They got everything they wanted...but never had each other.
Touré Wallace and Niomi Spencer were close friends at Finley College, the prestigious HBCU they attended. The attraction that simmered between them every semester was a question they never got to ask or answer before soaring ambitions launched them to opposite corners of the world. Both chased their dreams of grit and glamor as high-profile journalists. They got it all...except a shot at being more than friends.
Years later, Touré is an award-winning investigative journalist and Niomi is America's most popular morning-show host, but they both feel like something’s missing. When their alma mater recruits its most famous alums for an interview during homecoming, every look, every touch is electric. The air hums with what could have been, and they're tempted by what they could have right now, if only for one weekend. Have they traveled the world, chasing something special, when all it took was coming home?
Featuring Southern University’s marching band, Human Jukebox!
I write contemporary romance and women's fiction. I always give my characters their happily ever after, but I love to make them work for it! It's a long road to love, so sit back and enjoy the ride.
I am wife to the love of my life, mom to a special, beautiful son, and a friend to those living with autism through my charitable foundation.
Kennedy Ryan always hits it out of the park. Coming up with stories and romances so damn convincing and that get me invested from the get go.
It’s second chance, the one that got away, reuniting years later after they both have lived their lives. But they never forgot each other.
One thing I always love that Kennedy Ryan does - other than writing the most beautiful love stories - is how friendship is valued in her books. Especially female friendships.
The audiobook production was a treat as well. I could have Jakobi Diem’s voice in my ears all day. 🥰
Perfection in one sitting. Older couple (41) second chance romance. The kind that felt like the timing just wasn't right the first time, but the feelings never died. Loved every single thing about this, and I will never stop being impressed by Kennedy's ability to get us so emotionally invested in her character's lives and loves so quickly.
This is a cute short of a group old friends reconnecting after 20 years at their alma mater's homecoming...within that group you know there's always a couple or they wanted to be a couple....This was something different from Kennedy Ryan and I must say, I really enjoyed this story....Of Course with Wesleigh and Jakobi narrating it really made this short enjoyable for me.
I’m always here for anything and everything Kennedy Ryan writes so when I saw she had a new audible original out I had to get to it right away! This was a really sweet second chance at love book.
Touré and Niomi had a moment in college… they were almost something but it never quite happened. Now, 20 years after their college graduation, they’re back at their alma matter for Homecoming. Touré for his daughter, who is being crowned Homecoming Queen, and Niomi to interview Touré.
I love reading books where there is that mutual pining and you just know that both characters have it bad for one another. This book had that. Plus Kennedy Ryan’s wonderful writing! And a shout out to Wesleigh Siobhan and Jakobi Diem for slaying the narration!
Audio book source: Audible Story Rating: 4 stars Narrators: Wesleigh Siobhan & Jakobi Diem Narration Rating: 5 stars Genre: Contemporary Romance Length: 2h 40m
This was a really sweet second chance romance, but it was lacking in the emotion and angst I love from Kennedy. There wasn't anything wrong with the story, I just wanted more from everything. I love "the one that got away" trope, but I love when we get to see the whole evolution of the relationship, just not the ending snippet.
I love the narrators, though, and think those two are just perfection every time they narrate together!
This was a sweet delayed love story, which definitely seems to be Mrs. Ryan's jam. Toure and Niomi were close friends over two decades ago at Finley College, an HBCU. They were both sweet on each other, but the timing never seemed to be right. When they finally take one step together, they were unable to act on it because Toure spent his senior year abroad. They both go on to be successful in their perspective careers, rarely engaging with one another. Now they both find themselves back at Finley College at the same time and they can't help but wonder what if .... When they finally are in each other's presence again, the chemistry is still very much present and strong. This time, the timing is right and they are finally able to pursue each other. It was a sweet story as they found home in each other. This was my first full audible book and I enjoyed it, but still prefer my words.
I didn't even read the blurb before deciding to read this, just because it's Kennedy Ryan. And it was pretty cool, even though it's a second chance romance, aka a trope I very much dislike. The narrators did a good job too. I only wish it was longer and more fleshed out.
All I know is that if the LOML proposed to me at our HBCU….I wouldn’t be able to handle it 😭 the music at the end scared me LMAO! Enjoyed this widdle novella 💕🥹
This is a short novella. Even with such short story, Miss Ryan does not disappoint her readers. Coming Home is sweet, vanilla romance. I like the writing.
The characters introduction is straight forward and simple. The theme is second chance romance. Do not expect drama or complicated plot. Just enjoy it as it is.
This was a really cute novella! If you're looking for romance with characters in the 40's and Black love, this is a great pick. Coming Home follows two successful journalists who were always will-they-won't-they in college. But now, it's Homecoming at their HBCU alma mater and his daughter is homecoming queen. So they agree to do an interview, and perhaps kindle something? I really enjoyed this and thought it worked well as a novella because they have history together.
I always have a good time when I read Kennedy Ryan! This was a sweet second chance romance and I loved the narration. You can listen to it for free on the audible plus catalog!
Second chance romance is one of my least favorite tropes, however, this was cute!! KR managed to make it palatable for me. The story left me wanting more and was a bit lacking for me to really get connected with the characters. Especially, since I wanted to see the evolution of the whole relationship, and if It had been longer, I think this would've given me the emotional punch I was looking for. Still worth the listen and I'll be reading more from Kennedy Ryan!!
Coming Home is a new audible original short from Kennedy Ryan. And just like every other thing they Kennedy Ryan writes, this was perfection! I loved Touré and Niomi and their story.
Friends in college, Niomi always felt like the “one who got away” even though they never got together, he crushed on her, she secretly crushed on him, the timing was never right for them to be together, but they shared a moment at the end of college. So now they’ve known one another for 20 years but they’re about to be around one another for the first time in years.
They both chased their dreams as high-profile journalists and now Niomi, who became a popular morning show host, is asked by their alma mater to interview Touré, who became an award-winning investigative journalist. I was obsessed with their connection and romance, Kennedy doesn’t disappoint and this short treat was just a delight! The narrators were amazing of course too!
I truly enjoyed Coming Home! Niomi and Toure’s story is essentially right person wrong time and second chance at something between them. They were never in love, but they both definitely wanted more with each other in their college days, but life took them different ways. I enjoyed this one even though it was quick. Toure working on things with his daughter, Seline, was sweet and added an emotional layer that I wish could have been explored a little more, but in a novella it was done well. All in all a great listen if you want something quick with a dash of emotion, heat, and some laughs. The voice actors did a great job bringing this story to life.
*3.5⭐️ This was cute,short, and sweet, and Kennedy Ryan's writing is always really enjoyable. Even though second chance romance is a trope that doesn't often work for me I liked the execution here - it felt like the separation had to with the circumstances and not with mistakes the characters made (which is what usually really frustrats me about second chance stories). The characters were charming, and the narration was great, so if you're looking for a quick,romantic read, I would encourage you to pick this up!
As a graduate of the HBCU that band is featured at the end, how could I not like it!! I LOVE all things Southern University and A&M College and all things HBCU!!
this was such a good novella! even in just a short novella kennedy ryan can draw you in and make you care so much about characters. i enjoyed this so much.
Good Lord, even with a few words, this author can draw you in! As an HBCU graduate, I felt all the emotions of Touré and Niomi’s pride as Finley graduates. This novella follows these two at the college’s homecoming. It’s been 20 years since they graduated, and the memory of a shared kiss all those years ago still begs the question - what if?
You could feel the passion between these two, and I loved that they got another chance to finally take their shot with each other! The vibes for this book were just immaculate, and listening to the band during Touré grand gesture had me close to tears cause it truly put me back to my HBCU days.
I’ll definitely be rereading this one! Wesleigh and Jakobi know how to invoke an emotion in their narration that is untouched!
TROPES: black romance/BIPOC/OWN voices; second chance; older couple (early 40s); college reunion-ish/homecoming
The main characters are coming back to their old school four a homecoming. They both had a thing each other all through school but kept missing each other. Now in their forties, they are not going to miss this last opportunity.
This was a quick read. There wasn’t any conflict or angst, it was simply two people who were finally ready to take a risk together. There was an interesting dynamic with the MMC and his daughter. He missed out on a lot of her life but she is the homecoming queen so they also get the chance to reconnect. It was all pretty Simple and straight forward but still a fun listen.
I wish this audiobook was a physical book and longer than this but everything was paced so well. This is my second book by Kennedy Ryan and will definitely not be my last. Towards the 70% mark I really almost cried because this was such a beautiful story of soulmates finding their way back to each other.
This was a super mature romance... I mean I liked that Audible tried to give us a simple second chance romance, but I'll stick with fun romcoms for now.