Mickey's letter about her mistreatment at a magazine suddenly blows up into a thing when she least expects it, forcing her to take another hard look at her life and love. She called out microaggressions and racism after she was fired and then she moved home, where she wrangles her relationship with her father, who has a second family now. And she reconnects with Tee. She's torn between the past and the future, but what future will that be. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I suspect this will speak to many.

Homebodies by Tembe Denton-Hurst is a marvellous contemporary debut novel that consumed me from the start.
The novel is written from the point of view of Mickey, a young black woman, who is searching for her place in society. Life is unfair as Mickey finds she has to work twice as hard to receive half as much, as the white women in her workplace. Life is not at all fair when the scales are already tipped against you.
As Mickey’s world tips on its axis, she returns to her grandmother’s house. Here, she feels loved, and starts to heal bit by bit.
Mickey’s hometown is full of memories which she re-visits both physically and mentally.
In New York Mickey felt invisible. In her hometown she is seen.
We sense the turmoil and conflict between staying with her grandmother and returning to New York. In the end, the choice is made up for her.
We see the power of social media to either bury us or elevate us.
Homebodies was a departure from my usual genre, and I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Mickey is a very likable leading lady who brought out the mothering instincts in me.
Homebodies is a powerful and necessary read. We must never judge others for the colour of their skin, their age, sexual orientation or race. There is only one race – the human race – and we must love and encourage each other, building people up and not tearing down.
Homebodies was a fabulous debut and I look forward to more from Tembe Denton-Hurst.
I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

This is one of those titles that has nothing wrong with it, I just didn't connect with it. That probably says more about me than it does about the book, which is clever and insightful and has just enough humour in it. It just didn't suit me, sadly. There are readers who will love it, and I hope it does really well.

I struggled to rate this book, because there were ups and downs here for me. Tembe Denton-Hurst is a wonderful writer and clearly gifted, but I found Mickey incredibly frustrating as a character. And I am not the type of reader to normally be turned off by difficult or emotional characters, but it was hard to continue to read this and empathize and root for her. Justice for Lex, a reasonable adult! But. At the same time... I've been there.

I’m struggling to work out how much I enjoyed reading this book and I think my main problem is the blurb which misrepresents it and misdirected my expectations.

‘Homebodies’ has so many of my favourite story elements: an overworked main character questioning capitalism, a return to a hometown that brings up feelings of failure and forces a reexamination of adolescent experiences, complicated relationships that waver between toxicity and honesty, and an author who isn’t afraid to highlight her protagonists’s flaws. Mickey’s meltdown is portrayed in such a relatable way, particularly the crisis that is triggered when your idea of yourself comes tumbling down and you no longer feel as though you can trust your own judgement. The novel was messy and chaotic and didn’t deliver resolutions that are too tidy to feel realistic. But as much as this felt honest to real life, the back and forth of Mickey’s inner monologue and the lack of clarity and closure on so many of the novel’s relationships and plot points felt dissatisfying as a reading experience. The reminiscing began to feel repetitive and disorganised in a way that made it difficult to pin down a timeline or chronology.

What started as a novel about career and status and racism in the workplace was derailed by the romance plot which took precedence, but both suffered from the novel’s pace and structure (which needed fine-tuning) and unclear conclusions. There were several relationships with family and friends that felt as though they had been picked up just to be put back down, again true to life but frustrating in a novel. Her reckoning with racism embedded within industries and the decision between infiltrating them or creating new spaces from scratch felt like the beginning of a much bigger journey, and I wish we had gotten more of that and less of the romance.

It was at its best when it focused on Mickey, her internal processing of her thoughts and feelings, and her reflections on the way that her insecurity in her work, her self, and her relationships were all interconnected. I would have liked more closure on this, but the lack of closure might also have been what made it feel so real and powerful. Reading a book with a Black, queer, plus-size main character feels amazing, and Mickey was so well-rounded in the way she was written, complicated and contradictory and flawed, and self-criticising, but also thoughtful, and ambitious, and able to be vulnerable. I wish she had been a better friend in many instances and that the novel delivered a clearer idea of how she was going to show up for herself and in her relationships in the future, but there was a lot of hope in the ending.

My feelings might be mixed, but there was so much to love within the complexity of this novel. I’m really intrigued to read what this author writes next.

This is such a great read! Tembe is a lovely writer with a talent for pulling you in from the very first page! At all points of the story I feel I connected with a few of the characters and loved the depth each relationship had. Not only is the main character relatable but the surrounding remind me of people that I’ve come across throughout my life. I can’t recommend this book enough!

I deeply enjoyed the beginning of this novel but the storyline didn’t keep my attention when I reached the halfway mark. After her Twitter rant didn’t get the attention she thought it would and she moved back home, the plot was a little slow and it was hard for me to stay invested in the storyline. I realize that the lull in the book likely was intentional to mimic the lull in her professional and romantic life but I did not continue reading after she saw Tee in the grocery store. I’m so sorry but it was hard for me to see where the story was going to go next but I truly loved the beginning half of the book!

I really enjoyed this, although it wasn’t what I expected it to be. I thought it would be the fallout from Mickey’s decisions and the events that would transpire afterwards, and mostly it was just everything leading up to the fallout but it ended right before we get into that.

It was still engaging, though. I enjoyed seeing Mickey return to her home and I believe it helped her understand what she needed to do and help get here there. I also enjoyed learning about the complexities of Mickey’s relationships. I disagreed with some decisions she made and agreed with others, but her character development was excellent and I think she ended up making the best decisions for herself.

I am secretly hoping there’s a little sequel, though! I want to see what happened with Mickey after that cliffhanger ending.

Homebodies is a story about Mickey, who struggles with her mental health after losing her job. The book deals with race, the need to be seen both as an individual and as part of an elite, social-media-led, beauty/fashion industry, and childhood roots.
I feel that the story dealt with mental health issues well. The despair, that feeling of being lost, and finding it almost impossible to drag your way out was accurately depicted, I felt. It also made me more aware of the acts of racism in the workplace that are less obvious to those who aren't directly impacted, and I think the book has the potential to carry a strong message. However, it appears to be more of a story about being lost and indecisive than about any bigger issues.
I liked learning about Mickey's childhood experiences and how they impacted her adulthood and the decisions she makes when she returns there but I found the constant flashbacks dizzying at times. This also impacted the pacing of the story for me too. The middle section dragged at times and I felt the ending was rushed. - the big thing that is announced in the blurb doesn't happen until the last quarter of the book and then not enough attention is really paid to it. I also found some of the conversations confusing as I had to decide for myself how the lines were being spoken and it was difficult to figure out exactly what was happening. Where none of these difficult or confusing aspects occured though were in the scenes with Mickey's grandmother. These were perfect and the character, feeling and action so clear that they played like scenes of a film in my head.
For these reasons I'd give the book a solid 3 and a half stars, rounded to a four. A good story with an important message at its core but sadly one that's lost in the house that one of her childhood friends lived in.

I was very intrigued by the synopsis of this book - a contemporary/literary novel about a 20-something navigating life, careers and love in a big city, with Black and LGBTQIA+ rep? Sold!

Unfortunately this wasn’t the book for me but I can see it appealing to others.

Whilst there were parts early on in the book that I enjoyed I found by about 60% through it began to lose momentum for me and I found myself disengaging and close to DNF-ing it.

However, thankfully this didn’t last long as it picked up again around 80% of the way through, and I found Mickey's grandmother a very likeable character that helped pull me back in.

Mickey herself isn’t a completely likeable character, and that’s okay - great even! Having diverse representations of humanity and combating expectations of ‘minority groups’ to be friendly and palatable to have their stories deemed worthy is something I can, and will, always get behind.

Her relationship with a character when she goes back home was exhausting in its back and forth, and brought out the worst in Mickey, which on reflection lends itself nicely to really feeling like you’re in the characters head which Denton-Hurst certainly did well throughout.

Overall, I think the experience Mickey shared is a very real and relatable one to many, from micro aggressions in the workplace to painful experiences between religion, sexuality and family, which make it an important read to have on the market and for which I am grateful.

Thank you to the publisher for the chance to read this eARC!

I’d describe this book as realistic fiction. The author has done a fantastic job of creating imaginary characters and situations that depict the world and society. The characters focus on themes of growing, self-discovery and confronting personal and social problems. The language is clear, concise, and evocative, with descriptions that bring the setting and characters to life. Dialogue is natural and authentic, and the pacing is well-balanced, with enough tension and release to keep the reader engaged. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work.

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.

The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.

Beautiful, stunning, showstopping, never been done before. This book made me feel so deeply. Everyone must read this.

I wanted to like this book but could not. I don't think the characters were fleshed out and the story was one that I could leave and not miss.

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ (HarperCollins UK) for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Homebodies releases May 2 (US) or July 6 (UK)

The impression you get of this story before diving in from the way the blurb summarizes Homebodies, does not align with the actual story that is written.

I was really excited to read a literary focused novel that would open up a discussion on racism, while amplifying marginalized voices, told from a Black, queer, and thick main character. But that is not what I got.

Mickey was previously a full time writer for a media company before being fired and replaced by another Black girl; one who was more “pleasant”.
There’s this idea put forth that Mickey is so “distraught and enraged”, leading her to publish a “searing manifesto”, but this “manifesto” hardly played a part in this story. In fact, the whole virality of it was such an afterthought.

What is thought to be a “searing manifesto” is really just an unsent letter written in an email app that was then screenshotted and broken up into a series of images to upload onto Twitter.

Mickey is not “enraged”. Instead, she spends her time unemployed sitting on her couch at home, eating take out and watching movies in the same set of clothes, and couldn’t even practice simple hygiene like showering or brushing her teeth regularly.

Where was the passion? The creativity? She had “dreams of writing stories that matter”, yet not once in the whole book did she actually write something of her own volition.

I don’t know why the blurb calls this deeply sexy, because it’s really not at all.
I wanted to see a strong group of characters, but instead, every corner we turned faced us head on with alienation. First at her work, then the group chats, and even with Lex and Tee.
I did not like the idea of bringing back the ex into the picture at all, only for it to muddle everything and further show that no one chooses to put Mickey first.
The ending had so many loose ends still — are we just going to ignore what happened with Tee? Did Mickey and Lex reconcile? Did Mickey ever get a job? Why does Mickey keep ping-ponging between two women whose actions consistently leave Mickey as the queer lover left in the dark like an ugly bruise, kept at arms length as a friend and unwilling to be fully seen as a lover?

I wanted more on the discussion of race. More passion and the feeling of inspiration tied to writing. More support.
I thought Mickey transitioning back to living in Maryland and getting out of New York would have brought a sense of urgency and accountability, but it didn’t.
Overall, the pacing and plot points needed a lot of improvement.

A captivating coming of age story that resonated with me as a Black woman who’s navigated white work spaces. This story was both a window to a queer Black New York professional’s experience and a mirror for so many of my own work/life balance frustrations. Some of the relationship dynamics frustrated me but felt true to life!

An interesting premise that takes some time to get in to. I wasn't necessarily invested in the plot but enjoyed the characters. Worth a shot at for sure. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a review.

Homebodies by Tembe Denton-Hurst is an intelligent and insightful novel about twenty-something Mickey Hayward, a writer living in New York with her girlfriend Lex. Mickey is living the life she has always dreamed of, until her colleague takes her to one side and tells her that she will soon be out of a job. With everything she has worked for gone, Mickey is fed up with obstacles that she has to face because she is black, so she decides to write a letter that highlights the racism she has experienced. Mickey posts the letter on twitter, but it receives very little attention, her personal life is also strained, so she runs back to her hometown. Back in the heart of her family, Mickey falls easily into her old life and old relationships, keeping herself occupied with jobs around her grandparents house and catching up with childhood friends. But this routine is interrupted when a scandal within the company she used to work for brings her letter into the public eye, will Mickey’s voice finally be heard?

Homebodies is a coming of age story, with flashbacks to Mickey’s teenage years a common occurrence once she is back home. I enjoyed these passages, as they gave an insight into Mickey’s personality and the way she sees herself.

As well as a glorious story about growing up, Homebodies is also a story about the importance of representation. I also admire Denton-Hursts’ honest exploration of racism and how it is still embedded within organisations, like the one that Mickey works for.

There’s so much to love about this book, firstly Mickey is so well written, there are moments when she is not particularly likeable and I didn’t always agree with her opinions, but I was always rooting for her. Secondly I loved how well written the relationships between characters were, they were often tender and messy which gave them a real warmth. The relationship between Mickey and Grandma Anna was a favourite of mine.

Thank-you NetGalley and HQ for providing me with an ARC in exchange of an honest review.

I hoped to like this novel but "Homebodies" as a story that tries to explore many distinct issues just waters them all down. In the same way that what happens to Mickey is very believable, the resolution just simply... isn't.

Paradoxically, I'm glad that "Homebodies" were published because it shows that representation is not always enough, and it's to be expected that there will be well, as well poorly executed narratives in the mix.

This book was incredible! Denton-Hurst perfectly nails the feeling of being unmoored in your 20s, and Mickey and her friends and family leapt off the page.

Mickey has been working for three years at a publication. After leadership was replaced following a buyout she's faced micromanaging, racist slights, and her ideas being shut down. Every day is an anxiety filled slog.

Then a peer warns her that she's heard rumors of her position being available in the next few months. All this does it heighten the anxiety and Mickey's freeze response. Then it happens. She's let go.

Mickey questions everything about her abilities and cannot seem to move forward. In her inability to move forward she also takes her frustration out on her girlfriend, Lex.

Eventually she writes a cathartic open letter to her replacement, posts it on twitter then runs away to her hometown.

There she faces old insecurities, difficult conversations and relationships she hasn't faced, and bad decisions.

Then her letter goes viral.

This book explores imposter syndrome, self sabotage, the subtle racism that's hard to call out without a multitude who see/experience it too, healing from the past and finding your way forward.