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Homecoming
For years Yvonne has tried to keep her demons buried and focus on moving forward. But her guilt is always with her and weighs heavily on her heart. Kiama has had to grow up without a mother, and while there is so much he remembers about her, there is still plenty he doesn't know. And there's only one person who can fill in the gaps. Lewis wants nothing more than to keep Kiama, his son, safe, but the thought of Kiama dredging up the past worries Lewis deeply. And Lewis doesn’t know if he’s ready to let the only woman he's ever loved back into his life. When Kiama seeks Yvonne out and asks her to come with him to Kenya, the place that holds the answers to his questions, she knows she can't refuse. And this one act sets in motion an unravelling of the past that no one is ready for. Moving between London and Kenya, and spanning almost two decades, Homecoming is a profound story of love, family and friendship. It’s about coming to terms with your past, and about what happens when we finally share our truths.
416 pages, Paperback
First published August 6, 2020
27 people are currently reading
474 people want to read
About the author
Luan Goldie
14 books68 followersLuan Goldie is a Glasgow born novelist and short story writer from East London.
Her debut, Nightingale Point, was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction and the RSL Ondaatje Prize. She is also the author of Homecoming and These Streets.
Her first book for children, Skylar and the K-Pop Headteacher is a body swap adventure for middle grade readers, set within the world of K-pop fandom.
In 2018 she won the Costa Short Story Award and her short stories have appeared in Stylist, HELLO! Magazine and the Sunday Express.
A former teacher, Goldie has over a decade’s worth of experience teaching in the capital’s schools. She also tutors for Arvon, Spread the Word and First Story.
Her debut, Nightingale Point, was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction and the RSL Ondaatje Prize. She is also the author of Homecoming and These Streets.
Her first book for children, Skylar and the K-Pop Headteacher is a body swap adventure for middle grade readers, set within the world of K-pop fandom.
In 2018 she won the Costa Short Story Award and her short stories have appeared in Stylist, HELLO! Magazine and the Sunday Express.
A former teacher, Goldie has over a decade’s worth of experience teaching in the capital’s schools. She also tutors for Arvon, Spread the Word and First Story.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
May 25, 2020
This is the story of friendship between Emma and Yvonne who meet as students with the added interest of a love triangle with Lewis. Emma comes from a relatively wealthy background, her parents live in Kenya and enjoy a pleasant lifestyle. Shortly before she is to graduate, Emma discovers she is pregnant and gives birth to a boy who she names Kiama which means Light of Life. When Kiama is a little boy, Emma returns to Kenya but she sadly dies when Kiama is eight. He returns to the UK and goes to live with his father. Now ages eighteen he wants to return to Kenya with Yvonne’s help, he wants to find out more about his mother and her death with a view to overcoming the grief he still feels. The story is told in alternating perspectives by Yvonne and Kiama and the storyline goes from 2020 back to 2001 which works well.
I like the friendship between Yvonne and Emma which feels real and the dynamics of the love triangle is good too and the impact it has on the friendship. Kiama is a really good character, his teenage angst, mood swings, his confusion and grief about his mother is well depicted. Kiama's relationship with Lewis is lovely and a pleasure to read. Lewis and Emma are likeable characters but connecting with Yvonne proves more challenging and she is difficult to figure out. That’s not to say that’s not an interesting angle and her guilt is conveyed clearly. I like the element of mystery surrounding what happens to Emma and when that’s revealed it does come as a shock and I think more could have been made of this. The ending is good, it’s satisfying and wraps events up neatly.
However, unfortunately I find the pace to be frequently slow, there’s a lot of detail which doesn’t seem necessary, for example, some dialogue which gets in the way of more interesting developments. The sections set in Kenya lack some colour which would have added an extra dimension to Kiama’s search.
Overall, there are many positives. Friendship, love between the adults and love for a child comes across very strongly and is a feel good factor. However, a quicker pace would have made it a more enticing read for me.
With thanks to NetGalley and HQ Stories for the arc.
I like the friendship between Yvonne and Emma which feels real and the dynamics of the love triangle is good too and the impact it has on the friendship. Kiama is a really good character, his teenage angst, mood swings, his confusion and grief about his mother is well depicted. Kiama's relationship with Lewis is lovely and a pleasure to read. Lewis and Emma are likeable characters but connecting with Yvonne proves more challenging and she is difficult to figure out. That’s not to say that’s not an interesting angle and her guilt is conveyed clearly. I like the element of mystery surrounding what happens to Emma and when that’s revealed it does come as a shock and I think more could have been made of this. The ending is good, it’s satisfying and wraps events up neatly.
However, unfortunately I find the pace to be frequently slow, there’s a lot of detail which doesn’t seem necessary, for example, some dialogue which gets in the way of more interesting developments. The sections set in Kenya lack some colour which would have added an extra dimension to Kiama’s search.
Overall, there are many positives. Friendship, love between the adults and love for a child comes across very strongly and is a feel good factor. However, a quicker pace would have made it a more enticing read for me.
With thanks to NetGalley and HQ Stories for the arc.
July 11, 2020
Emma and Yvonne meet as students. Emma is seeing Lewis, not knowing that Yvonne had a one night stand with him, but decided to keep it secret from her, especially when she finds out that Emma is pregnant with Lewis’s baby.
Emma returns to Kenya, where her parents live, with her son Kiama but sadly she dies when he is eight. He returns to England to live with his father.
Kiama is now eighteen and he wants to go back to Kenya and find out more about his mother and her death, he turns to Yvonne for help.
I really enjoyed this book and loved the friendship between Emma and Yvonne. The story alternates between 2001, where we get to see the friendship between the girls and the present time.
I have not read Nightingale Point but after loving this book I will now.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
Emma returns to Kenya, where her parents live, with her son Kiama but sadly she dies when he is eight. He returns to England to live with his father.
Kiama is now eighteen and he wants to go back to Kenya and find out more about his mother and her death, he turns to Yvonne for help.
I really enjoyed this book and loved the friendship between Emma and Yvonne. The story alternates between 2001, where we get to see the friendship between the girls and the present time.
I have not read Nightingale Point but after loving this book I will now.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
March 27, 2022
An underrated book celebration 📖
*romance, coming of age and a deep understanding of identity, friendship and relationships
*story told in two timelines
This is the story of Yvonne, Emma, Lewis and Kiama. Yvonne and Emma were inseparable as best friends in school. However, things changed when they got older and Emma gave birth to Kiama. Lewis is the father of Kiama and he is involved with both Yvonne and Emma.
Trigger warnings for substance abuse, infidelity, suicidal tendencies, post party depression
I am not a big fan of love triangles. However, I fell in love with the writing and the story. I still don’t enjoy reading about infidelity and love triangles and I guess I never will (of course, exceptions keep happening now and then if they come with a good story and with appropriate closures).
Kiama wants to go to Kenya to seek out the truth about his origins and his mother. He gets to see how different it is there and what his mother stood for. He gets to learn how different it is when you see how things are in reality versus how you felt it would be. He also gets to know some uncomfortable secrets.
The characters will stay with me forever. However, I still feel I would love to know more about Emma. She deserved a better family and better friends. I don’t like the main character much. But that’s okay. We aren’t perfect.
The story ended well and I am a happier person now having read a good story.
*romance, coming of age and a deep understanding of identity, friendship and relationships
*story told in two timelines
This is the story of Yvonne, Emma, Lewis and Kiama. Yvonne and Emma were inseparable as best friends in school. However, things changed when they got older and Emma gave birth to Kiama. Lewis is the father of Kiama and he is involved with both Yvonne and Emma.
Trigger warnings for substance abuse, infidelity, suicidal tendencies, post party depression
I am not a big fan of love triangles. However, I fell in love with the writing and the story. I still don’t enjoy reading about infidelity and love triangles and I guess I never will (of course, exceptions keep happening now and then if they come with a good story and with appropriate closures).
Kiama wants to go to Kenya to seek out the truth about his origins and his mother. He gets to see how different it is there and what his mother stood for. He gets to learn how different it is when you see how things are in reality versus how you felt it would be. He also gets to know some uncomfortable secrets.
The characters will stay with me forever. However, I still feel I would love to know more about Emma. She deserved a better family and better friends. I don’t like the main character much. But that’s okay. We aren’t perfect.
The story ended well and I am a happier person now having read a good story.
September 10, 2023
I’m so late reviewing this book. Huge apologies HQ Stories.
Anyhow. This is a heartfelt and thought provoking story involving a love triangle between Emma, Yvonne and Lewis. Yvonne wants to keep her demons buried and focus on moving forward, however her guilt is always with her and weighs heavily on her heart.
The story is told in two timelines, alternating between 2001 and the present time, moving between London and Kenya and it works well.
I would’ve liked more detail about Kenya when Kiama goes back to find out more about his mother. Kiama is Lewis’ son, who went to live with him in the UK when sadly his mother died when he was eight. Naturally, when he turned 18 he wanted to explore and go back to Kenya to find out more about his mother and her death, as he still grieves, and he turns to Yvonne to help him. She knows she can’t refuse but knows that this will set in motion an unravelling of the past that maybe they’re not ready for.
Kiama’s character development was intriguing after what he had been through and what had happened to his mother.
Secrets emerge. Personal demons raise their heads.
Homecoming is a moving story of love, family and friendship it’s about coming to terms with your past, opening yourself up to the exquisite pain and pleasure of love and of what happens when three lost souls bound by one person come together and finally share their truths.
I really enjoyed it, even though it was a little slow in places, however the way in which romance, coming-of-age, friendship, betrayal and relationships were weaved into the plot was exceptional.
There are a few trigger warnings for substance abuse, infidelity, suicidal tendencies and depression.
The story ends well when Goldie pulls together everything quite simply and perfectly into a satisfactory finish.
Goldie is a great storyteller and is able to sympathetically create a story that is a pleasure to read.
Thank you so very much HQ Stories, Luan Goldie and NetGalley for this ARC provided in exchange for my unbiased review.
Anyhow. This is a heartfelt and thought provoking story involving a love triangle between Emma, Yvonne and Lewis. Yvonne wants to keep her demons buried and focus on moving forward, however her guilt is always with her and weighs heavily on her heart.
The story is told in two timelines, alternating between 2001 and the present time, moving between London and Kenya and it works well.
I would’ve liked more detail about Kenya when Kiama goes back to find out more about his mother. Kiama is Lewis’ son, who went to live with him in the UK when sadly his mother died when he was eight. Naturally, when he turned 18 he wanted to explore and go back to Kenya to find out more about his mother and her death, as he still grieves, and he turns to Yvonne to help him. She knows she can’t refuse but knows that this will set in motion an unravelling of the past that maybe they’re not ready for.
Kiama’s character development was intriguing after what he had been through and what had happened to his mother.
Secrets emerge. Personal demons raise their heads.
Homecoming is a moving story of love, family and friendship it’s about coming to terms with your past, opening yourself up to the exquisite pain and pleasure of love and of what happens when three lost souls bound by one person come together and finally share their truths.
I really enjoyed it, even though it was a little slow in places, however the way in which romance, coming-of-age, friendship, betrayal and relationships were weaved into the plot was exceptional.
There are a few trigger warnings for substance abuse, infidelity, suicidal tendencies and depression.
The story ends well when Goldie pulls together everything quite simply and perfectly into a satisfactory finish.
Goldie is a great storyteller and is able to sympathetically create a story that is a pleasure to read.
Thank you so very much HQ Stories, Luan Goldie and NetGalley for this ARC provided in exchange for my unbiased review.
May 7, 2022
4.5 ⭐️
I’ll be honest in the beginning I was a bit confused as to who was who, but it started to make sense shortly after.
I had mixed feelings about everything and everyone throughout the whole book, but they were quite young then.
I have a bone to pick with Yvonne😂, she really disappointed me I won’t lie - and at first it was annoying but then it just started to hurt almost. I just couldn’t understand what she saw in Lewis to even go there MULTIPLE TIMES. Like why? Emma was her bestest friend but still, she was too blinded by love to see the true value of their friendship. Even after she found out that the baby was Lewis’ she was still eager to continue the whole thing!
In a sense this story has some forbidden romance, but it was just really really wrong. And then when Emma died and she STILL wanted to make it work, I was so devastated. I question her character a lot. But at the same time, sometimes these things do happen, people betray their friends for some guy and that’s all they see.
I personally felt like Yvonne wasn’t really bothered about the whole thing, but I can’t expect her to have grieved a certain way. But she just didn’t seem to have any remorse whatsoever. She was quite nonchalant in my opinion, in some parts of the story which annoyed me but hey.
I liked Kiama’s character development, he has some child-like tendencies still, but with what he went through it is understandable. I loved that he went back to Kenya to re-discover himself, although it got the point here he couldn’t handle it emotionally.
I was quite disappointed with the ending but I saw it coming. I just don’t get what Yvonne sees in him?
Overall, it was a very interesting read!
I’ll be honest in the beginning I was a bit confused as to who was who, but it started to make sense shortly after.
I had mixed feelings about everything and everyone throughout the whole book, but they were quite young then.
I have a bone to pick with Yvonne😂, she really disappointed me I won’t lie - and at first it was annoying but then it just started to hurt almost. I just couldn’t understand what she saw in Lewis to even go there MULTIPLE TIMES. Like why? Emma was her bestest friend but still, she was too blinded by love to see the true value of their friendship. Even after she found out that the baby was Lewis’ she was still eager to continue the whole thing!
In a sense this story has some forbidden romance, but it was just really really wrong. And then when Emma died and she STILL wanted to make it work, I was so devastated. I question her character a lot. But at the same time, sometimes these things do happen, people betray their friends for some guy and that’s all they see.
I personally felt like Yvonne wasn’t really bothered about the whole thing, but I can’t expect her to have grieved a certain way. But she just didn’t seem to have any remorse whatsoever. She was quite nonchalant in my opinion, in some parts of the story which annoyed me but hey.
I liked Kiama’s character development, he has some child-like tendencies still, but with what he went through it is understandable. I loved that he went back to Kenya to re-discover himself, although it got the point here he couldn’t handle it emotionally.
I was quite disappointed with the ending but I saw it coming. I just don’t get what Yvonne sees in him?
Overall, it was a very interesting read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2023
And the moral of this story is don't keep secrets.
August 24, 2021
So bored I couldn't finish it. Life's too short
July 30, 2020
I went into this not really knowing what it was about, after the first couple of chapters I thought this was going to be a typical thriller but it was anything but!
This is wonderful contemporary story following Kiama as he returns to Kenya ten years after his mother was murdered there. His mother's best friend Yvonne also goes with him, in hopes she can forgive herself for her betrayal all those years ago. Together they will learn to put the past behind them so they can move on with their future.
The characters in this were all amazing and developed so well that they all felt really instantly. The writing style keeps you that gripped that I devoured this in two days. The story was so complex that at each point you didn't know who to feel for the most.
I loved the whole returning to your homeland to discover you truth and how both time eras tied together seamlessly. I really enjoyed the split narrative in this too!
I really, really enjoyed this and will definitely be reading more from this author.
Thank you to Netgalley and HQ for providing me a copy to read.
This is wonderful contemporary story following Kiama as he returns to Kenya ten years after his mother was murdered there. His mother's best friend Yvonne also goes with him, in hopes she can forgive herself for her betrayal all those years ago. Together they will learn to put the past behind them so they can move on with their future.
The characters in this were all amazing and developed so well that they all felt really instantly. The writing style keeps you that gripped that I devoured this in two days. The story was so complex that at each point you didn't know who to feel for the most.
I loved the whole returning to your homeland to discover you truth and how both time eras tied together seamlessly. I really enjoyed the split narrative in this too!
I really, really enjoyed this and will definitely be reading more from this author.
Thank you to Netgalley and HQ for providing me a copy to read.
June 28, 2020
This story gets off to an enjoyable start. We quickly understand that the narrative switches in various ways. In terms of place, we move between England and Kenya. The narration swaps between two main characters, Yvonne and Kiama. And the timeline is sometimes now, sometimes back in the early 2000s. So far, so good.
I liked how the story unfolds - the reader knows some things but other remain a mystery. Links are gradually made and, bit by bit, we realise how everything fits together. But the book feels a bit overwritten, with too much unnecessary detail. This slows the pace, making it less and less appealing to read as the book progresses.
Overall, I enjoyed the premise and the basic story. I'd have liked it to be more sharply written, but I was overall pleased to have had the opportunity to read it.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.
I liked how the story unfolds - the reader knows some things but other remain a mystery. Links are gradually made and, bit by bit, we realise how everything fits together. But the book feels a bit overwritten, with too much unnecessary detail. This slows the pace, making it less and less appealing to read as the book progresses.
Overall, I enjoyed the premise and the basic story. I'd have liked it to be more sharply written, but I was overall pleased to have had the opportunity to read it.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.
February 21, 2023
Luan Goldie is such a wonderful author I find it exasperating she isn't better known. I bought Homecoming after reading Nightingale Point, one of my favourite books of 2020.
At it's most basic, homecoming is a book about secrets and the difficulty of falling in love as a young adult, but it is also about grief, belonging and understanding a different generation and culture. Luan's writing is so easy to read, almost lyrical at points, and I could see this book being developed wonderfully on screen too (someone please buy it!!).
At it's most basic, homecoming is a book about secrets and the difficulty of falling in love as a young adult, but it is also about grief, belonging and understanding a different generation and culture. Luan's writing is so easy to read, almost lyrical at points, and I could see this book being developed wonderfully on screen too (someone please buy it!!).
August 9, 2022
Yet again this author has written an incredible piece of literature that made me cry.
February 27, 2025
Maybe 2.5?
This was enjoyable to listen to but left me wanting more. More in depth discussions and better development of the backstories.
This was enjoyable to listen to but left me wanting more. More in depth discussions and better development of the backstories.
January 12, 2023
This book mentioning the horniman museum and brick lane in the same paragraph is so personal to me lol
July 24, 2020
Homecoming follows the journey of Kiama, a young man seeking to find answers by returning to Kenya, where he tragically witnessed his Mother die as a young boy and Yvonne his Mother's best friend, whom he asks to accompany him on his travels.
This journey to Kenya, evokes many buried feelings for Yvonne and unravels hidden secrets, left in the past long a go. These secrets belong to Yvonne and Kiama's Father Lewis, and have been left untold for at least a decade. So whilst facing his own personal demons, Kiama also wakes up those of Yvonne's and the guilt she has always felt comes flooding back.
Firstly, I need to say Goldie is a blooming good story teller, I loved Nightingale Point for how emotional and well written it was and Homecoming is equally as brilliant. Her writing is compassionate, her characters are the kind you are instantly interested in and the build up of the plot keeps you wanting more. I couldn't put this book down as I became invested in the stories of each character and kept my fingers tightly crossed for a happy ending! A story of friendship, of love and of coming to terms with ones past, Homecoming is an intimate tale of three individuals all connected by one person, who have the power to heal each other.
If you haven't read any of Luan Goldie's work already, I urge you to do so. Not many authors can evoke feelings the way she does.
This journey to Kenya, evokes many buried feelings for Yvonne and unravels hidden secrets, left in the past long a go. These secrets belong to Yvonne and Kiama's Father Lewis, and have been left untold for at least a decade. So whilst facing his own personal demons, Kiama also wakes up those of Yvonne's and the guilt she has always felt comes flooding back.
Firstly, I need to say Goldie is a blooming good story teller, I loved Nightingale Point for how emotional and well written it was and Homecoming is equally as brilliant. Her writing is compassionate, her characters are the kind you are instantly interested in and the build up of the plot keeps you wanting more. I couldn't put this book down as I became invested in the stories of each character and kept my fingers tightly crossed for a happy ending! A story of friendship, of love and of coming to terms with ones past, Homecoming is an intimate tale of three individuals all connected by one person, who have the power to heal each other.
If you haven't read any of Luan Goldie's work already, I urge you to do so. Not many authors can evoke feelings the way she does.
September 19, 2020
Homecoming alternates between two timelines and is told from the perspectives of a couple of different characters which I love I think it really enables you to get to know the characters better. It’s definitely and emotional journey and the writer is such an amazing storyteller, the characters just feel so real and the relationships are all so interesting and complicated. Will be looking to read Nightingale Point at some stage.Thank you so much @hqstories for having me in the tour and for my #gifted copy.
October 3, 2020
Homecoming is the story of Emma, Yvonne, Lewis and Kiama. It follows them over the course of 20 years through secrets, lies, truths and tragedies. I don't want to say too much about the book without giving the story away, as the fact I knew very little about it really added to my enjoyment of it and my need to binge read to learn more!! It's well written and easy to read and the characters are both well built and believeable. This is the second novel I've read from Luan Goldie (having read Nightingale Point earlier in the year), and she's definitely going from strength to strength. I really recommend this book and can't wait for her next one! Thanks so much to HQ, NetGalley and Luan Goldie for the ARC.
June 17, 2022
Nice story which flits across the years until the story is fully told. I liked the characters although it took me some time to figure out their ethnicities which I found a little odd. Easy read which I enjoyed but not memorable
August 6, 2020
Homecoming is essentially about a love triangle between best friends Emma and Yvonne and ladies man Lewis. Except it’s always been a well kept secret that these two women love the same man. The novel begins with Emma and Lewis engaged in a sexual liaison that may or may not just be a one night stand. Probably quite an insignificant event in the scheme of things were it not for the fact Yvonne and Lewis are already acquainted thanks to a previous encounter one drunken night. The storyline hinges on Yvonne’s decision not to disclose this information to her best friend, unaware of the far reaching consequences this tiny omission will have on all three lives. Their same taste in men and Yvonne and Lewis’s inability to turn their backs on a love that should be forbidden is detrimental to all involved.
Spanning nearly two decades this is a story about love, family, friendship and identity. As I’ve already hinted at, it’s frightening how easy one small white lie snowballs into something much bigger making it harder to tell the truth, especially when time marches on. This well kept secret not only impacts on Yvonne and Lewis but on Lewis and Emma’s son Kiama too. I’m not giving away any spoilers by disclosing the fact Emma dies when Kiama is only eight years old, although the reader doesn’t learn of the shocking circumstances surrounding her death until much later on in the novel. The roles Yvonne and Lewis play, almost by default, in this tragedy are integral to the storyline and it’s Kiama’s urge to revisit Kenya with Yvonne that could finally expose the truth.
Their stories are relayed via a timeline that veers backwards and forwards and is set across London and Kenya. I enjoyed discovering more about the friendship between Emma and Yvonne during the intervening years which whilst sometimes patchy is firmly re-established with the birth of Kiama. To me the fly in the ointment was the on off relationship between Yvonne and Lewis which destabilises an unlikely but valuable friendship and so I could never make up my mind whether I even liked Yvonne. I suppose it was easy for me to pass judgement and cast Lewis in the role of villain but neither are blameless.
The author has created intricately woven relationships that are both complex and intense. Whilst Emma and Yvonne are like chalk and cheese their friendship somehow manages to flourish through the university years and beyond. To me Yvonne is such a solitary figure having to face conflicting emotions regarding the man she loves and the friendship she doesn’t want to destroy. In that sense I didn’t envy Yvonne’s position, caught between a rock and a hard place. Is she truly worthy of Emma’s friendship or is she being hypocritical and unrealistic in wanting the best of both worlds? With Emma’s death I think she spends a lifetime riddled by guilt so a chance to make amends by accompanying Kiama to Kenya even though the prospect is horrifying seems to be her only course of action.
Lewis is one of those characters who redeems himself in my eyes over the course of the novel with a father/son bond that blooms into a lovely relationship. I think Lewis grows in maturity over the years to become the father Kiama deserves.
I’m not sure I ever came to grips with the relationship between Emma and her parents and I was puzzled by their lack of interest in their grandson’s life. Even Purity’s reaction to Kiama’s homecoming fell short of the heartfelt emotion I was expecting.
Kiama, as an adult retains his lost little boy persona, struggling with the death of both his mother and beloved nana and trying to find his place in the world. His time spent in Kenya reflects his desire to learn more about Emma, even though it will be a painful journey. When the author finally reveals the way in which Emma loses her life I understood both his and Yvonne’s reluctance to revisit the past. He is the only character who automatically won my heart.
I really wanted to be able to say that I loved this book, to perhaps be more enamoured with the characters and to be swept away by emotion. I believe it’s well written but my overall feeling having come to the end of the novel was one of deep sadness for lives that are half lived. I was plagued by the what ifs and if onlys...but I suppose that’s the beauty of hindsight. Who knows how any of us would react in a similar situation. Would I have the strength of character to walk away from the love of my life or be as self sacrificing as Yvonne and Lewis for the sake of Kiama? Would I forgive Yvonne for keeping a secret for so long? Those were some of the questions occupying my mind as I flew through the pages.
Homecoming is a bittersweet story whose pace is sedate and I will admit to my attention wavering as I approached the final pages. I’m glad though to have had the opportunity to read this novel and look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.
Spanning nearly two decades this is a story about love, family, friendship and identity. As I’ve already hinted at, it’s frightening how easy one small white lie snowballs into something much bigger making it harder to tell the truth, especially when time marches on. This well kept secret not only impacts on Yvonne and Lewis but on Lewis and Emma’s son Kiama too. I’m not giving away any spoilers by disclosing the fact Emma dies when Kiama is only eight years old, although the reader doesn’t learn of the shocking circumstances surrounding her death until much later on in the novel. The roles Yvonne and Lewis play, almost by default, in this tragedy are integral to the storyline and it’s Kiama’s urge to revisit Kenya with Yvonne that could finally expose the truth.
Their stories are relayed via a timeline that veers backwards and forwards and is set across London and Kenya. I enjoyed discovering more about the friendship between Emma and Yvonne during the intervening years which whilst sometimes patchy is firmly re-established with the birth of Kiama. To me the fly in the ointment was the on off relationship between Yvonne and Lewis which destabilises an unlikely but valuable friendship and so I could never make up my mind whether I even liked Yvonne. I suppose it was easy for me to pass judgement and cast Lewis in the role of villain but neither are blameless.
The author has created intricately woven relationships that are both complex and intense. Whilst Emma and Yvonne are like chalk and cheese their friendship somehow manages to flourish through the university years and beyond. To me Yvonne is such a solitary figure having to face conflicting emotions regarding the man she loves and the friendship she doesn’t want to destroy. In that sense I didn’t envy Yvonne’s position, caught between a rock and a hard place. Is she truly worthy of Emma’s friendship or is she being hypocritical and unrealistic in wanting the best of both worlds? With Emma’s death I think she spends a lifetime riddled by guilt so a chance to make amends by accompanying Kiama to Kenya even though the prospect is horrifying seems to be her only course of action.
Lewis is one of those characters who redeems himself in my eyes over the course of the novel with a father/son bond that blooms into a lovely relationship. I think Lewis grows in maturity over the years to become the father Kiama deserves.
I’m not sure I ever came to grips with the relationship between Emma and her parents and I was puzzled by their lack of interest in their grandson’s life. Even Purity’s reaction to Kiama’s homecoming fell short of the heartfelt emotion I was expecting.
Kiama, as an adult retains his lost little boy persona, struggling with the death of both his mother and beloved nana and trying to find his place in the world. His time spent in Kenya reflects his desire to learn more about Emma, even though it will be a painful journey. When the author finally reveals the way in which Emma loses her life I understood both his and Yvonne’s reluctance to revisit the past. He is the only character who automatically won my heart.
I really wanted to be able to say that I loved this book, to perhaps be more enamoured with the characters and to be swept away by emotion. I believe it’s well written but my overall feeling having come to the end of the novel was one of deep sadness for lives that are half lived. I was plagued by the what ifs and if onlys...but I suppose that’s the beauty of hindsight. Who knows how any of us would react in a similar situation. Would I have the strength of character to walk away from the love of my life or be as self sacrificing as Yvonne and Lewis for the sake of Kiama? Would I forgive Yvonne for keeping a secret for so long? Those were some of the questions occupying my mind as I flew through the pages.
Homecoming is a bittersweet story whose pace is sedate and I will admit to my attention wavering as I approached the final pages. I’m glad though to have had the opportunity to read this novel and look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.
April 12, 2022
Very different from my usual fare, this is the story of a friendship, and how secrets can play so negatively in intertwined lives.
Blurb:
For years, Yvonne has tried to keep her demons buried and focus on moving forward. But her guilt is always with her and weighs heavily on her heart.
Kiama has had to grow up without a mother, and while there is so much he remembers about her, there is still plenty he doesn't know. And there's only one person who can fill the gaps.
When Kiama seeks Yvonne out and asks her to come with her to Kenya, the place that holds the answers to all of his questions, she knows she can't refuse. And this one act sets in motion an unravelling of the past that no one is ready for.
Moving between London and Kenya, and spanning almost two decades, Homecoming is a profound and moving story of love, family and friendship. It's about coming to terms with your past, opening yourself up to the exquisite pain and pleasure of love, and of what happens when these lost souls, all bound by one person, come together and finally share their truths.
Apart from that I felt that the main protagonist behind all of this - who is not mentioned in the blurb - has not shared his truth. He was the centre of everything, the father of Kiama, the one who got Emma pregnant but wanted a relationship with Yvonne and didn't want to tell anyone - and Yvonne was thinking about getting back together with him. No, she shouldn't have done that. Lewis was not her one; he was a part of her history, and should have stayed there. But that would have been a very different book! As it is, the characterisation and description were so good at drawing you in, and you really felt for the characters (well, most of them. I think I would've had a few stern words with Lewis, myself...). Kiama wants to go back to Kenya to discover his past, and is only let down when it is not the perfect dream that he remembered as a child.
A fascinating read, all thanks to #ABoS A Box of Stories. Probably a keeper for a bit? I'm not sure if I'll read it again, but it can sit on the shelves for a while.
Blurb:
For years, Yvonne has tried to keep her demons buried and focus on moving forward. But her guilt is always with her and weighs heavily on her heart.
Kiama has had to grow up without a mother, and while there is so much he remembers about her, there is still plenty he doesn't know. And there's only one person who can fill the gaps.
When Kiama seeks Yvonne out and asks her to come with her to Kenya, the place that holds the answers to all of his questions, she knows she can't refuse. And this one act sets in motion an unravelling of the past that no one is ready for.
Moving between London and Kenya, and spanning almost two decades, Homecoming is a profound and moving story of love, family and friendship. It's about coming to terms with your past, opening yourself up to the exquisite pain and pleasure of love, and of what happens when these lost souls, all bound by one person, come together and finally share their truths.
Apart from that I felt that the main protagonist behind all of this - who is not mentioned in the blurb - has not shared his truth. He was the centre of everything, the father of Kiama, the one who got Emma pregnant but wanted a relationship with Yvonne and didn't want to tell anyone - and Yvonne was thinking about getting back together with him. No, she shouldn't have done that. Lewis was not her one; he was a part of her history, and should have stayed there. But that would have been a very different book! As it is, the characterisation and description were so good at drawing you in, and you really felt for the characters (well, most of them. I think I would've had a few stern words with Lewis, myself...). Kiama wants to go back to Kenya to discover his past, and is only let down when it is not the perfect dream that he remembered as a child.
A fascinating read, all thanks to #ABoS A Box of Stories. Probably a keeper for a bit? I'm not sure if I'll read it again, but it can sit on the shelves for a while.
June 1, 2020
Set between two countries - Kenya and England - and across two decades - up to present day - Luan Goldie's novel revolves around four main characters:
Yvonne (now in her 40s), was best friends with Emma at university and reminisces about their time together before her friend returned- with her new unplanned baby - to Kenya. The child, Kiama, is left motherless at the age of 8 when Emma dies and so comes back to England to live with his father, Lewis. Yvonne and Lewis have their own shared history which contributes to feelings of guilt and shame; these feed the veil that blurs the time around Kiama's conception and later her death. Emotions which are rekindled when Kiama decides he wants to relocate to Kenya to find out more about his mother and asks for Yvonne's help.
The relationship between Kiama and his father is heartening and believable, as is Emma and Yvonne's friendship - though we only encounter Emma in flashback form. The narrative switches between Kiama and Yvonne and between time periods too, all of which is artfully handled by the author.
Unfortunately, overall I found this a slow read. Much of the narrative felt laboured and deliberate as Goldie attempted to fine-tune each scene. Too often I experienced the desire to take out my teacher's red pen and cross out large sections of the text; to remove the explicit and leave more up to the reader. For example;
" Kiama joins the small line at the counter, he dives for his phone, not content to wait and waste the moment. Yvonne knows she's in the minority of people without such a habit, without the need for continuous entertainment."
The dialogue too, is clunky and, on occasion, glaringly obvious in it's attempts to back-fill the plot or inform the reader rather than portray how the character's would naturally communicate with one another;
"But Kiama's beautiful name. You know it means-"
"Of course I know, Light of life. But most name meanings sound poetic when you look them up."
Nevertheless, my thanks to Netgally, the publisher and author for sharing an advanced copy of this book with me.
Yvonne (now in her 40s), was best friends with Emma at university and reminisces about their time together before her friend returned- with her new unplanned baby - to Kenya. The child, Kiama, is left motherless at the age of 8 when Emma dies and so comes back to England to live with his father, Lewis. Yvonne and Lewis have their own shared history which contributes to feelings of guilt and shame; these feed the veil that blurs the time around Kiama's conception and later her death. Emotions which are rekindled when Kiama decides he wants to relocate to Kenya to find out more about his mother and asks for Yvonne's help.
The relationship between Kiama and his father is heartening and believable, as is Emma and Yvonne's friendship - though we only encounter Emma in flashback form. The narrative switches between Kiama and Yvonne and between time periods too, all of which is artfully handled by the author.
Unfortunately, overall I found this a slow read. Much of the narrative felt laboured and deliberate as Goldie attempted to fine-tune each scene. Too often I experienced the desire to take out my teacher's red pen and cross out large sections of the text; to remove the explicit and leave more up to the reader. For example;
" Kiama joins the small line at the counter, he dives for his phone, not content to wait and waste the moment. Yvonne knows she's in the minority of people without such a habit, without the need for continuous entertainment."
The dialogue too, is clunky and, on occasion, glaringly obvious in it's attempts to back-fill the plot or inform the reader rather than portray how the character's would naturally communicate with one another;
"But Kiama's beautiful name. You know it means-"
"Of course I know, Light of life. But most name meanings sound poetic when you look them up."
Nevertheless, my thanks to Netgally, the publisher and author for sharing an advanced copy of this book with me.
April 20, 2021
With thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for an advance review copy.
At the heart of this novel is a story about the toxicity of secrets, but it is also the tale of a young man coming to terms with his mother’s violent death and finding his place in the world.
18-year-old Kiama gets in touch with his mother Emma’s old friend Yvonne, who hasn’t seen him since his mother’s violent death in Kenya when he was 8. He has quite a request - he asks her to travel with him to Kenya to revisit the scene of his mother’s death in order to lay his demons to rest. Yvonne is 40, divorced, leading a busy, tidy life, and is initially reluctant, but she is carrying a guilty secret related to Emma’s death and Kiama’s father, and has her own closure to seek.
The mysteries and secrets at the heart of the story are built up very effectively, keeping you reading to find out more. I found the character development a little less convincing however. Kiama is a suspiciously sweet teen on the cusp of adulthood, but he also has his entitled moments and acts as if the world revolves around him - perhaps understandable given his troubled early life, but he is not very convincingly fleshed out. Yvonne remains a bit of a cipher too, and I found it hard to understand why she puts up with all sorts of things that obviously bother her - the student squalor she lives in, her ramshackle first property, her secretive relationship. The life-changing trip to Kenya in search of answers is similarly anti-climactic, turning into a litany of fraught car journeys, disappointing reunions with people from Kiama’s past, and general irritability as the dominant emotion. When the manner of Emma’s death is revealed it is not the momentous pivotal event I had been expecting, without wanting to give anything more away.
I know this book has been longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, but I was left generally underwhelmed and feeling that it was a bit of a missed opportunity, although it is perfectly readable and not hard work.
At the heart of this novel is a story about the toxicity of secrets, but it is also the tale of a young man coming to terms with his mother’s violent death and finding his place in the world.
18-year-old Kiama gets in touch with his mother Emma’s old friend Yvonne, who hasn’t seen him since his mother’s violent death in Kenya when he was 8. He has quite a request - he asks her to travel with him to Kenya to revisit the scene of his mother’s death in order to lay his demons to rest. Yvonne is 40, divorced, leading a busy, tidy life, and is initially reluctant, but she is carrying a guilty secret related to Emma’s death and Kiama’s father, and has her own closure to seek.
The mysteries and secrets at the heart of the story are built up very effectively, keeping you reading to find out more. I found the character development a little less convincing however. Kiama is a suspiciously sweet teen on the cusp of adulthood, but he also has his entitled moments and acts as if the world revolves around him - perhaps understandable given his troubled early life, but he is not very convincingly fleshed out. Yvonne remains a bit of a cipher too, and I found it hard to understand why she puts up with all sorts of things that obviously bother her - the student squalor she lives in, her ramshackle first property, her secretive relationship. The life-changing trip to Kenya in search of answers is similarly anti-climactic, turning into a litany of fraught car journeys, disappointing reunions with people from Kiama’s past, and general irritability as the dominant emotion. When the manner of Emma’s death is revealed it is not the momentous pivotal event I had been expecting, without wanting to give anything more away.
I know this book has been longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, but I was left generally underwhelmed and feeling that it was a bit of a missed opportunity, although it is perfectly readable and not hard work.
July 24, 2020
Homecoming tells the story of Yvonne, Emma, Lewis and Kiama. Yvonne and Emma are best friends and housemates. Emma meets someone she really likes, and to Yvonne's horror, it's a man she recently had a one night stand with, a man she hoped would call her, but never did. Meet Lewis. A man who is to become the source of guilt and confusion for Yvonne for many years to come. Lewis meant to call her, but lost her number. There is still an undeniable attraction, but he's off-limits. However, Lewis isn't in to Emma and ends it. But their story doesn't end there as Emma discovers she is pregnant.
Finding it hard being a single parent, Emma returns to Kenya where her family still live, and Yvonne and Lewis find themselves drawn together again. Yvonne feels guilty at keeping this secret from her best friend, and when she goes to visit Emma and her son Kiama, she tells Emma about her and Lewis being together. Emma runs off and tragically, this is to be the last time Yvonne sees her alive.
Kiama is now 18, and reaches out to Yvonne as he is returning to Kenya to try to process his grief at losing his mother in such awful circumstances. Yvonne makes the decision to go with him and as they spend time together, tensions rise as each tries to deal with the emotion of the visit. When Kiama figures out that his father and Yvonne were involved he is hurt and angry and Yvonne feels she has lost her last connection to her best friend.
As Kiama reaches a place of peace, he is able to forgive and show compassion to his father, and the ending of this novel is beautifully understated and perfectly pitched.
Homecoming is moving and intimate in its portrayal of forbidden love, grief and forgiveness.
Finding it hard being a single parent, Emma returns to Kenya where her family still live, and Yvonne and Lewis find themselves drawn together again. Yvonne feels guilty at keeping this secret from her best friend, and when she goes to visit Emma and her son Kiama, she tells Emma about her and Lewis being together. Emma runs off and tragically, this is to be the last time Yvonne sees her alive.
Kiama is now 18, and reaches out to Yvonne as he is returning to Kenya to try to process his grief at losing his mother in such awful circumstances. Yvonne makes the decision to go with him and as they spend time together, tensions rise as each tries to deal with the emotion of the visit. When Kiama figures out that his father and Yvonne were involved he is hurt and angry and Yvonne feels she has lost her last connection to her best friend.
As Kiama reaches a place of peace, he is able to forgive and show compassion to his father, and the ending of this novel is beautifully understated and perfectly pitched.
Homecoming is moving and intimate in its portrayal of forbidden love, grief and forgiveness.
November 19, 2021
My thanks to HQ for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Homecoming’ by Luan Goldie in exchange for an honest review.
This is a relationship drama that spans two decades and moves between events in England and Kenya.
In 2001, Yvonne and Emma became close friends while living in a shared student house. When Yvonne is introduced to Emma’s new boyfriend, Lewis, she is shocked to realise that she already knows him as they had hooked up at a bar some months earlier.
Not wanting to upset Emma, Yvonne and Lewis agree to keep their encounter secret. However, there’s an undeniable attraction between them. While Lewis and Emma quickly break up, things get complicated when she finds out that she’s pregnant. Emma gives birth to a son and names him Kiama. Yet what of Yvonne and Lewis? As I said … complicated.
In 2009, Emma decides to return to Kenya where she had grown up and her expat parents still live. Yet six months later Emma is dead and Kiama, deeply traumatised, returns to the U.K. to be raised by his father.
In 2020, Kiama decides that he wants to visit his grandparents in Kenya and learn more about his mother’s death. He asks Yvonne to accompany him and while she has reservations, she agrees.
The narrative point of view moves between Kiama and Yvonne as well as between the past and present. I felt that Goldie was quite restrained in holding on to certain details until late in the story and that she smoothly handled the time shifts.
It certainly held held my attention and while love triangles, secrets and lies are common themes in these kind of novels, the relationships felt vital and I was invested in whether things would be resolved for its various characters.
3.5 rounded up to 4.
This is a relationship drama that spans two decades and moves between events in England and Kenya.
In 2001, Yvonne and Emma became close friends while living in a shared student house. When Yvonne is introduced to Emma’s new boyfriend, Lewis, she is shocked to realise that she already knows him as they had hooked up at a bar some months earlier.
Not wanting to upset Emma, Yvonne and Lewis agree to keep their encounter secret. However, there’s an undeniable attraction between them. While Lewis and Emma quickly break up, things get complicated when she finds out that she’s pregnant. Emma gives birth to a son and names him Kiama. Yet what of Yvonne and Lewis? As I said … complicated.
In 2009, Emma decides to return to Kenya where she had grown up and her expat parents still live. Yet six months later Emma is dead and Kiama, deeply traumatised, returns to the U.K. to be raised by his father.
In 2020, Kiama decides that he wants to visit his grandparents in Kenya and learn more about his mother’s death. He asks Yvonne to accompany him and while she has reservations, she agrees.
The narrative point of view moves between Kiama and Yvonne as well as between the past and present. I felt that Goldie was quite restrained in holding on to certain details until late in the story and that she smoothly handled the time shifts.
It certainly held held my attention and while love triangles, secrets and lies are common themes in these kind of novels, the relationships felt vital and I was invested in whether things would be resolved for its various characters.
3.5 rounded up to 4.
July 23, 2020
Book Review 🗺Homecoming by Luan Goldie
I loved Luan Goldie’s first novel Nightingale Point which was long listed for the Women’s Prize. I’m gutted it wasn’t shortlisted....So I couldn’t wait to read what she had written next!
Homecoming is a story of love, coming of age, relationships and friendships, and an unraveling of the past. The story is told in two timelines 20 years apart. Set in London and Kenya the story is told from the perspective of Yvonne and Kiama.
Yvonne and Emma are great university friends. When Emma becomes pregnant towards the end of university with Kiama, Yvonne can’t tell her friend that she knows his father Lewis better than anyone would think. Emma decides to move back in with her wealthy parents in Kenya but tragedy strikes and young Kiama is left with no mother.
Years later Kiama seeks out Yvonne and asks her to join him on a trip to Kenya to find answers.
I thought Kiama was a very well written, endearing character. 💕 Something I love about Luan Goldie’s writing is that her characters are sharply observed and their relationships are believable.
However, there’s an element of mystery in this book that’s drawn out a bit too long and means that the pacing of the novel is a little slow.
Overall it’s a great read ... I was championing all the characters and felt invested in their joy, pain and development. The writing flowed nicely and the style was easy to read. Definitely one to look out for! 🤗
Thanks to @netgalley and @hqstories for my eARC. Homecoming is published in the UK on the 6th August.
I loved Luan Goldie’s first novel Nightingale Point which was long listed for the Women’s Prize. I’m gutted it wasn’t shortlisted....So I couldn’t wait to read what she had written next!
Homecoming is a story of love, coming of age, relationships and friendships, and an unraveling of the past. The story is told in two timelines 20 years apart. Set in London and Kenya the story is told from the perspective of Yvonne and Kiama.
Yvonne and Emma are great university friends. When Emma becomes pregnant towards the end of university with Kiama, Yvonne can’t tell her friend that she knows his father Lewis better than anyone would think. Emma decides to move back in with her wealthy parents in Kenya but tragedy strikes and young Kiama is left with no mother.
Years later Kiama seeks out Yvonne and asks her to join him on a trip to Kenya to find answers.
I thought Kiama was a very well written, endearing character. 💕 Something I love about Luan Goldie’s writing is that her characters are sharply observed and their relationships are believable.
However, there’s an element of mystery in this book that’s drawn out a bit too long and means that the pacing of the novel is a little slow.
Overall it’s a great read ... I was championing all the characters and felt invested in their joy, pain and development. The writing flowed nicely and the style was easy to read. Definitely one to look out for! 🤗
Thanks to @netgalley and @hqstories for my eARC. Homecoming is published in the UK on the 6th August.
June 24, 2020
I raced through this one, I felt gripped and compelled to find out how the story was going to unfold but about 70% through I started to piece it together and I just felt like the ending was a bit flat.
That aside, the author really gripped me with the subtly of the build up. Told from two people's perspectives and at different points over a 20 year history, the reader can start to join the dots on what happened to two university friends. I found the relationship between Emma and Yvonne to be very real and honest. They struggled to adapt to each others lives post university, they argued, they didn't see as much of each other as they should have, they were very different personalities....all very real challenges.
I'm keen to know what others think of this one so let me know!
I haven't read Nightingale Point so will definitely add that to my TBR pile as I really like Luan Goldie's style and pace of writing.
Thank you to @netgalley and @hqstories
for the opportunity to review.
Released in the UK on 6th August 2020.
#libraryatsevern #bookworm #book #reading
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#bookstagrammers #readersofinstagram #reader #igreads #homecoming #bookblogger #goodreads #bookshelf #bookreviewer #bookshelf #hqstories #netgalley #femaleauthors #femalewriters #womensfiction #isolationreadinglist #lockdownreads #stayhomeandread #newfiction #newfictionreleases
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That aside, the author really gripped me with the subtly of the build up. Told from two people's perspectives and at different points over a 20 year history, the reader can start to join the dots on what happened to two university friends. I found the relationship between Emma and Yvonne to be very real and honest. They struggled to adapt to each others lives post university, they argued, they didn't see as much of each other as they should have, they were very different personalities....all very real challenges.
I'm keen to know what others think of this one so let me know!
I haven't read Nightingale Point so will definitely add that to my TBR pile as I really like Luan Goldie's style and pace of writing.
Thank you to @netgalley and @hqstories
for the opportunity to review.
Released in the UK on 6th August 2020.
#libraryatsevern #bookworm #book #reading
#bookstagramuk #londonreader #bookreviewfeature #bookreview #bibliophile
#bookstagrammers #readersofinstagram #reader #igreads #homecoming #bookblogger #goodreads #bookshelf #bookreviewer #bookshelf #hqstories #netgalley #femaleauthors #femalewriters #womensfiction #isolationreadinglist #lockdownreads #stayhomeandread #newfiction #newfictionreleases
#booksbooksbooks
August 6, 2020
Kiama is an 18 years old man living with his father Lewis. His mother Emma has died tragically when he was 8. Since then Kiama suffers with night terrors.
He thinks that he can get rid of them if he goes back to Kenya and understands what's happened years ago. The boy thinks that his mum's old friend Yvonne is the perfect travel partner. She agrees to do it out of guilt and that's where the story begins.
I had really high expectations about this book. I'm a somehow disappointed. The whole story was really predictable in my opinion. There was a secret, no doubt about it but I feel the whole thing needed a bit more excitement.
The thing that I really loved about the book was the realness of the characters. It's like I was reading about the people that I could know. The relationship between Levis and his son is something I enjoyed the most. It was really heartwarming.
Returning to the homeland was interesting as well, I always enjoy discovering new cultures and food through the pages of the book.
I'm sure there is a lot of people who will enjoy this kind of contemporary story. Personally I need a bit more action. I'm definitely curious about Luan's debut novel “Nightingale Point” and I'll check it out if I get a chance.
He thinks that he can get rid of them if he goes back to Kenya and understands what's happened years ago. The boy thinks that his mum's old friend Yvonne is the perfect travel partner. She agrees to do it out of guilt and that's where the story begins.
I had really high expectations about this book. I'm a somehow disappointed. The whole story was really predictable in my opinion. There was a secret, no doubt about it but I feel the whole thing needed a bit more excitement.
The thing that I really loved about the book was the realness of the characters. It's like I was reading about the people that I could know. The relationship between Levis and his son is something I enjoyed the most. It was really heartwarming.
Returning to the homeland was interesting as well, I always enjoy discovering new cultures and food through the pages of the book.
I'm sure there is a lot of people who will enjoy this kind of contemporary story. Personally I need a bit more action. I'm definitely curious about Luan's debut novel “Nightingale Point” and I'll check it out if I get a chance.
August 15, 2020
A hypnotic story of love, friendship, loss and betrayal that takes you from London to Nigeria - I couldn’t put this down.
Yvonne and Emma are best friends who just happen to be in love with the same man, Lewis. When Emma has his baby after a brief fling, their friendship is never the same again, but it’s only when Yvonne returns to Nigeria with their son Kiama years later that she finally comes to terms with her feelings and guilt.
I must admit that I never warmed to Yvonne as a lead character as I found her to be fairly cold, but luckily the other characters had so much more to them, and the story was so beautifully written that I still loved this. I loved all the different family relationships and dynamics - from Yvonne’s tight knit family, to Emma’s rich but distant parents and Lewis’s warm and welcoming mother, there was a lovely contrast throughout the story. At the heart of this there is a love story, but it’s not anything like your usual romantic novels - the characters are real and make honest mistakes, and there’s no feeling of an inevitable happy ending, which I loved. There are a few twists and turns but overall this felt like an exploration of coming to terms with loss, and of the mistakes and decisions we make and the ripple effect they create.
Yvonne and Emma are best friends who just happen to be in love with the same man, Lewis. When Emma has his baby after a brief fling, their friendship is never the same again, but it’s only when Yvonne returns to Nigeria with their son Kiama years later that she finally comes to terms with her feelings and guilt.
I must admit that I never warmed to Yvonne as a lead character as I found her to be fairly cold, but luckily the other characters had so much more to them, and the story was so beautifully written that I still loved this. I loved all the different family relationships and dynamics - from Yvonne’s tight knit family, to Emma’s rich but distant parents and Lewis’s warm and welcoming mother, there was a lovely contrast throughout the story. At the heart of this there is a love story, but it’s not anything like your usual romantic novels - the characters are real and make honest mistakes, and there’s no feeling of an inevitable happy ending, which I loved. There are a few twists and turns but overall this felt like an exploration of coming to terms with loss, and of the mistakes and decisions we make and the ripple effect they create.
February 18, 2022
Homecoming involves complex, interesting relationships between people, and how they change over the years and with big life events. Nobody feels perfect, they all have their own flaws and make choices that you question. The story is also structured in a way where you don't get the information right away. You understand that something terrible happened to Emma and Kiama was somehow involved, but you don't fully find out until nearly the end of the story.
The love 'triangle' is also an interesting one, because its not really a triangle. Yvonne has a one night stand with Lewis, who later meets, and has a child with, Emma. Yvonne and Lewis don't get back together until much later, when Kiama is ~7, and they feel the need to keep it from Emma. They are implied to get back together after the end of the book, with Yvonne finally coming to terms with Lewis and understanding that they were not responsible for Emma's death with encouragement from Kiama, who just wants to see his dad happy.
Overall, its interesting and broaches the subject of coming to terms with your past well, but I do think it is slightly long, with some unnecessary detail, but well written and certainly thought-provoking.
The love 'triangle' is also an interesting one, because its not really a triangle. Yvonne has a one night stand with Lewis, who later meets, and has a child with, Emma. Yvonne and Lewis don't get back together until much later, when Kiama is ~7, and they feel the need to keep it from Emma. They are implied to get back together after the end of the book, with Yvonne finally coming to terms with Lewis and understanding that they were not responsible for Emma's death with encouragement from Kiama, who just wants to see his dad happy.
Overall, its interesting and broaches the subject of coming to terms with your past well, but I do think it is slightly long, with some unnecessary detail, but well written and certainly thought-provoking.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2020
I absolutely adored Nightingale point so when I saw this on Net Galley I knew I wanted it! Let me start by saying I really enjoyed this book. I have seen a few reviews now that say its not as good as Nightingale Point and I don't think that's fair, this is a different type of story from Luan and so cannot be compared.
The story is told in dual narrative between Yvonne, the adult who knows the full history of what happened and Kiama, a young man who is trying to come to terms with what happened to him as a child. It also flicks between the past and present. I really enjoyed this character case study of Yvonne and Kiama. I started off really feeling for Yvonne's character and the cruel twist of fate she was dealt but as the book progressed I began to feel that she was a rather selfish where as I loved Kiama more with every page!
I felt the build up was brilliant but the actual event was a bit lacking, I wanted more about how Kiama felt and reacted and how the other characters reacted, especially Emma's parents. Overall another great book from this author and look forward to seeing where she takes us next.
The story is told in dual narrative between Yvonne, the adult who knows the full history of what happened and Kiama, a young man who is trying to come to terms with what happened to him as a child. It also flicks between the past and present. I really enjoyed this character case study of Yvonne and Kiama. I started off really feeling for Yvonne's character and the cruel twist of fate she was dealt but as the book progressed I began to feel that she was a rather selfish where as I loved Kiama more with every page!
I felt the build up was brilliant but the actual event was a bit lacking, I wanted more about how Kiama felt and reacted and how the other characters reacted, especially Emma's parents. Overall another great book from this author and look forward to seeing where she takes us next.
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