This book absolutely d r a g g e d.

The premise of the book was fascinating but I don't feel that it actually developed to it's full potential.

I only liked 2 of the characters and it got to the point that I really didn't care about whether or not the wedding would go ahead.

I absolutely loved "Dominoes" from start to finish. The initial serendipity of Layla and Andy sharing the same surname sets the stage for what seems like a fairy-tale romance, only to unravel into a complex, emotionally charged journey of self-discovery and cultural confrontation. Layla's best friend Sera adds a compelling layer of tension, questioning the interracial relationship and challenging Layla's choices. The narrative masterfully explores themes of identity, history, and the often painful intersections between personal desires and societal expectations. As Layla unearths unsettling truths about her past, the story delves deep into the heart of what it means to reconcile love with heritage. This book is not just a romance but a poignant, thought-provoking exploration of the choices that define us. Highly recommended for its emotional depth and cultural resonance.

Dominoes had such a good premise – woman finds out that the family of the man she's about to marry might have enslaved her ancestors. But the execution didn't quite live up to the premise for me: it lacked a lot of the nuance and complexity I craved from such a thorny situation, and I think the characters weren't as well-developed as they could have been. The fiance was kind of a blank. I'd give it 3.5 stars, because the premise is good, it was really readable and I particularly enjoyed the parts set in Jamaica.

Dominoes surpassed all and any expectations I might have had. What starts out as a seemingly sweet story of Layla and Andy falling in love, becomes much more than that.

As their wedding day approaches, Layla notices that something is really off with her best friend and matron of honour, Sera. She seems to have a problem with Andy, which is confusing to Layla as he treats her so well and they adore one another.

When Sera reveals what the issue is, it throws Layla into a crisis of identity. She has so many conflicting emotions and doesn't know where to turn.

Dealing with issues of race and identity, culture and history, the author handles these issues with sensitivity and nuance. I think in an increasingly polarised world, nuance is crucial.

There is great depth to this story but it never feels heavy. Because there is lightness and kindness and beautifully sweet moments, and this reflects life. It can be heavy, but it has its moments of joy also. And we surely need both to appreciate life.

#Netgalley

I finished Dominoes yesterday, and I added a synopsis of the book to my stories because I feel the concept of this one is so interesting, and it really hasn’t received enough love on #bookstagram. So here starts my one woman mission to get this on people’s radar!

Layla is a British, mixed-race woman. She has a black Jamaican mum, and a white dad she doesn’t know. Plus her lovely Jamaican grandad who is very much her father figure. Her best friend Sera, also black, is her best friend and closest work colleague; both her and Layla are secondary school teachers, figuring out their lives as they go.
All is well then until Layla has a chance encounter with Andy; a white man of Scottish descent. They both have the same surname, which seems like a wild coincidence, but as the book progresses, may in fact not be at all (foreshadowing 👀).

They instantly fall for each other, and we fast forward a bit to their impending nuptials. 29 days before the wedding and maid of honour Sera suggests Layla look into their family histories a bit more before saying “I do”.
After a little digging, Layla is shocked to discover that Andy’s ancestors may have enslaved her ancestors. A trip to Jamaica is on the cards, more research, and plenty of soul searching.

I really loved this book.
The characters and dialogue all felt so real to me; I loved all the flashbacks to years of friendship between Sera and Layla in particular. The author does an excellent job of making them three dimensional people; I felt like I grew to know them over the course of the book and really wanted to keep reading to find out more about them.

The main storyline itself was so interesting; thought provoking and fresh, I don’t think I’ve read anything else like it. It would be a perfect book club choice too as there’s so much to discuss in here.

I highly recommend #Dominoes, it’s already on my “best books of the year” list and we’re only in July! 😅

With many thanks to @netgalley and @vintagebooks for the early copy, all opinions are my own. Dominoes is available to buy now

Unfortunately I have not been able to connect with this book and found it to be trying a bit too hard at times. The premise is interesting but was rather slow and so lacked the engagement.

An interesting read. I enjoyed the story and found Andy and Layla's relationship really worked but when her best friend Sera discovers something about Andy's ancestors doubts start creeping in as Layla begins searching the family history which bought a past she couldn't ignore. Well written and researched and I really enjoyed it

This was a very interesting take on the history of slavery exploring it through a romantic perspective. It was also interesting to read about this topic from a UK setting, a reminder that the impact of slavery stretches' across the globe.

This was a very poignant & thought provoking read.

With a lot of controversy lately about apologising for historical links with slavery, this story explores the issue from a romantic drama perspective and its impact on a twenty first century perspective. A young couple meet and fall in love. It’s a coincidence that they share the same surname. Only it comes to light that the shared surname is also indicative of a shared family history in that one half of the couple is descended from slave owners and the other from a person who was owned by them. It’s a thoughtful and well-researched story that will provoke a lot of discussion.

With thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

Thoughtfully written. A really enjoyable debut read. I read and also listened to some of the audiobook, expertly narrated by the author, about two friends Layla and Sera. This is very much Layla’s story, following exchanges with Sera where she is goaded into asking questions about her identity and finding out more about how the slave trade may have impacted her own family. Layla needs to seek answers to try to reconcile the past before perhaps going forward with her future plans.

Sera and Layla are on separate journeys after being entwined for years as best friends, sharing the same workplace and social lives. It was painful to read about their separation at times, but this is a coming of age story at its heart.

Topical real life news stories about racism, injustice and inequalities drive the plot and make this a thought provoking read. The author is not afraid to raise challenging issues while finding a forgiving and loving way to forge a way forward for her characters.

I found myself pausing to look up lots of references in the book as read, for example: the Spanish version of Sex and the City, Save the Last Dance film, places in London and Jamaica, Caribbean food and drink. I also enjoyed listening to Hubert Parry’s I Was Glad!

A very satisfying read and listen which I couldn’t put down. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of Dominoes. Now I’m off to find a recipe for rum fruit cake!

My First impression of this novel was is it going to just be a simple love story do I want to persevere with it? I’m glad I did because the story is more complex and this becomes clear the more you read.
The central concept of the story is that young British black woman is in love with a white man and they are due to get married very soon . When they first meet they jokingly laugh at the fact that they have the same surname and she will have not have to change her name when they marry. her friend does some research and discovers that the man’s rich Scottish family in the past owned slaves and this may be the reason they have the same surname as slaves were often given the surname of their owner.
This research drives the young woman to investigate her own family and to take a trip to Jamaica to meet some of her distant family.
I found the story interesting and the underlying tension an interesting ethical issue. it did strike me that her best friend was taking the issue incredibly seriously and it appeared to be enough to breakdown their relationship. I didn’t quite buy this.
The author has a clear flowing prose style making the novel an easy read
This is primarily a relationship based novel, I felt that the characters were well described and felt like real people

I Practically liked this sentence “Never knowingly ordinary my mother” it described my own mother perfectly
Domino’s was published in the UK on the 7th of March 2024 by vintage
I read a copy on NetGalley UK. This review will appear on NetGalley UK, Goodreads and my book blog bionicsarahsbooks.wordpress.com and on Amazon UK

Dominoes by Phoebe McIntosh offers a captivating and unique love story intertwined with the profound exploration of the generational impacts of slavery. The narrative revolves around Layla, a mixed-race woman, and Andy, her white fiancé, who share the same surname, McKinnon, before marriage.

Their initial connection over their shared surname evolves into a deeper exploration when Layla delves into her family history, prompted by her friend Sera's scepticism about their impending marriage. Layla's investigation uncovers a startling truth: Andy's ancestors were slave owners who once owned Layla's family, explaining their shared surname.

The novel follows Layla's emotional journey as she grapples with this revelation and its implications for her relationship with Andy. Returning to Jamaica, Layla seeks to understand the intricate ties between her and Andy's families, both past and present.

McIntosh skillfully navigates themes of heritage, identity, and racism, prompting readers to reflect on the enduring legacy of slavery. Layla's poignant contemplation about the future of her family lineage highlights the ongoing struggle with racial identity and the weight of history.

Through compelling characters and thoughtful cultural commentary, Dominoes delivers a thought-provoking narrative that resonates long after the final page.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

Dominoes by Phoebe McIntosh is a really interesting and enticing love story, but one that explores a topic I haven’t read about in a novel before – the generational repercussions of slavery. Dominoes centres around Layla, who is mixed race and Andy, her fiancé, who is white. The thing is, they have the same surname (pre-marriage), McKinnon.

Layla McKinnon meets Andy McKinnon at a house party. They hit it off immediately and eventually get engaged. The fact they share a surname, pre-marriage, is initially just a fun fact and something they like, makes it feel like they were always meant to be together.

However, Layla’s friend Sera isn’t as enthused about their impending marriage and encourages Layla to look into her family history and delve into how it is that she, from Jamaican descent can share a surname with Andy, who has Scottish roots.

That’s when Layla discovers that Andy’s family were slave owners. Essentially – they owned her family. And that’s why they have a shared surname. This is the central theme of the book, Dominoes takes us on Layla’s journey as she processes this new information and considers what it means for her that Andy’s family once owned hers.

Layla goes back to Jamaica to further explore her complex family situation and see exactly how her and Andy’s families are intertwined.

She also looks forward as well as to the past, exploring heritage and family in future generations too:

The thought of the skin colour of future generations of my family resting with me alone, and the idea that the blackness in us could simply fade out the further you got through a family photo album, filled me with intense sorrow.

Dominoes is a great book, presenting a story I hadn’t read about before and being able to both create characters you care about and raise considered cultural commentary about slavery and racism that leaves you thinking.

Layla is a mixed-race woman who will shortly marry Andy, the love of her life. Andy is white, and fun fact: they share a surname, McKinnon, a Scottish surname. This quirky coincidence leads to a devastating realisation: during the era of the British slave trade, Andy's family owned Layla's. Layla is left reeling by the discovery, questioning her entire relationship on the back of learning something so destabilising. Dominoes follows Layla's POV as she digs into this information and tries to come to terms with what it means for her life now.

I loved Dominoes - it's thoroughly entertaining, while also being quite emotional and thought-provoking in its exploration of the British slave trade. Layla discovers the truth about Andy's family via her best friend, Sera, who seems to have always been concerned that Layla suppresses her Blackness to fit in with white people in her life. She shares the information with Layla & encourages her to leave her fiancé - something that isn't so simple with a month to go before the wedding!

Layla's story is frightening and thoroughly believable, as are her reactions. As Layla learns more about her background, she finds her own beliefs and identity impacted. As a mixed-race, "passing" woman, her relationship with her Blackness is a knotty one and McIntosh does a brilliant job of exploring this. Her most compelling relationships were with her family - Jamaica-born grandad Roy is a real highlight - with her relationships with Andy and Sera paling a little in comparison. Sera, in particular, feels more like an antagonist than a best friend! I would have loved an explanation of her actions and point of view.

I found myself comparing Dominoes to last year's much-hyped The List: both focus on Black women who are just about to get married when they make rotten discoveries about their future husbands. Dominoes, for me, delivered everything I wanted from The List - it's smart, serious when it needs to be, balancing that with light-heartedness so it never feels preachy. It explores a complex topic & serious ideas while never sacrificing an entertaining plot or believable characters. A really fantastic read that I'll recommend far and wide!

I didn’t know what to expect from this book, I think it was the history aspect that drew me to it in the 1st instance. At the beginning I really enjoyed the narrative between Layla and Sera, but as the story developed I actually disengaged. I found myself skipping pages to fast forward, I found some of the language difficult to read and overall the story about slavery which is what interested me never really developed into a tangible picture. I persevered to the end but could have given up at any time. Overall I think an opportunity was missed to tell an important part of history.

Dominoes is an emotive and thought provoking read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It follows the complex story of Layla discovering that her fiancés family may have profited and benefited from the slave trade and possibly were slave owners who owned her ancestors in Jamaica. The book looks at the impact of this on Laylas own beliefs and identity as well as the impact it has on the many relationships in her life. I was completely immersed in this book and really enjoyed the range of emotions and journey that Layla goes on to come to terms with her history and her relationship with her fiancé and his family.
Highly recommend this book for a thought provoking and relevant read.

This book got me so annoyed 😤
It’s about a white-passing black lady who gets into a relationship with a white man. All is good and they decide to get married. Except the lady’s bff is not happy about it at all and I’m kinda getting the vibe that the bff might be ready to ditch the entire friendship, you know?
An exploration into the British slave trade and its legacy, was very interested to see how it ended.. but it kinda fell flat.

Think this would work better as a play and not a book.

A really interesting debut dealing with the difficult area of racism.

Layla - a mixed race woman - finds out that the family of her husband-to-be used to be slave owners and that their family estate was purchased from the compensation payments after their slaves were freed. She has to decide what this means to her and her future.

To her friend, Sera, there is no choice but to not go forward with her marriage but for Layla things are not so clear cut. She remembers past examples of discrimination which she has chosen to ignore or explain away. But it is not until she travels to Jamaica that the debate is given more context and she can reach her own decision.

This book made me think - it was well written without preaching.

A book everyone should read!

It’s the start of the summer holidays and teacher Layla is going to spend hers marrying her fiancée Andy. Layla has never really questioned her heritage - black mum, grandad from Jamaica, and a white father who she never met. Her light coloured skin means that she hasn’t been on the receiving end of as much racism as her best friend Sera. However, when Sera suggests that Andy’s family made their money from slavery and Layla’s own ancestors may have in fact, been those very slaves, it begins a quest for knowledge and identity.

This was a really interesting story of discovery, about understanding your roots but not letting them define you. Ultimately, it’s about freedom - the freedom to make your own choices.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In “Dominoes”, we meet Layla shortly before her wedding. She is blissfully happy with her fiancée, who happens to share her surname, until her friend points out that there may be more to the coincidence of their shared name than meets the eye.

Layla is of mixed British and Jamaican heritage, and her concerns start to grow as she learns that it was customary in the 1800s for emancipated slaves to take the surnames of their former “masters”, meaning that her fiancée’s ancestors could potentially have owned hers. She goes on a personal quest to get to the bottom of their genealogy and must decide what their potentially shared past will mean for the present.

This is a fascinating, heart-breaking, but beautifully told story that stays with the reader long after the final page. The topics are handled sensitively and, though I would have liked more of the points of view of Layla’s friend and fiancée, I loved the moments with her family.

My thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for the arc to review.