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The Revelation of Dionne Daphne: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 30 Jun 26Mara Brock Akil, the award-winning creator of Girlfriends, Being Mary Jane, Love Is, and Forever, pens an emotionally enthralling debut novel about enduring love, world-shattering secrets, and self-awakening.
What happens when one knock at your door sends your entire world into chaos? When a stranger becomes a lifeline? When the reality you’ve meticulously curated seems to be a mirage?
From the outside looking in, one might say that Dionne Daphne had it being the beauty editor at a prestigious New York magazine, a boyfriend who could have been plucked out of its model pages, the social life of the upper echelon, and a girlhood steeped in debutant balls.
But that is from the outside. When the now ex-boyfriend arrives at her Brooklyn doorstep Dionne imagines reconciliation, going back to the good life brimming with the possibility of marriage; the life her mother always wanted for her. Instead, he delivers life-threatening news that creates a crack in her picture-perfect world. A crack that grows legs and runs her right into her past, unearthing a secret that she has hidden since childhood.
In an effort to run toward the truth and away from a lie, Dionne sets out on a spur-of-the-moment road trip with an unlikely stranger to confront the long-buried darkness of her past and the family who made it so. As Dionne comes to a final reckoning, she begins to unravel new layers of herself and fresh possibilities for her life, her family, and even her love.
The Revelation of Dionne Daphne is at once a deeply moving and provocatively gripping novel that shows when you dig deep enough into the shadows of your life, light can be revealed. It’s a novel of broken lovers, a fractured family, and distant friendships all making their way back to one another.
What happens when one knock at your door sends your entire world into chaos? When a stranger becomes a lifeline? When the reality you’ve meticulously curated seems to be a mirage?
From the outside looking in, one might say that Dionne Daphne had it being the beauty editor at a prestigious New York magazine, a boyfriend who could have been plucked out of its model pages, the social life of the upper echelon, and a girlhood steeped in debutant balls.
But that is from the outside. When the now ex-boyfriend arrives at her Brooklyn doorstep Dionne imagines reconciliation, going back to the good life brimming with the possibility of marriage; the life her mother always wanted for her. Instead, he delivers life-threatening news that creates a crack in her picture-perfect world. A crack that grows legs and runs her right into her past, unearthing a secret that she has hidden since childhood.
In an effort to run toward the truth and away from a lie, Dionne sets out on a spur-of-the-moment road trip with an unlikely stranger to confront the long-buried darkness of her past and the family who made it so. As Dionne comes to a final reckoning, she begins to unravel new layers of herself and fresh possibilities for her life, her family, and even her love.
The Revelation of Dionne Daphne is at once a deeply moving and provocatively gripping novel that shows when you dig deep enough into the shadows of your life, light can be revealed. It’s a novel of broken lovers, a fractured family, and distant friendships all making their way back to one another.
- GenresFictionContemporary
288 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication June 30, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
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May 6, 2026"Who am I trying to protect by keeping up appearances? And why does it make me feel so good, even today, to pretend like I'm not going through hell?"From the outside, everyone thinks Dionne Daphne has made it - editor for the illustrious Essence magazine, an independent woman making her way in New York City, and someone free enough to be with who she wants, when she wants.
But inside? That's a different story.
When her ex-boyfriend of six years turns up on her doorstep, Dionne sees her life screeching to a halt.
"I am unable to turn away, although all I want to do is hide. I'm afraid that if any of these women hold my gaze, they'll know."
But the world doesn't stop turning just because she's received the shock of a lifetime - a promotion hangs in the balance and the more she reflects upon the news, the more she realizes she needs to confront her past - one way or another.
"You must commit to getting in touch with past partners if you receive a positive result. ... reality is that the result of this test could change the entire trajectory of your life."
I've sat down to write this review a few times but each time that I felt myself poised over the keyboard, nothing quite right was coming out.
"You're not broken," I whisper to myself...
Essentially, this was a rough read for me - made even moreso considering I'm a new mother - but it also was very well-written.
The pacing was spot on, the worldbuilding conveyed the urgency that the characters felt, and the story itself was gripping.
Dionne was in a precarious position, and the tipping point of the testing pushed her all the way over - allowing her the strength to question, to probe, and ultimately, to confront people in ways she never thought possible. I loved watching her character go through all of life's hurdles.
It's important that stories like this one are told but it also had a very heavy subject matter that I didn't realize was going to be in this book.
The dark secret of her past was much darker than I imagined, and I found my eyes skittering over whole paragraphs and pages because my brain simply refused to take in those scenes.
Ultimately, this was a powerful book to read, even if I needed to sit with myself afterwords to process.
With thanks to Penguin Randomhouse and Mara Brock Akil for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All quotes come from an uncorrected proof and are subject to change upon publication.
Read
April 2, 2026a devastating story, yet a healing journey wrapped all into one that explores how one life-changing news can send you spiraling into the past to find answers for where you are now.
I knew when I saw Mara Brock Akil announce that she had written a book, I had to tap in.
This book does lean into heavy topics because our main character, Dionne, has to explore her sexual past after finding out she might have HIV. With 14 days until she gets the results, she confronts her past relationships and the hardships she’s endured that she still carries with her today.
Definitely check the trigger warnings <3
I knew when I saw Mara Brock Akil announce that she had written a book, I had to tap in.
This book does lean into heavy topics because our main character, Dionne, has to explore her sexual past after finding out she might have HIV. With 14 days until she gets the results, she confronts her past relationships and the hardships she’s endured that she still carries with her today.
Definitely check the trigger warnings <3
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Devastating, healing, restorative, traumatic, meditative, the list goes on...
Dionne's life is completely rocked when her ex shows up at her door. She is hoping for reconciliation, but the reality is tragic. He delivers news that could change current life and simultaneously threatens the confrontation of a past, horrible secret. To grapple with it all, she leaves on an impulsive road trip with an unlikely stranger to finally confront the past which will hopefully lead her to peace.
Words can not describe how unexpected this book was. I was not prepared for the emotional turmoil Mara was about to put us through. Dionne is so complex and we got to see all sides of her through what truly is the worst two weeks. She had major emotions, people, traumas, and events to confront which inevitably was going to change her village of people. I'm keeping this vague as I want others to experience this story like how I was allowed to. Be wary, as the deep trauma Dionne is grappling with is not glossed over but she does come out on the other side a different person.
I can not recommend this book highly enough.
Dionne's life is completely rocked when her ex shows up at her door. She is hoping for reconciliation, but the reality is tragic. He delivers news that could change current life and simultaneously threatens the confrontation of a past, horrible secret. To grapple with it all, she leaves on an impulsive road trip with an unlikely stranger to finally confront the past which will hopefully lead her to peace.
Words can not describe how unexpected this book was. I was not prepared for the emotional turmoil Mara was about to put us through. Dionne is so complex and we got to see all sides of her through what truly is the worst two weeks. She had major emotions, people, traumas, and events to confront which inevitably was going to change her village of people. I'm keeping this vague as I want others to experience this story like how I was allowed to. Be wary, as the deep trauma Dionne is grappling with is not glossed over but she does come out on the other side a different person.
I can not recommend this book highly enough.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews