to describe herself as one. She does her best to get good grades and excel as a student because she wants her family to be proud of her. Behind all of that, there is a girl trying to be herself, scared to admit who she is because of her family’s conservative views. The author was able to perfectly portray the thoughts and feelings of the two protagonists, showing a lot of care towards the themes of the story and the characters themselves. I would have appreciated to see more of the side-characters (especially Ellis, she didn't feel entirely flashed out and some of her decisions didn't make sense) and Xia (I would have loved to learn more about her outside of her relationship with Gloria, for example about her interests and the relationship she had with her parents). Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. Come home to my heart is a novel I would have loved to find in the school library when I was younger. If you’re in the mood for something emotional and honest consider checking this out! (At times it can be heavy, so check trigger warnings beforehand.)
Arc kindly given by the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
full review:Come home to my heart is a heart wrenching story about two young girls falling in love with each other and trying to make sense of the changing reality around them. Xia misses Atlanta, her friends, the home she had made for herself. Now that her family has moved to South Carolina, she feels out of place. In fear of anyone of her classmates finding out she’s a lesbian, she started isolating herself and spending most of her time reading and working part-time. Gloria is one of the popular girls, although she would never dare to describe herself as one. She does her best to get good grades and excel as a student because she wants her family to be proud of her. Behind all of that, there is a girl trying to be herself, scared to admit who she is because of her family’s conservative views. The author was able to perfectly portray the thoughts and feelings of the two protagonists, showing a lot of care towards the themes of the story and the characters themselves. I would have appreciated to see more of the side-characters (especially Ellis, she didn't feel entirely flashed out and some of her decisions didn't make sense) and Xia (I would have loved to learn more about her outside of her relationship with Gloria, for example about her interests and the relationship she had with her parents). Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. Come home to my heart is a novel I would have loved to find in the school library when I was younger. If you’re in the mood for something emotional and honest consider checking this out! (At times it can be heavy, so check trigger warnings beforehand.)
Arc kindly given by the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
June 19, 2025
This was a difficult read. In a good way, but still, difficult. Gloria's story is heartbreaking and feels very real, speaking as someone who has never experienced the kinds of things she did. I appreciated that the life she lived after she was kicked out wasn't glossed over or softened. There was no miraculous solution that saved her. Her love for Xia wasn't enough and I was so glad to read something like that.
I found Xia's journey a little less interesting, which isn't exactly a criticism because I think it might have been too much if both girls were going through similar things. It provided a nice counterpoint, and I enjoyed getting to follow them both as they tentatively fell for each other and then became consumed by the feelings they were feeling. There was just more meat to what was going on with Gloria.
Books like this, where religious bigotry is a central conflict in the story and there's a character struggling to accept themselves and overcome their upbringing, are pretty common right now, and I usually enjoy them, but something about this one hits harder. The writing didn't always do it for me and there were times when I was pulled out of the story or found my attention wandering, but that might be a me thing. I was always pulled back in. I've only read one other Riley Redgate and this is my favorite of the two, and I think it's going to be so important and impactful for so many queer teens in Gloria's position. I'm glad there are books like this for them now.
I found Xia's journey a little less interesting, which isn't exactly a criticism because I think it might have been too much if both girls were going through similar things. It provided a nice counterpoint, and I enjoyed getting to follow them both as they tentatively fell for each other and then became consumed by the feelings they were feeling. There was just more meat to what was going on with Gloria.
Books like this, where religious bigotry is a central conflict in the story and there's a character struggling to accept themselves and overcome their upbringing, are pretty common right now, and I usually enjoy them, but something about this one hits harder. The writing didn't always do it for me and there were times when I was pulled out of the story or found my attention wandering, but that might be a me thing. I was always pulled back in. I've only read one other Riley Redgate and this is my favorite of the two, and I think it's going to be so important and impactful for so many queer teens in Gloria's position. I'm glad there are books like this for them now.
December 20, 2025
wow. this book was intense in the heart wrenching and emotional way. I am running the risk of getting emotional and/or too personal if I talk about this book too much but,,, it was just really real. in a way that I don't know how to explain, I guess? most books that balance religion and queerness are bound to get me but this one in particular just... the things with the expectations from parents and everyone else knowing and saying things? knowing you can't be real with anyone? being in a small community where everyone seems to know everything about everyone but no one really knows anything about the real you? being the perfect girl for your parents and knowing it has an expiration. also side note I forgot my parents also used to look through a lot of my stuff which,, wow that sucked! forgot about that!!
but anyway I really really liked both POVs and characters a lot. I liked how sweet the romance was and I loved their interactions with each other and how it was done.
but anyway I really really liked both POVs and characters a lot. I liked how sweet the romance was and I loved their interactions with each other and how it was done.
May 8, 2025
Amazing book. When we finish it, the cover just takes such a deeper meaning. As a reader living in Chicago (indeed, this theme is so relatable to all major cities), I can't stop wondering about the stories of each homeless and their circumstances. This book has great pacing, and although it is sad, it is also hopeful. Makes me want to hug and protect these characters and volunteer more to do something for the youth of the city.
Congratulations to the author for such an honest and amazing novel.
Religion and community pressure can be devastating to those seeking guidance understanding, and love from their family. I can't understand how parents turn their backs on their kids.
Dual POV , a city girl that prefers to be on her own than to crowd please the others, a girl who has more than a secret and must learn to love herself.
Congratulations to the author for such an honest and amazing novel.
Religion and community pressure can be devastating to those seeking guidance understanding, and love from their family. I can't understand how parents turn their backs on their kids.
Dual POV , a city girl that prefers to be on her own than to crowd please the others, a girl who has more than a secret and must learn to love herself.
July 13, 2025
Sweet and moving story. The balance between difficult topics and young adult romance is well done. Both characters feel realistic and the character development is natural. I appreciated that the dialogue and dynamics don't feel cheesy or unnatural for the age group. Well done YA book!
April 24, 2025
My girlfriend got me an ARC of this book and I read almost the entirety of it in a single afternoon. My heart was absolutely ripped out (and then put back together!) but I loved Xia and Gloria’s journey throughout this book, and also appreciated the inclusion of themes like homelessness and complex religious trauma.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2025
I cried.
June 8, 2025
“𝘪 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵, 𝘨𝘶𝘵, 𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘺 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘪 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮. 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘨𝘭𝘺, 𝘪 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘨𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘨𝘦; 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘣 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤, 𝘪 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵; 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘻𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦, 𝘪 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘥. 𝘪 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘴𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳.”
5✩
sapphic books that explore religious guilt are so personal and special to me, and this one? wow, incredible! i truly wish i had this book when i was younger, because this book made me feel seen, and understood, in ways not many books have.
this story is told in dual pov, and i resonated with both of our main characters so deeply. xia who isolates herself, and makes herself unapproachable, to protect herself from even further hurt, especially when they find out the truth; from being truly known, from being seen. gloria, who is so afraid of not being the perfect christian and daughter, she used to be willing to hide away big parts of who she is and sacrifice her own happiness. the growth both of these characters go through, individually and together, was beautiful— and made me emotional. i just couldn’t help but root for them both, and they’re so dear to me. i also loved mr avery, everyone deserves someone like him in his life!
the thing about this novel is that whilst it has sweet and wholesome moments, it also tackles so many serious topics within the story, and those are handled so tenderly. i loved how riley redgate emphasised the complexity and depth of these topics (in particular the religious trauma, and homelessness), and didn’t shy away from making the reader truly feel the emotions.
this will certainly be a book i recommend often, especially to those who are the target audience too, it was beautifully done!
5✩
sapphic books that explore religious guilt are so personal and special to me, and this one? wow, incredible! i truly wish i had this book when i was younger, because this book made me feel seen, and understood, in ways not many books have.
this story is told in dual pov, and i resonated with both of our main characters so deeply. xia who isolates herself, and makes herself unapproachable, to protect herself from even further hurt, especially when they find out the truth; from being truly known, from being seen. gloria, who is so afraid of not being the perfect christian and daughter, she used to be willing to hide away big parts of who she is and sacrifice her own happiness. the growth both of these characters go through, individually and together, was beautiful— and made me emotional. i just couldn’t help but root for them both, and they’re so dear to me. i also loved mr avery, everyone deserves someone like him in his life!
the thing about this novel is that whilst it has sweet and wholesome moments, it also tackles so many serious topics within the story, and those are handled so tenderly. i loved how riley redgate emphasised the complexity and depth of these topics (in particular the religious trauma, and homelessness), and didn’t shy away from making the reader truly feel the emotions.
this will certainly be a book i recommend often, especially to those who are the target audience too, it was beautifully done!
May 27, 2025
~~Thank you to NetGalley and Union Square & Co. for the ARC!~~
So soon into the new year, and I wholeheartedly believe I found a top 10 read of the year.
This is such a tender, heartfelt story about queer two girls in a small town, one who's terrified by that part of her identity because of her bigoted parents and the other who wants nothing more than to get away so she express her queerness openly. It's only when the two girls meet and become friends do they begin to understand themselves so much more.
Ah, these two girls had my whole heart. Their friendship-to-romance wasn't technically a slowburn, as they did kiss halfway through the story, but the circumstances, particularly Gloria's homelessness, her parents, and the fear of scrutiny from the community at large, kept driving wedges between them that were so damn heart wrenching. Their chemistry and banter is genuinely so sweet; I just wanted nothing but the world to be given to these girls.
And Redgate's writing - oh, is it tender and sweet. The themes of survival, youth homelessness, the hard reality of being queer, she culminates all of this and makes it so quietly gut-wrenching in the best way possible. As someone who loved Alone Out There as well, Redgate's range of style in her works is truly astounding.
Amazing book. I wish May was here so I can hold the book to my chest and cry about it. Please, read this! And buy if you can, because Redgate will be donating half of the royalties of this book to projects benefiting queer homeless youth!
So soon into the new year, and I wholeheartedly believe I found a top 10 read of the year.
This is such a tender, heartfelt story about queer two girls in a small town, one who's terrified by that part of her identity because of her bigoted parents and the other who wants nothing more than to get away so she express her queerness openly. It's only when the two girls meet and become friends do they begin to understand themselves so much more.
Ah, these two girls had my whole heart. Their friendship-to-romance wasn't technically a slowburn, as they did kiss halfway through the story, but the circumstances, particularly Gloria's homelessness, her parents, and the fear of scrutiny from the community at large, kept driving wedges between them that were so damn heart wrenching. Their chemistry and banter is genuinely so sweet; I just wanted nothing but the world to be given to these girls.
And Redgate's writing - oh, is it tender and sweet. The themes of survival, youth homelessness, the hard reality of being queer, she culminates all of this and makes it so quietly gut-wrenching in the best way possible. As someone who loved Alone Out There as well, Redgate's range of style in her works is truly astounding.
Amazing book. I wish May was here so I can hold the book to my chest and cry about it. Please, read this! And buy if you can, because Redgate will be donating half of the royalties of this book to projects benefiting queer homeless youth!
March 22, 2025
Did not expect this to be so emotional! I think this is a really needed story right now, and it handled the issues carefully and beautifully. Highly recommend!
June 8, 2025
Honestly and truly spectacular. I am not a crier but I felt myself welling up in parts. It’s raw and real and lived in and important and sensitive and careful around the frayed edges of these characters feelings and experiences. I just … loved it doesn’t feel like enough. This should be mandatory assigned reading. Talk about fiction as a vehicle for empathy! Woof! I am flattened - in a good way.
March 19, 2025
beautiful
January 6, 2025
Thank you Netgalley and Union Square & Co for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Riley Redgate’s “Come Home to My Heart” is a deeply emotional exploration of identity, resilience, and love in the face of adversity. Centered on two very different high school seniors, Gloria Forman and Xia Harper, the book delves into themes of homelessness, religious rejection, loneliness, and queer love, all set against the backdrop of a small, conservative South Carolina town. This is not just a romance; it’s a story of survival, community, and self-discovery. Before going into the review, I do want to provide a content warning for homophobia, mainly from Gloria’s parents whose extreme religious views cause them to kick her out of the house.
Gloria, once part of her town’s popular Christian circle, finds her world shattered when her parents discover she’s a lesbian and cast her out of their home. Homeless and heartbroken, she hides her situation from everyone, spending her nights under the school stage and longing for the acceptance of the family that abandoned her. Xia, on the other hand, is a self-isolating misfit who dreams of escaping her stifling small-town life. She buries herself in books and keeps her own sexuality hidden, wary of the judgment and rejection that come with being openly queer. When the two girls form an unexpected friendship, their guarded walls begin to break down, and they find themselves drawn to each other in ways that terrify and transform them. As their feelings deepen, Gloria and Xia must confront the truths they’ve hidden—not just from others, but from themselves—and decide what they truly want, even if it means risking everything.
“Come Home to My Heart” is remarkable for its authenticity and emotional depth. Redgate captures the challenges of being queer in a small, deeply religious town with unflinching honesty. Gloria’s homelessness and longing for her parents’ love and to be safe is absolutely heartbreaking. Her journey of navigating faith and identity is both tragic and deeply moving. Xia’s desire to flee her circumstances, coupled with her tentative exploration of love, feels raw and relatable. This story will make you cry and will make you experience strong feelings for both characters who just want to survive and thrive.
The romance between Gloria and Xia is tender and slow-burning, developing organically as they become each other’s safe haven. Their relationship is not just about love—it’s about survival and finding light in the darkest of places. Redgate’s writing is lyrical and evocative, bringing the girls’ world to life with vivid detail and aching sincerity. The characters, including side figures like the compassionate Mr. Avery and Xia’s complex parents, are nuanced and well-rounded. The book also shines in its portrayal of the queer community as a source of strength and hope, a theme underscored by Redgate’s dedication to supporting homeless LGBTQ+ youth through the book’s profits.
Overall, “Come Home to My Heart” is a story of courage, hope, and the power of human connection. It explores the intersections of faith and queerness, showing that love and acceptance can coexist in defiance of rigid dogma. This is a stunning, gut-wrenching novel that doesn’t shy away from the difficult realities of being queer in an unaccepting world. With its unforgettable characters, tender romance, and profound exploration of identity, this is a book that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page. For readers looking for a story that is both heart-wrenching and hopeful, “Come Home to My Heart” is a must-read. It’s a testament to the strength it takes to be yourself in a world that often demands otherwise—and the transformative power of finding someone who truly sees and loves you for who you are.
Riley Redgate’s “Come Home to My Heart” is a deeply emotional exploration of identity, resilience, and love in the face of adversity. Centered on two very different high school seniors, Gloria Forman and Xia Harper, the book delves into themes of homelessness, religious rejection, loneliness, and queer love, all set against the backdrop of a small, conservative South Carolina town. This is not just a romance; it’s a story of survival, community, and self-discovery. Before going into the review, I do want to provide a content warning for homophobia, mainly from Gloria’s parents whose extreme religious views cause them to kick her out of the house.
Gloria, once part of her town’s popular Christian circle, finds her world shattered when her parents discover she’s a lesbian and cast her out of their home. Homeless and heartbroken, she hides her situation from everyone, spending her nights under the school stage and longing for the acceptance of the family that abandoned her. Xia, on the other hand, is a self-isolating misfit who dreams of escaping her stifling small-town life. She buries herself in books and keeps her own sexuality hidden, wary of the judgment and rejection that come with being openly queer. When the two girls form an unexpected friendship, their guarded walls begin to break down, and they find themselves drawn to each other in ways that terrify and transform them. As their feelings deepen, Gloria and Xia must confront the truths they’ve hidden—not just from others, but from themselves—and decide what they truly want, even if it means risking everything.
“Come Home to My Heart” is remarkable for its authenticity and emotional depth. Redgate captures the challenges of being queer in a small, deeply religious town with unflinching honesty. Gloria’s homelessness and longing for her parents’ love and to be safe is absolutely heartbreaking. Her journey of navigating faith and identity is both tragic and deeply moving. Xia’s desire to flee her circumstances, coupled with her tentative exploration of love, feels raw and relatable. This story will make you cry and will make you experience strong feelings for both characters who just want to survive and thrive.
The romance between Gloria and Xia is tender and slow-burning, developing organically as they become each other’s safe haven. Their relationship is not just about love—it’s about survival and finding light in the darkest of places. Redgate’s writing is lyrical and evocative, bringing the girls’ world to life with vivid detail and aching sincerity. The characters, including side figures like the compassionate Mr. Avery and Xia’s complex parents, are nuanced and well-rounded. The book also shines in its portrayal of the queer community as a source of strength and hope, a theme underscored by Redgate’s dedication to supporting homeless LGBTQ+ youth through the book’s profits.
Overall, “Come Home to My Heart” is a story of courage, hope, and the power of human connection. It explores the intersections of faith and queerness, showing that love and acceptance can coexist in defiance of rigid dogma. This is a stunning, gut-wrenching novel that doesn’t shy away from the difficult realities of being queer in an unaccepting world. With its unforgettable characters, tender romance, and profound exploration of identity, this is a book that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page. For readers looking for a story that is both heart-wrenching and hopeful, “Come Home to My Heart” is a must-read. It’s a testament to the strength it takes to be yourself in a world that often demands otherwise—and the transformative power of finding someone who truly sees and loves you for who you are.
May 19, 2025
Xia and Gloria are polar opposites. Gloria is a popular girl, part of the Christian/Religious crowd in their small Southern Carolina town. Xia, on the other hand, is a keep-to-herself kind of girl, trying to keep her head down and out of the buzz of being social or drawing awareness to herself. Dealing with some very unresolved trauma tied to her sexuality is the last thing Xia wanted senior year, and so she’s trying to push through it the only way she knows how—engrossing herself in books and things that transport her mind and body somewhere else entirely, simultaneously pushing away anyone or anything that dares to interpose her avoidance.
Gloria, too, is going through her own trauma related to her sexuality. Kicked out of her house for coming out as gay means that she spends her nights underneath the school auditorium stage, hiding from plain sight, hoping her parents come around and accept her. Only, when the two of them form an unlikely and incidental friendship one day, they crack one another open in a way neither expected. Their bond is fortified by mirrored trauma, although in different ways, and though they shouldn’t be compatible, their feelings beg to differ. Soon, they’re unravelling their own truths side-by-side, revealing potential for themselves to have things—feel things—their hearts want. But when the obscured truth isn’t so hard to see through, what does allowing it to break the surface mean for them?
Overall, Come Home To My Heart was bravely tender, delicately romantic and bursting with heart. Xia and Gloria were these complex, yet understandably fragile characters that had the world on their shoulders, which echoed through their lives and choices. Riley wrote them in this special, candid way that allowed me as the reader to understand them and who they were beneath the facades they projected. The connection they forged was indisputable, and it showed in the way their alternating POVs spoke about one another that the bond was not only reciprocated tenfold but unwaveringly strong. The story as a whole is heavy and heartbreakingly raw, but will be exceptionally meaningful, especially to LGBTQIA+ readers who might see Xia and Gloria’s lives reflected in their own. Riley has written something so distinctly emotional for the found family lovers, and I adored every page. (And to know that a portion of the profits of Come Home To My Heart goes to the rising increase of homelessness of young people, often LGBTQIA+ youth, is so incredible.)
Gloria, too, is going through her own trauma related to her sexuality. Kicked out of her house for coming out as gay means that she spends her nights underneath the school auditorium stage, hiding from plain sight, hoping her parents come around and accept her. Only, when the two of them form an unlikely and incidental friendship one day, they crack one another open in a way neither expected. Their bond is fortified by mirrored trauma, although in different ways, and though they shouldn’t be compatible, their feelings beg to differ. Soon, they’re unravelling their own truths side-by-side, revealing potential for themselves to have things—feel things—their hearts want. But when the obscured truth isn’t so hard to see through, what does allowing it to break the surface mean for them?
Overall, Come Home To My Heart was bravely tender, delicately romantic and bursting with heart. Xia and Gloria were these complex, yet understandably fragile characters that had the world on their shoulders, which echoed through their lives and choices. Riley wrote them in this special, candid way that allowed me as the reader to understand them and who they were beneath the facades they projected. The connection they forged was indisputable, and it showed in the way their alternating POVs spoke about one another that the bond was not only reciprocated tenfold but unwaveringly strong. The story as a whole is heavy and heartbreakingly raw, but will be exceptionally meaningful, especially to LGBTQIA+ readers who might see Xia and Gloria’s lives reflected in their own. Riley has written something so distinctly emotional for the found family lovers, and I adored every page. (And to know that a portion of the profits of Come Home To My Heart goes to the rising increase of homelessness of young people, often LGBTQIA+ youth, is so incredible.)
May 19, 2025
This novel is told in the alternating voices of Gloria (white) and Xia (biracial Chinese American/white), both high school seniors in conservative Fisherton, South Carolina. Gloria, a devout Baptist and fairly popular at school, likes girls but tries to compartmentalize her feelings by spending 5 minutes per day posting pictures of girls on a blog; afterward, she wipes her browser history, because her dad checks it daily. Xia is queer and just biding her time in Fisherton until she can go away to college; she has cultivated a prickly attitude of disinterest at school, where she is teased and disliked.
When Gloria forgets to clear her browser history one day, her parents discover her blog and promptly kick her out. With less than $100 to her name, she begins sleeping in the abandoned orchestra pit in the school auditorium. She spends her evenings doing homework at the library and, after that closes, at the bookstore where Xia works. Slowly, the two of them get to know each other, and eventually they come out to one another and begin a tentative relationship. Of course, nothing about this is easy. Gloria is still homeless and doesn't want Xia to know that; her situation becomes increasingly desperate. And neither of them wants to be out at school.
There were a few slightly unbelievable elements to this story, and it lags a bit in the first half, but overall, I really enjoyed and appreciated this novel. I thought the details of what Gloria has to do to survive and keep the reality of her living situation under wraps were sadly realistic. I wish we'd gotten to see more of Xia and Gloria together, because it felt like there was more telling than showing and their relationship didn't feel fully fleshed out, but I appreciated the differences and similarities between their experiences as queer girls and the fact that they didn't come out at school at the end. I also like that Gloria didn't lose her religious faith, though she does find a new church. I think in reality, Gloria would've had an immense amount of religious trauma and internalized shame to work through before she could function in a healthy romantic relationship, but maybe that's just me.
When Gloria forgets to clear her browser history one day, her parents discover her blog and promptly kick her out. With less than $100 to her name, she begins sleeping in the abandoned orchestra pit in the school auditorium. She spends her evenings doing homework at the library and, after that closes, at the bookstore where Xia works. Slowly, the two of them get to know each other, and eventually they come out to one another and begin a tentative relationship. Of course, nothing about this is easy. Gloria is still homeless and doesn't want Xia to know that; her situation becomes increasingly desperate. And neither of them wants to be out at school.
There were a few slightly unbelievable elements to this story, and it lags a bit in the first half, but overall, I really enjoyed and appreciated this novel. I thought the details of what Gloria has to do to survive and keep the reality of her living situation under wraps were sadly realistic. I wish we'd gotten to see more of Xia and Gloria together, because it felt like there was more telling than showing and their relationship didn't feel fully fleshed out, but I appreciated the differences and similarities between their experiences as queer girls and the fact that they didn't come out at school at the end. I also like that Gloria didn't lose her religious faith, though she does find a new church. I think in reality, Gloria would've had an immense amount of religious trauma and internalized shame to work through before she could function in a healthy romantic relationship, but maybe that's just me.
September 20, 2025
There's still a part of me that feels going to the Printers Row Lit Festival and meeting Queen Riley Redgate was a fever dream. How to express the hold Redgate's first three books had on me, not to mention the emotional power of her writing to make you feel for her characters completely? She sat on a panel I attended during the first day and commented on her thought process to this book. Starting Come Home to My Heart in 2018, she wanted to tackle a queer coming of age narrative revolving around a cause that struck a chord with her. After Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda brought to the stage queer narratives that don't come to a tragic end or could be affected by Bury Your Gays, she still felt there was a need to highlight unhoused teens, especially when a portion of the unhoused population are queer and/or trans teens whose parents don't accept their kid's identity.
Gloria and Xia are vulnerable narrators who parallel each other beautifully. I felt their growing relationship was smartly portrayed. Some of their bonding does get skipped, but Redgate is still able to paint their passionate connection and finding solace in a town that mostly refuses to give them that. Her writing continues to cut deep, bringing out the feelings all three opening GIFs for her first three releases produced. The emotional arcs were also well done. Gloria's character regression was smart and taps into the ideology of queer people repressing their queerness in order not to cause waves. I also think it did a nice job illustrating her struggle with religion and how her parents didn't exemplify this when they kicked her out in the first place.
Some of the side characters could have had a little more page time, yet the emotional core of this story is so strong, it more than makes up for most of it. Realistic fiction is clearly something Redgate excels at. She's still out here slaying and I have all the respect for her because of that. Her adult debut is about to EAT and we're not ready.
Gloria and Xia are vulnerable narrators who parallel each other beautifully. I felt their growing relationship was smartly portrayed. Some of their bonding does get skipped, but Redgate is still able to paint their passionate connection and finding solace in a town that mostly refuses to give them that. Her writing continues to cut deep, bringing out the feelings all three opening GIFs for her first three releases produced. The emotional arcs were also well done. Gloria's character regression was smart and taps into the ideology of queer people repressing their queerness in order not to cause waves. I also think it did a nice job illustrating her struggle with religion and how her parents didn't exemplify this when they kicked her out in the first place.
Some of the side characters could have had a little more page time, yet the emotional core of this story is so strong, it more than makes up for most of it. Realistic fiction is clearly something Redgate excels at. She's still out here slaying and I have all the respect for her because of that. Her adult debut is about to EAT and we're not ready.
December 7, 2025
I will have a biased review because the characters in this book really help reflect my high school experience, I loved this story and how it put so many of my experiences to the page. To be a teen navigating a life split between high school and church, taking the lessons of your childhood and forming a moral compass while bombarded with events that challenge the simple beliefs you hold. How do you begin to better understand the world and it's truths, to treat other humans with respect and kindness within all the expectations of the authorities in your life?
To look at a child who is starting to experience love and tell them they are wrong, broken, unworthy is such a cruel way to behave, and a reckless handling of your responsibility as a care taker. To see it from the perspective of the child who shares the same mentality of the parents and the mounting self-hatred is heart breaking. So of course I cried and felt the real experiences underneath the words on the pages! I don't think you can read this without growing in empathy and compassion. You live the experience of the widening perspective to view the people around you in a new light, to become more curious to the people who struggle in silence, either ignored or out of sight.
Here's one of my favorite passages, "It still hurt to remember what my parents and [best friend] had said and done in the name of God. I prayed for them every Sunday, and I guessed that they prayed for me, too. So maybe we were all praying for each other to change. But in the end, I wondered if that was really the way God moved on Earth, prodding our thoughts left and right at request. As I sat here looking up into the golden rafters, this place shot through with beatific light, that kind of intervention seemed too small, too mortal, nowhere near the spirit or the soul."
To look at a child who is starting to experience love and tell them they are wrong, broken, unworthy is such a cruel way to behave, and a reckless handling of your responsibility as a care taker. To see it from the perspective of the child who shares the same mentality of the parents and the mounting self-hatred is heart breaking. So of course I cried and felt the real experiences underneath the words on the pages! I don't think you can read this without growing in empathy and compassion. You live the experience of the widening perspective to view the people around you in a new light, to become more curious to the people who struggle in silence, either ignored or out of sight.
Here's one of my favorite passages, "It still hurt to remember what my parents and [best friend] had said and done in the name of God. I prayed for them every Sunday, and I guessed that they prayed for me, too. So maybe we were all praying for each other to change. But in the end, I wondered if that was really the way God moved on Earth, prodding our thoughts left and right at request. As I sat here looking up into the golden rafters, this place shot through with beatific light, that kind of intervention seemed too small, too mortal, nowhere near the spirit or the soul."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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