An engaging story about identity and family secrets. I was hooked from start to finish and I love stories set in London that are this authentic. And as a Nigerian Brit myself, this was a very relatable read.

First of all - this cover is spectacular - so beautiful and dynamic :)
It really fits the story of Glory's life back in London after revelling in glamourous LA. She returns due to the death of her father, and also finds herself embroiled in her much disintegrated family. There are grudges and hurts that are bubbling up so rather than return to her new life in the states, Glory decides to stay and try and build some bridges.
Throw in an old flame and a family scandal/mystery and you get a absolutely banging read! AND it's a debut - looking forward to what comes next from Jendella Benson.

This was an incredibly strong debut novel.

The moment I heard that Jendella Benson was writing a book, I knew I'd want to read it. I was so pleasantly surprised by this book and adored how mental health was explored in relation to grief. Gosh Jendella really showed us family DRAMA in this book!!

But I must say it was the mystery aspect that very much kept me hooked throughout this book. It aided the plot and would leave me wanting more as I kept reading. It was also intriguing to know that this sort of thing would happen in the past!

Honestly, I would get incredibly frustrated with the characters especially with how they treated Glory. A lot of them seemed to gaslight her whenever she asked questions and I would love to say that this doesn't happen. But in some Black households, this can be the norm especially when they don't want to disrupt "the status quo" or 'what's familiar" to them.

Not questioning those that are older than you, is a custom drilled into young children from a young age. One that arguably halts natural curiosity and creativity. There's various reasons as to why this happens but in Glory's case it was clearly to hide a well-kept secret within her family.

A brilliant debut that will definitely stay with you! I can't wait to read what Jendella writes next!

Hope and Glory is the debut novel from Jendella Benson.

Being set in Peckham, with a cast primarily from Nigeria I found the book highly relatable. It covered a variety of themes including joint enterprise, religion and a family secret.

One thing I really appreciated was how Benson delved into the different ways in which blackness (particularly West Africaness) is experienced in Britain. It really made me reflect on my own experiences and how they relate to the wider societal context.

Due to the plot being very much character driven, I can definitely see this book being turned into a mini series, and I am looking forward to seeing what Benson does next.

***Thank you Netgalley and Orion Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.***

A little bit far fetched for me to be honest with you and very presumptuous in places but I read it through and it was an ok read ….

After years of seemingly living a picture perfect life in LA, Glory packs it all up when she hears that her beloved father has suddenly passed away. When she arrives back in Peckham, South London, she is forced to deal with the family issues she has been hiding from.

As soon as I started reading HOPE & GLORY I instantly felt at home with the very distinct British and Nigerian vibes. I really appreciated how realistic London living in a Black home was depicted but also how the parents and aunties were still steeped in Nigerian culture, language, tradition and faith. It was a perfect blend of both, a nice representation of a second generation immigrant family.

This story is incredibly character driven, if you are looking for heavy plot points this perhaps is not for you. I however love books filled with messy, emotionally fuelled, intense characters and in a family full of buried secrets, there are so many different dynamics at play. Glory has a lot of questions and she is demanding answers and at times she is frustratingly rude and her relationship with Julian was immature but, her determination to seek the truth and her growth over the course of the story was heart-warming.

As the family mysteries unravel we are witness to lies, regrets, poor communication, betrayals, injustice, human insecurities and anxieties, forgiveness, understanding, romance and through it all a families unconditional love for one another. A wonderful debut from Benson!

Apologies, I was looking forward to this but really stuggled to finish.
Thsnk you for the opportunity

I really wanted to like this but the writing is just...ugh, how shall I put it, 'green'. This reads like a first draft or the work of someone who has just gotten into writing. The author seems unsure of how to go about when it comes to describing fairly straight-forward scenes. The dialogue is okay if clunky. The plot felt quite static and there were many repetitive scenes that didn't feel entirely realistic and failed to advance the story and or develop the characters. In short: this book needs a lot of work and I am surprised that it will soon be published.

I found this book to be really enjoyable. It was well written with a well written and heartwarming storyline and well developed characters. It was such a compelling read that I couldnt put down. I can't wait to read more from the author.

Normally I love novels like this but for some reason I couldn’t get into it. I picked it up and put it down so many times that it left me frustrated.