The story of Rosalee is as sweet as it is heartbreaking.

Set in post–World War II Chicago, Homecoming follows young Rosalee as she navigates life after the loss of her father, who died serving in the war. Her grief is compounded by watching her mother unravel emotionally, leaving Rosalee to quietly carry the weight of her own sorrow while trying to grow up in a world that suddenly feels colder and unfamiliar.

Despite the heaviness of loss, Rosalee’s unwavering dream of becoming a writer and moving to New York shines as a quiet act of hope. Her aspirations offer her a sense of purpose—something she clings to in the face of emotional hardship and change.

Eleanor Wells delivers a moving coming-of-age story with tenderness and emotional depth. Rosalee’s voice is both resilient and deeply human, and her journey is one that stays with you.

Two things that I loved the most- the cover 😍 and the characters, particularly Rosalie. She's soft but sensible, and she knows what she wants. Her thoughts and experiences as a teenager are relatable, the dreams, the hopes, the jealousy, the insecurity. But she owns up to it, revealing herself to be who's mature and considerate and she honestly deserves the world. Sean, on the other hand was a bit distant but I still liked him as a supporting character, since this is Rosalie's story.

It's great that the book does not tone down the harshness of life . However it had me waiting for that moment where I would feel connected to the characters and be a part of their family, their experiences, and their grief. I kinda felt like an outsider, like it was a story that called to the mind and not the heart , and could have been more.. emotive? A considerable part of the novella was a lot of everyday happenings. That being said, I still liked the timeline, life from loss and grief to acceptance of the ways of the world and repeat.

To sum it up, it was a pretty good read, didn't bore me at all and gave me the satisfaction of it not being unrealistic. 🤍

Homecoming is a coming-of-age novella centered on teenage Rosalie, living in Chicago in 1950. It’s a relatable story for anyone who was once a teen longing for more and dreaming of finding their place in the world beyond their mundane life. It is a story about family, grief, and loneliness.

The full array of emotions is described in the book, but unfortunately, I didn’t feel any of them. The writing felt stilted, the plot predictable, and the characters fell flat for me. The foundation is classic and has potential, and perhaps if the author chooses to expand the characters and scenes into a full novel or even a collection of short stories, there might be more room to bring it to life. As it stands, everything felt cut short to fit the length of the novella. That said, the author hints she’s not done with these characters yet, so perhaps there’s more to come!

If you are looking for a short read novella that goes into the themes of healing and forgiveness after the darkness of the second world war then this was the story for you. This can also be a good story when it comes to transition from teenage years to adulthood. I will admit I have never really been into novellas but after reading a couple I am starting to develop a small soft spot for them. The setting and the characters were very well played out and overall I was very impressed. My only complaint is that I wished it could have been a little longer because it would have had a little bit more potential.
It follows the adventures of Rosalie and her family as they try to navigate through life after the war. Rosalie feels like she is an outsider and has a hard time fitting in wherever she goes. If anything she is like most teenage girls but she just happens to live in a different era. However deep down she knows that if she ever wants to succeed she will have to work hard a getting what she wants.
I received an arc copy from Netgalley and all opinions are of my own.

Post WWII in Chicago. A teenage girl trying to find herself in the world. Her father was killed in action. The story goes on to tell about her strength, trying to pull the family together.

i felt like i could really feel what this young girl was going through. you dont usually see this way round the period of the war. so i appreciated seeing this section of a family and their life. thought obviously the war definitely impacted them.
its also a stunning tale of how what happens to us shapes us. in the most subtle or subconscious ways, and sometimes this ripples effects everything.
so many times you can talk to people, especially in the field of mental health. and you can know of something that will have happened to make the equal sign to where they are. or just one off conversations and someone will be feeling something and you just know this comes from somewhere or something deeper or past.
i found her young voice so hard to read at times. it felt so real. so relatable in some ways of feeling weve all had at that age that seem to exploding and raw at the time. young heads just dont know what to do with these feelings or these decisions. or sometimes like within this book maybe they do they are the key voices.
a great book which led me to lots of silent moments to think about. and i felt so close to this family in wanting to both follow their story and see if they were ok.
and i think thats what got me most, how deep it took me into it. and for that this book is a great success for both heart and mind.

More like a novela, Homecoming was a thoughtful exploration of the impact of loss and grief on family relationships. I read it in one sitting Highly recommend it.

Homecoming' was a quick and easy read that you can immediately finish in one sitting due to its short length. though Rosalie is nothing like Holden personality-wise, i definitely got a 'The Catcher in the Rye' atmospheric vibe from this book as its story revolves around a teenager in the 1950s, albeit darker due to frequent mentions of the war.

as the main character, Rosalie perfectly encapsulates the feeling of being the invisible one. she's for the girls who wishes they could fit in without having to overthink every interaction. she has big dreams and aspirations, but is overly insecure and prone to self-deprecating. Rosalie is an fmc that many can find relatable and that makes you want to root for her. unfortunately, it seems that Rosalie's personality was the only saving grace here.

i personally felt that the ending was just way too rushed and we don't really get to see much of Rosalie's development as a character throughout the book. the twist towards the very end was a lil unnecessary and didn't really serve much of a purpose. overall, there was more telling than showing, and this was a story that would've benefitted with a longer length. the rest of the characters were also rather bland. it was a decent read for what it is but nothing spectacular.

many thanks to NetGalley, Eleanor Wells, and Victory Editing NetGalley co-op for a free eARC in exchange for my honest review!

check out my GoodReads review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7603216602