Why We Still Need More Stories About the Windrush Generation — And the 2025 Books I’m Adding to My TBR

If you spend any time reading historical or emotive fiction, you’ll know there’s been a growing appetite for stories that shine a light on overlooked parts of British history. And yet one subject still feels surprisingly underrepresented on our bookshelves: the real lives and emotional journeys of the Windrush generation.

As someone who writes stories inspired by Caribbean migration and the search for identity across oceans, I’m often drawn back to this period — not just because of its historical significance, but because of the deeply human stories tucked inside it.

And judging by what readers are searching for lately, I’m not the only one.

Today I want to talk about why Windrush-inspired fiction matters so much — and share a couple of 2025 releases that I’ve added straight to my TBR because they explore themes connected to Caribbean migration, identity, and belonging.

Why Windrush Stories Still Matter

The Windrush generation helped rebuild and reshape post-war Britain, yet their personal stories still aren’t widely told in fiction. When we do find these narratives, they tend to offer a refreshing, emotionally rich perspective that feels both intimate and expansive.

For me, the magic of writing about this era lies in the mixture of hope and uncertainty.

The courage.

The grief.

The longing for home — and the creation of new ones.

These aren’t just historical details. They’re universal experiences, which is why readers connect with them so deeply.

Fiction Makes the Past Personal

Facts teach us; stories move us.

Through fiction, we get to step into the shoes of characters who travelled thousands of miles by ship, believing in a future they couldn’t yet imagine. We experience:

• the excitement of possibility

• the weight of leaving loved ones

• the sting of prejudice in a new land

• and the complex, beautiful resilience that kept people going

This emotional resonance is what drew me to write Wherever You Will Go, and what keeps me fascinated by the many lives shaped by the Windrush years.

Readers Are Craving More Diverse, Diaspora-Inspired Fiction

Google trends, bookstagram, BookTok — they’re all pointing in the same direction: readers want broader perspectives in their historical fiction. They want the stories behind the stats. They want representation, depth, and truth.

But here’s the surprising bit: Windrush-themed fiction remains rare, especially among new releases.

So when a book does come along, it stands out.

Which brings me nicely to a couple of 2025 novels I’ve discovered that explore some of the themes connected to Caribbean-to-UK migration, diaspora identity and belonging. I haven’t read them yet — but they’re firmly on my TBR.

2025 Books Exploring Caribbean Migration, Identity, or Windrush-Era Themes (Now on My TBR!)

1. Another Man in the Street by Caryl Phillips (2025)

Phillips is known for writing beautifully about displacement and identity, and this new novel sounds incredibly powerful. It follows Victor Johnson, who emigrates from St Kitts to London in the 1960s — right in the heart of the post-Windrush era.

From everything I’ve read so far, it’s a layered exploration of belonging, alienation, and the emotional aftershocks of migration. It sounds like exactly the kind of story that adds depth to our understanding of the period, so it’s high on my reading list.

2. Love Forms by Claire Adam (2025)

Not strictly a Windrush novel, but absolutely connected through its exploration of Caribbean roots and a life lived between Trinidad and the UK. The themes — identity, memory, family, and the pull of home — resonate so strongly with the questions at the heart of Windrush-era stories.

This feels like one of those novels that quietly builds emotional power, and I’m looking forward to seeing how Adam brings the nuances of diaspora life to the page.

Why These Books Matter — And Why I’m Excited for More

What strikes me about the 2025 releases is not just the stories themselves, but the fact that there are so few. Even now, in 2025, fiction that centres or echoes Windrush experiences remains scarce.

And maybe that’s exactly why these narratives feel so special.

Why they linger.

Why readers want more.

Because the Windrush story isn’t just a moment in history — it’s a living legacy. It’s a story of courage and identity that continues to ripple through generations. Fiction helps keep those stories alive, tender, and human.

A Final Word

For me, writing about Caribbean migration and Black British history is both an act of remembrance and an act of celebration. There is so much richness, complexity, joy, and pain woven into these journeys — and I truly believe fiction is one of the most powerful ways to honour them.

If you’re interested in stories that explore love, identity, secrets, and the search for truth across oceans, my novel Wherever You Will Go touches on many of these themes too. And as more Windrush-inspired books arrive in 2025, I’ll be reading right alongside you.

Here’s to more stories that deserve to be told — and retold — for generations.