There's a lot of food for thought and it's an intriguing and important story. I appreciated the plot and what the author wanted to communicate.
I wasn't a fan of the style of writing that I found a bit too over the top at times.
It's a good book that I recommend.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Sera and Layla have been best friends since primary school. They share fun, laughter., Cultural background, and opinions and ideals.
When Layla meets Andy at a party, they both find it amusing to discover they have the same surname as each other. However, the truth has a sinister background as it transpires that Andy’s ancestors were slave owners and they owned Layla’s ancestors.
This information is only discovered by Layla after she has become engaged to marry Andy. This makes for uncomfortable, yet compelling reading as Layla tries to find out more about her past, and her future with Andy is thrown into question.

This book has inspired a lot of conversations.
It’s a love story essentially, but it’s also more than that.
Layla and Andrew meet at a party and discover that they have the same surname, but when they decide to get married there’s a whole lot of soul searching to be done.
I enjoyed this story as it got me thinking about things that I hadn’t considered before.
Good for book groups.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #publishers for an #ARC of #Dominoes.
Discovering you have the same surname as the man you are about to marry is a huge coincidence, but what if it isn't.
A very interesting, thought provoking book following Leyla and Andy in the lead up to their wedding, and where best friend and maid of honor Sera has thrown a spanner in the works regarding the 'coincidence' of the name and their two families intertwined history. Follow Leyla through discovering who she really is, and if she wants to marry her husband-to-be and lose her best friend, or vice versa.
I have mixed feelings about this book. While the subject matter was very interesting and eye opening, there was some writing which seemed to veer off track. On more than one occasion I found myself a little lost as the author seemed to jump from one topic to another without any preface or inclination to suggest we weren't following the same train of thought that we were on in the previous sentence. However, I would still put it as one of my top reads, I enjoyed the premise of the book as a whole.

I found this a super thought-provoking read, while I did guess at the implications related to sharing a name this explored that concept in a deeply interesting way. I did find the beginning slightly disjointed, but got into things as I went along. Will deffo recommend!

This book was ok, probably aimed at a younger reader . Having said that I really liked the main character, a girl of mixed race who was comfortable in her own skin, until her best friend threw a spanner in the works
Found the "Jamaican/ English" spoken by her grandfather hard work but I survived
The desire to trace family roots may not always give you the result you wished for, this is not a reason not to do it and hopefully will bring peace of mind

I thoroughly enjoyed Phoebe McIntosh's book, "Dominoes." The premise of the characters who were getting married sharing the same surname, but being unrelated, hooked me from the start. The mystery surrounding Layla's best friend, Sera, and her potential impact on Layla's wedding added a compelling layer to the story. While Sera's ultimatum seemed unrealistic for someone who was considered Layla's lifelong best friend, it added necessary tension to the story, compounding Layla's confusion over what she should do. Layla's internal struggle was justified given the historical contexts explored, though her reluctance to communicate with those around her was particularly frustrating. Grandad was a standout character, adding warmth and depth to the narrative throughout. The book tackled challenging themes like slavery and racism, providing a thought-provoking reading experience that left me reflecting on the issues presented.
Thanks so much to the Author, Publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for offering my honest opinion.

A nice story well written but I felt very early on that I was probably not a member of the target audience being well over 35! I really couldn't identify with or care about any of the characters who mainly just annoyed me. I'm sure younger readers will love this but not for me. Sorry.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Developed from Phoebe McIntosh’s one woman show, Dominoes follows the lead up to the wedding of Layla McKinnon & Andy McKinnon (no relation).

Whilst it initially seemed cool that they shared that last name (meant to be?!) with less than a month to go before their wedding, Layla’s best friend Sera sets her off on a research trail into their family histories. Proving that not everything is black & white, this poignant book explores the relationships between both families and the generations within, alongside wider societal relationships over time.

This book reminded me of Colin Jackson’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are, and the fact that we should never take for granted things we think we know about our heritage, all rolled up into a thought provoking and enjoyable read.

I really wanted to love this book but in truth I couldnt wait for it to be over. I felt very under-whelmed by the ending and a lot of it seemed to drag. I was frustrated by the main character (she made that much of an impact I cant even remember her name) and I was really willing her to tell her best friend to get a grip - you definitely dont need negative people like that in your life. I loved grandad. I thought he was the best character in the book and I felt sad for Andy all the way through - I felt like he had to walk on egg shells all the time and I felt nervous for him. The poor lad hadnt done anything wrong and yet his wedding was in jeopardy.

All in all - I didnt like the book which I was gutted about as others seem to rave about it but I suppose thats why there are so many different genres and books out there, we arent going to like them all!

I chose to read and review this book as the subject matter sounded very interesting. I didn’t know the author and having looked her up, I see she has written and performed in a play with the same title. I do hope she repeats this performance as I would love to see it. The book was at times heartbreaking. I feel that the author really empathised with the two main characters who had been soul mates for years until Sera discovered something about Andy, the man Layla was about to marry. This leads to Layla falling out with her friend. She starts to research the slave trade and learns how she came to have the same surname as her future husband.. I was horrified to know how little I knew about the slave trade. The story moves to from London to Jamaica where Layla learns disturbing facts about her own family. Thought provoking and informative. The book should be in all school libraries. Thank you Netgalley for an advance copy of this book.

First off - how were those two women ever best friends - the one laid back and naive, the other vocal and active?

Will confronting what might be a dark intersection of family histories change how our main protagonist feels in the present day? Well, we’ll never know as that past becomes ill-defined which is a bit of a cop out for me.

Layla seems to delay speaking to Andy for an eternity - come on woman get on with it! And Sera appears petulant and not the direct person we know her to be. And the ending is just too ‘perfect.’

Not as gritty as I’d hoped it to be.

This wasn't really what I expected.
It was an interesting tale of love, history and identity. While it was well written, it felt slightly preachy in places.

When Layla and Andy met, they had the same surname, and now they intend to make it legal as well as they marry. But why is Layla's surname the same as Andy's?
Layla has given little or no thought to her background and the history of British slaves until her eyes are forced open by her friend Sera.
Will finding out about her past help her face her future with Andy?
Loved this book, thoughtful and thought provoking about a subject that I knew nothing about.
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Layla, a British-Jamaican woman living in London, is about to marry Andy, a white man she deeply loves. However, a month before the wedding, her best friend Sera raises concerns about the possibility that Andy's ancestors might have been slave owners of Layla's family. Both Layla and Andy share the last name McKinnon, adding to the uncertainty.

With just 29 days left until the wedding, Sera urges Layla to research their shared history before tying the knot. Layla, for the first time, delves into her family's past, determined to uncover the truth about Andy's family's potential involvement in the slave trade. Despite her love for Andy, Layla cannot proceed with the wedding until she unravels the mysteries of her own heritage.

The story unfolds in London and revolves around Layla's emotional journey as she grapples with the possibility of marrying into a family that might have enslaved her own. Is Layla making a mistake by considering marriage to a man whose family history could be tied to her ancestors' enslavement? What would her ancestors think of her had they been here to witness this? Will she lose her best friend if she chooses her fiancé?

“I would be looked at shamefully and told I was not my ancestors’ wildest dreams but, in fact, their worst nightmare.”

The blurb caught my attention, but the start of the book didn't match my expectations. It seemed a bit cheesy, and Layla came off as cliché. However, I persisted, and things improved not long after when the story got more intense.

“How beautiful the world is sometimes, when it is silent and still and not doing anything to hurt us.”

There were moments that made me uncomfortable and confused at times. It was a thought provoking read. Certain characters annoyed me intermittently, and then, I found myself saying, "you know what, you do you." It highlights the lack of clear-cut answers in Layla's tough situation. Interestingly, it was Layla's connection with Sera that resonated with me more than with Andy.

“I was going to have to choose between my wedding and my best friend. Between losing my soulmate and losing my soulmate.”

That quote about choosing between the wedding and her best friend really tugs at the heartstrings. Friendships can be just as complex and challenging as romantic relationships, and it's cool that the book explores that dynamic. That aspect hit home for me; the writing skilfully portrayed the intricate dynamics of friendships evolving amidst life changes, not just in challenging scenarios like this. I found it so interesting that Layla’s jealousy and insecurities showed up so prevalently in her friendship with Sera but she was more sure and confident of her relationship with Andy.

“Friendships change and go through things because people do. Instead of having expectations of other people, all you can do is take responsibility for yourself.”

Thank you to NetGalley and RandomHouse for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Good story, well written but I am probably too old to be the target audience and I found it difficult to relate to the characters. Bit long-wind3d in parts but interesting and original.

Dominoes had me gripped right from the start. McIntosh has served up an absolute corcker of a book!

Are you close to your best friend? Would you listen if they told you not to marry who you think is the love of your life? Especialy when the question revolves around the colour of their skin?

Layla and Andy are due to be married when Layla's friend Sera throws a spanner in the works; why would Layla marry a man who is white?

McIntosh' narrative is authentic, the key themes woven into the story with integrity and grace and voices given to all. This will be a very important book in 2024 and beyon

Thank you very much to NetGalley for the eARC of this incredible book. Myy review is given voluntarily

I really loved this book. I hadn’t fully understood the implications of Layla and Andy sharing the same name before reading, but the more I read, the more invested I became. I sped through this in 24 hours because I was so engrossed in the story. I found Sera frustrating in her approach to Layla, but at the same time I could see where she was coming from and why she felt so strongly about the wedding. This is a book about the journey in trying to understand who you are/your family ties, and coming to terms with what that discovery may mean for you. This was a completely incredible debut, I can’t wait to read more by this author!

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book and the beginning seemed to be like a pleasant love story between Andy and Layla who both have the same surname. It soon transpires that both their families are linked with slavery, Andy's as slave owners and Layla's as slaves. As the wedding gets closer Layla's best friend Sera becomes increasingly distant refuses to take part in the wedding preparations in spite of being the chief bridesmaid. Layla feels the need to explore her roots further as her feelings for Andy become caught up in their history - a history he is unaware of. Really enjoyed this - wasn't too keen on Sera's character and wasn't sure if her behaviour was just a little too much over the top.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the preview copy in exchange for an honest review.

A fascinating idea, and something I have wondered about before due to my daughter's surname. This is a well written book about love and friendship, and the challenges both can pose, in particular when there is the legacy of slavery potentially at the heart of the relationships. Layla is mixed parentage but was brought up by her mother and grandfather who came to the UK from Jamaica in the 1960s. Her best friend from school and into adulthood is Sera, a black young woman who understandably recognizes racism and discrimination in her daily life as well as understanding the impact of Empire and slavery here in the UK. When Layla meets and then plans to marry Andy (the name is a bit old fashioned for a 30 something perhaps?) who shares her surname, this causes difficulties. It emerges that Andy's family are the decedents of slave owners in Jamaica. Sera calls it and the book is about what Layla does next.
The concept is really interesting and the truth is often brutal. I invested in the characters and I particularly loved Layla's mum and grandfather. The cluelessness of Andy's family and their friends speaks volumes and this book does well to expose casual racism in a non-threatening way. Well done Phoebe McIntosh. Recommended - this would make a good book club read as there is a LOT to talk about.