LoveReading Says
Thought-provoking and thoroughly engaging, Phoebe McIntosh’s Dominoes sees the love of a lifetime thrown into conflicted disarray when a Londoner born to a Black British-Jamaican mother and an absent white father falls for a man whose ancestors profited from the British slave trade.
Moving from London, to Jamaica and back again as its protagonist experiences the enduring impact of slavery, and a palpable pull between her past, present and future, Dominoes also explores the injustices of the ongoing Windrush scandal, colourism, family love, romantic love, and what it means to be free, and to honour ancestors.
All this is wrapped up as an un-put-down-able love story that begins when Layla meets Andy at a party. Sparks fly from the off (they even share the same surname), so they move in together and get engaged. But Layla’s best friend Sera isn’t convinced by the match — not when Andy’s aunt makes a comment about Layla’s light skin at their engagement party, and definitely not when it emerges that Andy’s wealthy family had been slaveowners in Jamaica. Angry, but also “full of care and love”, Sera can’t watch her friend marry him. At the same time, Layla is unbearably torn: “I felt like a traitor”.
With a countdown to the couple’s wedding adding to the rising tension, Layla journeys to Jamaica with her mother and grandad, where she reconnects with her generous-hearted family, makes startling discoveries, and receives beautiful, edifying words from her grandfather: “With freedom, nobody can tell you what fi do, who fi love. With freedom der not one race better than any odda. Bab, you free. Go live, free. Go love, free. That is di most important t’ing you can both do to honour our ancestors.”
Joanne Owen
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Dominoes Synopsis
'A must-read... compulsively timely novel' Stylist
When Layla and Andy first meet, they can't believe they have the same surname. It feels like fate…
Sera, Layla's best friend, has her doubts about Andy. As the couple fall deeper in love, Sera becomes more and more vocal about Layla settling down with a white boy. And then, only a few weeks before their wedding, Layla makes a devastating discovery - could their families be linked in the worst possible way?
What seemed like a fairy-tale romance is rapidly derailed as Layla begins to uncover parts of her history and identity that she had never imagined - or, perhaps, had simply learnt to ignore.
And now, she faces an impossible choice.
**A STYLIST UNMISSABLE BOOK FOR 2024**
'A warm, sweet love story, and a thought-provoking examination of the British slave trade and its legacy' MARIAN KEYES
'I loved this book' JACQUELINE CROOKS, author of Fire Rush
'So kind and smart and clear-eyed' HOLLY GRAMAZIO, author of The Husbands
READERS LOVE DOMINOES:
'Tender, thought-provoking and hard-hitting'
'Kept me second guessing how things would turn out until the very end'
'Incredibly thought-provoking'
'Such an important novel'
'I laughed, I cried, I learned A LOT'
'So much more than a love story'
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781529931488 |
| Publication date: |
20th March 2025 |
| Author: |
Phoebe McIntosh |
| Publisher: |
Vintage an imprint of Random House |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
336 pages |
| Primary Genre |
Romance / Relationship Stories
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| Other Genres: |
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| Recommendations: |
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Phoebe McIntosh Press Reviews
I found it humbling and hopeful and I really CARED about the characters -- MARIAN KEYES
Cracking dialogue, fascinating storyline, compelling characters and more -- JACQUELINE CROOKS, author of Fire Rush
[A] must-read…compulsively timely novel - Stylist,Books to Look Out For 2024*
Phoebe McIntosh is a tremendous storyteller, Dominoes is powerful and evocative, an outstanding debut -- SALENA GODDEN, author of Mrs Death Misses Death
A timely and tender story about a young woman caught up in a sweet romance, who finds herself grappling with the idea that love, too, is political to its very core -- AYESHA MANAZIR SIDDIQI, author of The Centre
Vulnerable and vibrant, Dominoes is a radiant debut, shining with complexity and compassion for the bonds of family and friendship that give our lives purpose -- RACHEL ELIZA GRIFFITHS, author of Promise
McIntosh adds depth and nuance to a concept that's fascinated humans for centuries: the eternal search for self and knowing where you come from... she raises important questions about allyship, belonging and intergenerational trauma. The writing is sharp and vulnerable, and Dominoes gripped me until the final page -- GEORGINA LAWTON, author of Raceless
Dominoes is a striking, thought-provoking read and Phoebe expertly examines the intricacies of romance as it intersects with race and class. A stirring story with strong, complex characters that delves into the legacy of Britain's slave trade while interrogating love, friendship and identity. Simultaneously sweet and sobering, this is one you will not want to miss -- ONYI NWABINELI, author of Someday, Maybe
