There's Nothing Left for You Here

by Allegra Solomon

A luminous debut of timely, vibrant stories, There’s Nothing Left for You Here by Allegra Solomon is the winner of the 2023 Kimbilio National Fiction Prize, an honor that celebrates excellence in contemporary fiction from writers of the African diaspora. Ranging in subject but joined by their keen attention to the lives of contemporary young women of color, these stories feature an eclectic cast of characters who are as fascinatingly complex as they are deeply relatable. In these pages, a heartbroken young woman named Salem starts over with her estranged best friend from college (Maida) and moves to LA, where she meets and becomes entangled with Theo, Maida’s mysterious wealthy benefactor; teens Nikita and Alexandria bind together to navigate the adolescent politics of high school and female friendship as the only two Black girls at their school; and Ciara, a bookstore employee, agrees to house-sit for a white coworker named Angelina she hardly knows, only for Angelina to disappear with no notice and leave Ciara looking after her apartment and dog. In the words of Kimbilio Prize judge Deesha Philyaw, readers should prepare to find “these fresh, moody, unconventional stories…irresistible.”

Genres: Short Stories

180 pages, Paperback

Published March 15, 2025

About the author

Allegra Solomon is a fiction writer born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. She got her MFA from the University of Kentucky and her B.A. in Creative Writing from Ohio University. Her debut short story collection won the Kimbilio National Fiction prize. Her work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, and has appeared in, The Georgia Review, TriQuarterly, American Literary Review, New Ohio Review, Lolwe, and more. Her debut short story collection There's Nothing Left For You Here is forthcoming in 2025 with Four Way Books. She lives in Lexington, Kentucky.

Reviews

[greatsetman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so good, I proposed to its author.

[Jayse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read the collection and then read it again! The stories and the characters stay with you for days/weeks after reading. A honest and raw deep dive into the human psyche. Allegra asks her characters how far they are willing to go for what they want and they responded “pretty damn far.” You’ll see yourself, your friends, and your family in these pages.

*Plays “how soon is now?” by The Smiths*

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

i’m a little lost for words… truly all i can say is WOW. i love this collection of short stories because of the characters. they are so unique, their feelings are so complex and yet you can find a piece of you within them. the relationship dynamics in each story are juicy and intriguing which keeps you on your toes from start to finish. i can’t wait to read more from Allegra 💜

[Alfonso Zapata · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book of stories, all about relationships, that never retreads the same ground, always finds something new to say, always emerges with some beautiful or heartbreaking insight in a way that feels like a magic trick, like revealing an emotion or color or thought that has always been there, just out of sight.

[Lexi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this collection, the prose is very gripping and vivid. For many of the stories, the subject matter manages to feel both fresh and relatable.

I looooveed that all the main characters/narrators were women, especially women of color. I love women, I am a woman, I love reading about women, and most of these women felt so tangible, which I find is really rare in a lot of fiction - especially for female characters. I felt like I could reach out and touch them or like I might run into them at the grocery store. It’s particularly impressive to me that the characters feel so three dimensional and developed given how limiting of a format the short story can be.

I found “True Blue” and “Seeing it Through” to be particularly exceptional, like truly phenomenal. True Blue had me literally holding my breath. The scene at the Thai restaurant was just gobsmackingly (new word?) good, I could see it so clearly, I could feel it. Seeing it Through really stuck with me, the last scene was just perfection. Like, do I believe in love? (No, but you almost got me!)

I think the titular story would be my runner up… I love a weird morally grey woman.

Looking forward to more from Allegra Solomon, who I now suspect may have a particular fondness for Jim Carrey and first time cigarettes.

Edit: I was a little stoned when I wrote this, but I stand by it

[lil · Rating 5 out of 5]

staggeringly beautiful and deeply believable - i had to close the book and take a deep breath between each story. favorites were “true blue,” “there’s nothing left for you here,” “alone in the middle of the world” and “to be known.” i can’t wait to see what’s next from allegra ❤️

[Anne West · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Henry hadn’t already proposed, I would.

[Kylie · Rating 5 out of 5]

in fairness i have known this author for over a decade but this is as unbiased of a review as i can give: normally when i read short stories some of them are 5 stars and some are less but i can honestly say every single story in this one is 5 stars. each one draws you into the moment immediately and intensely and seductively. there is a sensuality to each story even when they aren’t about sex in a way that is incredibly well written. you can feel in every word the way the characters are built. phenomenal work!!!!!

[hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely my favorite read of 2025. Allegra creates such intense and interesting characters that I find myself thinking about them months later. Each story has incredible dynamics, characters and story telling. I cannot wait to read more from such a talented author.

[Brendan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg so powerful!! Very emotionally evocative even given the brevity of some of the stories. Great characterization, very relatable settings, cohesive enough to feel like a collection but distinct enough to not be boring. I highly recommend <3

[Kitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am currently reading this book. It may take me a while to finish because the stories are so layered that one has to sit with them before moving to the next. Allegra Solomon is a beautiful writer and I can’t wait to read what she does next.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sentiments in these sensual stories are echoing through my mind.

[Erin Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such great writing! The characters, the descriptions, the relationships-every one so intriguing and well formed. I want a full length novel of each chapter. Can’t wait for the next book!!!

[Max Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Impressive writing that developed characters in just a matter of a few pages. Vivid descriptions and stories that kept me hooked till the end!

[Andrea Coffey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am usually skeptical of short stories, but I felt all of these in my gut (laudatory).