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Five Seasons of Charlie Francis
A bold, refreshing, and darkly funny debut novel about a mixed-ancestry Mi’kmaw woman balancing academia, grief, love, and new motherhood, for fans of Fleabag and Amanda Peters.
When the tides in the Cobequid Bay went out and left stretches of mudflats, I could walk halfway to the other shore. Sometimes the mud engulfed my feet, right up to my ankles, and made it hard to move. The longer you stayed stuck, the harder it was to keep going.
Charlie Francis’s five-year plan has gone to shit. She was supposed to greet the new millennium by diving head-first into a master’s degree, but her thesis has ground to a halt, Y2K was a bust, her rambunctious family and claustrophobic hometown are driving her around the bend, and the maybe-love-of-her-life, Adam, keeps joking about her moving home to marry him and have his babies.
When Charlie’s beloved uncle, the same person who told her to get out of town and never look back, dies suddenly, Charlie leans into her independence, breaking Adam’s heart and rushing headlong into an academic career despite the baked-in racism of the predominantly white institution. When she unexpectedly becomes pregnant, she has to navigate being a (mostly) single mother on top of everything else.
Charlie finds herself at a crossroads, and only so much stress-baking can keep reality at bay. How can she reconcile being a student of history within the colonial system that exploited her ancestors? How can she be a good mother when she can barely afford groceries? And how can she be a proud Mi’kmaw woman when the world seems determined to keep her down?
Maybe it’s time for a new five-year plan.
With grit, humour, a lovable cast, and the nostalgia of the early aughts, this bold and refreshing novel from a powerful new voice in Indigenous fiction explores grief, the complex bonds of family, and cultural identity.
When the tides in the Cobequid Bay went out and left stretches of mudflats, I could walk halfway to the other shore. Sometimes the mud engulfed my feet, right up to my ankles, and made it hard to move. The longer you stayed stuck, the harder it was to keep going.
Charlie Francis’s five-year plan has gone to shit. She was supposed to greet the new millennium by diving head-first into a master’s degree, but her thesis has ground to a halt, Y2K was a bust, her rambunctious family and claustrophobic hometown are driving her around the bend, and the maybe-love-of-her-life, Adam, keeps joking about her moving home to marry him and have his babies.
When Charlie’s beloved uncle, the same person who told her to get out of town and never look back, dies suddenly, Charlie leans into her independence, breaking Adam’s heart and rushing headlong into an academic career despite the baked-in racism of the predominantly white institution. When she unexpectedly becomes pregnant, she has to navigate being a (mostly) single mother on top of everything else.
Charlie finds herself at a crossroads, and only so much stress-baking can keep reality at bay. How can she reconcile being a student of history within the colonial system that exploited her ancestors? How can she be a good mother when she can barely afford groceries? And how can she be a proud Mi’kmaw woman when the world seems determined to keep her down?
Maybe it’s time for a new five-year plan.
With grit, humour, a lovable cast, and the nostalgia of the early aughts, this bold and refreshing novel from a powerful new voice in Indigenous fiction explores grief, the complex bonds of family, and cultural identity.
- GenresIndigenousCanadaGrief
322 pages, Paperback
Published October 28, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
April 22, 2026
With a distinctive compelling charm, The Five Seasons of Charlie Franics deftly explores the struggle of a young indigenous woman as she carries the taxing demands of motherhood, family expectations, and her pursuit of academia all in a world layered with racism.
After an unexpected pregnancy adds ‘single mother’ to her growing list of titles, Charlie copes the only way she knows how—by doing it all without complaining to ensure no one is disappointed. But burning a candle at both ends cannot last and Charlie is forced to re-examine the motivation behind her steadfast choices, including a remarkable promise she’s kept secret.
Told in a personality-rich prose with equal measures of dark wit and heartfelt joy, Danica Roache takes the reader on an emotionally gripping journey by illuminating the complexity of cultural identity, and the unbeknownst pressures of unconditional love. Endearing and brilliantly crafted!
September 13, 2025
Wow!! This is why we read. What a beautiful, beautiful book.
I could comment on a few little things that niggled, but why ruin the high… and they really don’t make any difference to how I feel after reading this book. What a glorious day this has been finishing up this one!!
This book is smart and snappy, full of tenderness, and boatloads of family and community characters and stories. Yes there is grief and a modicum of trauma - but there is JOY and resilience and perseverance. But mostly this is about love and being loved and the power of love.
And it is firmly grounded in a real historic place… an absolute love letter to the area along the north shore of Cobequid Bay.
Read this book!
And did I remind that it’s a debut?! It just keeps getting better…
This book made my cheeks hurt… high praise indeed.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for granting me access to an early digital review copy.
I could comment on a few little things that niggled, but why ruin the high… and they really don’t make any difference to how I feel after reading this book. What a glorious day this has been finishing up this one!!
This book is smart and snappy, full of tenderness, and boatloads of family and community characters and stories. Yes there is grief and a modicum of trauma - but there is JOY and resilience and perseverance. But mostly this is about love and being loved and the power of love.
And it is firmly grounded in a real historic place… an absolute love letter to the area along the north shore of Cobequid Bay.
Read this book!
And did I remind that it’s a debut?! It just keeps getting better…
This book made my cheeks hurt… high praise indeed.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for granting me access to an early digital review copy.
November 5, 2025
I’ve been (not so) patiently waiting for the opportunity to read Danica Roache’s debut novel and I’m (unsurprisingly) pleased to report it was even better than I possibly could have imagined.
There’s always something special about reading a book set in a familiar place, in this case, Nova Scotia. Danica weaves together a tender, witty, atmospheric story surrounding our main character, Charlie Francis. Watching Charlie navigate pregnancy, relationships, friendships, grief, academia and what it means to be Mi’kmaw in the modern world
was nothing short of a remarkable journey I’m glad I got to be a part of.
I adored the relationships between Charlie, her parents, her brother and her uncle. I felt so cozy during the time we spent in their home. The way Charlie’s co-parent and best friend knew her better than she thought they did was heartwarming to witness. I think the examination of the messy, non-linear way our lives unfold will resonate with a lot of readers and most of us can find at least a small part of Charlie within ourselves.
At many points during the book, Charlie is faced with bizarre comments from some of the people she meets, particularly in the academic circuit. I felt seen in her internal visceral reactions to these poignant interactions. It’s exceptional when an author can take a rarely talked about yet universal human experience and accurately get it down on the page. Suffice it to say I will be (not so) patiently waiting for the author’s next release and in the meantime, I’ll be recommending this book to anyone that will listen.
A special thank you to Nimbus Publishing, Vagrant Press and the author for an advanced digital copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
There’s always something special about reading a book set in a familiar place, in this case, Nova Scotia. Danica weaves together a tender, witty, atmospheric story surrounding our main character, Charlie Francis. Watching Charlie navigate pregnancy, relationships, friendships, grief, academia and what it means to be Mi’kmaw in the modern world
was nothing short of a remarkable journey I’m glad I got to be a part of.
I adored the relationships between Charlie, her parents, her brother and her uncle. I felt so cozy during the time we spent in their home. The way Charlie’s co-parent and best friend knew her better than she thought they did was heartwarming to witness. I think the examination of the messy, non-linear way our lives unfold will resonate with a lot of readers and most of us can find at least a small part of Charlie within ourselves.
At many points during the book, Charlie is faced with bizarre comments from some of the people she meets, particularly in the academic circuit. I felt seen in her internal visceral reactions to these poignant interactions. It’s exceptional when an author can take a rarely talked about yet universal human experience and accurately get it down on the page. Suffice it to say I will be (not so) patiently waiting for the author’s next release and in the meantime, I’ll be recommending this book to anyone that will listen.
A special thank you to Nimbus Publishing, Vagrant Press and the author for an advanced digital copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
November 5, 2025
Well-written. A number of things to like about this book: local influence and cultural relevancy. Lots of funny bits, jokes, observations, situations, juxtapositions. Nicely paced. Everything sown is reaped. Whatever editing process happened here was efficient and targeted. There's a core to this novel, it has gravity and orbit. One could say: seasons. Hmm. Charlie's a charismatic main character. She's got more to her than the standard paperback fiction character. There's an old adage for authors: make your characters totally capable and then put them in circumstances that test that capability. Roache succeeds in that right, and the result is a novel that is easy to feel an affinity towards. Read it. Buy seven copies. Give it five stars.
December 27, 2025
An absolute joy from start to finish. This book is beautifully written, effortlessly readable, and funny in all the right places. I’m officially hooked on this author and can’t wait to read whatever she writes next.
I really hope this debut novel finds its way into many hands—I had to put the book down at one point just to say out loud how much I loved the characters. I can’t remember the last time a book made me do that?
January 16, 2026
This book feels like home … it is home. A history MA student from small town NS not sure about her five year plan? Gagged. What a warm hug. I felt the sun on me when reading this and smelled my city.
July 1, 2026
5/5
on my hands and knees begging for a CanCon broadcaster to adapt this into a series!!!!!
Guys this is it, this is definitely one of my new favourite contemporary novels EVER. Can you believe it? A book that actually includes a bit of romance is one of my favourites??? That’s a testament to how fabulous the writing is. It had me actually laughing out loud, gasping, tearing up, and scoffing.
Love love love how Canadian this novel is, I knew it was going to be good as soon as The Vinyl Cafe was referenced and then the references just kept on coming.
I loved Charlie and her family; they felt like real people, you can hear them all talking over each other and bickering, but there is still so much love and affection in their interactions (Johnny was the quintessential brother).
Charlie’s arc was so wonderful; she matured so gracefully, and it really felt like she was coming home to herself in the end, embracing her Mi’kmaw heritage and her role in academia, uniting them together (and ‘bushwhacking’ her way through all the whiteness and colonial perspective of academia).
on my hands and knees begging for a CanCon broadcaster to adapt this into a series!!!!!
“I always seemed to be disappointing someone I either looked Native or not Native enough though I didn’t really know what that meant”
Guys this is it, this is definitely one of my new favourite contemporary novels EVER. Can you believe it? A book that actually includes a bit of romance is one of my favourites??? That’s a testament to how fabulous the writing is. It had me actually laughing out loud, gasping, tearing up, and scoffing.
Love love love how Canadian this novel is, I knew it was going to be good as soon as The Vinyl Cafe was referenced and then the references just kept on coming.
I loved Charlie and her family; they felt like real people, you can hear them all talking over each other and bickering, but there is still so much love and affection in their interactions (Johnny was the quintessential brother).
Charlie’s arc was so wonderful; she matured so gracefully, and it really felt like she was coming home to herself in the end, embracing her Mi’kmaw heritage and her role in academia, uniting them together (and ‘bushwhacking’ her way through all the whiteness and colonial perspective of academia).
“You’re never going to belong,” Dad said. “But you’re white enough they’ll trust you.” He scratched his jaw. “You can blend better than I could.”
I knew he was right. My skin was lighter than my dad’s. Lighter than Johnny’s even. And my proximity to whiteness made me more palatable. I thought back to the prof at my thesis defense trying to tell me she was Mi’kmaw too.
“You can speak the way they do,” Dad continued, “but you’ll never be one of them. You can’t ever exist in that space without feeling outside it. But they’ll let you in. And you gotta use that. You can make a difference by being there. Even if it’s just telling people when they’re being shitty.”
April 14, 2026
I really appreciated this read. I appreciate the moments of hope & connection & change & inclusion Roache interwove without coming off cheesey or heavy-handed. I appreciate that reading it had the comfort of a friend. I appreciated how the 'normalized' racism Charlie experienced due to her Mi'kmaq ancestry was conveyed - it's ability to fuel both self-doubt & indignation/action, & the myriad of ways in which systemic -level racism + microaggressions converged throughout the system (healthcare, academia) to shape and exclude individual experience & identity. How meaningful repair on the interpersonal level could look. The complex mixture of feelings associated with participating in a system that both brings you fulfillment & denies your lived experience / has some fucked power dynamics. Overall I found Roache's narrative voice really earnest & ensconcing. I can't quite get at what I'm trying to say but I really appreciated this, especially as one I randomly grabbed from the lib & as someone coming from an academic background.
January 26, 2026
This is a debut novel by a Nova Scotia writer and it is a sort of late coming of age tale.
Charlie Francis wants to get out of her small Nova Scotia town. Charlie Francis wants to be the first person in her family to graduate from college. Charlie Francis is heavily influenced by those around her, and unsure of what it is she truly wants.
Charlie Francis has a 5 year plan. Charlie Francis needs to remember that things almost never go according to plan.
We watch Charlie grow and connect with her family, her grief, her culture, her roots, her relationships and finding her voice.
A strong debut.
Charlie Francis wants to get out of her small Nova Scotia town. Charlie Francis wants to be the first person in her family to graduate from college. Charlie Francis is heavily influenced by those around her, and unsure of what it is she truly wants.
Charlie Francis has a 5 year plan. Charlie Francis needs to remember that things almost never go according to plan.
We watch Charlie grow and connect with her family, her grief, her culture, her roots, her relationships and finding her voice.
A strong debut.
March 7, 2026
I loved this book! Set in Nova Scotia, and written by a member of Glooscap First Nation, we follow the story of Charlie Francis as she embraces the struggles of growing into the person she is meant to be. I didn't want this book to end, and hope there will be a sequel from this talented writer. It’s difficult not to fall in love with (most of) the characters. Hearing the Land Acknowledgement being spoken every morning in elementary schools in our Province will resonate more strongly with me now. A must read!
December 3, 2025
One of the best books I’ve read all year. Loved it!
December 9, 2025
4.5 stars:)
April 12, 2026
I really enjoyed this
January 19, 2026
Brilliant read. 5 stars.
March 29, 2026
You know how sometimes books arrive in your life at just the right moment? This is one of those books that came just at the right time. Sometimes even an individual chapter hit just as it needed to.
A funny, touching novel about motherhood, identity, grief, family, and love, I savoured these pages. I also felt such kinship to the character—navigating obligations toward something you wanted and remember being passionate about, while also navigating taking care of an unexpected but very wanted newborn, feeling like you’re not giving enough of yourself to either and living in a constant state of guilt. And then later on, the joys and frustrations and exhaustion of doing similar work again—this time with a toddler who’s growing far too quickly. Of feeling like you’re never quite enough, but having to believe and know that you are.
Yeah – this book hit.
But if you’re not in that phase of life, there’s so much more to love and learn from in these pages. The ways our society and history are written through a white lens—and ‘history’ doesn’t necessarily mean fact or truth. The courage to live the life you truly want, not the one you think you’re supposed to, and the ups and downs and intricacies of navigating life and family dynamics while navigating grief, and the complexities of living with mixed ancestry.
A thoroughly enjoyable read that I highly recommend.
A funny, touching novel about motherhood, identity, grief, family, and love, I savoured these pages. I also felt such kinship to the character—navigating obligations toward something you wanted and remember being passionate about, while also navigating taking care of an unexpected but very wanted newborn, feeling like you’re not giving enough of yourself to either and living in a constant state of guilt. And then later on, the joys and frustrations and exhaustion of doing similar work again—this time with a toddler who’s growing far too quickly. Of feeling like you’re never quite enough, but having to believe and know that you are.
Yeah – this book hit.
But if you’re not in that phase of life, there’s so much more to love and learn from in these pages. The ways our society and history are written through a white lens—and ‘history’ doesn’t necessarily mean fact or truth. The courage to live the life you truly want, not the one you think you’re supposed to, and the ups and downs and intricacies of navigating life and family dynamics while navigating grief, and the complexities of living with mixed ancestry.
A thoroughly enjoyable read that I highly recommend.
September 15, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.
Early on, I was hooked, knew this was a contender.
Then I started to get annoyed by very short, quick references to Indigenous stereotypes without digging in. Did I miss something important in it, when she named her kid Angus??
Then her educational direction changed and I assumed that it was a slow burn to help her realize her feelings around years of assimilation policies. Which I dig as a strategy.
This book came together as it neared its end, as she really found her voice as it pertains to her culture. This was excellent.
Early on, I was hooked, knew this was a contender.
Then I started to get annoyed by very short, quick references to Indigenous stereotypes without digging in. Did I miss something important in it, when she named her kid Angus??
Then her educational direction changed and I assumed that it was a slow burn to help her realize her feelings around years of assimilation policies. Which I dig as a strategy.
This book came together as it neared its end, as she really found her voice as it pertains to her culture. This was excellent.
January 27, 2026
I couldn’t put this book down. It is not overtly “action-packed”, but you become so invested in the main character that you need to keep reading. An incredible story that weaves in so many important themes. The local mentions and connections to Halifax/Dalhousie/Great Village and surrounding areas made it hit even closer to home for me. I am going to shout it from the rooftops that everyone should read this book.
May 1, 2026
Geez..I really liked this story. I liked the chapter style..I liked the seasons.
I liked that the story is so relatable to where I live and the people around me that are family amd friends.
Thanks Danica Roache.
I liked that the story is so relatable to where I live and the people around me that are family amd friends.
Thanks Danica Roache.
May 19, 2026
A brilliant read. I loved the style of writing with short chapters. The descriptions of Mi'kma'ki (Nova Scotia) were excellent. A beautiful coming of age story as Charlie grows into herself as mother, academic, and most importantly as a Mi'kmaq person. Great use of humour too!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2026
Fantastic read
January 17, 2026
OMG!! I loved this book!!! it was so good. I laughed and cried. incredible
February 19, 2026
A beautiful, quiet story about Charlie, a young woman just figuring life out. The characters feel real, the story draws you in, and it has things to say without being preachy. Loved it!
May 22, 2026
Fantastic read! One of the best books I have ever read!
July 15, 2026
Loved this book, very well-written and the story is beautiful.
July 19, 2026
Seriously one of the better books I’ve read, everything seemed so real and refreshing insane work from Danica. Hoping she’ll publish more in the future cause I’ll be first in line at the book store
September 14, 2025
This was a really interesting story from a new (to me) author. I was really drawn by the description, and the opportunity to hear from an indigenous main character. I really enjoyed Charlie, and the feeling of having made life plans for them to absolutely be cut off from happening for different reasons. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who has ever felt life hasn't gone according to their plan, and then has to decide how to pivot!
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews