A review by serendipitysbooks
Homemade Love by J. California Cooper

emotional lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

 
If I’m being honest my relationship with short story collections can be a bit hit and miss. Often I find the collection uneven, liking some stories but finding others meh or worse. And often the individual stories can leave me wanting more - a bit like having a snack when you really wanted a complete meal. This was not the case with Homemade Love. Not only did I love or really enjoy each individual story but the fact they were connected, however loosely, by the theme of love - in all its many forms - made the collection as a whole extra satisfying.

What really stood out with these stories was the individual characters. I love the way the author really brought them to life as strong, fully rounded, flawed individuals. Each character was allowed to reveal their true nature and personality via their words and actions. This collection could provide a masterclass in the art of showing not telling. The tone was warm and leisurely, often humorous with nuggets of wisdom, frequently hard earned, woven in. Every story left me with a smile on my face. This was a book full of Black joy, not Black trauma.

I listened to this on audio which I really recommend. The cast of narrators was excellent and combined with the first person narrative of the stories themselves the overall audio experience was akin to sitting listening to a real person like your favourite wise Aunty or your raconteur uncle. 
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