Thursday 6 August 2020

#BlogTour Homecoming by Luan Goldie


It's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Homecoming by Luan Goldie. Her first novel Nightingale Point was a success and I am convinced her second novel Homecoming will be too.

About the Author
Luan Goldie is a primary school teacher , and formerly a business journalist. She has written several short stories and is the winner of the Costa Short Story Award 2017 for her short story ‘Two Steak Bakes and Two Chelsea Buns’. She was also shortlisted for the London Short Story Prize in 2018 and the Grazia/Orange First Chapter competition in 2012, and was chosen to take part in the Almasi League, an Arts Council-funded mentorship programme for emerging writers of colour.

In 2019 she was shortlisted for the h100 awards in the Publishing and Writing category. Her debut novel, Nightingale Point, is longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2020 and it was also a Radio 2 Book Club pick. Homecoming is her second novel.

Follow @luangoldie on Twitter, on Goodreadson Instagramon AmazonBuy Homecoming


About the book
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.

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.

Review
Kiama wants to connect with the mother he barely remembers. He thinks his mother's best friend Yvonne will be able to answer some questions but more importantly he needs someone who knows what he is going through to go back to Kenya with him to get some closure. To revisit her life, the things that made her happy and the memories of the two of them that he treasures. It also means going back to the story of her death.

Yvonne has her own secrets and guilt to both hide and deal with. She is torn between giving Kiama an attempt at some level of peace and not wanting to destroy the image he has of her and his loved ones. Their trip could change everything.

It's a story of love, betrayal and ultimately one of closure. An emotive piece of work that always manages to steer away from excessive dramatic scenes and yet simultaneously walks a very tight rope of emotions. Feelings that have been stored away and ignored for years until a young man who needs to understand his inner conflict and unresolved trauma reopens old wounds.

Whether intentionally or not Goldie gives an excellent image of what happens when people go back and revisit the past in person. The expectations are always built on memories and never take into consideration that the world and the people in it move on, which means there will always be a level of disappointment.

If you haven't read anything by Luan Goldie yet, I highly suggest you give her books a try. She has a fresh and creative voice and is absolutely a rising star and an author to watch. 

Buy Homecoming at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: HQ; pub date 6 Aug. 2020. Buy at Amazon com.

Read my review of Nightingale Point by Luan Goldie.


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