Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Transitioning Home follows a soldier, wounded in battle, from the front lines through the healing of physical wounds, honorable discharge, and into civilian life. Once in civilian life the soldier is given the chance to consider other things that came up while healing. Thomas begins to consider his gender.
The author's descriptions of flashbacks the the PTSD that follows a soldier trying to enter life after a war injury are so well done the reader can almost feel, smell, and taste the experience. Her use of pronouns as Thomas becomes Emily is beautifully done. There is no one main major conflict in the novel, but there are more smaller conflicts woven through the story that keeps it moving. And, as a transgender person, the experience of the main character felt very real and the internal conflict of going through the transition were very relatable and conflict enough.
This is an excellent book about the trajectory of a transgender person not only dealing with gender dysphoria, but PTSD as well. It is beautifully written, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I can’t say that this book is *good*, or even recommend that you read it, but I will say that I found the writing to feel authentic (to the Army vet MC) in a detailed way which kept me just engaged enough to keep reading even when I was rolling my eyes at the general corniness. Sometimes (eg when you are mid-move…) you just want to read something where what’s on the page is… everything that’s there. And this book was perfect for that. However I feel no desire to continue with it having set it down once, so DNFing at 42% for now. Honestly I might come back to it when I next need to read something basic but just distractingly detailed enough - we'll see!

Note for names and pronouns used in my review: The main character opens the book as Thomas and uses he/him pronouns. Further into the novel as he transitions, Thomas takes the name Emily and, for a time, mixes these names and he/him and she/her pronouns. Eventually Emily is the only name and she/her pronouns the only pronouns used. For my review, I am going to slash the names and pronouns, just to be clear I’m talking about the overall character at all points of the book.

I liked Thomas/Emily, the main character, and his/her struggles with his/her identity and PTSD after combat. His/her anxieties and inner thoughts felt real and helped motivate me to continue reading.

Unfortunately, the book has no real plot or conflict. On the identity side, Thomas/Emily meet different pinch points along his/her journey – but they are all resolved smoothly and quickly. For example, after being (understandably) nervous about buying and wearing women’s clothing he/she starts more advanced transitioning steps very soon after with no real hesitation. Similarly, Thomas/Emily will often say things are progressing too fast, but then jump in anyway. All paperwork goes smoothly, a new, wonderful girlfriend is found on the first night out -- it all feels too good to be true.

On the reactions of others side, there’s a few transphobic and violent moments. Thomas/Emily gets called a “fag” by a girlfriend, attacked by 3 people in his/her college class, and disowned by his/her mother. But, again, these moments are quickly done and passed over. Even his/her former military companions, initially thrown off and one threatening to attack him/her quickly take his/her side in doing whatever he/she wants because he/she “has earned it.” Perhaps the point is to give a more positive read and not dwell on the trauma, which I can respect, but it felt there was no real story to follow as much as a series of moments.

The novel takes place in the early 2000s, so it does use some outdated terminology at times. I also found the writing overall a little stilted.

Transitioning Home by Heather K O'Malley.

Thank you Netgalley for a ARC for an unbiased review.

As someone with a trans husband, plus several trans women friends (inc one who is army), I was intrigued to see how this story panned out.
Sadly, my expectations on reading the outline didn't quite match how I felt on finishing the book.

Don't get me wrong, there was a lot of things that were okay or good about the story. The very real questioning, how to deal with not only acceptance within yourself, but then also how to navigate that to the wider world.

But, the biggest problem I had overall was the way the story was told just didn't grab me as I was reading it. I struggled a few times just to get through not only chapters, but paragraphs. It felt too rigid even. The emotion I was expecting to feel simply didn't materialise.

A shame because overall the premise was there, and I could almost feel that with more experience perhaps, the story would flow better. It was slightly frustrating for me because of this, because the sense of a great book was lurking beneath the surface, but the overall storytelling let it down.

For the good parts I enjoyed I am giving this 3/5 stars 🌟 🌟🌟

When I requested this one I thought I maybe could get over being from the American military but this combined with the bad writing proved to be too much for me.

I read this to support and promote stories of trans women by trans women but I did read last month a similar story that presented the story with more care around coming out and associated issues. I feel like this stories could be a hit around the older Americans, especially older lesbians and queer women who are this publisher audience. As a young person I terribly feel the generational divide I have with this book

2.5*
It's not often i'm still on the fence by the time i've reached the end of a book; i either love it, like it or neither of those. Transitioning Home however has left me rather flummoxed as to how I feel about the story overall.

On the one hand I love that this is a piece of own voices writing, and i can understand/see where the author was aiming to go with the overall story. An aspiration which was the main driver for my choosing to read Transitioning Home in the first place.

The plot is intensely focused on Thomas' gender dysphoria journey and his transition to become Emily after being injured in the line of duty.
It's a comprehensive depiction of the strife and triumphs that a transgender individual goes through in order to become their trueself.

And whilst I can commend the book overall for sharing such a detailed insight with the wider world, the other aspects of what make up a great
story appear to be an afterthought and are quite clunky in their execution. At times the author appears to show the struggle Thomas has with exploring/accepting his gender by utilising a mix of male and female pronouns in the same sentence. However, on the page this is really difficult to read and often left me having to re-read sections more than once to decipher what was happening.

At times the book felt quite auto-biographical in so much as there was very little in the way of an actual 'story'. Some of the labels/terms/perspectives refered to may also be construed as outdated by some readers; they aren't necessarily words that I myself have seen commonly used within the trans community. I also found Thomas' transition to becoming Emily happenend rather easily, with very few common barriers like time or cost being portrayed. Thomas is also characterized as being able to pass straight away, which I imagine might not ring true for the majority of people who have had similar experiences.

Overall whilst I can respect the concept behind Transitioning Home it just didn't really hit the spot I was expecting it to. And whilst I don't feel it was a complete waste of time, it's also not something I could see myself choosing to re-read. I do wish the author had properly embedded Thomas' transition into a wider, more complete story arc, rather than it being an afterthought, as I feel sure this would have benefitted a readers experience.

The premise of this story is a good one and it’s a story I definitely think should be told, but I was very disappointed in the actual execution of it.

Thomas has always planned to make a career out of the military. Unfortunately when he’s injured by a RPG that’s no longer an option. Faced with a new level of uncertainty he’s forced to really dive deep into his feelings. The novel follows Thomas’ journey of self discovery and journey to become Emily.

Unfortunately, I thought the author was too close to the story. Instead of building a story that has the balance to keep a reader engaged, she seems more focused on laying out the medical and legal steps involved in transitioning. This leads to a story that wanders and then ends without any major resolution.

O’Malley attempted to convey where Emily was in her transition and internal confusion through the use of pronouns. However, there didn’t seem to be a clear pattern to the pronoun use in the middle of the story. Sometimes he was used and other times she was used. There were even several times where it switched in the middle of a sentence. Emily also kept saying that things were moving fast and everyone would just push her to move faster, worst of all her doctor.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

Review of Transitioning Home by Heather K O'Malley
I want to state something at the beginning while I have some issues with parts of this book, I did enjoy it and think people should check it out but…
Transitioning Home is the story of a military vet who returns home to confront PTSD and the fact that he might not be the person he always thought he was. The book begins after he saves his unit from an attack in Mosul which leaves him battered and broken both inside and out. He returns to the states for physical therapy and starts to figure out there might be more to heal in himself than just his injuries to his hand and leg. He realizes that he has been avoiding a persistent “jealousy” of women and after therapy it starts to dawn on him that he has Gender Dysphoria. We follow them as they begin their transition, dealing with unaccepting family members, new friends and creating a life for the person they were meant to be, finally becoming Emily.
The story itself is well done especially its treatment of PTSD showing the real horrors that many former soldiers face even after they have returned to civilian life but there are some choices that the author makes that a reader should be aware of prior to checking it out. The first is that it appears to take place at some point in the past with many nods to this like the speed limit and the fact that when the main character googles “jealousy of women” all he gets are the terms transexual and transvestitism. Also, Emily, even after she has fully transitioned continuing refers to herself as “I am a transgendered” which is something I have never heard a member of the community ever say about themselves. Then there is the way the title character speaks about the LGBTQ+ community in the beginning which is filled with slurs and insults. I understand that is where the character starts from, but some readers must deal with that in their everyday life and don’t want to see it in the media they consume.
The last thing is the ease with which the transition takes place. I am not saying that Emily does not encounter hurdles and roadblocks but on the first night she presents as a woman without being on hormones she effortlessly passes and falls instantly into a relationship with the love of her life. This is not a person going through transition typical experience. These items are not deal breakers and might reflect more my experience coloring my reading of the text, but I try to be honest in my reviews both the good and the bad.
With these things in mind though I still endorse the book as something to seek out and read. The story does show the evolution of a person realizing who they really are, and I like that it centers therapy throughout, something not enough books do on these subjects.

So moving!

Thomas has been through so much while embarking on his military career until a life threatening situation ended it all. Back home recovering gets him thinking about why he envies women. After much soul searching he learns it all comes down to gender dysphoria. Embarking on a journey to become Emily, leads Thomas to self-acceptance and a whole new life experience.

I loved this! Such a great story exploring true self and gender. Thomas’ story was one of strength and courage from start to finish. His military career had taken its toll and as he embraced becoming Emily there wasn’t a moment of peace. In constant turmoil about what he was going through to begin with, my heart broke as he struggled with what he was feeling and experiencing but also when he worried about other people’s reactions. There was a whole process to go through, which was fascinating but imaginably equally terrifying for Thomas.

What was great was the support Thomas had, not only from some friends and his therapist but also when Emily found love. That relationship as Thomas started living day to day as Emily was the most supportive and loveliest thing. I learned so much reading this story and am in awe of anyone who is struggling with who they are and have been or are in a position similar to Thomas’.

A fantastic debut story that has cemented Heather K O’Malley as an author to look out for! There is so much emotion in this story you can’t help but connect with all Thomas is going through on a very personal level. Thomas’ story is one I’ll never forget and cannot recommend enough.

I jumped at the opportunity to read this story. I was hoping to get an insight into the mind and life of a person struggling with gender identity. I was not disappointed. This explained a lot of obstacles and treatments both mental and physical. It showed the support and discrimination they run into. Along with a very sweet and supportive romance.
I chose this book also because the author is Trans and much of the story appears to be autobiographical.
Interesting and educational.
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A very eye-opening book about a transwoman who is finding herself after a tragic injury in Iraq. Thomas Simmons, a soldier in Iraq is injured in combat an given an honorable discharge. The plot foll0ows the fears that Thomas has as he deals with PTSD and his gender. I found it an interesting book and the characters were well written. I recommend this book for thise3 who want to understand the stress of PTSD and gender reassignment.