Somewhere Soft to Land

by kai alonté

In this crackling portrayal of friendship in peril, a young woman's world is upended when a tragedy in her best friend's life forces them to test the boundaries of their sisterhood—a sharp and compelling debut novel from an award-winning author.

Dzifa has always felt a bit off. Maybe it's the family baggage, or maybe it's just the way her brain is wired. She's never seemed to be able to do anything right in work, love, or life. She can't seem to pull herself out of her depression. Meanwhile, her best friend, Tatiana, had everything Dzifa never a supportive family, an unshakeable confidence, and the lucky fortune of things often going her way.

Now, Dzifa has finally made a home for herself in Oakland. She has her own place, a stable job, new friends. She’s feeling stronger, better even, while trying on the Cali-lifestyle of farmers’ markets and new moon rituals. But when Tatiana tells her that her baby has passed cracks begin to form. Carried by the guilt of not being more present in Tatiana’s new journey of motherhood, Dzifa rushes to Boston to be there for her friend not knowing what to expect. From dealing with the baby’s father’s racist family to Tatiana’s overbearingly supportive one, Dzifa tries to guide Tatiana through the grief even as her own life she’s worked so hard to rebuild rapidly starts slipping away. And when Tatiana asks her for the ultimate favor, Dzifa must choose between standing by her friend or saving her own sanity as it all comes crashing down

A riveting, vibrant, and deeply moving exploration of sisterhood, complicated family dynamics, and mental health, Somewhere Soft to Land reckons with the complicated and sometimes fraught friendship between women as they evolve and makings of a second chance at life.

Genres: Fiction, Audiobook, African American, Adult Fiction, Friendship, Literary Fiction

368 pages, Hardcover

Published April 21, 2026

Reviews

[emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

finally finishing this book is all the soft landing i need.

i don't know what that was.

this begins as the story of a spineless person (who speaks more in ellipses than words) being pushed around by objectively evil family members and friends.

then the middle is also that.

and for our grand finale, it's that.

it never changes. there is no subtlety. there is no character development. there is just one good person in a sea of bad people and objectively insane happenings and empty checking accounts swinging myriad last minute cross-country flights for 368 pages.

i did not enjoy this reading experience.

bottom line: rough.

(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)

[BookOfCinz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Underwhelming...

I read the blurb and thought the premise was great. A debut novel about female friendships, is exactly what I was in the mood for, however, I felt the book could have benefitted from a stronger editor. The author rambled A LOT. Certain parts, I kept thinking, "where is this going" the answer is "no where!"

Overall, very underwhelming.

[Andre(Read-A-Lot) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m between 3 and 4 ⭐️! So we’ll call it 3.75. A story about the complicated dynamics of friendship. When Dzifa(main protagonist) and Tatiana meet, I didn’t think they would establish a friendship that would drive the narrative of this book, they seemed to be too different to form a lasting bond. Tatiana was unwavering in her quest for friendship, not with any malicious intent, but simply as a facet of her character.

Consequently, Dzifa gradually became a confidante. This friendship experienced fluctuations, alternating between intensity and weakness, primarily due to Dzifa’s reserved nature. The prose is propelling, keeping the reader humorously engaged, but when Tatiana experiences serious grief (no spoilers) the limits of their friendship gets profoundly tested.

Will it all work out? Can you really lean on friends in the worst of times? Well, you can see if there is indeed a soft landing by accessing this promising worthwhile debut novel. I will be looking for more from this author for sure. A big thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine books for an advanced DRC. Book drops April 2026.

[Bianca J. Martinez]

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this arc. Somewhere Soft to Land is a tale of friendship and the tribulations of being friends with someone out of necessity, and outgrowing them through the years. There are some beautifully articulated sentiments regarding mother love or the lack thereof and of amicable love. I felt hooked at the beginning, excited to see how the collegiate friendship between two black women would fare at an overwhelmingly white university, but my excitement to read this sort of petered out as the book went on.

When Dzifa's best friend is faced with a catastrophic event, I don't feel that her behaviour, as it was written in the book, was realistic in the slightest. There seemed to be a minimal amount of grief, and I think this book would have been better if there had been more of an exploration on grief and how it might affect friendships. In my opinion, most, if not all, of the characters in this book are unlikeable and, at times, unrealistic in the way they speak and act. The main character, Dzifa/Mercy, is the least unlikeable, but her attitude is tiring to read about, though not unfounded. I felt that this book dragged on and I found the plots difficult to follow at times.

Some of my favourite quotes:
"I saw in her what it was to love someone not in. spite of their flaws but in full awareness of all that they were, in full belief of their worthiness of love..."
"One person's 'starting over' could be another person's 'moving forward.'
"It's just like...you're always hyper visible when it'd be safer to blend in, you were invisible when it mattered to be seen."

[Favour’s flavor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew…this book has pulled some emotions out of me. I was so angry on behalf of Dzifa and everything she went through. This book definitely explores complex and complicated family/ friendship dynamics. There are a lot of flawed people in this book. I like the representation of mental health in this book too. Dzifa the main character is an emotionally distant person for reasons you will learn about.

There was a lot of mystery in this book, didn’t really care for that. I wish we got more on Dzifa’s mother because she definitely deserves a good beating before being put in jail. Honestly, I would have loved to hear more about her other siblings and the mystery father too.

Also, Tatianna wasn’t really a good friend. I can’t really say she was a good mother either. The whole situation with her baby daddy was questionable. However, I found myself learning from their friendship and how they showed up for each other.

I enjoyed the author’s writing style and her choice of writing about an unpopular character like Dzifa. This isn’t an easy read, but a good one especially if you want to challenge yourself. This would be a good book club pick, I would love to discuss this book with someone. For a debut book, I’m excited to see what else Kai releases in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC. This book releases April 21st, 2026 if you want to get a copy.

Check out my YouTube video (reading vlog) where I read this book: https://youtu.be/EN_zudoKXig

[Kami]

I'm not sure what to rate this book, so I'm not going to rate it at all, at least not yet. As others have said, it has a great premise, simplified, two really different friends tackling life together through all of life's ups and downs. For the first 30% or so, I was really with it, but at some point the dialogue became really mundane and over descriptive and I completely lost the plot. I kept with it thinking it would start to make sense. For me, it didn't. I was really confused at times, but at the same time, wanted to see it all the way through. This is why I am really struggling to rate this one. The storytelling was decent, but so many questionable scenes and unfinished storylines, left me really confused in the end.

[Vmndetta ᛑᛗᛛ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has an interesting premise. The topic of friendship and grief is strong. I really wanted to like it more, but sadly I didn't fully enjoy the reading experience. For me, the story rambles a lot. There were many parts that felt like they went everywhere, and because of that I lost focus while reading sometimes. Sometimes I wasn't sure what the main point was or what the narrator was trying to say. It made the book feel a bit heavy and confusing for me. Maybe other readers will connect with it more, but this was just my experience. It's not a bad book, just not really for me.

[Ellen Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was just amazing. Dzifa was a highly relatable character and the tension between her and the other characters was so palpable at times it felt like it oozed out of the pages. This was a relatable plot in many ways for me especially when it comes to female friendships and how they can ebb and flow and even fade away. I was drawn to the choices that Dzifa had to make with loyalty, her own well being, and her future.
This book has very strong female characters and a storyline that many women can relate to in one way or another. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully written exploration of friendship, family, motherhood, and mental health, this debut novel explores the dynamic between two women who became friends when they were in college, drifted apart when they were living on opposite coasts, and then reconnected over a tragedy.

Dzifa, the protagonist of this novel, has always felt adrift in life, particularly in her own dysfunctional family, and the best friend she makes at college on the East coast, Tatiana, seems to have everything she yearns for – unconditional love from her family, a magnetic personality, unshakeable self-possession, and the uncanny ability to always get her way. When Tatiana’s youngest child dies, she calls on Dzifa for support, and as Dzifa helps her friend through this tragedy, Tatiana ask another favor that puts Dzifa in a position of choosing between loyalty to her friend at the expense of her own self-fulfillment or following her dream at the expense of a friendship she once valued so greatly.

Ms. Alonte did an admirable job bringing these extremely flawed characters to life.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me with an ARC of this novel, due to be released on April 21, 2026.

[Kera’s Always Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

My best friend since a very early age moved away some years ago. We went from inseparable for the entirety of our adolescence and into early adulthood, to talking on the phone from time to time, because life... I felt very strongly the relationship between these two women. The ups and downs, the insecurities, the ideology, the growing up and growing into people who are a little more different than they once were.

Dzifa and Tatiana have grown apart a little with life and the distance between them. Never feeling like enough, never getting anywhere, Dzifa is finally in a place where she is making a path for herself. Living in California, she has a job and is making friends, but she heads to Boston when her best friend needs her. Things just seem to naturally go well for Tatiana, and Dzifa has always coveted her idyllic upbringing and family support system. When the next chapter in Tatiana's life quickly becomes the most painful, Dzifa comes to be with her.

This was such a compelling read. The characters were so complex, the story and all the ripples made through every interaction, so powerful. I highly recommend this one.

[Suzette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somewhere Soft To Land by Kai Alonte is a heartfelt family drama that shines with emotional depth. Told through the perspectives of its two main characters, the story captures the highs and lows of love, tension, and healing within a family and friendship. The characters feel vivid and real, and the plot is engaging with plenty of touching moments. It’s beautifully written and leaves a lasting impression, making it a strong and memorable read.

[BookwormishMe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Certain stories are like a warm blanket. They wrap you up comfortably. Some stories are more like hiking through brambles. They tug at you and make you squirm. This novel has a bit of both, but it definitely more like the latter.

Dzifa has two names. Dzifa, which is supposedly her Ghanian name, her once home. Mercy is her Christian name. The one that makes people different from her more at ease. However, she prefers Dzifa.

She grew up mostly in Oakland in a big house with her mother, older sister Esther, but never her father. Though married, her parents are married in name and finances only. Her father is constantly absent. Esther mostly raises Dzifa. Their mother, more obsessed with appearances than care, is emotionally absent. Esther does her best to make sure Dzifa has what she needs. But when Esther leaves for college, it becomes too much. Dzifa is sent off to boarding school.

Eventually Dzifa lands at Elmwood college where she befriends Tatiana. Beautiful Tatiana, so full of self-love and confidence, the utter opposite of Dzifa. Dzifa always considers Tatiana her sister, her best friend. They remain close while living in New York City. They stay in touch when Dzifa escapes back to Oakland and Tatiana to her home in Boston. And when tragedy befalls Tatiana, Dzifa never thinks twice before boarding a plane to Boston to be with Tatiana.

But through it all, Dzifa is never really sure of her footing or her place in the world. She just seems to drift from one place to another, one job to another, never really living. At some point Dzifa will need to find her happiness, and maybe all this drifting is what finally brings her to make choices that will be in Dzifa’s best interest, not anyone else’s.

What a beautifully written piece of literature this was. While Dzifa is most definitely the primary character of the novel, Tatiana’s presence is never far from mind. Almost as though every thought Dzifa has is countered by Tatiana’s response to it. It is amazing to see Dzifa flounder through her younger years and start to finally come to terms with life a bit later. The journey is clearly one of self-discovery and growth, a journey we hopefully all make through young adulthood.

Not an easy novel, definitely rocky and tumultuous, but ultimately so satisfying.

[Alisha Keig · Rating 3 out of 5]

First thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this digital ARC

Second ummmm okay idk?? Definitely not my favorite but I’m still figuring out why. A 3 feels generous but it could be I’m missing something. This entire book felt like a manifesto for why boundaries exist and why you should cut out narcissists from your life before they ruin it.

I had trouble connecting to the FMC who I think struggled with neurodivergence and soul crushing depression and consistently felt out of place and othered. Her differences were not the problem, it was the lack of agency she displayed over her own life and the way she consistently left the door open for the abusive women in her life (her mother, her “best friend”, her older sisters) to drag her back to hell time and again (is this where I’m supposed to get the Persephone reference ??? It did not land for me). I think there’s something to be said about Stockholm Syndrome (aptly mentioned in the book) and returning to HARD places to land vs removing those people from your life. The familiar is meant to be comforting but for Dzifa / Mercy it was a dagger. Dzifa also felt disjointed as a character the way she bumbled and stumbled over herself and her words when with people she knew vs how she became a totally different person with Anthony / in Maryland was jarring.

I also had trouble understanding what this novel is about and what the central message is. This books is about everything and nothing: neurodivergence and depression masking, religious trauma, family and generational trauma, child loss, racism, capitalism and above all friendship?? I think?? But here friendship with Tatiana which was central to the story was maybe her second most detrimental relationship. After 89% of the book when Tatiana declared Dzifa was holding her back I was like no Dzifa is holding herself back because she is tethered to you. The gaslighting was crazzzzzzy. Sometimes contemporary lit just bothers me because I don’t understand the point. I feel like I’m just looking at a portal into someone’s really sad life.

This is going to be shelved in a similar category to Kin, but as someone who’s read both this one doesn’t touch the phenomenal depth that Kin does nor does it portray chosen family/friendship with the same curiosity, growth, and pain.

[Ivy Lyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I honestly did not know what journey I was about to go on when I started this book. There is very heavy material throughout the novel as Dzifa deals with her depression and Tatiana's infant passes. I thought their friendship at the start was honestly a good thing for Dzifa, pull her out of her shell and get her to connect with others, but as the story progressed it became very obvious that they didn't have a great relationship. I found both of them had good intentions with their relationship, but since they both had different personalities and coping mechanisms, they didn't really know how to give advice to each other or help the other out. The birthday scene made it very obvious that the relationship was coming to an end.
I surprisingly liked Dzifa. Her journey throughout the novel felt authentic and real. The flashbacks to when she was younger, seeing how her relationship with Esther used to be, and finding out why she changed so much really opened our eyes to the matter at heart. We can be fed the "Mommy Issues" line as much as the author wants, but it wasn't until we saw her past that I truly understood where it all came from. It was a brilliant writing choice.
Speaking of the writing, I enjoyed the inner dialogue of the novel. The novel has A LOT of inner dialogue since Dzifa isolates so much. I would consider her a reliable enough character, just one prone to be dumb. It was interesting to watch that the only two instances that we see Dzifa lose her temper in a sense, was involving Tatiana. The first time she immediately backed down and resumed being a background character, but the second time she didn't back down and we are left there, with her realizing there is more for her that just that friendship.

[Vivian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I felt this book had a really hazy, lethargic vibe that feels like it’s meant to match how Dzifa, the main character, experiences life - she’s very emotionally repressed and withdrawn, however, I felt like the story didn’t give much background about this. Most of what we learn about her trauma from her mom comes from other characters saying she’s a monster and there’s really just one flashback that demonstrates their toxic relationship but it felt vague and distant.

Most of the other characters in Dzifa’s life aren’t very likable, especially Tatiana, who’s supposed to be her best friend. Her interactions with other characters are also lethargically awkward and restrained, which I think is an artistic choice, but at times it was a bit suffocating - but perhaps that was the point?? (I’m running circles in my head 😅) There are moments where the book touches on racism, blackness, and motherhood, but it didn’t land deeply for me.

My biggest gripe with the book though is that Dzifa’s character arc is essentially flat until the very last chapter, where something finally snaps but that’s where it ends! There were a lot of loose ends and what felt like many unexplored relationships with characters and not many breakthroughs, which made the story feel a bit unsure.

What I did really like was Kai Alonte’s writing style. It was fluid, observant, and full of subtle gestures that sprinkles life to scenes. I highlighted many lines that were just 🤌🏻. I just wish the story itself had more rhythm or momentum. Beautiful prose, but felt emotionally distant.

Overall, I felt like an outsider in this story and found myself intentionally trying to find a deeper message or justifying why I didn’t enjoy it as much as I usually resonate with this genre. Maybe it just wasn’t the right fit for me, or maybe I wasn’t in the right headspace to fully connect.

[Sacha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This is a noteworthy debut with intriguing characters, a compelling view into friendship, and a hard look at what happens to people as they experience tragedy in the moment and in the aftermath. While this is not a lighthearted read, it is, overall, a hopeful one.

I found the start of the book to be incredibly charming. Both friends, Dfiza and Tatiana, are layered on their own, and their friendship develops in ways that made each character more interesting as individuals and as a unit. When the central tragedy - the death of Tatiana's very young child (noted clearly in the synopsis so NOT a spoiler) occurs - the tone of the book and the friendship changes. Things get - as any logical person might expect - dark.

What I found fascinating is that the death of the child is really the catalyst for so many other challenges: buried issues in relationships, hidden truths about individuals, and more. In some ways, it's a relief to not be pulled into this level of insistent grief the whole time. In others, it's overwhelming to keep uncovering challenges and disappointments.

At times, I struggled with slower pacing and with the heaviness of the topic. While the characters grow in some obvious ways, there is also some redundancy that did not help the forward movement. Yes, our pasts shape us. But we have to keep growing, too.

Because of the subject matter, this won't be for everyone, but I do think this author is for me. I'm looking forward to reading more from alonté, especially if there's a little more lightness involved.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Emma Thomasch at Random House for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[Nessa Velez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the kind of book that takes its time to unfold but when it ends leaves you thinking of your own life and choices. While I can see some people having issue with the pacing I actually like this style of tender writing.

We have the story of Dzifa, a neurodivergent FMC who is also clinically depressed with an unsupportive parental unit that has caused her much trauma and her journey to find passion in her studies and work life. In the book we experience the beginning and unfolding of her friendship with her counter opposite Tatiana, who is lively, comes from a stable family life and is at times overly confident. We experience Dzifas struggles as she puts her own life on hold to help Tatiana through a very hard time and how as people we sometimes put ourselves in situations that are simply detrimental to ourselves. Sometimes even people that give us their friendship and support can cause us harm and pain through their inability to accept who we are.

If you have ever had a friendship that overtook you, that felt unbalanced, that felt painful, this story will have an impact on you. I found it very real and heartbreaking. Sometimes strories do not need to scream, to be fast paced or even have perfectly likeable main characters; sometimes they just need to be real. In real life we don’t always get the perfect story and the perfect friendships. Sometimes people are very misunderstood which is one or the things I loved most about Dzifa. Even in her struggle with clinical depression and her journey to push through her own struggles you can see how hard she was trying and that tugged strongly at my heart.

[Ryan Brandenburg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine For the advanced copy of this upcoming novel that releases on April 21, 2026.

I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I enjoyed parts of the character-driven storyline. Dzifa’s storyline was engaging and complex. She clearly lacked self-esteem due to her past traumas, and I found her character arc interesting. However, some parts of her storyline left me wanting more. I believe that if the author had built her storyline better, I would have had more empathy for her.

Tatiana, the secondary character, was equally troubled, but at times, I found her to be very spoiled and unrelatable. It’s quite unclear to me what initially drew Dzifa to her and made her care so much about their scattered friendship.

The book certainly delved into some dark themes, but I didn’t feel as emotionally invested as I had hoped. Additionally, I found the concept of wealth quite perplexing. Both characters appeared to originate from affluent backgrounds, yet neither seemed to possess any money or motivation. The repetitive instances of Dzifa checking her bank account throughout the story became tiresome.

I had postponed reading this book for a while, and I must admit that I’m not entirely satisfied with its conclusion. While it might appeal to some readers, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone I know. If you’re seeking a compelling story about female friendships, there are far superior options available!

[Tonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book corelates the points of friendship/sisterhood the ability for it to withstand the test of time. Two different personalities/ upbringings coexisting fully. Sometimes you will find yourself like Dfiza being the one to fall back in the other's shadow and showing up for them even when they do not show up for you properly. Tatiana had such a boisterous personality that could be hard to reel in and did not leave much space for Dfiza to feel where exactly she fit but just knowing that she needed to show up. Because of Dfiza family life she likely stayed more in tune to the friendship with Tatiana longer because of the sense of family it gave her. Many times, we hang on to friendships that no longer serve us because of the feel of them and the fear of what will become if we let them go. Some points of this book became a hard read due to the over explanation of side characters. But overall, it told a great complicated story of friendship while showcasing the separate struggles of the characters and how they have and have not shown up the ways they could have both for themselves and for each other. Because Tatiana was such a big character role, I think this would have been better from a dual point of view. Friendship when you have nothing else something is the soft landing. Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review
📚 Book Title: Somewhere Soft to Land
✍🏽Author: kai alonté
📕 Format: 📱
⭐️ Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 = 3.5

🕑Quick Take:
Dzifa loves being alone and has not always met social expectations or figured out how to navigate friendships. She faces this ambiguity when her best friend, Tatiana Bishop, experiences the sudden loss of her child. Meanwhile, Dzifa grapples with her own life’s uncertainties, including family issues, mental health struggles, frequent job loss, and housing insecurity. She is challenged to balance her well-being and authenticity while preserving her most valued friendship.

✨ Themes:
- Friendship & Sisterhood
- Grief & Loss
- Self-Discovery & Healing
- Women's Fiction

⚠️ Heads Up (Per Novel Content Note:
- Housing Insecurity
- Mental Health Rep: Depression
- Strained Family Relationship
- Grief: Child Loss

💭Final Thoughts:
Somewhere Soft to Land offers a poignant exploration of friendship amid differing personalities, energy levels, aspirations, and needs. Dzifa was reserved and introverted, while Tatiana was magnetic, occasionally eccentric, and extroverted. I appreciated the novel’s humorous, awkward, and ambiguous moments. It reminded me that friendships can experience phases, growth, dynamics, and transitions. Overall, Somewhere Soft to Land was a deeply reflective debut novel.

Thanks to Ballantine Books for the ARC!

[Catie M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am very appreciative of net galley for the opportunity to review this book. At first I thought I’d chosen a genre that was not for me but as I persevered, I saw an opportunity to see into a complicated story about family, friendship and motherhood. The author introduces us to Dzifa who is turning thirty and is reckoning with all the complexities one can have at this time in life while dealing with depression and self worth issues. Her friendship with Tatiana is one long and very intense journey into self discovery. While it was a journey to get there, Dzifa (also known as Mercy) gradually becomes the person she was meant to be by learning who she is not. She grows in insight by examining her own mother, her sisters and her friends. Tatiana, to me, was the antagonist, though a necessary one, Dzifa’s mother, appears to be an antagonist as well. Dzifa, an intelligent Ghanaian woman, slowly learns to listen to herself and to shut out the noise. Are we going to become our truest selves by listening to what others tell us, or will we lean into the difficulties and trust ourselves to get there alone? The book is described as a story about friendship, but I saw it as a you woman’s journey towards self reliance and peace.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing is poetic and thoughtful, and there were moments where individual sentences stopped me in my tracks. By the end of the novel, I was genuinely proud of Dzifa and the growth she experienced. I especially appreciated the therapy sessions in the latter half of the racheldenisereads Listen! kai alonté is a beautiful wr to healing.
That said, I struggled with the heavy focus on Dzifa's book and the way they highlighted her active commitmen relatable, the friendship never fully resonated with me. It often felt rooted more in familiarity than genuine affection, and at times I found myself questioning whether they even liked each other. Because it occupied so much of the story, it pulled attention away from the relationships I found far more compelling. I wanted more time with her mother, siblings, Zeynep, and especially Anthony, whose relationship with Dzifa felt full of untapped potential.
Overall, I enjoyed the writing, and Part 4 was my favorite part of the book because we see her growth. I wish less time had been spent on the friendship with Tatiana and more time exploring Dzifa's healing journey, family dynamics, and neurodivergence. However, kai alonté is undeniably talented and a true wordsmith, and I'll be interested to see what she writes next.

[Michelle Herzing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kai Alonte's Somewhere Soft to Land is the kind of book that I absolutely adore, the story of a friendship between two women that started in college and continued well into adulthood, through relationships and parenthood. When one of the two women at the core of the novel endures an unspeakable tragedy, the friendship changes and we watch Dzifa and Tatiana evolve, as well.

My first impressions of the book were very positive, and I was immersed in the story immediately. Over the course of the novel, however, I found myself not emotionally involved in what was going on, and felt that both women were not handling themselves well. Tatiana seemed emotionally immature and self-centered, while Dzifa just seemed stuck in a negative spiral.

I did like the emotional growth that is shown in Dzifa, and the path she is on at the end of the novel.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine for the digital ARC of Somewhere Soft to Land by Kai Alonte. The opinions in this review are my own.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book. The quality of the writing was good but the story itself seemed to drag. Written in the first person perspective, Dzifa is a young woman with a lot of struggles. She has never felt as if she belongs anywhere, even in her own family. Her mother neglected her as she dealt with her own mental health issues so she was pretty much raised by her older sister. And there were three other older sisters that she had no contact with. Most of the novel was about Dzifa’s friendship with Tatiana, who did not seem to be much of a friend, more of a user.

Dzifa seems to let things happen to her. Much of her life is a reaction to events, rather than her taking action on her own behalf. I may just be the wrong audience for this and a reader in the same age range as Dzifa (late twenties) may connect in a stronger sense to the story and character.

Thanks to the author, NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally finished this eARC I got courtesy of NetGalley.

This book started to lose me toward the end. I like reading books about messy dynamics, this book explained the very well with Dzifa and Esther, Dzifa and her mother, Dzifa and Tatiana, B and his mother, etc.

Where this started to lose me was how the story just...wrapped. It just left me confused. What was that about the tobacco flats and calling her mom? I'm gonna reread the ending to make sure I didn’t miss a page.

I've seen others say that Dzifa's character is difficult, but i just see her dealing with CPTSD from everything her mother has put her through. I'm rooting for her and for Esther.

I wish I understood the Persephone thing, but I guess because Dzifa didn't want to know, we didn't get to. But knowing that story, maybe it was about being okay with wherever you? Make the best out of wherever you are?

I may revisit this in the future, but for now...the ending has confused me a little.

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Somewhere Soft to Land is a story of a strained friendship navigating a huge tragedy together.

I really liked the general idea of this story, but the book ended up falling a little flat. My biggest issue was the story tended to meander and it was hard to focus on what the author was trying to say. There were also a lot of important background items that were never fully explained. Like a huge part of Dfiza's story is that she has this tremendously complicated and toxic relationship with her mom, but we never really found out why or what that looked like. We just knew that was the case because several characters make vague references to it.

The characters in this book were also quite unlikeable. The character of Dfiza was obviously supposed to be a little unmoored, and I think had there been more character development I could have ended up liking her more. However, she really didn't have much growth. And then there's Tatianna, who was genuinely unbearable. I found myself spending most of the book wondering why Dfiza would ever put up with her.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the ARC!

[Firetruckmama · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher, for which I thank them.

“Somewhere Soft to Land” is by Kai Alonte. Oooh, I wanted to like this book., I really did. I was engaged in the beginning, but then slowly became less engaged as the story continued. While the beginning felt like the beginning of an interesting friendship, as it progressed I realized that I really didn’t understand why they were still “friends.” And that bugged me. Neither of the main characters are really likable (probably part of the reason I struggled) and I also felt like background information was hinted at, but never fully explored. Also, things meandered a lot. The author had a lot to say, but it wasn’t always conveyed in the best manner for the story. Not my cup of tea, but my recommendation would be to read other reviews because mine is hopefully in the minority.

[MackGetsLit · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars-
The character growth in this book was well done, while tackling heavy issues such as grief, abuse, and trauma.
I was rooting for our main character to grow a back bone and set some boundaries with her family and friends, which managed to take the entire book to accomplish.
The dichotomy of the two mothers and how their parenting choices shaped each daughter was interesting and really laid the groundwork for that character development.
There were some misses in the storyline for me that I felt could have went further (the B character and his family for instance, that was a bit of a let down for me that it wasn’t flushed out more).
Overall, i was engaged and would read another book by her.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Reading Fool · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Dzifa and Tatiana are best friends, each having had very different upbringings. Dzifa survived a traumatic childhood with a neglectful mother and absent father. Tatiana grew up in a loving home, receiving everything she asked or longed for. Their friendship is tested when Tatiana experiences an unbearable tragedy. This is a story about family, female friendship, sisterhood, and the consequences of failed expectations from one's self and from family and friends. Impressive debut novel.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating look at friendship and all of its intricacies. Dzifa and Tatiana meet in college and become friends. Seven years later Dzifa is known as Mercy and Tatiana has just lost her baby, Luca. Time has passed, their lives have both changed, and secrets are kept. It's often lovely and sometimes surprising as we see what changes each woman endures as they navigate all life has to offer!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!