OH MY! Ms Johnson has done it again with another 5 star read! I am late to the party here, but, better late than never.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for this advanced readers copy. This book released in February 2023.

The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson was an incredible book and inside look at race, family relationships, and struggle in the 1950s. The book follows the lives of Ruby and Eleanor, whose lives at first appear to be the complete opposite, as they persevere and do their best with the lives they've been given. In the end, I truly appreciated how realistic the two storylines were and the complex relationships both endure in their lives and the strength they have to continue to build the lives they want. I have not read Johnson's other book, The Yellow Wife, but after reading this one, I absolutely will soon.

Pregnancy is life changing for two young women - one is faced with the choice between motherhood and a college education and another dealing with the difficulty of carrying to term. This is a moving story about what young black women were facing at this time in history.

👜 The House of Eve - Sadeqa Johnson

4.25 ⭐️ - I might need to apologize to my book club! I really enjoyed this one! I think I’m late to the game here too. It was heartbreaking and heartwarming; It was hard but also easy to read.

I love a story with multiple view points! This one has 2 beautiful stories, from different black women and their experiences with society, familial relationships, and personal relationships. The way these stories collide and end is so heartwarming and beautiful. If you haven’t read this one and you’re late to the party like me, definitely check it out. It is so worth the hardship for a lovely ending.

I loved reading the two stories and trying to figure out where they would collide!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

How could anyone not love this? The Yellow Wife was fantastic so I was very excited for this and it did not disappoint! Wonderful writing and such a great story.

I cannot recommend this book enough. Sadeqa Johnson is a force. Her writing makes you feel as if you are in the story right along with the characters. She shared her inspiration behind this book and it was also moving. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

This is an excellent historical fiction book that considers really important themes of identity and success among African Americans during the 1950s. It would make a great addition to high school or college-level course because it allows the reader to explore how we make the decisions and how that leads us to different lives.

I was nervous to dive into this one because I had heard such amazing things that its always a little nerve-wrackign to go into a book with such high expectations. I should not have been nervous because, as she did with Yellow Wife, Sadeqa Johnson wrote a beautiful, powerful story.
Ms. Johnson is such an amazing writer and she does a great job of bringing hard topics to the fore-front and tackling them head on while keeping the reader immersed in the world she is sharing.
I highly recommend this to Historical Fiction lovers.

I really wanted to love this book because I loved The Yellow Wife. However, I could not get into this one. The story was very predictable, and I could not connect with the characters. Also, the story moved at a slow-pace. However, the writing has gorgeous prose and is meticulously researched. I recommend this for fans of Unforgivable Love!

I loved The Yellow Wife, but it took me a minute to get into this one. Fascinating tale of two African American female protagonists living trying to build the lives they desire during the 1960s. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced eARC.

I loved this book! I will definitely recommend it. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

1950s Philadelphia and DC. Two young black women, both ambitious and eager to work hard for better lives than their parents had. Examines the issues around interracial relationships, unwed pregnancies, and colorism and classism within the black community. Fascinating and heartbreaking. Thanks to publisher, author and NetGalley for preview copy. (Read ages ago, forgot to review!)

Thee Sadequa Johnson is a masterful historical fiction writer. She has improved upon her craft in this book. I look forward to reading whatever she drops next.

Sadeqa Johnson's Yellow Wife was a book that I found totally engrossing. I was excited to receive an ARC of Johnson's newest release, The House of Eve.

This is a story that tugged at my heartstrings. What will a mother endure for her child? What will a mom do to offer a better life for her child? What will a woman do to have a baby?

Set in the 1950s in Philadelphia and Washington DC, this is a story about Eleanor and Ruby.

I loved how Johnson tied all the characters together in the end.

Again, I will be anxiously awaiting future releases from Sadeqa Johnson.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Two different girls and how their lives intersect. The story was captivating.
Many thanks to Simon & Schuster and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Two women…two cities…same situation…two different outcomes.

15 year old Ruby Pearsall is determined to earn a college scholarship, in order to escape poverty and a mother who put a man before her child. Meeting a Jewish boy named Shimmy only made the journey more difficult. Caught Up in a situation, forces Ruby to make a life-altering decision.

Eleanor Quarles is a young lady, whose family sacrifices to send her to Howard University. It's here that she meets William Pride and falls in love. Unfortunately, his elite family turns to their nose down to their union. She is determined to deal her position and approval by providing an heir. But, it isn't as easy as Eleanor thought, and what happens when her husband finds out that she's been holding a secret.

The introduction of the House of Eve plays an important role in the lives of both of these women. This house for unwed mothers offers an option for some and an answered prayer for others. This really touched my heart.

This is by far, is one of the best books that I've read this year. The storyline was intense and educational. My favorite character would probably be Ruby, because she overcame so much, in order to fulfill her dreams. Ironically, her mother was my least favorite character. She was just TRASH! I also loved the way @sadeqasays have the readers an update on a few characters from The Yellow Wife, at the end.

This book was my first read from Johnson and it was beautiful! The story of Eleanor and Ruby two African American women who are both trying to succeed in life in the 1950s when everything was against them not only for being African American but also female. Ruby is doing everything she can to win a scholarship to college and be the first in her family to make it out of Philadelphia and succeed in life. While Eleanor’s parent have given their lives ensuring she would attend college and she’s trying to fit into the elite crowds in DC that the man she falls in love with is a part of. Ruby finds herself in love with white man who pursued her and promised her the world, eventually falling pregnant and being sent away to hide the pregnancy and give the baby away. Meanwhile Eleanor has become pregnant by her boyfriend and is rushed into marriage to protect the family name, however soon after she loses their baby. Eventually these two ladies paths will cross in a tale of loss, love and second chances. This book steals your heart and has you deeply invested in each woman’s journey.

Ruby Pearsall is only 15 when her mother kicks her out of the house. Ruby turns to her aunt Marie for a place to stay so she can finish the We Rise program, and earn a scholarship to college. She falls for a boy she cannot marry and ends up alone and pregnant. It’s the 1950’s so she’s sent to a Catholic home for unwed mothers. There Ruby confronts firsthand the abdication of all rights concerning her and her baby's future.

In another storyline, a different young Black woman, Eleanor Quarles, is impressed when light-skinned William Pride, a Howard University student, falls for her. Enamored by his smooth manners and affectionate ways, Eleanor tries to imagine a future for them. But she doesn’t fit in with his upperclass Black family and is uncomfortable around his parents and their friends. But when she too becomes pregnant, they decide to marry, despite objections from his family.

Johnson covers a lot of territory with this story of teen pregnancy, interracial relationships, abusive homes for unwed mothers, light vs dark skinned Blacks and adoption. Ruby has so few choices while Eleanor has a loving partner to protect her. The two women’s stories run parallel to each other, finding an intersection at the end. It’s interesting and informative as well as moving.

Sadeqa Johnson writes books that are very readable. Her prose is just that good. This book was a bit predictable but no less enjoyable. It won't necessarily grab the reader as it was a more methodical read. Johnson used two timelines to show how racism existed in several social classes. Johnson also wove in the treatment of unwed pregnant black women, and their babies, in the 1950s.
Both Ruby and Eleanor had goals that they wanted to achieve. Each was waylaid by a romantic relationship that changed their trajectory. Neither romantic relationship seemed to truly have much depth in my opinion and there is where one of my issues with the book lies. It wasn't necessarily what I expected but I wasn't disappointed.

I received a copy of this title via NetGalley.