Thank you Netgalley and Union Square & Co for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Riley Redgate’s “Come Home to My Heart” is a deeply emotional exploration of identity, resilience, and love in the face of adversity. Centered on two very different high school seniors, Gloria Forman and Xia Harper, the book delves into themes of homelessness, religious rejection, loneliness, and queer love, all set against the backdrop of a small, conservative South Carolina town. This is not just a romance; it’s a story of survival, community, and self-discovery. Before going into the review, I do want to provide a content warning for homophobia, mainly from Gloria’s parents whose extreme religious views cause them to kick her out of the house.

Gloria, once part of her town’s popular Christian circle, finds her world shattered when her parents discover she’s a lesbian and cast her out of their home. Homeless and heartbroken, she hides her situation from everyone, spending her nights under the school stage and longing for the acceptance of the family that abandoned her. Xia, on the other hand, is a self-isolating misfit who dreams of escaping her stifling small-town life. She buries herself in books and keeps her own sexuality hidden, wary of the judgment and rejection that come with being openly queer. When the two girls form an unexpected friendship, their guarded walls begin to break down, and they find themselves drawn to each other in ways that terrify and transform them. As their feelings deepen, Gloria and Xia must confront the truths they’ve hidden—not just from others, but from themselves—and decide what they truly want, even if it means risking everything.

“Come Home to My Heart” is remarkable for its authenticity and emotional depth. Redgate captures the challenges of being queer in a small, deeply religious town with unflinching honesty. Gloria’s homelessness and longing for her parents’ love and to be safe is absolutely heartbreaking. Her journey of navigating faith and identity is both tragic and deeply moving. Xia’s desire to flee her circumstances, coupled with her tentative exploration of love, feels raw and relatable. This story will make you cry and will make you experience strong feelings for both characters who just want to survive and thrive.

The romance between Gloria and Xia is tender and slow-burning, developing organically as they become each other’s safe haven. Their relationship is not just about love—it’s about survival and finding light in the darkest of places. Redgate’s writing is lyrical and evocative, bringing the girls’ world to life with vivid detail and aching sincerity. The characters, including side figures like the compassionate Mr. Avery and Xia’s complex parents, are nuanced and well-rounded. The book also shines in its portrayal of the queer community as a source of strength and hope, a theme underscored by Redgate’s dedication to supporting homeless LGBTQ+ youth through the book’s profits.

Overall, “Come Home to My Heart” is a story of courage, hope, and the power of human connection. It explores the intersections of faith and queerness, showing that love and acceptance can coexist in defiance of rigid dogma. This is a stunning, gut-wrenching novel that doesn’t shy away from the difficult realities of being queer in an unaccepting world. With its unforgettable characters, tender romance, and profound exploration of identity, this is a book that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page. For readers looking for a story that is both heart-wrenching and hopeful, “Come Home to My Heart” is a must-read. It’s a testament to the strength it takes to be yourself in a world that often demands otherwise—and the transformative power of finding someone who truly sees and loves you for who you are.

I really enjoyed this as a young adult novel, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed from the concept. The characters were everything that I was looking for and was invested in what was happening to them. Riley Redgate has a great writing style and was excited for more.