The Thing About Home by Rhonda McKnight

Welcome Back, Booklovers! One of my goals this year was to pick up more family sagas. There's something about seeing how these big families interact with each other and share in traditions that just warms my heart. The Thing About Home being set in South Carolina's Lowcountry also interested me because there's so much rich history to explore in that area. So when I saw that it was one of Libro FM's Advanced Listening Copy picks I decided it was a sign to read it sooner rather than later.

Casey is an influencer who has planned the perfect vow renewal, but she didn't expect her husband to leave her at the altar, embarrassing her in front of millions of fans. After her meltdown goes viral, she decides to take a break from the fast life in NYC against her momagers wishes. She finally decides to track down her father's family after years of unanswered questions about them which brings her to the South Carolina countryside.

Food is such an important part of this story. Casey discovers that her 99 year old grandmother has a significant amount of farmland that she owns and operates with the help of the very charming Nigel. She and her family bond through dishes that have been passed down for generations. Spending time on the farm is the thing that helps her connect to her 99 year old grandmother.

I'm not stranger to inspirational stories. While faith is very much a part of this story I liked that the approach wasn't too heavy handed. There's no way to read a story about a Black southern family with such deep roots in their community and not have church be apart of the discussion. It's very much ingrained in the culture and the church is just as much a gathering place for their family as the local hole in the wall restaurant.

This book doesn't shy away from discussions about topics that are not spoken about enough like Casey's multiple miscarriages and how that affected her marriage and her idea of a happy family. Casey learns more about her family history through her great grandmother's journals and I like how readers get that glimpse of the past but it also reminds us that some of the issues Casey is facing aren't new. 

It's a quieter story but there's no shortage of drama between family secrets and exes looming. I enjoyed reading about Casey finding herself, connecting with her family, and being open to love again.