Homesick Nomad: Settling into an Untethered Life

by Brianna Madia

New York Times bestselling author of Nowhere for Very Long and Never Leave the Dogs Behind Brianna Madia considers putting down roots—but on her own terms—in this intimate and inspiring memoir.

Brianna Madia is beloved for her honest and enthralling accounts of life in the wilderness, finding her own way by rejecting society’s expectations, so what happens when she falls in love and has to reset the boundaries of her fierce independence?

Homesick Nomad finds Bri splitting her time between her beloved wild desert in Utah and her partner's cozy suburban home in the Pacific Northwest, reckoning with a new urge to soften into the embrace of the comforts of home with the fear of losing her independence. She’s not only defying convention to prove something to herself or to others—a simpler way of life out in the desert actually brings her peace, as she realizes when resisting “upgrades” to her trailer like running water.

Balancing the liberation of the wilderness with the natural compromises of love, Bri navigates these familiar tensions by embracing her life in its wholeness, richer for both the stability of home and the profundity of wide-open spaces.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Dogs, Travel, Nature, Animals

240 pages, Hardcover

Published April 7, 2026

About the author

Brianna Madia has lived a life of relentless intention, traveling the deserts of the American West in an old Ford van. She made a name for herself on social media with her inspiring captions-cum-essays about bravery, identity, nature, and subverting expectations. She lives in Utah with her four dogs.

Reviews

[Shelby Connelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 stars rounded to 5 to counter the haters (read the book and you’ll know why)

While I enjoyed Bri’s first two books, I’ve been looking forward to the memoirs she writes after a bit more time/space/healing, and this certainly delivered. Told with her signature humor, biting wit, and down-to-earth poeticism, this book really showcases her storytelling talents.

Just like her earlier memoirs, it’s also abundantly clear how much she loves her dogs; they’ve been, more often than not, her reason for getting up in the mornings, for carrying on through the shit storm that was 2020-22. I’ve been following Bri since 2016? 2017? and reading this after the passing of Dagwood was incredibly emotional. You can feel the unconditional love dripping off of the pages.

[Linnea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I flew through this and have read all the author’s books. She’s living a unique and inspirational life and is a magnificent storyteller! I can totally relate to her immense love for her dogs.

[Erin Maxson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loving Brianna Madia is easy. As someone who has followed her for years, I always rush to be the first to read her latest book.

This one shows a new level of vulnerability to Brianna — that being cared for doesn’t mean you can’t be strong and independent.

homesick nomad is packed to the brim with lessons learned, choosing the right path for you (even if it’s not the same as anyone else’s), and not letting the bastards get you down forever.

Thank you to Selena for helping our girl, Brianna. I am forever grateful she’s still here with us chasing sunsets with the dogs.

To Brianna, your adventures (domestic or wild) have inspired so much of my life with my dogs. I hope you know how much you’ve done for so many of us.

Thank you to Brianna, her publishers and NetGalley for the early read. 🐾

[Kelsey Wimberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I absolutely love Brianna Madia but I think I know too much about her life to read her memoirs. I get that she has to give some background to her other two memoirs for somebody who would just be randomly picking up this book, but as a fan for so long I already knew about half the book and I’ve heard it a bunch of times through Instagram. That’s not to say I wasn’t interested in the new stuff and about figuring out how to settle down with her fiancee. Which I can weirdly relate to in a way. I also think it was a bit all over the place and there wasn’t a good “flow” to the book. I think she should go more into detail about the certain adventures she’s had/goes on and kind of make that the story rather than giving us general info.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️ cause f the haters 💕

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up without knowing anything about the author. I was drawn in by the cover. She's a social media influencer living with 4 dogs in the desert. Her story felt genuine as she went over highs, lows, defeats and triumphs. I loved imagining her living the freedom she described.

At times, this memoir was heartfelt, and at others, it had me laughing out loud. The balance of emotion and humor is exactly what I like when reading memoirs. This one definitely delivered on both accounts.

[Korbi Hyde-Murphey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Homesick Nomad by Brianna Madia is another 5-star read for me—and honestly, I’ve come to expect nothing less from her at this point. This is the third book of hers I’ve read, and I’ve loved every single one.

Her writing is raw, honest, and deeply personal. She doesn’t hold back, sharing intimate pieces of her life in a way that feels both vulnerable and powerful. This book explores love and loss, identity, and what it means to stay true to yourself, even when the world (and the internet) is trying to tear you down.

There’s a heaviness in this one, especially as she navigates grief and the toll of online bullying. But there’s also resilience, growth, and moments of clarity that really stick with you. Watching her confront her fears and fight to reclaim herself was inspiring.

And of course, her dogs are woven throughout the story, adding warmth, humor, and so much heart. If you’re a dog person, those moments will hit especially hard.

This book made me laugh, cry, and gave me chills. It’s the kind of memoir that lingers with you after you finish it.

Thank you for sharing your life, Brianna.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Listening to an author read their book just makes it hit even harder. Every time her voice broke talking about Dagwood, I teared up right there with her. The love she carries for her dogs is incredibly tangible and this was beautifully written. This was delightful and infuriating and funny and heartbreaking and everything in between. I could say so much more, but I don’t have the words. So instead I’ll leave ya with a couple quotes I liked:

“I subtracted one husband and doubled my dogs. A top notch equation if you ask me.”

“When someone wants to help you, it doesn’t always mean that they think you’re incapable. It might just mean that they love you.”

[Susan Kovach · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ The author writes so beautifully and I love her love of dogs and sense of adventure. It’s also refreshing to hear her thoughts on choosing to be childfree since I feel the same. It was nice to feel understood

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. My favorite of her 3 memoirs.

[Megan Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to HarperOne and NetGalley for the ARC!

I devoured this. I read 60% one night and finished it the next. I really enjoy her writing and it feels both flowery and harsh (in a good way). If you’ve read her other two books, this one is a bit repetitive at times which is kind of a bummer since it’s only 240 pages but I also get that some back story is relevant if people haven’t read the others.

I do feel like you can see her growth and change between the last two books, which is good and interesting to see not in real time but documented in this way. Even just the change regarding the house in Bend in this book alone was nice to see. I was initially very curious what would even be in this because two memoirs for four years is a lot but I enjoyed the new stories.

This is also my unofficial request for a specific travel memoir(s?) in the future. Those are always my favorite of her stories (the slot canyon story in the first book is still my favorite) and I would eat that up.

I’m glad I read this and will likely continue to read whatever she puts out.

[Elena Wisecarver · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve always enjoyed Brianna’s storytelling, I’ve followed her on social media for probably 10 years now.
However this book just didn’t do it for me, which is disappointing because I appreciate her as a creative and want to support.
I felt like I had read it before, so much of it was familiar already, there were a number of recycled passages that were almost word for word excerpts from her other books. I understand the need to build context for readers who don’t know her story or hadn’t read the other two.
In my opinion her best book was the first one, and it included the most poetic detail about the landscapes and I think that’s where her talent as a writer really comes through.
I’m glad this book brought her closure to the harassment she received, but this novel in particular, read more like a blog post with attempts to get tell her side of the story about misconceptions people have from her sharing her life on social media (divorce, internet harassment, freedom)
In a way I found this book was an attempt to un-romanticize her lifestyle but I’m not sure for what purpose?
Will continue to cheer her on by following on socials but from a literary standpoint this book (as well the second) was a miss for me. :/

[Rachel Millis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bri’s storytelling of her life makes me understand things about myself I have never been able to put into words.

I found her Instagram when I was 17 and realizing quickly that I did not want to have kids. For a girl who grew up in Utah, (iykyk) finding Bri was a breath of fresh air that I didn’t know existed. Her post about choosing to not have kids all those years ago, validated everything I had been feeling. I had no idea it was possible to have a life without kiddos. Bri gave me an introduction to a life I have always imagined for myself. Childless, free spirited, and full of dogs (sorry Bean and Mae).

While that post was years ago, I stayed inspired by her honesty, adventures, and glowing smile attached to her at all times. Something that has really inspired me was her ability to be vulnerable with her audience after everything she has been through. Homesick Nomad continues adventure of her life and as she shares it, I become enveloped in it.

I am forever grateful for her presence and inspiration she has had on my life for the past 10 years and her ability to share it all.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook version read by the author, and while I enjoyed many parts peppered throughout this memoir, it just didn’t come together for me. While the writing was good throughout, there were some parts I was bored because I already knew the story from a previous memoir of hers or from Instagram. On the flip side, there were many quotes that stuck with me and I really loved the ending. I’ve enjoyed Brianna’s writing for many years now and I look forward to what she will write next.

[Peaarly · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️, Brianna Madia doesn’t disappoint, I will always read her books, she’s a remarkable storyteller.

[Jodi Folzenlogen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Bri and her animals and the way they live their life

[Lexi King · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will always give this author a 5 stars. I think she’s so raw about the realities of her life and willingness to share it all with us

[Matil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another one finds me at the right time. And speaks the words that I can’t seem to find.

Thank you Brianna for sharing yourself and your dogs with us. Thank you for sticking around.

Can’t wait to see what you do next.

[Rachel Beiler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book so much! I just wish it was longer. I read it too quickly🥲

[Giulia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The very first page had me tearing up. I finished it in two days. My only complaint is that it wasn’t longer.

[Carolyn Messer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always end up reading her books in one sitting

[Alanna Driscoll · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read all 3! This is her best one yet!!!

[Megan Paulsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded to 5. I’m not normally a reader of memoirs but I’ve been following Bri’s story for many years, and I’ll continue to ready anything she puts out!

[Amy Dickinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brianna Madia has taught me so much about what it means to “live” online and how much it can truly lead people to behave in absolutely fucked up ways and treat one another as less than human. Madia has also taught me the absolute joy of raising a dog and giving them the life of their dreams. This book was just as honest and wild as her other memoirs - there were a few repetitive stories, but they do make sense to provide context for a reader who would pick up this book without reading the other two. I especially loved how she spoke about choosing a child free life and the challenges/rewards that come with this, her many adventures, and her understanding of what home means to her (and how this may change and grow through life).

Thanks to HarperOne and Edelweiss for the ARC!

[Szilvi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have followed Brianna on Instagram since around 2012, so there weren’t too many surprises in this novel for me, but that’s not why I read it. Brianna’s writing is raw, honest, beautiful, and wise. Stunning descriptions of nature are seamlessly intertwined with wisdom and introspection, laugh out loud stories, scathing social commentary, and of course plenty of dogs.

Brianna is unconventional in many ways, choosing to live out of a van or trailer at times, choosing not to have children (other than her furry ones) - something she expands on at length - and not having a typical job (making income as an author and an influencer). While not everyone will, as a result of reading her novels, quit their jobs and move to a patch of land in the desert, her perspectives on personal values, the importance of choosing your own path, and the courage to be true to yourself can resonate with anyone. Her love of nature and her dogs shines through every page, and just like with her Instagram, we get to vicariously live through her as she explores the wilderness with her little pack.

A big part of this novel was Brianna’s views on social media. She walks us through how she first started using Instagram, how it took off to have as many followers as she now does, and how she has increasingly felt dehumanized as a result. She has become a “public figure”, which seems to give others license to see her as a character, as someone without feelings, or as someone who deserves hate.
As someone who has fortunately not had to deal with cyberbullying, it is mind-blowing to realize how little legal recourse there is when it does happen to you. Companies can “cancel” you just because a few people make enough noise, without necessarily any evidence that what they are saying is true. Often victims are told to “just ignore it”, which is difficult when your livelihood depends on social media. Sure, Brianna made the choice to keep her account public (with a small interlude), but even if people have public accounts, that shouldn’t give others permission to harass them. It is truly terrifying, and I am glad that she was able to identify these people and go after them. No one should get to hide behind anonymity online when they are being awful humans and causing harm.
Brianna at some point mentions that she stopped posting in real time. This is good advice for anyone active on social media!! Don’t tag locations, and only post vacation photos once you’re back so burglars don’t know to raid your house while you’re gone. Also don’t put your home address on suitcases, just a phone number / email.

Another central part of this book was Brianna’s divorce and subsequent relationship with her now-partner William. I loved reading about how they met and how their relationship grew. William seems like a really chill, nice guy.
I had the same experience of being a “tough” woman, until I met a man I could rely on, who wasn’t a pushover. I’m happy for Brianna that she found someone who gives her the freedom she needs and the support she doesn’t want to ask for, but still appreciates. I know I couldn’t be in a relationship where we are in different states half the time, but it works for them, and that’s all that matters.
It is refreshing to see a woman who doesn’t NEED a man to help her fix her car, but still is in a relationship with one just because she wants to be, and it is a healthy relationship built on trust and mutual respect.
I think Brianna manages to speak of her ex-husband respectfully and tactfully, despite what was by all accounts a very messy break-up.

As for some constructive feedback:
- I wish she had included some photos in the book, such as photos of her dogs, Bertha before and after the renovation, William, her mom, Baja, and her trailer in Utah. I spent half the book scrolling through Instagram trying to find visuals.
- The book was organized by topic, so it wasn’t in timeline order. That generally makes sense as each chapter was cohesive, but it did make the overall timeline confusing at times - in one chapter she says that she burned all her bridges in Moab and has no one to introduce William to, in another she says that her dogs stayed behind with friends while she traveled internationally… so which is it? It would have been interesting to hear more about her friendships, but I guess she might have been trying to protect her circle from more exposure as well.

In short, as others have said, Brianna is a magnificent storyteller and you should read this book!

[DG · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up.

I’ve been following Brianna for almost 10 years now (I checked), and I’ve always loved her writing. This book, like her others, is beautifully written, overflowing with the same lyrical prose that drew so many people to her on Instagram.

The reason I’m taking off half of a star is 2-fold. First, this book, while beautifully written, gives us almost nothing new. If you’ve followed her journey online, and especially if you’ve read her first 2 books, most of what’s here is repetitive. What’s new are details about her relationship with William, which is a very sweet addition. It’s pretty clear that they are very much in love. But the rest of the book was a little disappointing - maybe I’m a bit nosy, but I was hoping for a bit more detail about the Reddit thread. Unfortunately, the singular chapter dedicated to this topic was simply a rehashing of everything we saw play out on Instagram, except this time with names changed. Considering Brianna marketed this book with promises of exposing these people, I was surprised that there were next to no new details shared.

The second reason for my deduction is that parts of the book seemed a little… narcissistic? That is a harsh word, but I can’t think of another. Brianna seems to have become very aware of (and obsessed with) her own eccentricity. There were far too many instances of “I’m just not like other girls” for my liking. We get it - you have eschewed conventionality to live your truth in a trailer in the desert. You don’t have to call out the uniqueness of that choice - it’s obvious, and it’s arguably why most people are reading the book in the first place. I’ve always admired her for her infallible confidence in herself, but it seems like she has become a bit too immeshed in her own mythology.

Regardless of these things, the book is absolutely worthwhile. Brianna is a great writer. I just hope that Book 4 brings something new to the table.

[Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Listen to the audiobook. Narration was excellent. Her first 2 books were 3 stars however this one struggled to be a 2 star. Briana spent a good portion of this book playing the victim without fault. It was not appealing. And while no one should be cyber bullied or threatened ever, it’s the sad reality of putting yourself out there on social media. Brianna kept saying that her only mistake was omitting the fact that her husband ran over her dog. Actually, if she simply would’ve told the truth up front to begin with, I think people would have not felt cheated or lied to or tricked. I think they would’ve still given willingly the 1000s and thousands of dollars they did to help her dog get the medical treatment it needed to live. But to come out with the truth years later, left many people feel in deceived and made her look untrustworthy. And she never came to terms with that. I did enjoy the part about her new boyfriend Will and I loved hearing about her adventures and free spirit. I didn’t like the fact that he she was bragging that Will killed a deer at 9 years old. Also, it was very awkward that she felt it was a compelling argument to say that because she never had a toilet or running water in her van, that her justification was to say that people all over the world don’t have that so there’s nothing wrong with her not having it. That was very awkward.

[Alicia Garcia-Webster · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started reading this book, it was a rough start for me. The author's life choices were the exact polar opposite of the type of lifestyle that would appeal to me. But once I made peace with that and I set it aside, I was hooked on her story. She wrote well, her essays were relatively short but informative, and there was always a moral takeaway, if not for the author herself, then for the reader most certainly. The overall message of her book (to me anyway) was that it's OK to be a little bit crazy, a little bit of an outlier, and to listen to your own voice rather than to what the world would have you do. The author made me feel that even if I am a "by the book" kind of person, that I can still color outside the lines now and then to see how that feels for me. I love, too, how she is very honest about not just the plusses but also some of the minuses that come with the lifestyle that she has adopted. I am now interested to read the other books that she has written. I think that the author has a talent for softening the stricture of rigidity, and making me feel like I don't have to go "full feral" in order to reap the rewards of a life a little less defined. ** I received this ARC from NetGalley for review, but the opinions are my own.

[Jen CE · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite chatting with her once for all of five delightful minutes, I feel like I know a lot about Bri. On her Instagram, and in her memoirs, she is open and vulnerable and honest and unabashed. I relate to her on many levels... love of: dogs, the magic of the desert, being childfree, travel, turquoise, cowboy boots, reading, writing, choosing to live a less conventional life than most. (Though I admittedly ended up in the suburbs a lot sooner and more fixedly than she.) Anyway! All this is kind of leading to, given how much I've already absorbed, there wasn't really anything new for me to learn/hear in this memoir. Between her previous memoirs and her IG posts, I feel like I've already heard all the stories shared up to this point, and I was a wee bit bummed that there wasn't *more.* That said! This is someone's actual life, she owes us nothing, and a bit repetitive or not, she is a skilled writer/storyteller. I own all three of her works in both audio and signed hardcover, and I will always support badass women who not only persevere, but thrive. I hope there's a fourth book at some point... that might satisfy my desire for more, while also infusing the world with some much needed doses of gumption and grit.

[Allie McManus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brianna is a talented writer who I've been following on Instagram for over a decade now. I read this book, like a read all of her books in a single twenty four hours, mostly because I love the stories she tells and I find bits and pieces of my own spirit tucked into the pages.

I thought the first 50 or so pages to be a bit repetitive but I that was done incase someone picked up this book without reading her others, so I understand the reasoning. The rest of the book I really loved. As someone who has also lived in a trailer in Moab and traveled the country with a bunch of dogs I can relate to so much that she writes more than most. Her chapter on not having children was deeply comforting and made me feel more seen than anything I've read in years. I'm grateful that a writer like her exists, who makes my choices feel just important the ones celebrated in our society.

Her stories about her relationship with William were so tender and full of love. Overall it was a beautiful book.