The Thing About Home

This was a beautiful story about family, friends, self-discovery, unconditional love, and forgiveness. Rhonda McKnight expertly wove the two narratives of Casey and her great-grandmother Odessa, bringing together modern elements with family traditions with deep roots. It was well-paced, and I tore through the book in two days.

Casey Black, social media influencer with millions of followers, had planned an elaborate vow renewal for her seventh wedding anniversary. She had eloped with her husband, Drew, and never got a big wedding. It seemed like the perfect day, but things went off the rails when Drew told her he was not renewing his vows and wanted a divorce. Casey was shocked and humiliated. She escaped the church, went home, and decided to face her followers after drinking some wine. The live video went viral for the wrong reasons, and Casey escaped from New York to the South Carolina Lowcountry to meet her long-lost family.

She packs her car and heads south in her Mercedes. She is seeking her father's family. Her father died before she was born, and her mother had never introduced her to that side of her family. Her mother barely spoke about them, and Casey had not thought of reaching out before her decision to escape New York. Her father was from Georgetown, South Carolina, so she heads there hoping to get in touch with some of her relatives. While ordering lunch, she meets an attractive man and starts a conversation. Before she leaves the restaurant, she asks him if he knows any Blacks, and he says he does not, and then she asks for directions to the tax offices. At the office, she learns that there are Blacks in the area, and they own a 300-acre farm.

When she arrives at the farm, she meets her grandmother Ida Black who she had been denied knowing all her life. Quickly Casey begins to refer to her grandmother as Granna, and she comes to love her very much. Through her grandmother and the rest of her extended family, she learned the history that her mother had denied by not letting her get to know her father's family. She finds out the man she met at the restaurant is Nigel Evanston, the farm manager who thought he was protecting the family by denying that he knew the Black family. As the story progresses, Casey feels at home in South Carolina until a tragic event causes her to run from South Carolina back to New York. Eventually, Casey and Nigel get their HEA after some healing and growth on Casey's part.

I loved this book; the epilogue was the perfect way to end the novel. The story had drama, a bit of mystery, and a true sense of self-discovery and belonging. Casey found a way to be true to herself by discovering her roots and her family. I loved the characters in this book, and Nigel is in the running for my favorite book boyfriend. I highly recommend this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Hear Our Voices Tours and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I also received an ALC from LIbro.fm and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Loved it! Yinka Ladeinde really brings Rhonda McKnight's novel to life. I listened to this after reading a paperback copy of this novel. This audiobook immersed me in a story that I have already come to love.