Homeward is a beautifully written and narrated, deeply moving story which gives a glimpse in time to the Civil Rights Movement in Georgia in the 1960’s.

Rose Perkins Bourdon is a young African American women navigating life, experiencing love and loss, fear and grief, racism and discrimination.

Homeward is her story and that of her family and how their lives becomes intertwined with the civil rights movement either voluntarily or involuntarily. Each and everyone of them struggling to come to terms with the changing times and their futures.

I wasn’t sure I ever warmed to Rose as a character. In a lot of ways I felt like she was too passive of a character but upon reflection I think her demeanour and other things that bothered me are likely to be a reflection of expectations on and the role of women at these times. I have to try to remember this is historical fiction, times were obviously different then than they are now.

When she initially comes home pregnant with a baby that is not her husbands, her mother tells her, This is your bed, Rose. You are going to have to lay in it all by yourself. For Rose, fairness is all she wants. But though she may be delicate, Rose is not fragile. Alone in our fear, we cannot do anything. But with our family and God on our side, we are stronger than an army of ten thousand.

After reconciling with her husband, Rose wrestles with his departure for the Vietnam War, but as long as there were men in power, there would always be a need for soldiers. If women were presidents and leaders, we would never send our sons, husbands, uncles, and brothers off to war…Until we were all free to choose, none of us were free. She discovers that fighting for freedom could be both loud and quiet. We all didn’t have to be on the front lines…Leave us alone and allow us the freedom to live. This becomes her solemn prayer.

When it was all said and done, racism didn’t care what your religion was. When a policeman attacks Rose on her way home from the graveyard, he didn’t care what God she served or if she served any God at all. He looked at her and saw nothing–but especially not a child of God.

Dr. King patterned the Civil Rights Movement after Mohandas K. Gandhi, a Hindu teacher and activist. So many of the SNCC members were Jewish. Rose considers the strange sovereignty of how all these bad things were bringing together, so many people from so many different communities. Maybe peaceful protest was God’s plan after all.

In addition to a gorgeously written story of a tight knit family and their community, Angela Jackson-Brown’s Homeward commemorates the 60th anniversary of so many historical events like the assassination of Medgar Evers; the March on Washington; the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church killing for a little girls (Addie May Collins, Carol Denise McNair, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson); and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. A must read!

Thank you to netgalley for this advanced copy

I had no idea what I was getting into with this story. Initially I thought that this was a Christina fiction book because of all spiritually charged areas. I had to go back and realize that this was historical fiction.

This was a pretty good story. I was emotionally distraught initially because Rose had lost a lot. I couldn’t believe all that she went through. As time progresses on this story starts to show how blacks fought for the right to vote. This highlights many of the issues that took place involving the disparities of blacks.

I loved the family aspect of this. They stuck together and stayed tight knit. This was heart warming how they showed up for one another. The father loved his daughters and made sure they knew it.

The authors note placed things into perspective relating to the 60th anniversary of many historical facts. It has to pose the question if we have come far in the fight? Some things have definitely changed but things still show it’s ugly head.

A moving historical fiction novel that follows a young African American woman as she navigates love, marriage and motherhood during the tumultuous period of the Vietnam War and Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s South. Great on audio narrated by Joneice Abbott-Pratt and highly recommended for fans of authors like Jesmyn Ward. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

CW: infidelity, death of an infant in birth

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Rose doesn’t know what to do.  She’s moved back home to her parents’ home in a small Georgia town.  She left her husband’s family land a thousand miles away after his return from Vietnam, recovering from an injury.  He didn’t expect to find her pregnant with another man’s child, nor for her to leave so quickly.  Her mistake will change the future for all of them – Rose, her husband, and their families.

Homeward is Angela Jackson-Brown’s take on the coming of age of so many people of color during the 1960’s.  The era was a crossroads between conflicts: the Vietnam War, integration of schools and retailers, voting rights, and Southern lynchings.  This novel includes reference to many well-known events and names in the Civil Rights movement and many lesser-known, too.  The author walks readers through the struggles and difficulties faced by many people of color in the South and conveys the fear people of color still live with even today.

I give Homeward 4 out of 5 stars.  I found the events around the Civil Rights movement in the small town as well as on the college campus relatable.  However, I felt like the author wrote two separate books, then had to find a way to join them up.  The original story line recounted in my opening paragraph was intriguing and relatable as a wife and mother.  When the book shifted to focus on Civil Rights, it felt like an entirely different book other than the references to Rose’s loss in the first section.  This led to some style and character development challenges.  I also did not appreciate the shift in timeline of some of the events – I prefer historical fiction to hold close to the original event dates.  It was also bothersome to see some of the prominent names of the Civil Rights movement included in events and conversations that may not have happened in reality.  With that said, the overall approach to describing the day-to-day struggles of this family is relatable and left me wanting more of these characters.

I would recommend this book for readers who enjoy historical fiction and books about the Civil Rights movement.  I would also recommend this book for readers who are looking to learn more about the Vietnam War era – while the book does not go into great detail of the war, it is interesting to see it set against the backdrop of the other world events.  With themes of death, physical violence, and violence by police, this book would be best suited for more mature readers over the age of 16.  I would also caution readers who may be triggered by pregnancy and infant loss.

I was excited for the opportunity to review Homeward for NetGalley and the publisher.  I appreciate historical fiction, especially that which delves into topics still relevant today, like racial tensions.  I also appreciate books set near where I live in central Georgia.  This novel fits both of those categories well!

I love the historical context involving the civil rights movement and the push to get Black Americans registered to vote. The author did a fantastic job with her research.

I very much loved and appreciated the strong family relationship between the Perkins. A phenomenal creation by the author.

For me, the let down of this story was the main character, Rose Perkins Bourdon. I tried so very hard, but I couldn’t relate to her and I couldn’t empathize. It just seems that she continually had these random bouts of bad luck and her way of dealing with every situation was to whine and cry about it. I, personally, saw no growth.

Overall, I liked it but I wasn’t in love with it.

Thank you to Harper Muse Audiobooks and Netgalley for the arc.

We meet Rose at a difficult time in her life. She married young, she’s pregnant with a baby that’s not her husband’s and she has to head home and face her family and the consequences of her actions.

When I started this book I wasn’t sure I would finish it. The writing felt juvenile and immature. I wasn’t sure how the story would develop into something I would enjoy and I considered throwing in the towel. I’m so glad I didn’t!

Jackson-Brown crafts the character and personality of Rose as a young women through her writing and this young sounding voice matures as Rose does. We are painted a vibrant picture of the US in the 60s from the perspective of a naive black woman learning about civil rights along with the reader. We experience many major historical events through Rose’s eyes and feel the emotional ups and downs of them all.

This was a beautifully written book and I would definitely recommend this to those who enjoy historical fiction.

I am going to have a difficult time relaying how I feel about this book, but I will give it a go.
I really don't want my personal preferences to sway future listeners, but I guess that's the only way to convey my thoughts on this story.
I really think it is an important telling of history.
I appreciated the inclusion of well known civil rights leaders as well as some not so well known.
We can never honor their names enough.
I also thought the storyline did a great job moving through this impactful time in history.
While it is hard to know the awful evil of history, it is a fact the evil of racism remains today.
It is also mind boggling that no matter what an oppressed group endures, many of the same group have their own prejudices against others of a different faith, social class, etc.
Here is what distracted me.
The narrator was ok, but her enunciation throughout the entire book had me trying to repeat her words out loud to see how she made those sounds. For example, any word ending with a "g" or "ing" was a hard g sound. Distractions like that made me think maybe audio was not the way to go for me.
I also felt like there was not a natural progression in the growth of the main character. I know we all have different paths in our own personal growth, but I felt like the author deviated from what the character had already experienced in life to make her very naïve for the sake of the story.
So I would say this is an average read for me.

Parsons, Georgia 1962
Dr. Martin Luther King has just preached at the local Baptist church, and Rose Perkins Bourdon feels inspired. Her sister introduces her to the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) after her parents send her to her aunts to help her move past her grief. Rose recently lost her husband and child. SNCC along with a young Isaac Weinberg help her find hope again.

Rose is a reserved young woman who feels like her siblings are far more intelligent and progressive than she is, but after an awful encounter with a white police officer that leaves her wrecked inside and out, Rose begins to believe in her own strength again. With the support of her family, Rose becomes the first African American in her community to successfully earn the right to vote in a rigged system.

Rose and her family give us a front row seat to the Civil Rights movement in the south in the 1960s. From church burnings to police brutality Rose and her family help show us what it means to be an African American in the racist south. Their tight knit family is inspiring and their history is a storied one for sure.

Rose’s story is tough to read at times, and her naivety grated a little. I was a bigger fan of her sister, but I understand her personality and the changes she undergoes throughout the novel from a passive young woman to one not afraid to stand up for her rights make her the better protagonist.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins Focus, and the author Angela Jackson-Brown for the advanced copy of the audiobook. Homeward is out on October 10th. All opinions are my own.

In short, this is the entire package for historical fiction. Compelling, realistic fictional characters presentation of situations without over dramatizing or glossing delicately over uncomfortable truths., a natural blending of real events with believable but fictional pieces of the novel, well written and easy to read. Great novel to generate discussion.

Thanks NetGalley for an advance copy of the audio book.
I admit, I had fairly low expectations for Homeward. As a person who has spent years studying the Civil Rights movement, and hearing about it from older people- I know how difficult things were for people involved. Many books/accounts do not capture the challenges and nuances of the times well. Much of what I've read that is in a historical fiction genre seemed to sort of gloss over some of the really brutal situations.
So, I have been pleasantly surprised, and I am also waiting for this book to show up immediately on a list of banned books after it comes out on October 10th. So unfortunate, but hopefully it will spur plenty of people to pick it up just to know what's so dangerous inside this book.
The book is well written. We follow the story of an unlikely protagonist- Rose- a young black woman, who married early and had an unfortunate affair while her new husband was serving in Vietnam. As she gains his forgiveness, we get to know her. To be honest, I didn't really like her that much at the start of the book. She isn't interested in politics, she mostly wants to enjoy time with her family and community. She was definitely not interested in causing any trouble, and couldn't figure out why anyone wanted to eat at a Woolworth's counter anyway, as the food wasn't flavorful. As Rose says " Having the right to vote or eat at the Woolworths counter doesn't mean more to me than my family". Rose, like many, reflected that she wasn't particularly interested in socializing with white people, or occupying their spaces. Rose's younger sister, however, was a student in Atlanta, and was becoming deeply involved in the SNCC movement for voter registration and integration. Rose and her sister are close, so Rose herself becomes involved, noting that stuffing a few envelopes surely isn't like attending a protest.
Rose's entire family is home for the summer and they initially watch as the events of the Civil Rights movement unfurl around them. Everyone in her family and the community has an opinion, and the author does a fantastic job of showing the many reactions of people to these events. We are often taught that everyone was just passionate about voting or sitting at the front of a bus, but the reality was that many people recognized the risks involved and saw our now well respected leaders like Dr. King, John Lewis and others of the Big Six as instigators and trouble makers. Jackson-Lewis shows how a person may have been lead to - or forced to take a stand during this time period and the very real situations that led reluctant joiners to become strong leaders.
Excellent read, compelling fictional story that pulls in the events of the time period in a completely natural way, and subtly inspires the reader to find ways to ensure a more equal and just community for today.

In [book:Homeward|124976495], we revisit Parsons, Georgia, where Opal and Cedric from [book:When Stars Rain Down|54287747] live. [book:Homeward|124976495] is about their daughter, Rose.
Rose has returned home, pregnant. But the baby is not her husband's. Her husband recently returned from Vietnam, to find his wife pregnant. After Rose returns to Georgia, she faces tragedy and heartbreak from all around. While grieving, she finds comfort and life in the Civil Rights Movement.

This story is both heartbreaking and empowering. Rose finds her inner strength as she recovers from tragedy.

Though a powerful story, there are a few things that prevented me from loving it. I understand that this will not be the opinion of many other people. First, religion plays a major role in this book. I don't typically enjoy super religious books, and this was the case here. I get why it was part of the story, but had I known how prevalent it would be, I'd have skipped this one. The second was there were a whole lot of unnecessary details. Let's use wardrobe as an example- sometimes outfits would be described in a lot of detail- and it was appropriate a few times. But other times it was just unnecessary noise.

Joniece Abbott-Pratt narrates the audiobook and does a great job with it.

I received an audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus, Harper Muse for the free audio book in exchange for an honest review. This is narrated by Joniece Abbott-Pratt who does a fantastic job!

This is such a beautifully written, heart wrenching tale of a black family in Georgia during the 1960s. It is well researched and includes family, heartbreak, loss and healing, and life in the south during the civil rights movement. Racism was rampant, blacks and whites were absolutely separate, and both were fighting for and against civil rights. It's about the grass roots efforts of the movement, and the sobering reality of the police protecting "their own color". But it is also so much more than that. It is a story of the love of family, fear, war, death, and grief. Ultimately, it is a story of love, and finding a way to live and love despite the past.

I loved the characters. They are so well written and developed. This is an interesting take on a hard period in history, and its well done!

Such a great book! Beautifully written. Impacting. Soul searching. Truth telling. The nineteen sixties in Parsons, Georgia was a hard place to live as a person of color. Come back to it and see Opal and Cedric. Meet their families. They were in the previous book by Angela Jackson Brown. You don’t have to read it to follow this one, but if you haven’t, then you should. Completely absorbing. Loved it!

I just love this kind of story! This is set in the 1960's, where racism and the civil rights movement happened. But let me tell you, the main character, Rose, is written so breathtaking and strong. She just might be my favorite heroine of the year. 5 stars!!

Many thanks to Net Galley and Harper Collins for an audio copy of Homeward for an honest review. This book was breathtaking!