Reviews

Wonderful and interesting Historical Fiction book about an independent Black Female entrepreneur with spirit and softness. This book will definitely make readers curious about the real J. Leary or the countless other women who have lived extraordinary lives, but I’ve been left out of the history books. Every time I read a book about a woman overlooked or left out of history, my heart soars.

While not a happy perfect ending, the determination and wit of the protagonist is inspiring to me even in 2022.

4 stars because while enjoyed the read, it felt like something was missing.

shaebaybee07's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

They say to avoid judging a book by its cover but I couldn’t resist! The cover of this book is just gorgeous and immediately piqued my curiosity. Kianna Alexander did a great job crafting a fictionalized story inspired by the life of Josephine Napoleon Leary. This reimagining of ambition and perseverance in a newly freed Black woman in the South made my heart swell with pride. Alexander’s research shined as she intertwined accurate historical details of the time period within Josephine’s story- she even included a bibliography! The prologue and author notes are an excellent inclusion, as are the photos of the storefront, that still stands to this day. Also, I really enjoyed the slice-of-life feel of this book- It is very rare to find a historical fiction with Black protagonist that isn’t rife with trauma and pain. My only critique is that the story should have been in third-person POV instead of first because it was a bit limiting. For example, her husband’s POV was not as necessary due to the inconsistent use. I understand why because it brought a nuance to his experience although a third person POV would have easily remedied that. Other than that, I really enjoyed this book and recommend it!

msqueenieclem's review against another edition

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5.0

OMG! Inspirational. I overall really enjoy this book. It made me proud to be an African American woman. This story is about an African American woman who wanted more and stopped at nothing to get it. The beautiful cover is what caught my eye to read it and oh I am so glad I did. I think this is my book of the year for 2022. My family and I will be taking a trip to North Carolina to visit I am and I am so excited. Josephine wanted to build a legacy even though it was tough, she endured. This book is filled with so much pride, passion, and perseverance. This book will take you on a journey of how Josephine wanted to leave a legacy for her family. I recommend this book to everyone. I give this book five stars.

rebeccareads31's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Josephine Leary was one hell of a woman. She is inspiring and her accomplishments are amazing.

Content Warnings

d0505's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Content Warnings

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