Long After We Are Gone is raw and emotional. It tells the story of a family's efforts to save their home despite the complicated legalities around heir property. The four siblings, Junior, Mance, Cece, and Tokey are all complicated and keeping secrets. At times, I struggled with hearing from all four of the siblings, but it ended up being worth it in the end. This was as beautiful and thoughtful as Terah's first book. I can't wait to see what topic she tackles next.

In the small town of Diggs, North Carolina, the Solomon family has lived in the Kingdom, a home on 200 acres of land, for generations. But when the patriarch, King, dies, his four children must confront their faults—and their family’s murky history—to save their home from greedy developers. King’s children are well-crafted and deep (if not always likable), and readers will surely find something to connect with in Terah Shelton Harris' sophomore novel, Long After We Are Gone.

For an intergenerational story told from four points of view and spanning 400 pages, the pacing is spot on. Introducing the cast of characters takes a little while, but after a hundred pages, this family drama is hard to put down!

Long After We Are Gone by Terah Shelton Harris is a powerful and emotional journey into the heart of a family in turmoil. This novel earns a solid four stars for its compelling narrative and richly developed characters. Harris, known for her poignant storytelling in One Summer in Savannah, delivers another explosive and heartfelt story, this time focusing on the Solomon siblings as they navigate their individual battles and collective legacy.

The story begins with the death of King Solomon, whose dying wish is for his children to save their ancestral home, the Kingdom, from being sold to a development company. This quest brings Junior, Mance, CeCe, and Tokey back to their roots in North Carolina, each grappling with their own personal demons. Junior is torn between his duty as a husband and his love for another man. Mance’s uncontrollable temper has led him down a path of incarceration. CeCe, a successful lawyer, hides the dark secret of her embezzlement. Tokey, the youngest, struggles with a sense of belonging and fills her emotional void in self-destructive ways.

Harris skillfully uses alternating viewpoints to weave together the siblings' stories, creating a tapestry of family dynamics that is both intricate and relatable. The Kingdom serves as more than just a physical space; it symbolizes the legacy and burdens that each sibling carries. As they fight to save their home, they are also forced to confront the secrets and lies that have kept them apart.

The novel excels in exploring themes of familial expectations, the consequences of miscommunication, and the importance of letting go. The characters are well-drawn and multifaceted, each with their own strengths and vulnerabilities. The emotional depth of the story is enhanced by Harris's lyrical prose, which brings the setting and characters to life in vivid detail.

However, the novel’s pacing can be uneven at times, with some storylines feeling more developed than others. This occasionally disrupts the flow of the narrative. Despite this minor flaw, the book’s strengths far outweigh its weaknesses.

In conclusion, Long After We Are Gone is a searing and beautifully written exploration of family, love, and redemption. Terah Shelton Harris has crafted a novel that resonates deeply with its readers, leaving a lasting impression long after the final page is turned. This is a must-read for those who appreciate stories about the complexities of family and the enduring power of home.

**Many thanks to NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, and Terah Shelton Harris for an ARC of this book!**

Calling all fans of Black Cake...this one is for you!

The Kingdom has always rightfully belonged to the King....King Solomon, that is. The sprawling 200 acres of North Carolina land has been part of the family for generations, and although King's children have grown up and moved away, they all hold a piece of home close in their hearts. So when the King's four grown children, Junior, Mance, CeCe, and Tokey, are faced with the death of their beloved father, they are particularly alarmed by his last words: "Don't let the white man take the house." Although cryptic at first, the children quickly learn that the concept of 'heir property' is often exploited by developers and wealthy landowners, who use loopholes in the law to deny up to 90% of black families land and property that is rightfully theirs...and with its picture-perfect location and expansive acreage, they feel that the Kingdom would make a PERFECT resort...and have every intention of 'taking' it from the Solomon family.

Each of the siblings, however, is struggling with their own demons. Gruff and commanding Mance is fresh from his latest prison stint...but is desperate to keep his clean and keep his wife and child part of his life...and to be able to provide hearing aids for his son who has been newly diagnosed as deaf. Junior has the picture perfect life: solid job as a superintendent, lovely wife Genesis and two twin daughters to call his own...but he's living a double life, and his romantic partner Simon is tired of the secrets and lies. CeCe has landed herself in an ugly blackmail situation at her fancy law firm, and engages in certain 'acts' to keep her financial crimes a secret. Tokey, the youngest of the group, is desperate to fill every void in her life with food...especially the one left by the mother she never knew and the father she so tenderly cared for until his recent demise

With such an intricate web of problems keeping the family trapped in a constant state of uncertainty, angst, and fear, can the four Solomon siblings band together to defeat those who would take their rightful inheritance away? And when the siblings' uncle decides to AID the enemy rather than protect his family...will the Solomon siblings have what it takes to overcome the forces set to keep them apart and to hold the 'keys' to the Kingdom...for generations to come?

At the center of this story is a discussion of heir property and the devastation it has caused for black families over the years. But what is heir property? Essentially, according to farmers.gov, "Heirs' property is family-owned land that is jointly owned by descendants of a deceased person whose estate did not clear probate. The descendants, or heirs, have the right to use the property, but they do not have a clear or marketable title to the property since the estate issues remain unresolved." In this case, King's lack of a will (which many cannot afford to have) left the Kingdom in this muddy state of flux...and left his children vying to pick up the pieces. For such an impactful and LARGE loss of rightful property ownership and farmland in this country, I'm almost ashamed to say that prior to this book, I had no knowledge of it...and to that end, ALL the credit goes to Terah Shelton Harris for casting such a needed light on the subject!

This is most definitely historical fiction at its core, but it is the sort of historical fiction that I truly LOVE: it is character driven, emotional, complex, and well-plotted historical fiction that also manages to explore familial relationships, the burden of secrets, and the grey areas surrounding what is morally right and wrong. I was a bit nervous at first that this book has FOUR POVs throughout, not to mention lots of important ancillary characters (including yet more family members!) as it can be complicated to both give characters breadth and depth AND to tell a compelling story without this sort of text feeling wordy or too bogged down in detail...but Harris manages this balance with ease. Within a chapter or two of each sibling's perspective, I felt I had a solid grasp of each character and it was also easy to see how their slightly varying childhoods had led them in different directions, and how the absence of their mother Hazel in much of their lives affected each child in completely different ways.

While I wouldn't necessarily call this book unputdownable in a traditional sense, there is something about it that is both intense and riveting. I read much of it sitting out on my deck in the summer sunshine, and Harris did a magnificent job of pulling me into the throes of the North Carolina heat. She also takes the reader on a journey back through time as the book neatly weaves in and out of King and Hazel's romantic past, for one, and the choices that have led CeCe down her own damaging path of embezzlement, Mance's anger issues, Junior's painful decision to break up his family or remain in the closet, and also into the mind of Tokey and her sugary carb fueled food addiction. None of these plot points felt added for shock value or to simply give the characters something to do...and I couldn't imagine the book without any ONE of the four narrators, which points to a fully-fleshed out cohesive family unit that is both dysfunctional and works better as a group than alone. I felt myself constantly questioning loyalties, motives, and waiting with bated breath for the resolution...WHO will end up with the Kingdom? I promise you will change your mind plenty of times on the 'correct' answer...but the ending is befitting of such a dynamic tale...so as usual, no spoilers here!

And whether or not the inheritance remains with this family, by journey's end I can tell you that the siblings ALL learn that King left them something far more valuable than any stretch of land. After all...."An inheritance is what you leave with people. A legacy is what you leave in them." - Craig D. Lounsbrough

4 stars

The Solomon family prides one thing above all else, their 200 acre former plantation called The Kingdom. The North Carolina land their ancestors were once salves on may be cursed. When the patriarch, King, dies suddenly, his four children reunite. Each of them with their own secrets and intentions will they save the family legacy?
I did not enjoy “Long After We Are Gone.” The characters are so flawed, it’s difficult to root for any of them. While in the end they are redeemed, I didn’t enjoy the journey to get there. The text is a little spicy with a few sex scenes including one featuring gay men. I found the writing to be choppy and abrupt. Fans of Tia Williams may enjoy this book but I would not generally recommend it.

Yes to this book! I read it in one day flat, I was so engrossed in what each character was going through. This book speaks to the terrible injustice that has been committed over the years to Black families with respect to land ownership. It has been stripped from them by eminent domain, as well as by families not having wills and relying on heir property to safeguard their family property. This is what is taking place in this novel. Not only is it an important story, but the author makes the story of the characters in the Solomon family fascinating. Junior, hiding who he is, Ceci, who is trapped in the weight of her bad decisions, Mance, struggling to keep his anger down before it ruins his life, and Tokey, eating her feelings and struggling with addiction. The author’s note in the beginning of the novel was incredibly sensitive- I have never seen anything like it before. I very much liked this book. I enjoyed Terah Shelton Harris’ last book very much, and I was happy to continue to enjoy her writing in this novel!

King Solomon owned a large property that his ancestors were forced to work on as slaves. The book centers on his efforts to keep this property in the family.

After King dies, the family’s difficulties become more apparent, and eventually the book comes to a dramatic end. I love stories of families through the years, so this was a good fit for me. Very interesting, and I enjoyed learning about this family’s complicated life and how race entered into it.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are mine.

Firstly this book was surprising and it was written in a way that is different from my usual reads. The book tells the story offour siblings who are way different as expected and are facing different challenges in their lives and have to come together after their father passes away to save their home. While working to save their home they have to confront their demons and own their truth. It wasn't easy to get into as it is written in a way that I am bit used to but it's a solid read for fans of family sagas.

Long After We Are Gone portrays a very big issue that not many people know about. Heir propiety is a traditional way to inherit land that Black people acquired when slavery was abolished. This book explains it very well with the Salomon family, who call their land the Kingdom after their father, King Salomon. After his death, his sons and daughters Junior, Mance, Cece and Tokey reunite in their childhood home to say goodbye to their father. Not even a day after the funeral, they receive a court order for traspassing. They have an ancestral promise to never sell not even an acre or inch of land of the Kingdom, and apparently someone broke said promise.

This book is narrated by the four siblings with their own personal struggles and points of view. As with A Summer in Savannah, I expected this book to touch some sensitive themes that the author has a great way of exploring. The writing is great, it made me want to keep reading nonstop. The end is bittersweet but realistic, which I liked. Overall an amazing story very worth reading.

The author of One Summer in Savannah returns with an emotional novel exploring family relationships and generational trauma.
Terah Shelton Harris's marvelous family drama Long After We Are Gone begins with the death of the Solomon family patriarch, King, whose last words are "don't let the white man take the house." As his four adult children return to the farm that their ancestors have occupied for generations, they discover how difficult it will be to fulfill King's wish. The 200-acre parcel has been passed down over the years as heir property — a system whereby all legal heirs receive an equal interest in the land (see Beyond the Book). Because King had no will, developers are challenging the family's ownership of the valuable waterfront property.

Complicating matters is the fact that each of the four siblings feels differently about the homestead. Mance, for example, maintains a deep connection to it ("He loves this land because his father does. It provides a sense of belonging…He isn't from this land; he is of this land"). His sister, CeCe, on the other hand, has no desire to retain the property ("The humid air stinks of minimum wage and food stamps, of fried food and bad decisions"). For the eldest, Junior, being home brings painful memories, while Tokey, the youngest, hopes being in their childhood house together will create a sense of family she's never known.

Although the property dispute provides the bones of the story, at its heart are its four main characters. Each is beautifully drawn and unique, coming into the novel harboring painful secrets that they're unwilling to share with the people who should love them unconditionally. Separated by age and temperament, they all feel isolated from the others in their own ways. As the book begins they've individually hit crises unrelated to King's death, aching to reach a point where their lives are stable — and the pain of each situation is palpable. In one instance, Mance is contemplating his infant son, who's been born deaf:

"It astounds Mance that this tiny person already means more to him than anyone else does. That one day he existed when the day before he did not. How instantly parental love materializes. A fierce desire to protect him flooded Mance when he first held him in his arms…Yet he struggles to accept him as he is. He struggles to make sense of such feelings. The two emotions grate against each other and torment him, fracturing his breath and massaging his heart."

The siblings are all deeply flawed but so relatable that they feel like friends rather than characters in a book. One can't help but root for them to overcome their challenges and for the estranged family to heal. The story rotates its point of view between the four, so readers get to know them all intimately, strengthening the connection to them even more.

Beyond the injustices of racism and heir property, Harris explores other issues that might arise in any family (violence, homophobia, disability, eating disorders). Perhaps most crucially, she illustrates how trauma is passed down through families, generation after generation, and considers how one might break the destructive cycle. I appreciated the way the author dealt with these sensitive subjects, subtly examining them without allowing her message to become overbearing.

The book is fast-paced, and I found it hard to put down. There are a few over-the-top scenes that, critically speaking, one might consider unworthy of such an otherwise outstanding work; they explode with improbable action more fitting of popular cinema than fine literature. I have to admit, though, I found them exceptionally satisfying; while implausible, they still feel right for the moment, and will leave many readers cheering.

Overall, I felt Long After We Are Gone to be a sensitive exploration of heir property and family dynamics, and I heartily recommend it to a broad audience. The novel's many themes and relatable characters make it a great choice for book clubs.

Thank you NetGalley for gifting me an advance copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review and opinions.

Unfortunately, I was unable to download the file prior to it being archived and have no gotten a chance to read it. I hope to read it in the future.

Final rating 3.5. I really enjoyed Terah's first book so I was happy to pick this one up.

The theme/subject that I think was well explored here was that of Black land ownership, specifically in the south, and the capitalistic and racist reasons that has been such a struggle historically. It added a layer of social commentary to the story that I found very interesting and poignant.

I also think that considering the number of characters in the book, there was pretty decent character development and the characters were pretty layered.

My biggest gripe with this book is that it felt like too many voices and that took away from it. I think the multiple POV did not work here. It made the story harder to follow and frankly there were some POVs that I didn't really need or care about. I think if the storytelling was bit more focused that this would be a 5 star read.

Long After We Are Gone written by Terah Shelton Harris is a lesson in history and an incredible novel. I had never heard of heir property….land that has been in family’s possession for hundreds of years, passed down. “It’s not recognized as “the worst problem you never heard of” or the “the leading cause of Black involuntary land loss” by the U.S. Department of Agriculture without justification. In Long After We Are Gone, Ms. Harris shines a light on this issue and how certain laws, policies, and loopholes continue to dispossess families of their land.” But, this family refuses, finds strength and togetherness in their sisters and brothers and they fight back!
I LOVED THIS BOOK! Ms. Harris! Thank you for the education!

I had such high hopes for this one after I LOVED her first book. This one however I struggled to finish. I wanted to DNF this book just about from the beginning but stuck it out. Sadly it didn’t get better and the narrator pronouncing “th” as an f was way too much for me to handle.

After the patriarch dies the Solomon siblings come together to fight for Kingdom, the walls each one has put up, slowly begin to crumble and the real Junior, Mance, CeCe and Tokey are revealed. The narrative includes topics such as inter-generational trauma, secrets, making bad choices, the burden of family expectations, and lack of communication and not telling the truth, deafness in children and treatment options, the shame of being gay and overeating, blackmail, extortion, and workplace misconduct.

What a beautiful, gripping, raw, emotional tale Terah Shelton Harris gave us in "Long After We Are Gone."

When a father, King Solomon, passes away, his children come together to pay their respects and to decide what to do about the Kingdom. The Solomon siblings quickly find out that they are actually trying to save the Kingdom but, in order to do so, they must first save themselves from their own demons.

I adored reading this book even with the heart-wrenching way Terah described the battles - internally and externally - that each character must face. Some parts were hard to read but I think that was 100% intentional. The siblings showed us that figuring out life isn't always as easy as writing a check or as sweet as strawberry rolls and sometimes we have to get dirty to bury our past but we must keep moving forward, one step at a time.

I'm so thankful to have had the chance to read this book!

I will definitely be recommending it when friends are in the market for a deeper, emotional drama.

Brava, Terah! Thank you!

A story about one family’s legacy and fight to hold onto their Kingdom, formerly the Solomon plantation that their family once worked as slaves and now own. The patriarch drives the story but it’s his and his adult children, who are so different from one another, and their lives that are intertwined in the details and give the breath and flavor to the plot. Interesting and slippery laws that allow the rich to buy the land belonging to the poor out from under them and when so much is ‘stitched together by lies’ things start unraveling quickly. You’ll be rooting for the Solomons, both to keep their land, and to find themselves amidst the chaos.

This is a well written story that takes place in North Carolina. A family that has owned land for many generations is now facing losing that land their ancestors had purchased. After the death of their father, King, the siblings are informed that their land no longer belongs to them. The home that they grew up in is now sitting on someone else's land. While they are dealing with their father's death they are told to vacate their home. Each of King's children must put aside their personal issues and work together as a family.

The author does an excellent job of bringing the characters to life while also enlightening readers on the important issue of heir property. I was not aware of the laws and policies that allowed the property to be taken from families and was sadden to hear that there have been many cases where this has happened.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

This book was amazing. It was a little slow in the beginning but this family drama, redemption book was just what I needed to get out of my book slump!

The writing was like pure poetry. The characters were amazingly well written and we get all the siblings POV and it was quite the ride. Once I got going, I couldn't stop turning the pages.

This book had it all!

4.5 stars!! Thank you to @netgalley and @bookmarked for my gifted copy

Thank you to @NetGalley for letting me read the advanced ebook in exchange for my honest review.

The book was just alright to me. The premise of the book was emotional and heart breaking which was my expectation. However, it did not live up to her other books. I didnt like all the characters and the plot was alright. I will read hed books in the future. This book just was not my favorite.