It's practically a crime to give this book anything less than five stars—it deserves at least ten! Allison Larkin once again proves herself a master of crafting deeply nuanced characters and slow-burning, small-town fiction that resonates on an emotional level. With Home of the American Circus, she delivers a profoundly moving story of fractured family bonds, self-discovery, and the enduring power of connection.

Freya is a beautifully imperfect protagonist, someone whose struggles feel raw and real, making it easy to empathize with her journey. After a medical emergency forces her to return to Somers, the town she swore she'd left behind, she finds herself entangled in a past she had tried to escape. But the biggest surprise comes when she discovers her teenage niece, Aubrey, secretly living in the dilapidated house Freya inherited. As they cautiously rebuild their relationship, both must navigate old wounds, hidden betrayals, and the possibility of healing—if they’re willing to fight for it.

Larkin’s writing is immersive, rich with atmosphere, and layered with emotions that sneak up on you. The dual timeline adds depth, intertwining past and present in a way that makes every revelation hit even harder. The novel’s exploration of what it truly means to belong—both to a place and to the people around us—is deeply affecting.

With a cast of vividly drawn characters and a setting that feels as alive as the people within it, Home of the American Circus is a story that lingers long after the final page. Poignant, thought-provoking, and ultimately uplifting, this is a novel that captures the messy beauty of family and second chances.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book so much!! I love the relationship between the characters and the storyline weaved in with the history. Small town feel. I loved The People We Keep as well. This author definitely keeps me interested. I will read more of her work

I absolutely adored this book. At first, I felt it a little slow, even as I appreciated the characters, writing, and setting. But then it picked up and I was so enchanted by the cast of characters, I devoured it. At times, it went a little too much into Freya's mind in ways that felt redundant. That's my only complaint, but even that didn't keep me from loving this story. I thought it was going to culminate in a bug dramatic climax, and it didn't, and usually that would be disappointing to me, but Larkin dis such a good job of cultivating her characters, I didn't care.

I am also from Westchester, so there were many "only-in-Westchester" moments that I really appreciated. I will read anything from this author going forward.

HOME OF THE AMERICAN CIRCUS should appeal to fans of new adult fiction and stories about lost or struggling characters finding their way in life. There is a definite coming of age theme here, which Larkin handles deftly. The found family aspect is charming, and the small town vibe adds another layer of realistic sweetness, especially as the protagonist gets help from some unlikely sources. What is the true meaning of family? How do we find our way when there are obstacles at every turn? Larkin explores these questions and more in this poignant novel.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-galley; all opinions in my review are 100% my own.

I love love LOVED Allison Larkin's book The People We Keep. Like rave about it to strangers love it. I had very high hopes for this book and for the first half of the book or so, it was really living up to my expectations. I liked the story about Freya returning to her home town and reconnecting with her best friend and also her niece.

But the story really tried to go off in too many directions and ultimately went nowhere. Freya reconnects with lots of people..old coworkers, an old friend from elementary school, an old crush. She is helped by her parents attorney. Everyone wants to help her, except the villains, her sister and brother in law. It is all very one dimensional.. allll these people in town being kind beyond belief (Roofing her house for free? Giving her free medical care?) and then the sister being a villain.

And I totally did not understand the point of all the elephant stories, even though they tried to hit me over the head with it in the final chapters.

I wanted this book to have more circus themes but it was still a great story about found family. I loved the characters, the setting, and the journey of the main character to find herself!

Allison Larkin shared with me that Home of the American Circus is the book she is most proud of, and it's easy to see why. Her heart is on every page of this 432-page family drama, vividly capturing the author's hometown of Somers, New York- a place rich in history as the birthplace of the American circus. This town's status symbol becomes the author's cornerstone for a story filled with reinvention and, perhaps, a bit of reinterpretation that echoes her character's transformative journeys.

After a financial emergency, Freya reluctantly returns to the crumbling house she inherited from her estranged parents. What begins as a hesitant homecoming transforms into an emotional excavation of her past as she confronts the ghosts of broken friendships, familial betrayals, and unresolved love. But it is her discovery of Aubrey, her fifteen-year-old niece secretly living in the neglected family home, who brings Freya's journey into sharp focus as she tries to make up for what she missed when she was gone.

Larkin takes her time unraveling the mystery behind Freya's departure, offering heartwrenching snapshots of emotional abuse and neglect from her childhood. These past emotional blows are met with respite as the present timeline becomes filled with vibrant side characters, a cozy restaurant setting where unlikely people and food pairings find each other, romances blossom, and a found family emerges for Freya that the reader can delight in.

Sometimes, the home is its own character in our stories, and in this novel, it offers readers a powerful symbol—weathered, damaged, and yet capable of being rebuilt—just like us, even when we feel beyond the grasp of repair.

Fans of character-driven novels will have much to love in this ambitious novel, and I can't wait to host Allison on the Book Gang podcast to learn more about the writing process for this beautiful book.

Read this if you like:
•found family
•complicated family dynamics
•small towns

I fell in love with Allison Larkins writing when I read The People We Keep. So stoked when I got this book! This book is incredible. It’ll tug at your heart. You’ll see yourself in the characters and the town comes to life with vivid descriptions. The true meaning of found family exists in this book too. Thank you Gallery for the arc!

Allison Larkin’s previous book, The People We Keep, was my favorite book of 2021 and one of my all time favorite books. So I was thrilled to receive an advanced copy of her latest book and my expectations were sky high.

Home of the American Circus lived up to my expectations and cemented Allison Larkin as one of my favorite voices in contemporary literary fiction. We meet Freya Arnalds on the day her appendix bursts. This medical emergency forces her to move back home to Somers, NY to live in the childhood home she inherited from her parents. Freya never intended to go back to Somers and while she tries to lay low, she discovers her niece Aubrey is living in the house. As they try to reconnect, Freya slowly makes Somers her home in a way it wasn’t when she was a child.

Just like with The People We Keep’s April, Larkin has created another memorable character in Freya who finds the courage to stay and confront the demons and mistakes of her past and who readers will root for long after the final page. Just as important as Freya are the wonderful supporting characters that surround Freya and try to love her is she will only let them. There is Aubrey of course, Freya’s childhood friend/crush Jam, her childhood friends Eddie and Jam, the men who work at and frequent The Aster, and of course Shray, Aubrey’s best friend who almost steals the entire book from Freya and Aubrey..

Home of the American Circus is a must read for fans of Larkin’s previous work or for anyone who loves a character driven story with a main character who is trying to find their place in the world.

When I read Allison Larkin’s The People We Keep, it instantly became one of my favorite reads of the year. So, when I heard she was releasing a new novel, Home of the American Circus, I jumped at the chance to read it. Let me tell you—it exceeded every expectation I had and more!

The story centers around Freya Arnalds, a 30-year-old woman who finds herself moving back to her hometown in Maine. Her current situation wasn't feasible anymore, and since she inherited her childhood home, it was pretty much her only option. Having been estranged from her parents and sister for years, Freya is filled with anxiety about returning to the small town she left behind. However, the silver lining is reconnecting with her beloved niece and a few cherished childhood friends. As Freya works to rebuild her life, she realizes she must confront the people and long-buried events that drove her away in the first place.

This novel is absolutely incredible. The characters are so vividly and intricately developed that they felt like real people I could know in real life. The storyline weaves together so many emotional layers, pulling at my heartstrings in the best way possible. Allison Larkin has done it again, delivering a masterpiece that will undoubtedly be one of my favorite books of the year.

Home of the American Circus is a 5-star (actually, 5+++ star!) novel that I’ll be recommending to everyone. I truly can’t wait to see what Allison Larkin writes next!

Allison Larkin writes characters you believe in and that mirror exactly who you are and where you’ve been. I’ve never felt so alive as when I was reading this novel. Thank you so much to NetGalley for allowing me an advanced copy of this book. I see myself and everything that I am in this story. I feel profoundly touched by this circus.

5 stars-A dear friend once said of a book, I’m reading it slowly because I don’t want it to be over. I can think of no better words to describe my time with Freya, Aubrey, Jam, and Shray. Oh, and sorry, Bet. What I love so much about all of the Alllison Larkin books I have read (going all the way back to “Stay”, is the depth of the characters and how they are the world to each other. This book will stay with me for a long time, and it will go on my favorite reads list as well. Thank you so much to the author, the publisher, and Metgalley for the arc. It was a beautiful journey!