Thanks Sceptre and NetGalley for my advanced reader copy of this book.

When the war pulls teenaged Haiwen and Suchi apart, so begins this beautiful coming-of-age story of love, family, connection and unbreakable bonds. Haiwen and Suchi are best friends growing up together in a longtang in Shanghai. The war pulls them apart and Homeseeking is ultimately a story about how one small choice changed the course of our protagonists’ lives, taking us across several decades and countries.

Chen’s research for this book is clear to see: there’s war, politics, people and places to reckon with, not to mention the complexities of the multiple Chinese languages. I completely loved how the author brought this historical romance saga to life through environments, food (the ultimate Chinese love language!), clothing and language. Suchi and Suchan are the perfect characters to showcase the challenges of being a woman in the war in the 1950s. I completely adored this breathtakingly emotional story for its gorgeous balance of romance and historical fiction.