About this Event
A Reese's book club pick!
Book Description
“Warm, smart, hilarious, delicious, riveting.”—Curtis Sittenfeld, New York Times bestselling author of Romantic Comedy
“Powerful… There are multiple messes in Leave Your Mess At Home; I loved reading about every one of them.”—Rachel Khong, New York Times bestselling author of Real Americans
**A Best Book of April: People, The Millions, Atlantic Journal-Constitution, The Root, Muses of Media
**A Most Anticipated Book of 2026: Electric Lit, SheReads, HelloBeautiful, ScaryMommy
Leave Your Mess at Home by Tolani Akinola is a contemporary family drama about the Longe siblings, four Nigerian American adults whose lives are shaped by family expectations, personal struggles, and unresolved pain. The story begins when Sola Longe, the eldest sibling, secretly returns to her family’s home in Chicago after being away for nearly ten years. Sola is newly single and dealing with the public embarrassment of a failed relationship and a disgraced career as an influencer. She hopes to rebuild her life quietly, but returning home forces her to confront the family and memories she tried to leave behind. Her unexpected arrival becomes the event that brings the siblings back into one another’s lives.
Each sibling is facing a different kind of crisis. Anjola is in love with her best friend, even though he has become engaged to someone else. Karen, the youngest, is struggling with her sexuality, self-image, and the pressure to become the person her family expects her to be. Ola, once viewed as the family’s successful “golden child,” is preparing for the birth of his child while questioning his marriage and thinking carefully about how to raise a Black son in America. Although the siblings grew up in the same home, they experienced their childhood differently and carry separate understandings of their parents, their family history, and one another.
The central conflict reaches a turning point when the siblings come together at their Nigerian immigrant parents’ Thanksgiving table. Years of resentment, jealousy, misunderstandings, and hidden secrets begin to surface. Their reunion is uncomfortable and emotional because none of them can continue pretending that everything is fine. The novel gradually reveals why Sola became estranged from the family and why each sibling has learned to hide certain parts of themselves. Through their different perspectives, the story shows how family members can love one another deeply while still hurting, disappointing, or misunderstanding each other.
Overall, the novel focuses on forgiveness, identity, family loyalty, and the meaning of home. Akinola presents family life as complicated and imperfect rather than sentimental, showing that healing does not happen simply because people reunite. The Longe siblings must decide what they owe their family and what they owe themselves. By facing their pasts and becoming more honest about their fears and desires, they begin to find a way back to one another. The book is ultimately a heartfelt story about accepting people as they are, recognizing the damage caused by silence, and learning that love can survive even after a family has been deeply divided.
Join us for the Thursday evening or Saturday morning session. rogram is for adults.
Event venue & nearby stays
Elmwood Park | Detroit Public Library, 550 Chene Street, Detroit, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.