I really did enjoy this book because Katia was such a good character and such a good soul. She has so much empathy and heart. I also loved that it was set during the Vietnam War because I actually don't tend to see a lot of historical fiction in that time period. My main complaint is that God/religion was talked about A LOT. And when I say a lot, I mean probably every chapter. It just took away from the story for me.

An emotional journey filled with high and lows. I truly felt connected to the characters. I couldn't put it down!

This was one of the best books that I’ve read it a long time. A pure account of community and love and peace and responsibility. This story will definitely stick with you. We are able to see the effects of when you have so much love to give and it’s hard for you to accept a love that’s made for you because you are doing so much for others. A great read and good for bookclubs.

This read was a powerful and emotional book that I believe will stay historically important. The author captured resilience in the face of deep injustice, with the humanity of her characters at the heart. I found it to be vivid and immersive, which compelled me to keep reading.

Untethered by Angela Jackson Brown is a well put together story that unfolds down south (USA) in the late 60’s.

Jackson-Brown, has created, in her main character Katia, a dynamic woman who deftly handles complex emotions and relationships. I was right there with her and cheering her on. Spending time with her in her world and wishing for her wins was wonderful.

Our emotionally competent main character has a beautifully mapped inner life and inner light. Katia Daniels, with super relatable values, is the queen of taking care of others and she has a LOT going on. A lot! She felt real as she moved through the complications of her world as a woman, leader, partner, daughter, sister…

Seeing the ways in which she was surrounded by love and support even in the face of multiple challenges was lovely. Her community of Black women were Black women-ing and I LOVED, especially loved, the variety of wonderful ways the male characters showed up, including group home wards & workers + returnees from the Vietnam war. (And Seth, oh Seth!!! I think I might have a crush on Katia’s high school crush! Is it my first book bae?)

Katia caring for her people is beautiful and her self-care—reading, soaking, listening to music, talking to her sister-cuz— (even as she has her hands full to overflowing with LIFE) is inspiring.

I am grateful that I opened this book--even though I did not feel compelled to read by either the title or the cover. From the first page, to the last, and even off the page (taking a break from reading + now that I've finished the book), Katia captured my love.
This is my first Angela Jackson-Brown book, and it won’t be my last. I am so thankful to the author and the publisher for sharing this book with me in exchange for an honest review. I wholeheartedly recommend Untethered by Angela Jackson-Brown.

ARC Review
📚 Book Title: Untethered
✍🏽Author: Angela Jackson-Brown
Format: eARC = 📱
⭐️ Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🕑Quick Take:
It’s 1967, and Katia Daniel serves as the Executive Director at The Pike County Home for Negro Boys in Troy, Alabama. Although she is unable to have children of her own, she dedicates herself wholeheartedly to nurturing the boys at the home. Katia struggles with feelings of unworthiness when it comes to love, but an unsuspecting suitor reveals genuine admiration and respect for her as a person.

💕What I Loved:
In this historical fiction novel, we explore the experiences of Katia, a Black woman who grapples with societal perceptions of her image and worth. Throughout her life, Katia faces significant grief and loss, yet her resilience shines through. I particularly admire her ability to define herself beyond societal expectations and her admiration for artists like Nina Simone.

Themes:
- Historical Fiction
- Women’s Fiction
- Elements of Slow Burn Romance with Intentional Courting
- Self-Discovery & Resilience

⚠️ Heads Up (Trigger/Content Warnings):
- Reproductive Health Issues: Hysterectomy & Miscarriage
- Prisoners at war/missing in action
- Child Welfare Service/Child Abuse

💭Final Thoughts:
Untethered is a beautifully written novel that explores the experiences of Black women in the 1960s, highlighting the numerous burdens they carry from both family and society. The story is emotionally moving and engaging. This was my first read by Angela Jackson-Brown, and it definitely won’t be my last!

Thanks to Net Galley and Harper Muse for this advanced reader’s copy.

This was a pretty good read. It was a page turn. I loved it. I was grateful for the early coffee. I know I’m giving a late review, but I finally got around to reading it and I don’t understand why I didn’t read it sooner, but it was so good and you won’t be disappointed.

Set in Troy, Alabama, in 1967, Untethered follows Katia Daniels—a woman carrying the weight of responsibility for her family and a group home she directs for Black boys. At 40, she's battling grief, personal loss, and thwarted dreams of motherhood. A hysterectomy has dashed her hopes of having children, while her twin brothers' fates hang in the balance in Vietnam. When an old flame, Seth Taylor, reenters her life, Katia must confront her own long-suppressed desires and redefine what family and love truly mean.

Strengths

Katia’s character is beautifully rendered—endearing, complex, and wholly human. Her emotional labor, devotion, and vulnerabilities are depicted with sensitivity and depth.

The story excels in portraying the emotional burden shouldered by Black women in caregiving roles—both professionally and personally—and does so with profound empathy.

Themes of healing, identity, and self-love resonate powerfully through Katia’s journey. Balances sorrow and resilience, allowing healing to feel messy and real, rather than pat and predictable.

Critiques

While emotionally evocative, the novel feels a bit too idealized—some reviewers find characters almost uniformly well-intentioned, diffusing tension before it has a chance to build

The period feels more gestured to than deeply immersive.

Untethered is a moving, character-driven novel that sensitively portrays caregiving, grief, and personal rediscovery. Angela Jackson-Brown’s poignant prose invites readers to sit with Katia’s internal struggles—and her small, beautiful triumphs. While it prioritizes emotional resonance over suspense or deep historical immersion, it succeeds as a quiet, heartfelt story of self-bonding and resilience.

If you're drawn to stories that honor the emotional labor of women—especially Black women in service-giving roles—this will resonate deeply. Highly recommended for its warmth, emotional honesty, and the strength of its central character.

Untethered by Angela Jackson-Brown is a beautifully written exploration of identity, loss, and personal growth. The characters are complex and relatable, and the emotional depth of the story pulls you in from the start. Jackson-Brown’s prose is vivid and evocative, capturing the highs and lows of the human experience.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is one of those book ratings that I am going to say is based completely on emotion. The tears were falling as I reached the end of this book. Angela Jackson-Brown took me to Troy, Alabama, in 1967 and introduced me to her main protagonist, Katia Daniels. Having lost her father to cancer and watched her twin brothers enlist as Marines and head to Vietnam, Katia lives with her widowed mother and works at the Pike County Group Home for Negro Boys. Katia is loving, fierce, loyal and dealing with her share of heartache and worry. I loved her dearly. With her job, Katia experiences a lot of power struggles to prove her worth, and at home, Katia struggles to rise above parental expectations of who she should wed. I cheered her along the entire time, I read.

I have never read a book by Angela Jackson-Brown before, BUT consider me a fan who will be on the lookout for her other books. I am glad I allowed my heart to lead the way on this one. A wonderful story.





#Untethered #NetGalley.
Publication Date 03/12/24
Goodreads Review 24/07/25

This book made me feel all the emotions! Grab your tissues because this one digs deep. What an incredible story! Set in the 60’s Vietnam era, this one packs a punch

Untethered follows Katia, a Black woman working as the executive director of a home for boys in the South. The story follows her life, along with the boys she takes care of who have experienced a significant amount of trauma. There's a lot of love, compassion, loss, and sacrifice shown as this book unfolds and I find it an important one. It makes me sad that many people see themselves in Katia because Black women have always been pressured by society to sacrifice for others, minimize or hide their pain from others, and more. There were many points of this book that I teared up because I truly believe all people are deserving of happiness. I just wanted to transport myself in the book and give Katia a big hug.

Untethered details one woman's story of love, loss, family and devotion. Katia Daniels is the steadfast Director of a boys home in the rural south. The boys have experienced trauma and tragedy, but Katia works tirelessly to bring love and dignity to their lives, at the expense of her own. Her life revolves around the boys home, her mother and twin brothers, who are serving their country in the Vietnam war. She is unmarried and childless, not believing that she is deserving of happiness. It's a well worn tale of self sacrifice that Black women know all too well. As the boys experience hardships, racism and neglect, Katia has problems of her own. She is plagued with self doubt and frustratingly refuses good will, love and companionship, from those around her. The book plods along with one setback after another, until things finally break her way.

Although well written, this book receives three stars for an agonizing slow pace and a main character that you have a hard time rooting for, because she won't get out of her own way.

This book was really good and I had a good reading experience. The plot was good and I was able to follow along even though at times it got a bit much. Overall, this was a good book and I enjoyed reading it. I enjoyed the characters and I was able to immerse myself in the story the entire time. This was a good read and I would recommend it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Muse for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. A wonderful story of love and selflessness set in 1967 in the south. Racism was still rampant and the Vietnam war was raging. A sad story but also very uplifting and the ending was so good. I recommend reading this one.

Untethered is a powerful, beautifully written historical novel that blends heartache, hope, and resistance with stunning clarity. Angela Jackson-Brown’s storytelling is emotional, immersive, and deeply human—capturing the weight of systemic injustice while still centering love, family, and resilience.

The characters in this book live and breathe on the page. I was especially moved by the way the author wove historical context into personal choices and sacrifices. It’s the kind of story that sticks with you, reminding you how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go.

This is a must-read for fans of layered historical fiction that doesn’t flinch from truth but still dares to offer light.

This was such an amazing book. I absolutely loved it and honestly… just read it. That’s the review! Read this book NOW!

*Untethered* is a heartwarming story centered around Katia, a Black woman working as the executive director of a home for boys in 1960s Alabama. The novel has a lot of tender, emotional moments that tug at the heartstrings, particularly through the stories of two boys, Chad and Pee Wee, who were truly a joy to follow. I found myself rooting for them and appreciating the glimpses into the lives of poor Black youth during that time.

While the premise and characters held great promise, I often found myself wanting more from the setting. The historical backdrop—though mentioned—never felt fully immersive, and I struggled to feel the weight of the 1960s Southern atmosphere beyond what we were told.

Katia’s relationship with her love interest, Seth, also left me a bit unsatisfied. Seth himself was a charming and likable character, but Katia’s inconsistent behavior toward him made their eventual love story feel rushed and underdeveloped. It was hard to believe in a deep connection when there wasn’t enough time spent building it.

Another emotional thread—the storyline involving Katia’s brothers and the Vietnam War—was introduced with great weight but wrapped up too quickly for the emotional payoff it was building toward.

Overall, *Untethered* is a sweet and sincere story with meaningful themes, but for me, it didn't quite leave a lasting impression. A pleasant read, just not a particularly memorable one.

Untethered is a heartwarming and, at times, heartbreaking story about community, love, and what it means to raise Black boys during times of war and racial inequality.

The story is simple and grounded.
Kat, our FMC, cares deeply -sometimes too much-about others. But that’s what makes her journey meaningful. I especially enjoyed seeing her get some well-deserved love; the romance was a quiet but lovely touch.

This isn’t a plot-heavy book, but one that lingers in the heart. If you enjoy stories about found family, Black womanhood, and the strength of community, you’ll likely appreciate this one.

Untethered touches in many important issues in south Alabama in the 1960's. The exploration of missing soldiers, black boys in the foster care system, with bouts of love, racism, loss, grief, family, hope, and being true to oneself. Untethered is a historical fiction you should read.