Talented London playwright/actor Phoebe McIntosh has recently released the novel version of her earlier play Dominoes. At the center of the story, Layla “Lay” McKinnon, a mixed-race teacher with ancestral ties to Jamaica, struggles with news that may end her wedding plans.

At a party, Lay had met Andy McKinnon, a white man from a well-off family. Although their shared surnames were far from the only factor drawing them together, it became a subject of interest, especially to Lay’s long-time best friend Sera, now a fellow teacher and much more the social activist than Lay. While everything goes well with Andy in Lay’s mind and the two are soon engaged, Sera finds reason to take offense and sends Lay information that forces her to question her future with Andy and that drives a wedge between two life-long friends. As the chapter titles count down the months and then days to the impending wedding, Lay becomes increasingly uncertain.

This is a novel about love and friendship, about black and white and shades between, about slaves and slave owners, about reparations paid not to former slaves but to the former owners of emancipated slaves, about the Black Lives Matters Movement, and about finding oneself.

Along with Lay, Andy, and Sera, readers will meet several other interesting characters, including Lay’s mom, her domino-playing Jamaican immigrant grandfather, other relatives met for the first time on Lay’s desperate trip to Jamaica, Andy’s parents, prone to racist or unthinking remarks that lead Lay to question their acceptance of her, and more. Regardless of the individual reader’s race, it is a novel worth reading, one almost certain to make each person think.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an advance reader copy

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I have really gone back and forth with my thoughts on this book. On one hand I loved the deep discussions Layla and Andy had throughout the book. It was very reminiscent of my own relationship as I am a white women who is married to a biracial man and we often discuss topics such as the ones in this book and plan to educate our children on these topics as well. I feel this book has some amazing knowledge to share with the world. That being said I didn't like the story itself. After finishing the book I was left with heaviness in my heart and usually i expect that when educating myself on black history and Americas past but the reason I felt this way wasn't even because of the "dark" topics discussed because those were handled very well and the characters talked very openly about them. My feeling of discomfort was because of the character Sera and the way she treated Layla. Treating your best friend horribly and wishing for the destruction of their happiness because you disagree with something they are doing is ridiculous. I found Sera to be self righteous and used race as a defense mechanisms to justify her bad behavior. Being mean towards those who deserved it, like someone who was discriminating or being racist, makes sense but not to your best friend for falling in love with a white man. Overall this book was a good read but I couldn't stand the awful treatment Layla faced from someone who has been by her side for so long and instead of helping her through a potentially devastating discovery she dumped it on her and then abandoned her.

Not giving anything away (it's in the description on the cover) by saying that a bride to be finds out her intended is from a family that formerly "owned" hers as slaves hundreds of years before. Starting out seeming as if it were going to be fluff, it became serious and addressed its subject intelligently with believable reactions on all parties. This was a new viewpoint on this scourge, and one that made sense.

Layla McKinnon is biracial, her father was white and her mother is black, originally from Jamaica. She reluctantly goes to a birthday party with best friend, Sera, where she meets Andy McKinnon. They have a connection and it's cute they have the same last name but then 29 days before their wedding she discovers that his Scottish ancestors could have owned some of her family on a sugar plantation in Jamaica. So now what is the question.

Honestly at about 30% or so I was ready to give up. There was one character I disliked so intensely that I didn't want to deal with her but the story picked up and she faded into the background. Didn't become more likeable though. It was frustrating to me that Layla didn't just talk to Andy and tell him what was on her mind but then I guess there wouldn't have been a story at all. The story was well written and I wished some of the characters were more developed.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Ballantine for providing me with a digital copy.

DOMINOES by Phoebe Mcintosh ~published March 12, 2024

We meet Layla McKinnon and Andy McKinnon who are engaged to be married. After initially finding it humorous and convenient that they share a last name, eventually Layla decides to look more closely at their potentially shared genealogy. When she realizes that Andy’s family may have enslaved her own, she’s not sure what to do...

I wasn’t the right reader for this, as I prefer more literary work to general fiction, and this was more the latter (it even verged into romance at times). I was drawn in by the synopsis, but after reading the novel, I’m not sure that the “will they or won’t they” romantic plot actually worked as a backdrop to explore such a weighty issue. I also really didn’t care for Layla’s best friend Sera, and that was hard for me to get past.

Sincere thanks to Random House for the advance copy!

Layla is eagerly looking forward to marrying Andy, the man of her dreams. As the wedding nears her dearest friend, Sera starts to withdraw. The girls have been best friends since they were eleven, but with Layla’s mixed blood, her skin is much lighter than Sera’s and she hasn’t had to endure the same racism that Sera has. Sera is questioning everything Layla is doing and accuses her of being “too white” and she isn’t too enamored with Layla’s rich white fiancé either. When she sends Layla a video, Layla is suddenly unsure of her own future, will she need to choose between love and friendship. When Andy and Layla met they were surprised about having the same last name, but when Layla delves into her family history, the name takes on a whole new meaning. Will the past change the outcome of her future or will Layla finally be free to be who she was always meant to be. This was a timely and thought provoking debut from McIntosh that will have you wondering what you would do if your heritage was about to derail your future. Is it possible to forgive the sins of the past? What choice would you make? While McIntosh covers some heavy material, her no nonsense approach has us looking inwardly at our own hearts as the pages turn. Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

The subject matter in this book is horrifyingly possible. What feels like should be absolute fiction is a reality we cannot ignore. I was fascinated by the dilemma the main character faces. It’s an impossible situation & I really felt for the grappling she was going through. I found that the solutions and support her family in Jamaica gave her was very beautiful. My heart hurts that we didn’t see more of that support from her closest friend. I do feel like I would have loved to learn more about the development of her relationship with Andy. I believe that wasn’t the point of the story but it might have helped me feel more positively about the relationship. I didn’t feel the connection they had and didn’t really root for them for most of the book. Other than that a really heartbreaking and fascinating story or slavery and the impact it continues to have generations later.

Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are mine alone.

Rounded to 4.5 stars.

CONTENT WARNING: racist microaggressions, mention of enslavement, grief, discussion of police brutality and institutional racism, racism

This is one of those books that I was offered by a publisher, and I’m so glad it was offered to me. Dominoes is a book that I hadn’t heard about prior to that email, but it sounded fascinating and I can’t resist a deep dive into family history in a story, especially in a contemporary fiction book.

The start of the story sets up the frame for everything that is going to happen, allowing us to get to know Layla and the circles that she moves in. She’s a teacher, works with her best friend Sera, and gets into a relationship with a white man who seems like a dream and coincidentally has the same last name as her (no relation). The relationship unfolds at record speed, helped along by the pandemic restrictions, and before long, they are in the final countdown to their wedding.

But as the big day gets closer, Layla’s life suddenly becomes difficult. She finds herself feeling more and more distant from Sera at a time when she feels the need for her bestie more than ever, and can’t help but think that the fact that Andy is white is contributing to the strained interactions between Sera and herself, but wonders if they are just drifting apart.

When Sera pushes Layla to research her own background and family history, as well as the origins of her own last name, Layla takes the suggestion and makes a shocking discovery: Andy’s ancestors more than likely enslaved Layla’s ancestors in Jamaica, and the compensation for the loss of income after emancipation contributed to their fortune today, Layla experiences an internal crisis and isn’t sure who she can discuss this with.

I found Layla to be immensely intriguing and a highly likable and relatable character. She’s thoughtful, insightful, intelligent, and not impulsive. Initially, her conflict seems to be between fighting and accepting change in her relationship with Sera, as she struggles to accept that they appear to be drifting apart. But as the story goes on, the author introduces some deeper themes and discusses them through the lens of Layla’s experiences—racism and how being mixed-race affects Layla’s self-concept and place in society as a woman of color; the pressure to play up Eurocentric features in various situations, such as straightening her hair for events; how interracial relationships can impact friendships; police brutality and institutional racism; the lingering effects of enslavement and how it still impacts people nearly 200 years later; and how commonly racist microaggressions occur and why:

“I was always asked where I was from … No … no, where I’m really from. Because it was obvious there would be something—an interesting mix of this or that—that everyone was entitled to know about.”

While the story starts out lighthearted, it moves into a much heavier topic matter, but the author still manages to maintain a tone that incorporates humor and fun into the story. The main character is still a young woman, and life has to include fun. There are also some flashback moments that highlight major experiences in Layla’s life that had a huge impact on the woman she is today. I loved getting to know her better over the course of the story, and seeing how she absorbed new information and adapted to that and new situations, although reading large portions of dialogue in Jamaican patois made me feel like I was missing out on actually hearing one of the most lyrical and great-sounding accents, so the next time I read this one will probably be on audiobook. Overall, this is a fantastic book, and I found it to be really enjoyable. This is one that I can easily recommend.

This novel really makes you think, not only about racism today but our how past generations dealt with it.

The premise of the book is Layla McKinnon meets Andy McKinnon at a party, same last name but different races. Layla is of mixed race but she only knows her mother who is Black and her father moved to England from Jamaica at the age of twelve. Layla and Andy fall in love and a month before their wedding she learns that his family probably owned hers back in Jamaica.

Layla has to come to terms with this knowledge at the same time dealing with her best friend who thinks she should call off the marriage and date a nice Black man. A family trip to Jamaica is quickly planned where more distant relatives are introduced and more family stories are shared.

All the characters had good intentions even if they sometimes came out wrong. But, they all learned how to talk about their feelings and in the process certainly had me thinking about how racism effects everyone and it's never too late to do better!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

When Layla agreed to go to the party her best friend, Sera, wanted to drag her to, she didn't expect it would change her life. Meeting Andy that night felt like pure kismet. The pair had instant chemistry, and oddly enough, they even had the same last name. McKinnon is a fairly common last name, after all. They know there's no chance of some long lost relation, especially because Andy is white and Layla is Black—mixed, technically, as her mom is Jamaican and the father she never met is white, leaving Layla with a complexion on the fairer side. Fast forward a number of months and it's a silly footnote about saving on paperwork costs for a name change after their wedding. At least that's what it was until Sera starts acting strangely, ultimately forcing Layla to dive far into her ancestral history and uncover roots she never knew were gnarled just under the surface.

Dominoes is a kind of bildungsroman in its own way. While Layla isn't going through an extended coming-of-age arc, she's plunked in the kind of hyperdrive that our 20s and 30s so often feel like when she's faced with too many complicated choices overlapping one another. Friendships are hard. Relationships are hard. Families are hard. Learning your (maybe not so) ancient history is hard. Learning you have things left to unlearn is hard. McIntosh navigates all of these well. There are plenty of conversation starting moments about colorism and racism, asserting yourself and losing yourself, and anger, love, and forgiveness.

There's a lot to love here. The pacing was a little off for me, with what seemed like an overly drawn out amount of time trying to figure out what was going on in Sera's mind before we got into the real juicy bits, and a rather mellow conclusion after Layla's journey really started to pick up some steam. I think it depends on what you're looking for here. If you're looking for a literary application of some important discussions—especially around race, ancestry, and relationships—this is a great read. If you're here for just the fiction, you may be found wanting some additional development.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy.

A slightly stressful but enjoyable read. I’m not sure what I would have done in Layla’s shoes. But I think her actions and storyline did give me a bit more insight about her situation. The writing was great here, flowed naturally and there were no laggy parts. The ending was satisfying.

DOMINOES is the compelling and thought-provoking debut novel by Phoebe McIntosh. Just a month before her wedding, Layla McKinnon, a mixed-race British woman of Jamaican descent on her Black mother’s side, learns the shocking news that her white fiancé, Andy McKinnon, may be descended from Scottish ancestors that enslaved her own ancestors back in Jamaica. It is also possible that the money past generations of white McKinnons made off slavery and from reparations have contributed to their present-day wealth. Layla’s best friend, Sera, is the one to reveal Andy’s background to Layla, which causes a break in their close friendship that may never heal. Layla is forced to confront the past before she can move forward with her future. The story follows Layla’s difficult journey to understanding her own identity, heritage and values. Family, friendship, morality and racism are all important themes in the book. I found myself engrossed in this eye-opening and timely story and recommend it highly. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

When Layla’s best friend Sera sends her a link to a documentary about slave owners and payments made to them upon emancipation, Layla is left to question if her fiancé’s white family with the same surname might have enslaved members of her family from Jamaica.

Dominoes by Phoebe McIntosh demonstrates the importance of being true to your self while examining the histories that affect who we are today. Race, friendship, love, and family all become entangled in Layla’s story.

Constructed in chapters of the month leading up to the wedding date and with memories from the past, Dominoes is told from Layla’s point of view. The reader is left to wonder if Layla will take her friend’s opinion over her own personal desires and if the pair will still marry or separate. The pacing is steady and thoughtful and the language is peppered with patois spoken by her grandfather.

Overall, I really enjoyed this selection from @randomhouse and @netgalley and am thankful for receiving an arc of Dominoes before it published in exchange for my honest opinions. Look for this one the next time you want a relaxing family story.

This one really made me think. Layla is mixed race engaged to a white man. Her best friend, Sera, does not approve of her marrying a white man. She encourages Layla to delve into her heritage. Layla makes a shocking discovery. It is possible that her fiance’s family owned Layla’s family as slaves and those slaves helped build the wealth of her fiancé’s family . So many questions. What would you do?
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Grouo. This was soooo good man!! This book was not dual POV which I love or multiple POV which I enjoy even more but this book was worth the read. It starts of in a direction I wasn’t expecting but don’t be bothered by it because the premise is coming. As well, it is about a wedding so I was expecting the beginning too. This was so good. I can not give it away. This book is living rent free in my brain and I love it. I recommend.

Dominoes takes on the topic of inter-racial marriages and searching your ancestry to find if it inter-twines with your partner’s; especially if you both have the same last name. This book will definitely make you think. I had mixed emotions as I read this book, but I always wanted to finish it. The book moves a bit slow at times but I found it to be very thought provoking. This was a debut for the author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random Book Publishing for an ARC, which in no way influenced my review.

#RandomBooks, #PhoebeMcIntosh,

What a thought provoking, challenging, and interesting novel! This book was so layered and fascinating, exploring issues of race, friendship, love, history, family, and more. It took me a few days to get my thoughts together because while I liked this book and will be recommending it to others, I had a hard time getting into it at first because I just found Layla to be such an annoying, shallow character at first. I wanted to quit reading because I just didn't like her. As time went on though, I came to realize that I didn't like her because I didn't like what she represented at first - someone who goes with the status quo, gets angry with others when they challenge her, doesn't always listen, etc. My feelings towards Layla grew more compassionate with time though, as I saw her try to consider the implications of her family history as a black woman vs. her fiance's family history as a white man... especially considering they share the same last name and could have an intertwined history in respect to slavery.

My favorite parts of this book took place in Jamaica, and I also particularly enjoyed the sweet relationship Layla has with her grandfather. I was saddened by the ending, especially regarding Sera. What a shame. I think this book is worth the read, but the reader must be in the right head space for it. This is not a book to read for escape and it's not exactly a beach read, though some parts are fun. It's a novel, sure, but also gets at deep issues in our society. Hope you check it out!

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

In “Dominoes”, we meet Layla, a mixed-race British woman on the brink of her wedding. But as the days count down, shocking revelations surface: Her fiancé’s family may have enslaved her ancestors in Jamaica. The chemistry between Layla and Andy is electric, yet their shared last name, McKinnon, hides deeper connections.
Phoebe McIntosh’s writing delves into love, friendship, and identity. Layla’s journey takes her to Jamaica, where family secrets unravel. As the clock ticks, Layla faces a choice: love or truth. This open-hearted novel reminds us that confronting the past is the only way to move forward.

Dominoes is one of the most thought provoking books I've read so far this year.

Layla, a mixed-race woman of British-Jamaican decent, and Andy, a white man, were immediately drawn to one another when they first met in London and ironically they share the same last name, McKinnon. As they grew closer, questions were raised by Layla's best friend, Sera, about Andy's ancestors and their history of being enslavers in Jamaica. Could they have enslaved Layla's ancestors and could this have led to some of their vast wealth?

Uncovering the truth leads Layla on a quest to understand the depth of their families shared history and will help her decide if she can move forward with their relationship. This book touches upon race, history, privilege, and the importance of understanding the past and where you come from.

I found this book to be very thought provoking and it is one that will stay with me for some time. I feel this would be a good book for a book club. I think there could be a lot of really good and fruitful discussions around themes in the book. It is one I would recommend.

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

Layla McKinnon is a month away from her wedding to Andy McKinnon. Yup! They have the same last name. But Layla's family is black and from Jamaica and Andy's white wealthy family is from the Highlands. As her wedding day approaches, Layla's best friend, Sera, shares her doubts about Andy and encourages Layla to investigate her heritage in the chance that maybe it's not a coincidence that they have the same last name. Is it possible that Andy's ancestors had once enslaved Layla's? As Layla begins to dig deeper she questions whether she can marry the man of her dreams knowing what she might uncover about both of their ancestries.

This was such an interesting storyline and one that I would never have thought of. I loved Layla's family. Her mother and grandfather were so lovable. Andy, her fiance, did seem to be good to be true. I liked the way the past was interwoven with the present. I did not know that the British government has offered monetary compensation to slaveholders after slavery was abolished there. This little novel will make you think hard, just as Layla faced her own hard questions and decisions.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an early copy of this novel. It will be available on 3/12/2024