Included as a top pick in bimonthly March New Releases post, which highlights and promotes upcoming releases of the month (link attached)

This stunning debut creates a world of romance, intrigue, and family secrets that will keep you guessing to the end. With a dual timeline (1925 and 2015), the story unfolds gradually but with ever-increasing tension as dancer Honoree tries to make a living in the Chicago speakeasies under the dominion of Al Capone. The world is fraught with danger, yet this book is as much character-driven as it is plot-driven. The setting is rich, vibrant, and immersive—it begs to be adapted to film.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Fans of historical fiction should give this one a read ! Honoree is now 101 and she has lived an impressive life. She was a sharecropper's daughter who went to Chicago, became a dancer, and then, well, she tells her story to Sawyer, a film student who has a mystery of his own to solve. The timeline shifts between 1925 and the world of speak easies and 2017. It wasn't easy being a woman of color In 1925, no matter where one lived. Honoree experiences a lot (a lot) but her story is one of determination and resilience. No spoilers on how it links up with Sawyer's. Chicago during this time period was unfamiliar to me but Bryce made me feel the energy. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Great characters and storytelling made this a very good read.

Thanks Kensington Books + NetGalley for the e-review copy of "Wild Women and the Blues" by Denny S Bryce.

Historical fiction (and a time period I know zero about - 1920s Jazz!), dual perspective and timeline. The cover is gorgeous and the story is utterly compelling. Definitely recommend.

I loved it! I loved the historical setting and the relationships between the characters! The plot was so good, too.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, that cover is to die for! It’s so gorgeous!! I really wanted to love this book. This time period is one of my favorites, and I love a historical fiction that is not war oriented. However, I found the story slow to get into. It wasn’t until I was about 60% in that I became intrigued with the characters and invested in their stories. Once all the twist and turns started happening at the end, the story wrapped up very quickly and left me feeling confused. I think the idea of the story was wonderful, I just don’t think the writing style was my cup of tea. I do think it would make a good movie though!! I’d love to see the costumes and drama unravel on screen!

In a story that just shook me, in a good way. I love this time in history and will read just about any genre that takes me there. It is a rough and edgy time, but the music. Where do I start, the cover, the research, the characters, the story, and the time-appropriate dialog! The love/hate emotions I had going on while reading brought this book to life and made it hard to put down. I would have loved to have met Honeree and listened to all her stories. There is so much good to say about this book, but it would be venturing into spoiler territory. I have and will continue to recommend this book!

It looks like this is a debut book. I will be reading more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an advanced copy; this is my voluntary review

I really liked a lot about this book. The ending dropped it down from a 4 star book but I do think it was pretty fast and interesting. I love reading about this time in history and would recommend.

This book is really good! If you are a fan of historical fiction then you will enjoy this one. It follows a dual storyline of the 1920s Chicago night club scene and more contemporary times of a young man uncovering his family’s past. I liked how the two storylines converged. While it could have been better, I do think it was a good read.

I love dual timeline novels, and this involved an era I haven't read much about (along with a music genre I really enjoy). The reader meets Sawyer (present) and Honoree (past) as the story flows from 2015 and back to 1920 Chicago. I preferred Honoree's story a bit more than Sawyer's, and I found the historical storyline a bit more developed. The pacing was a bit too slow for most of the book, but this was an enjoyable book overall.

I love dual timeline books. It’s probably my favorite type of book, especially when it involves historical fiction. This was my first book set in the Jazz Age and I loved it. The story follows Honoree in 1925 and in 2015. The book also has a bit of mystery woven in which made it even better. I didn’t guess the twist until maybe two chapters before it was revealed and only because Bryce dropped a hint, which I assume was done intentionally.

After reading this I would be interested in reading more books by Bryce. The book was well written, the history seemed well researched, and the story was really good. I am glad I got the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The fact that stories set in Jazz-age Chicago are not so easy to come by is a real shame. But I'm so glad Bryce amended this a bit. What an incredibly lush story, with fascinating characters, an interesting plot, and an unforgettable setting. This is one that will stick with me for awhile because of how immersed I became in the world and the story as I was reading it.

I've become a little bored with the dual timelines trope as of let, however I think Bryce used it to her advantage and it works really well here, because we get to see in how many ways things haven't changed that much over time and this definitely made the story feel more impactful than if we had just experienced the one story.

I'm surprised that this is a debut author; Bryce's voice is that of a seasoned professional. Her writing is impeccable and I can say with absolute certainty that I will read anything that she writes in the future.

I only needed to hear 1920's Chicago to be sold. This was definitely a great setting for me, and when you add in the Great Migration threads to this story it's a very interesting historical fiction narrative. The novel has ultimately has two connected storylines, one in 1925 and one in 2015. There are a lot of twists that occur in both timelines with some more predictable than others. Overall, I really liked this novel and would have rated it slightly higher, but I feel that the flashback-present day narrative structure is a little overused currently. Definitely still worth the read though!

My first historical fiction novel that takes place during the Chicago Jazz scene of the 20s! It was brimming with music, dancing, chorus girls, speakeasies, but also the illegal activity reminiscent of the time period. Honoree Dalcour finds herself involved with gangsters after witnessing a crime and being reconnected with a lost love.

I was expecting this book to be just about the jazz culture and the main character’s struggle to make a name for herself. But it was so much more. It was a dual timeline novel, taking place in 2015 and the 20s. There is a mystery element to it. I don’t want to divulge too much. But it definitely took a couple of unexpected turns. I loved the language that was used to match the era, it was the bees knees! Hot diggity dog! The language made it feel more fun and authentic. I loved that the heroines were strong characters. The women were really survivors and to see them assert themselves so much was refreshing. Overall, an intriguing and fast read! Definitely one to add to your TBR!

I am crazy for this cover!!

Review will appear in Shelf Awareness for Readers around publication date.

Denny S. Bryce's debut, Wild Women and the Blues, is an immersive and suspenseful dual timeline historical novel set in Jazz Age and present-day Chicago. In 2015, film student Sawyer is looking for answers about a film he discovered in his grandmother's attic and he's convinced 110 year old Honoree has them. In alternating point of view chapters, Sawyer is forced to divulge his own painful secrets in exchange for Honoree's while she tells him the story of her time as a dancer in 1925--a time of prohibition, jazz and the New Negro Movement.
Determined to rise above her circumstances, young Honoree auditions at a higher caliber nightclub, only to witness a murder there just hours after. Complicating matters is the fact that the former love of her life has just reappeared after years away--and he's involved in shady dealings. Honoree's tale is one of murder, intrigue and a dizzyingly vibrant nightlife that captivates the reader just as much as it does Sawyer.
Bryce uses slang and just the right number of historical references to ground Honoree's chapters in time and place, but she also draws out Sawyer's grief and guilt with moments touched by the ghost of his sister. As elderly Honoree and young Sawyer share their stories, they find that they have more in common than either expected. Bryce excels at both action and emotion and readers will be caught up in the passion and peril of 1925 Chicago.--Suzanne Krohn, editor, Love in Panels

Discover: Perfect for fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Denny S. Bryce's Wild Women and the Blues is a dazzling depiction of passion, prohibition and murder set in the nightclub scene of 1925 Chicago.

This felt like Historical Fiction for Beginners. It's a good start to easing someone into the genre. That said, it isn't lighting the world on fire. It was a quick read and the author's ability to switch back and forth between two stories decades apart was well done. The 1920s references read clunky at times, but overall this succeeded in eliciting the roaring 20's mood.

A solid historical fiction novel, but there were a few things that made this a 3 star read for me. The ending felt a little confusing. I wanted more answers, and I don't think it tied together as neatly as it should have considering all the relationships in the novel. I also wish that there had been less of the modern-day storyline. While it was important to tie everything together, I wanted more of the 1920s, and I felt there was some major disconnects between the two timelines.

Things I loved about this book? The big twist toward the end, the descriptions of the dancers' costumes and parties, and the character development.

I was given the opportunity to read and review this book through Net Galley and I am so glad! The story sucked you in and you'll find yourself thinking about the characters long after you finish the book. Can't wait to read more by this author!!

Such an engrossing read from the get go: a 101 year old lady retelling and reliving her life story and her jazz origins with ample amounts of wholesomeness and vigour, a 20-something film maker putting all the jumbled up pieces together, a contrasting dreary hospital setting vs the glamour and energy of the past. I was pulled right in! My only quip was that our glitzy momentum faltered in the middle because I was way more invested and interested in 1925 Honoree than Sawyer and so instead of being seamlessly dropped in and out of our 2 timelines, it seemed like I was pulled out of Honoree's life and intensity into Sawyer's blander,more modern real-day monotonousness.

Other than that, this was a great read with a gorgeous cover to complement! 🎷🎷💃💃

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC

The premise of this story caught my eye - Honoree is a Black flapper in 1925 Chicago. She’s embroiled in a murder case, and her teenage lover comes back into town, right as she gets a prestigious dancing job at the Dreamland Cafe.

While the plot points were dynamic, the execution was lacking. Many times action or plotting would build, and then be interrupted with a flash forward to Sawyer, a 2015 film student looking to verify events from 1925. Sawyer’s sections were undeveloped, and his emotionality felt plastic as he navigates various set backs in his project and reveals past tragedy.

The pacing of the middle section also lost my interest. Honoree fumbles through various misadventures, getting sidetracked by her feelings, and general brusque attitude toward anyone she encounters. She ultimately is difficult to root for as she continuously alienates alliances. Yet this bid for independence falls flat as she ultimately has to draw on others to save her throughout the book.

Finally, the later reveal of Bessie assuming Honoree’s name felt poorly explained. She assumes another woman’s name and history to …what? backfill her own history? give herself a clean slate? impersonate her history? Coupled with the epilogue of the real Honoree starting a life in Paris made even less sense. With Bessie assuming her name, and Honoree still alive, this felt more "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" than "The Great Gatsby".