This was my first book that I read by Terah Shelton Harris and I was truly impressed. I like her simple, yet descriptive writing style. I really think she made her characters come to life, and I was able to identify with several of them in many ways. Long After We Are Gone was an emotional but enjoyable read. It was just enough twists, turns, candor and drama to keep me engaged. I really appreciated the research and statistics about heir property inheritance amongst African Americans in the beginning Author's Note. I was really hoping to read more about the legal process of heir property in the book, but it focused more on the personal lives of their characters and them coming into their own. My favorite lines from the book were "let it be" and "you spend your whole life trying to leave only to discover everything you need is right here." After reading it, it left me with several thoughts of appreciating family dynamics no matter what they are, owning who I am, appreciating where you come from and standing in my truths. Overall, I think Long After We Are Gone is an impressive and reflective read!

Long After We Are Gone evokes so many emotions and feelings. It is complicated and messy and frustrating. It is also very raw and real. If you are looking for a feel good story, this is not it.

This is a story of redemption and retribution. It is about answering for your sins and finding yourself and then accepting who you are. Owning your worth, if you will. The overarching theme is family and roots, and this theme runs deep. These four siblings are looking to survive at all costs. You are going to want to knock each Solomon sibling upside the head at some point, but it is because you are so invested in their stories. Not to mention how frustrating their circumstances are... circumstances that are out of their control. The premise of Long After We Are Gone is so on par with the real stories coming out of post-Emancipation US history. Do better, America.

If you pick up Long After We Are Gone--and I am convinced you absolutely should--know two things: 1) Aside from the deep family connection, it is nothing like One Summer in Savannah; 2) This book is slow to build, but it is so worth it in the end. This family is worth it.

"Long After We Are Gone" by Terah Shelton Harris is a beautifully written book that explores issues of racism, generational trauma, and Black resilience. After their father's death, the four siblings of the Solomon family find themselves facing the untenable situation of losing their ancestral home due to a legal loophole called heirs' property. The book is told through the view point of these siblings as they confront familial expectations and the legacies handed to them by their ancestors. As a resident of North Carolina who has worked with families who are losing their homes due to these racist laws, I am all too aware of how devastating this racist laws can be. Harris has written a profound account of a story that is all too real throughout the South.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC; all opinions are my own.

Long After We Are Gone is a story filled with carefully constructed dynamic characters. With effortless writing, Terah Shelton Harris shows how one family deals with the death of their father; King Solomon. On his deathbed, he tells his son, "Don't let the white man take the house." A developer wants to get the valuable waterfront property to turn it into a luxury resort. and the son and his siblings must fight to save the land while fighting their own demons.
This drama told through the eyes of four estranged siblings' viewpoints tells a tale of secrets, lies, betrayal, and addiction. The story about keeping a promise and saving a legacy hits each sibling differently and they all have emotional problems to face head-on in this heart-tugging, emotional novel. This is Terah Shelton Harris's sophomore novel and she has shown me that she is a talented writer and I will pick up any book she writes.

Overall: 4

This is the second book I've read from the author. The first book was my first ever 5 star read, so I had high hopes for this book. I was a little worried in the author notes it talks about ancestral land and sort prejudge the book. Boy was I wrong! This is giving Queen Sugar vibes. All the siblings are going through their own drama and wanting to save face because they think their other siblings life is going amazing. Once they accept facts and finally have the hard discussion they come together for the common goal. This common goal isn't without loss but they are their for each other and build a better foundation. Ms. Harris does an amazing job with with plot twist. Just when you think you've seen or heard it all, she drops another bomb on the family. Having a family legacy more than just money, it's about the memories, history and bonds forged during the dark times.

The one disclaimer, I used the accessibility feature on the Netgalley App to have it read me the book. So it made it confusing at times, when it switched from sibling to sibling in the same chapter. If you weren't fully paying attention you will be lost. If it's made into an audiobook, they'll need to ensure these transitions are made clear.

Long After We Are Gone, by Terah Shelton Harris, is a literary novel that explores intergenerational trauma, the destructive power of secrets kept too long, and the redemptive power of love. And then there’s the pages and pages and pages of extremely graphic, completely unnecessary sex scenes. We’ll get to that later.

I understand and applaud the story the author was trying to tell about the injustice of heir property laws. It is an important one that should be screamed from the rooftops again and again until the corrupt ‘loopholes’ are eliminated. However, I don’t feel that Ms. Harris lived up to the task she set herself.

Instead of sympathizing with the characters as I wanted to, I disliked them for their whining, self pity, and refusal to take responsibility for their actions and lives. Every time I put the book down, I dreaded picking it back up. Any larger points the author wanted to make about injustice, trauma, love, etc., were completely lost in the immaturity of her characters.

And then there’s all that sex. So. Much. Sex. So much graphic sex that wasn’t an essential, intrinsic part of the story. I’m sure the author has some explanation as to why this was vital to the development of blah-blah-blah, but it wasn't. The fact is that literary novels, books that are heavier on words and thoughts and characters than on plot, don’t sell as well as plot-heavy books. So the easiest answer is to sex it up in the hopes it will sell better.

Long After We Are Gone had all the hallmarks of a book I’d love, but it failed on all counts. I rate it 2 ½ stars.

This is a completely different book than I normally read and I am so glad I did. This is the story of a family in the grips of the death of their patriarch whose last words are “Don’t let the white man take the house”. The character development was outstanding, All four of the siblings were flawed in their own ways but were likable and you rooted for each of them. When they find out the land and house they grew up in is being taken by a developer, they find out that the land was considered heir property and there was no real deed. They must all work together, through their personal struggles, and try to save the land that means so much to each of them for different reasons. This family is far from perfect, but we learn that family is often greater than the sum of its parts.

Oh how I love a family story - especially one about siblings. The four Solomon siblings each have their own struggles, yet they are woven together to tell one story of the family home and land. Loved loved loved!

Overall Grade: B
Plot: B
Characters: B-
Writing: A
Ending: A
Pacing: B
Setting: B+
Best Aspect: An important topic and the ending was perfect.
Worst Aspect: Too many characters to make the story as deep as rich as One Summer in Savannah by this author. (One of my top books of all time.)
Recommend: Yes.

Their mission: to save their family’s ancestral home from being sold by a development company. The Kingdom, their 200-acre waterfront property, holds secrets and burdens that unravel as the siblings fight to preserve it. Told through alternating viewpoints, the book delves into familial expectations, miscommunication, and the legacies we pass on to our children.

#LongAfterWeAreGone #TerahSheltonHarris #Bookstagram

Alright well dont read this on a plane unless you want to cry in front of everyone…..

Seriously though, what a novel.
I came into this book thinking I wasn’t going to truly love it - i had hit a bit of a rut and had low hopes for this one pulling me out but WOW. Four siblings have to come together once their dad dies to save their 200 acre land, and the beauty that unfolds is just magical. This book touches on sibling relationships, strained family dynamics and the ramifications of keeping secrets.

There were parts of this where looking back I think could be a bit more fleshed out - like ALL of the Mance and Shad drama, but. In the moment it did not take away from the storytelling. BRAVO.

I absolutely loved Harris’s first book One Summer in Savannah so I couldn’t wait to read her sophomore book. She has a way of pulling the reader in and your heart breaks for her characters. Definitely one to add to your list! Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Harris writes with emotion. Her characters feel real. She weaves an interesting story between history and current day. This book illustrates how trauma can be passed down through generations. The ending was very satisfying.

ARC Review! Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the early copy!

"Don't let the white men take the house." - King

Welcome to Diggs, NC and to the Kingdom.

As a North Carolina girl, any story written in and about my home state grabs my attention, especially something written as beautifully as this.

King, owner of 200 acres of land and father of four children has recently passed, leaving a hole in his family's hearts and lots of unanswered questions. The Kingdom is being threatened and it's ownership is questioned while local real estate is chomping at the bit to purchase and commercialize.

Each child battling their own personal battles, now must come together to find a way save the Kingdom and find a way to free themselves of the expectations that have been shadowing them their whole lives. A story of heartache, hard times, racial injustice and family, Long After We are Gone is so beautifully written you feel as if you are living through every emotion of the characters.

I identified with each character, with each of their struggles and was routing for them to overcome.

Five stars. Will read over and over. Will recommend time after time. A beautiful story of family, sacrifice and love.

At first glance at the blurb on the back of the book, I was going to pass this along as it is not my typical genre. After receiving an email from the publisher about the book, I decide to give it a try, and I'm so glad I didn't miss out on this book!
The story of a family, each with their own issues, but also fighting to keep their familial land. I loved the multi POV and thought it really propels the reader through the story, to keep reading to continue with whichever character's story has your attention the most in the previous chapter.
The authors first book has been on my TBR, but will be moving up the list now. Will be recommending to readers widely.

Terah Shelton Harris has grown as a storyteller. The drama is layered and grounded. Reading how the family comes together amidst personal struggles to handle business was excellent. I did not like CeCe’s arc.

This compelling family saga unfolds through the eyes of four siblings, each ensconced in their own world of secrets and isolation. The passing of their father and the looming loss of their ancestral home serve as catalysts, drawing them closer and unveiling the destructive nature of their hidden truths. Richly layered relationships both within and beyond the family circle add depth and poignancy to the narrative. The book's exquisite writing style and the emotional struggles of the siblings, as they band together to protect their legacy, make for a deeply affecting read. An outstanding novel that skillfully explores the complexities of family dynamics and the power of unity.

One Summer in Savannah was one of my favorite books in 2023 and I think Long After We Are Gone will be one of my favorites for 2024.
'Long After We are Gone takes us to a small town in North Carolina, and the ancestral home and property of the Solomon family. The four siblings are relatively close in age but have grown estranged in adulthood. Each has challenges in their lives, and perhaps that contributes to their family dysfunction. Will they be able to face their challenge and come back together with their family?

Ms. Harris so expertly juggles the four points of view of the novel (five if you count Ellis) and created fully dimensional characters that you alternately want to hug or yell at. The book has the emotional weight of the TV series, This is Us, which the author says is one of the best family dramas on TV. Serious topics are tackled in the book, including disordered eating. homophobia, death and violence, and, of course, there are many, many secrets.

As with One Summer in Savannah, I became invested with the characters and want to know what happens to them 5-10 years down the road. It's one of those books where you have to read everything: don't skip the Author's Note, Acknowledgements, or About the Author section. I found this last section especially interesting and learned more about the concept of heir property. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to reading more of what Ms. Shelton Harris characterizes as "upmarket fiction with bittersweet endings."

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read Long After We Are Gone in exchange for an honest review.

After the patriarch dies his children come together to bury him and to settle his estate, which is in danger of being stolen from the family. The adult children all have major personal issues and they do not have a loving or close relationship with each other. The children are the main characters in this book and they are all rather unlikable and are extremely dysfunctional.
The story line did not draw me in as I had hoped. Unfortunately for me this was not an enjoyable or a memorable read.

What an emotional journey for the Solomon siblings! They each face, and eventually, uncover their truth as they process great family loss. I did not know about heir properties and the mass amount of loss in the black community. This is an important reality and wrong that I'm thankful to learn more about. Terah Shelton Harris, thank you for this beautiful and challenging story.