The writing was beautiful and it was a deep read overall! It wasn’t quite was I was expecting but still a great book!

Jamaica Road hits like a quiet storm—slow to ignite, then delivering an emotional gut punch. Set in 1980s South London, it follows Daphne, a reserved Black girl who is just trying to go unnoticed, until Connie, a bold and captivating Jamaican boy, enters her life and changes everything.

The book delves into themes of race, identity, immigration, and love without being preachy.

Lisa Smith uses her words deliberately; every moment matters. This isn’t just a coming-of-age story—it’s a survival story. It’s about discovering your voice in a world that seeks to silence you.

I loved this book! I am an American born descendant of two Caribbean parents so I understood very clearly the struggles for Caribbean immigrant's described in Jamaica Road. To Caribbean people England and America are lands of opportunity. England especially is supposed to welcome Jamaicans with both arms but the reality is that historically, immigrants met racism and struggle. The book mentions historical events such as riots and other civil disturbances and makes the social climate in England clear. The love story centers Daphne, a British born Jamaican descendent and Connie a Jamaican immigrant. Other themes are carefully woven in with events surrounding the two. Oh! The patois in the book just makes it very Jamaican! Even if the reader isn’t Jamaican it’s very phonetically spelled so it’s easy to understand, but if the reader is Jamaican or other Caribbean islander, it makes the book with the sayin we hear from our parents and grandparents! Bravo for an amazing story! I cannot say enough about this book!

I enjoyed reading this book and liked how the friendship/relationship between Daphne and Connie developed. At some points, the writing would become a bit dull, but I did enjoy most of it. The dialogue was strong, and the plot was good as well.

This is the story of Connie and Daphne, teenagers in 1980s London, and what a story it is! Both Black, they live in Little Jamaica, where racism, poverty and domestic issues abound.

Daphne, American-born, has been searching for her father as long as she can remember. Her mother has not been helpful, and when she finally meets her father, she figures out why. Connie, an immigrant, has been trying without success to get his mother to leave the abusive man they are living with. In addition to Connie’s and Daphne’s fraught relationship there are serious racial incidents that somehow never get resolved. Daphne finds herself more and more drawn to action, while Connie feels he has enough going on in his personal life.

But Jamaica is the homeland, and when they go back it definitely has a different feeling to it. For example, it’s great to look around and see nothing but faces that look like yours. Maybe because of this their lives seem less stressful with maybe fewer racial issues. However, even though they came to help out family, it doesn’t take long before they need to go back to London.

Author Smith has given us a good look at these two, along with family members and their community. Her ending is a bit cryptic, but she sure keeps our interest throughout, and the lead-up to the end had me on the edge of my chair.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The immersiveness of it shined throughout the book. Watching Daphne and Connie grow up in a time of high racial tension and trying to navigate, the growing pains of being teenagers and familial drama. I don't have any critique other than the format of my ARC was a little off, so it took me a minute to figure out that we were following them as they grew up. Definitely will be recommending this when it comes out.

I requested this book after a visit to Jamaica. It really made me feel that I was once there again while reading this book. Close your eyes and go on the Jamaica Road

This book was such an emotional read. Two friends who face lifes challenges as their relationship evolves. This book has so much depth. Loved it!

The writing is good. I think writing in the characters voices made the story immersive, however it was also difficult me to establish a flow to reading this because the words are written in an accent at times. The pacing of the story is good

Friendship, romance, decisions, this book had a lot to offer. I appreciated the how the story unfolded over time. Thank you for the opportunity to read this one!

Lisa Smith's *Jamaica Road* is a compelling debut novel that explores love, identity, and belonging in 1980s Britain. It goes beyond a typical love story, offering a vivid look at friendship and the challenges that shape our lives.

At the center are Daphne and Connie, childhood best friends whose bond deepens into something more complex. Daphne is a quiet bookworm and the only Black girl in her class, drawn to Connie, a charismatic boy from Jamaica who is undocumented. Their relationship explores themes of race and belonging.

Smith's writing captures the energy of South London and the warmth of Jamaica. Covering a decade, the novel follows Daphne and Connie as they experience joy and heartbreak while facing societal expectations.

The characters feel real, with their flaws and desires on full display. The mix of cautious Daphne and free-spirited Connie adds tension to their bond, making their separation all the more impactful.

*Jamaica Road* challenges conventional ideas about love and resilience. It's a heartfelt story perfect for readers who appreciate deep storytelling and rich settings. Lisa Smith is definitely a writer to watch.

Publishing July 15, 2025

If you’ve enjoyed White Teeth by Zadie Smith, you will love this. Jamaica Road is a compelling story of two friends, Daphne and Connie, growing up in London amidst the backdrop of high racial tensions. We follow these two throughout their early teens to mid-twenties. I really enjoyed the immersion into Jamaican culture, specifically Daphne’s grandma.

Overall, throughly enjoyed the first 75% of the novel, but it fell a bit flat towards the end - the abusive stepdad thing was a bit OTT in general. The ending is too ambiguous and I feel we deserved something more concrete and less stereotypical.

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing an advanced copy through Netgalley.

I will admit that I read anything that is compared to Sally Rooney’s Normal People. I’m always searching for a coming of age love story between friends who try to find their way back to each other (whether permanently or temporarily).

This novel is set in south London in the early 80s and centers on Daphne, the only Black girl in her class. This book beautifully and ambitiously explores themes of romance, family, race and class. Ultimately I really, really loved this book. I’m glad that the Normal People comparison led me here and I’m impressed by the level of depth achieved by this book.

I’m reminded of another British debut offering insight into an immigrant community, namely Brick Lane by Monica Ali. Smith also invites us into a specific group, relishes the details and simultaneously uses a sympathetic first person female perspective to tell one individual story among a multitude.
The storytelling is pretty simple, but what enlivens it is the heartfelt characterization. There are predictabilities here - kind grannies, abusive husbands - but some surprises too, like the white boyfriend who succeeds in separating from his racist family.
The love story is plausible too although I'm less sure about the novel’s conclusion. Too rushed? Too saintly?
Having said all that, this is a rousing start from an interesting and committed new voice. Bravo. And what’s next?

I enjoyed this one. I wasn't really familiar with the racial tensions in the UK and this gave me some insight into it. I enjoyed the theme of immigration, family and community. The book lagged a bit as it built up the story of Connie and Daphne and I really didn't like the ending only beacuse I prefer concrete endings and I felt since we had to follow their story, it would have been nice to get a more in depth conclusion but that didn't damper the overall enjoyment of the book. The book was so well written that it felt like I could visualize the characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! The plot was engaging and full of twists that kept me hooked until the very end. The characters were well-developed and relatable, and I found myself really connecting with their journeys. The pacing was just right, balancing action with moments of reflection. However, there were a few areas where I felt certain storylines could have been explored a bit more deeply. Despite that, the book offered a memorable experience, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a thought-provoking read!

This novel is a beautifully crafted, deeply moving exploration of identity, belonging, and resilience set against the backdrop of 1980s South London. At its heart are Daphne, a quiet, bookish girl who longs for invisibility, and Connie, a charismatic newcomer from Jamaica whose presence disrupts her carefully guarded world. Their friendship, tender, complicated, and ultimately life-altering, forms the emotional core of the story.

The author masterfully captures the struggles of growing up in a rapidly changing city, where racial tensions, immigration challenges, and family secrets shape every interaction. Daphne and Connie's journey is filled with moments of warmth, joy, heartache, and uncertainty, making their story feel deeply authentic.

With evocative prose and richly drawn characters, this novel is both a poignant coming-of-age tale and a timely exploration of what it means to belong. It's a must-read for anyone who loves stories about love, friendship, and the unbreakable ties that define us.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed a lot of things about this immersive historical novel about a deep and abiding friendship between a Black Jamaican British girl, Daphne, and an undocumented first-generation Jamaican boy, Connie.

This book really shone in its emotional resonance of the stages of their friendship from platonic love to something more romantic, and the respect and tenderness they had for each other through their growing pains and as they navigated their differences. It also worked well in its descriptions of Jamaican immigrant culture, food, and the blatant racism they faced in London of the 1980s. I appreciated the history of racist harassment by the police and the ways in which immigrants stood up for their rights. It's a message that resonates with current events in the US.

Parts I struggled with were the stereotypical portrait of Connie's stepfather, who abused and controlled his mom for decades, and I found the ending very unsatisfying. The transitions could also be abrupt as we traveled to different pivotal events in Daphne's life. At times it read more like a memoir. I also appreciated that the dialogue was largely in Jamaican Patois, but it made it difficult to understand for me. The writing style didn't flow as much as I usually prefer, making it difficult for me to focus on the story.

It was refreshing to see this time period and place in fiction though. I've never read a novel before set in 1980s Jamaican community in southeast London and I was glad to have found this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I was invited by the publisher to review this book. The book starts in the 1980s, and follows Daphne, who is Black, as she meets Connie, come to London from Jamaica. They are a bit of opposites, with Connie being more proud of who he is and kind of larger than life. But the two or like magnets, and they grow up together, and as they age, things get more complicated - especially when Daphne learns that Connie is in England illegally.

I thought the author did a good job of tackling really important issues such as the racial and political divide, and class wars. Also, the relationship between Daphne and Connie was written beautifully, at all stages of their companionship.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Jamaica Road by Lisa Smith is an evocative and transformative love story that truly resonated with me. Set in South London in 1981, the novel follows Daphne, a Black girl navigating life as the only Black student in her class. Her attempts to stay invisible are disrupted by the arrival of Connie Small, an unapologetically outgoing boy from Jamaica.

Daphne and Connie's bond is intense and beautifully portrayed. Their connection grows as they face the challenges of a volatile city and the complexities of their backgrounds. The narrative delves into their evolving friendship, the pressures from their families, and the romantic tension that develops between them.

The revelation of Connie's illegal status in England adds a layer of urgency and danger to their story. The book skillfully explores themes of race, class, and the struggles of immigrant families. The emotional depth and the vivid portrayal of their community make the story both heart-wrenching and inspiring.

Spanning a decade and moving from the industrial docklands of the Thames to the beaches of Calabash Bay, the novel captures the essence of finding one's identity amidst external and internal conflicts. The plot is deftly woven, and the characters are richly developed.

Overall, Jamaica Road is a poignant and beautifully written novel about love, resilience, and the bonds that shape us. It's a compelling read that stays with you long after the final page, making it a must-read for anyone who enjoys stories with profound emotional and social layers.