This is a remarkable story of courage, determination and perseverance. Birdie Jennings is an incredibly strong and capable woman. Set mostly in the 1940s in America, this book focuses on the struggles faced by Blacks, particularly women.

There is an element of mystery and honestly, it kept me on the edge of my seat. I needed to know that Birdie and her children would be safe and find a place to call home eventually. Loss is a major theme, but it was offset by Birdie’s love for her children, dancing and cooking. Ultimately, there is no greater driving force than a mother’s love.

(Please check the trigger warnings before reading. Sexual violence and derogatory language are both present.)

Birdie steals this show! No matter what knocks her down, she's up again - remembering something inspirational from her Mama or Jimmy, or some other supportive traveler she has met on her road. I particularly liked Michael. . .and those Amazon Aunts. . .!

Set in the Jazzy 30's, in the midwest and mid-Kentucky, Birdie has to negotiate her way between inspirational and terrifying. She's abandoned, and witnesses multiple acts of violence - including fatalities - and yet, she's able to pick herself up, dust herself off, find someone to watch the kids and go out there engaging the enemy once again.

There were moments when her choices gave me pause, but I stayed for the whole ride and am glad for it. Gave me context for the time period from a new perspective.

*A sincere thank you to Monica Chenault-Kilgore, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and independently review.* #LongGoneComeHome #NetGalley

This book explored racism, love and family. It largely read as a recounting of all of the bad things that happened in Birdie's life. With the unfolding of Birdie's story the reader gets an overview of how the black community struggled. Birdie stayed true to herself and her dream despite the adversity she had to battle. It wasn't an easy read but it was a decent story.

Birdie was definitely slaying as a main character. I absolutely loved how strong and resilient she was despite what she went through. The author writing was so beautiful to me.

3.5/5

Monica Chenault-Kilgore is an amazing descriptive writer, I was able to imagine everything while I read. The story itself was a bit predictable in places, but the story telling made up for it. This reads as a young adult coming of age story as the main character, Birdie, is trying to figure out what she deserves in the world despite having more support than she realizes.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #NetGalley #LongGoneComeHome

What a fascinating read. Birdie is a young Black woman trying to hold her family together through troubling times and is full of optimism when she meets her future husband, Jimmy. Unfortunately, Jimmy is not the provider Birdie was looking for and when he disappears, Birdie looks into his business dealings and sets off to find some answers. This novel had some unsettling moments but I appreciated the strength of the women to be supportive of one another.

Let me start by expressing that I usually don’t like Historical Fiction, but I thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel by Monica Chenault-Kilgore. Without any spoilers, “Long Gone, Come Home” follows Birdie through so many obstacles in life that many of us still face today. She’s a wife, mother, daughter & sister, but most of all she’s a hustler, with so much ambition, courage and strength. Birdie is definitely protected across all realms and does not allow anyone or anything to get in her way. There were many events that took place, that I had NOT seen coming AT ALL! This was an absolute page turner, that I’ve told all of my reading gf’s about. I’m also looking forward to reading more work from this author. She did an amazing job with this novel.

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
Birdie has big main character energy!

This was a beautiful debut about one mothers fight to overcome adversities in search for a better life for herself and her children.

Birdies emotions are raw and tender which made her a very likable, strong and courageous character.

The 1930s jazz era really came to life in this novel 📖; the author also did a great job at writing about the civil rights movement that was also taking place during this era.

This book is about family and survival!!!

Birdie goes through an emotional rollercoaster with love, growing up, and being herself. It reads like a thriller at times. It is also a love letter to the South, tender and evolving. There is racist language throughout, which makes the story unflenching. The title also comes together in the story, a detail I always love.

I loved the character of Birdie, her strength and resilience was inspirational. The background of the jazz scene was described so well, I’d definitely recommend it to historical fiction fans.

Oh I love Birdie! This story about her struggles and searching for a better life was heart-wrenching. I received this eARC from NetGalley for my unbiased opinion. Thank you!

An extraordinary tale of resilience and determination, Monica Chenault-Kilgore’s, Long Gone, Come Home, takes us on a journey of the 1930s jazz era and civil rights movement through the eyes of a tenacious and unforgettable heroine. Birdie’s enduring story is one of love, loss, family and survival. Despite the unexpected twists her life path took, when tragedy and fear could have prevailed, Birdie never forgot her dream, nor did she stop fighting for it. I was blown away by this powerful, heart-wrenching and ultimately hopeful debut!

Thank you Uplit Reads for the opportunity to read Monica Chenault-Kilgore's debut, Long Gone, Come Home on NetGalley.

Pub date: June 6, 2023

What a complex, moving story that takes us to the tobacco farms of Mt. Sterling, Kentucky to the bustling cities of Cincinnati and Chicago in the 30's and 40's Jazz era.
Birdie Johnson dreams of a life outside of Mt. Sterling, and upon meeting Jimmy Walker, those dreams are set in motion. When Jimmy disappears one day, leaving Birdie and their two small children, they are forced to move in with her mother, despite their tumultuous relationship. When Birdie receives a tip of the whereabouts of her husband, she leaves her children under the care of her mother to go in search of him.
What follows is a complex look at Birdie's quest for answers, and a tale of resilience in the face of adversity.
I loved this moving story and am grateful for the chance I had to read it.

This was a fascinating read into the life of a young Black woman trying to hold her family together through troubling times. Birdie wants more out of life and when she meets her future husband, Jimmy, she is full of optimism. Unfortunately, Jimmy is not the provider Birdie was looking for so Birdie does her best to get by. When Jimmy disappears, Birdie looks into his business dealings and has questions and sets off to find answers. Along the way, she runs into some trouble and learns about the past. This novel had some unsettling moments that were hard to read but I appreciated the strength of the women to be supportive of one another.

Long Gone, Come Home is a fictional story based in the truth of the world. Readers follow Birdie as she explores what family really means and how challenging the world is to navigate.

Birdie is a compelling narrator. She captivates readers with her story and her determined character.

Initially, I struggled to match the pacing of the book. However, after really sitting down to dedicate myself to it, I was caught in Birdie’s story. I highly recommend this book to those looking to explore the historical perspective of a single black mother finding her place in the world during World War II.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

this one was pretty good:

during the jazz age in the 1930s we journey through life with birdie (she was stressing me out in the beginning). birdie has big dreams for herself and wants to have fun when she goes out to a nightclub with her sister but her mom gave strict orders to keep watch over her. she meets a man she is captivated by and he makes big promises to not only birdie but to her mom as well and then the story gets pretty wild!

read if you love:
- historical fiction
- stories that highlight the civil rights movement
- stories about hope and family, love + loss
- strong black female main characters
- resilient characters

Author: Monica Chenault Kilgore
Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing
Publish date: June 6, 2023

I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This amazing historical novel begins during the Great Depression when Birdie Jenkins is a young girl working in a tobacco factory. She doesn't dream of a life outside her home of Mt. Sterling Kentucky. Then, she meets Jimmy Walker. Handsome and worldly, Birdie is swept off her feet and marries Jimmy, despite her mother's reservations.

Jimmy is loving and kind, but he suddenly disappears, leaving Birdie to struggle to raise their children on her own. With no explanation for his disappearance, Birdie is forced to move back home to her mother.

One day, Birdie witnesses a brutal murder and is forced to leave town, leaving her children behind. She sets out to find her long-lost Jimmy. Her search takes her to big cities like Chicago where she rubs elbows with both saints and sinners.

This is a colorful, thought-provoking story of family, love, and one woman's determination to bring her true love home again.

This was a good story, but kind of drawn out. The characters were likeable and the story is well written.

“Perhaps some detours aren’t detours at all. Perhaps they are actually the path.”
– Katherine Wolf

Does anyone’s life ever turn out exactly how they planned? That certainly hasn’t been my story, or the story of anyone I know. I grew up in a small Northern Indiana town that seemed to produce three kinds of professionals: farmers, teachers, and factory workers. All noble and necessary professions, but I wanted nothing more than to escape the confines of small town living as soon as I possibly could. I had big dreams for myself that little town could not contain. Of course, none of those big dreams ever really panned out exactly how I planned, but they did manage to take me far away from small town life. Perhaps that is why I enjoyed this novel so much. The protagonist’s path, being similar to my own, felt relatable.

Long Gone, Come Home is a stunning coming-of-age novel by debut author Monica Chenault-Kilgore that recounts the life transitions of Birdie Walker nee Jennings as she chases her dreams and seeks to find her place in this world.

At 17 years old, Birdie is living at home with her over-bearing mother in rural Mt. Sterling, Kentucky and working at Wright’s Factory tying tobacco leaves. One rare evening when Birdie is allowed to go to a concert with her sister, she meets a handsome, smooth-talking, older man named Jimmy Walker. She is captivated by his charm and the fact that he isn’t from Mt. Sterling and quickly falls in love. When Birdie becomes pregnant, Jimmy wants to marry her, but Birdie’s mother does not find Jimmy charming at all and warns Birdie that he will be nothing but trouble and bring her heartache. Of course, at 17, Birdie only sees the good in Jimmy and thinks her mother is just being overprotective. She quickly finds out her mother may have been right when Jimmy disappears for several weeks without warning and leaves her to wonder about his whereabouts while she cares for their young daughter alone. When Jimmy does finally show up, he is able to sweet talk her into forgiving him and Birdie finds herself pregnant with a second child. Not long after the birth of her son, Jimmy disappears again, and this time he doesn’t return. Birdie is forced to move back in with her mother, and is mixed with emotion, longing for Jimmy’s return and hating him for leaving her in the first place.

When Birdie is witness to a murder, her mother insists that she leave town, without her children, to keep from away from any potential run-ins with the law. Birdie is reluctant to leave but chooses to use her departure as an opportunity to look for Jimmy in some of the cities he talked about visiting frequently. Birdie’s travels take her to Chicago and Cincinnati, where she socializes in jazz clubs and meets an entirely new cast of characters that both help and hinder her in locating Jimmy. She is finally reconnected with Jimmy in Cincinnati, but when he leaves for “one last job” in Chicago he never returns. Birdie is left to figure out the rest of her life on her own with two small children, in a big, unfamiliar city, while facing racism that often threatens her very existence.

Long Gone, Come Home is a tale of chasing dreams, dreams deferred, and coming to terms with the reality of one’s life choices. It is also the tale of enduring racism, resilience in the face of seemingly insurmountable adversity, and the importance of family (blood and found).

I truly enjoyed this novel and wanted to give it a 5-Star rating, but I felt that Birdie’s falling prey to the same kind of smooth-talking men that take advantage of and abuse her left me feeling she didn’t really grow and develop that much from the beginning of the story to the end. While she was tenacious at times in obtaining her goals, she seemed to retain her naivety and be easily taken advantage of, which prevented me from completely believing her to be the strong, independent, female protagonist she is intended. Otherwise, this novel is a very engaging and educational read.

If you have ever dreamed of a different life for yourself or found yourself making choices you never thought you would have to make, then you will find Long Gone, Come Home to be relatable and engaging. If you’re life turned out exactly the way you planned, then I still think you might find something relatable (overprotective mother, gossipy small town, love of dancing and toe-tapping music) and will enjoy this novel.

Many thanks to Monica Chenault-Kilgore, Graydon House, and NetGalley for a free advanced review copy of this novel.

Birdie is a young black woman living in Kentucky in the 1930s. Segregation, racism, and poverty is all around when she meets Jimmy. The story follows Birdie as she navigates her life as she grows up, and how she has to find her inner strength to move forward.

This book caught me by surprise in a great way. I found myself cheering for Birdie with each triumph, no matter how small, and my heart ached for her with every tragedy she faced. I enjoyed the setting, and how the story moves chronologically through the late 1930s to the 1940s, moving from Kentucky to Chicago and Cincinnati. I recommend this novel to lovers of HF and strong female MCs.