I really adored this authors novel American dirt and therefore when I saw this novel on NetGalley UK I immediately requested it and it went straight to the top of my to be read list when my request was accepted
This novel is an expensive three generation novel telling the story of a family from Puerto Rico who immigrate to the USA from the point of view of grandmother mother and daughter.
This author has a beautiful flowing poetic writing style which I found a pleasure to read. I’m found that I was quickly highlighting sentences only a couple of pages in so I had great expectations for this novel
The book touches on nationality and race as the family move backwards and forwards from between Puerto Rico and America . these weighty subjects are dealt with with subtlety and poise.
The author describes characters well you really feel know these people at the end of the book
Very much enjoy this book for me it didn’t quite hit the five stars of American dirt but it was very strong 4 stars
I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a character based novel with a strong national setting. I could see similarities between the books of Isabel Allende like The House of Spirits.
I read an early copy of the novel in return for an unbiased review on NetGalley UK. The book is published in the UK on the 13th of May 2025 by headline.

This review will appear on NetGalley UK. Goodreads. storyGraph and my book blog bionicSarahSbooks.wordpress.com. After publication will also appear on Amazon UK.

Speak to me of home is a story of inter-generational trauma and specifically the complexities of mother-daughter-granddaughter relationships and the elusive concept of home. The writing style was, at times difficult to catch up with as characters and timelines become intertwined. It was a good read, and I finished it in a day, which is always a good sign.

Daisy gets a DNA test - is surprised but gets hit by a vehicle and spends most of the rest of the book in a coma. However we are then taken on a trip through Daisy's past, and that of her mother and grandmother. It did take me a while to work out who was where as the time line chops and changes with alarming regularity.

The story is all perfectly serviceable, however it is flabby in the last third so that by the time the big reveal occurred I was a bit over it all, as it seemed were most of the characters who all nodded their heads and carried on.

I absolutely loved 'American Dirt' - it is probably the book I have recommended .ore than any other. Unsurprisingly, I therefore was so pleased to read 'Speak to Me of Home.

This inter-generational piece of literary 'tres leches' felt comforting, deep and satisfying.

Right from the opening pages, when Ruth gets that phonecall that all parents dread, to find out her daughter has been in an accident, I was hooked. Moving between time and place and character, secrets are revealed and the consequences of long ago choices come crashing down.

I highly recommend this.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

Speak to Me of Home by Jeanine Cummins is a moving multigenerational story of family and identity and the immigrant experience.