Reviewer - Wayne Jordan } Rating A+ } Award of Excellence

From the very first page of Suzette Harrison’s THE GIRL AT THE BACK OF THE BUS, I knew I was going to be in for a rare treat. Ms. Harrison is a gifted storyteller, and her previous books are all evidence of her immense talent. Her current story, releasing in this year’s Black History Month, is a moving tale that will leave readers breathless at its bold honesty, its heartbreaking angst and its inspiring triumph.

The story takes place in two time periods (1955 and the present day) with two heroines who are linked by the blood which flows through their veins. Mattie Banks, at sixteen, finds herself pregnant, ashamed and alone. She has not only let herself down, but she has disappointed her mother. However, it is her encounter with 'Miz Rosa' who refuses to give up her seat in a Montgomery bus which plays a pivotal role in the choices Maddie makes that night; choices which impact her life, her unborn child and their futures.

From 1955, the author time-travels to the present and we meet Ashlee Turner who, in her workplace, is forced to confront the racism and sexism which is still present sixty-five years later. On returning to her hometown, Ashlee realizes that much has changed and when she discovers a stack of letters from her grandmother, she knows that the choices she has to make will affect her already grieving family. But I will reveal no secrets here because this beautifully written story is yours to discover and enjoy.

Everything about this story works; especially, the movement between different time periods. Instead of resulting in a disjointed narrative, I found myself eagerly awaiting each chapter as bit by bit of each woman’s story. The connection between the two women and the hidden secrets revealed all play important parts in what makes this story so special. Ms. Harrison’s forte is her ability to create memorable characters, main and secondary. Mattie, her mother and grandmother are accurately painted, and at times, the harshness of their journeys is heartbreaking.

THE GIRL AT THE BACK OF THE BUS is Suzette Harrison at her finest. This book is listed as one of the most anticipated books for 2021. Ms. Harrison definitely delivers.

What a wonderful book!
I absolutely enjoyed this historical fiction title. I was immediately drawn to the book cover and knew it would captivate me and boy did it do that. I loved everything about it.

Told in both past and present timelines it encapsulated the struggles, strength and redemption of the Banks family through two generations both grandmother and granddaughter alike in so many ways each navigating their struggles decades apart.

Incredibly moving, I weapt as I turned the last pages.

It is a triumph of a read! I will advocate for this book for a long time to come.

Thank you so much for an eARC in return for my honest review.

In 1955 Rosa Parks stood against the rules, or did not stand if you know what I mean- she sat instead and didnt get up as she “should have done” for a white person getting on the bus. This book has Mattie Banks on the same bus, seeing what happened and taking her own stand which changed her life. She was on her way to get rid of the baby she knew she was carrying but seeing Rosa’s actions made her change her mind. In present day Ashlee is a lawyer and being passed over for promotion so takes a couple of weeks leave and travels home- something she hasn't done in almost a year. Coincidently her grandmother Mattie is dying. Ashlee is close to her and inspired by her. Whilst home Ashlee finds that she too is expecting- something she and boyfriend Brad wanted but not quite yet. Ashlee, on Matties instruction, finds her story.
This quickly stole my heart and also recently hearing of P.O.C being passed over just because of the colour of their skin- heavens this is the 21st century but appears some of the world still don’t realise it sadly. A truly inspiring story for women everywhere. Of not being taken for granted for your gender, race, beliefs or whatever. I loved Ashlee and especially Mattie. This drew me in and I didnt want it to end. If you read one book this year to inspire you- perhaps make it this one- I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. Wow!
(amazon done- misfits farm)

It's 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama and sixteen year old Mattie Banks sits on the bus with her battered suitcase, her head full of troubles and her heart heavy with a momentous decision reached. Then, on the bus, she witnesses something extraordinary which will shape her destiny, and that of her family for generations to come.

In present day Georgia, corporate lawyer, Ashlee Turner is at her own crossroads, both in her career which seems to be stalling, and in her relationship with her boyfriend which seems to have reached an emotional impasse. When she is called home to see her beloved grandmother, Ashlee discovers that the emotional bond she shares with her family, and especially her nana, will see her through this troubling time.

Told in alternate voices, that of Mattie and Ashlee, the author certainly knows how to brings a story alive and very quickly I became immersed in Mattie's eventful life in Montgomery and of the trials and prejudices she endured as a young woman of colour growing up in a segregated society. My heart ached with sorrow for her, and her mother, when they were subjected to such disdain by people who should have treated them better.. The author goes on to show that racism has not yet been confined to history, and successful though she is in her professional life Ashlee also finds that she too has to fight for recognition in a world where prejudice and sexism still flourish.

The Girl at the Back of the Bus is beautifully written by an author who has poured so much emotion into the story and paints such a realistic picture I felt as if I too travelled on the 2857 bus alongside Mattie. I laughed with her when she was happy, felt her pain when she was sad, and admired her strength of spirit to succeed in a world which was just so difficult. Ashlee's modern day dilemmas are no less important, and the seamless transition between viewpoints allows both women to have a strong and powerful voice.

The Girl at the Back of the Bus is a multi-generational story which highlights the spirit of survival, the emotion of hidden secrets, and the overwhelming strength of powerful family values.

Powerful. Haunting. A story that makes you think, question, change. One thar made me cry. Just beautiful. A story for our times. Do read this one. Exquisite. Extraordinary. A stunner of a read.

When I started to read this, I realised I haven’t read any book which deal with Rosa Parks and that era of American history which I found a little strange, so I was looking forward to getting lost in something a little bit different. The book uses a technique that’s featured in a lot of books I’ve read recently, moving between the past and present. I like this structure and the way it gradually reveals two plots and the links between them. In this case, the historical section focuses on Mattie, a young black woman who witnesses Rosa Parks’ act of defiance but is struggling with hiding her pregnancy to a white boy so is too preoccupied to realise the significance of the event. In the present, Mattie’s grand-daughter finds a box of letters and uncovers the truth about Mattie’s past. I found this book gripping and quite intense at times as the author grapples with racism. This is well worth a read.

The Girl at the Back of the Bus is such a compelling book. In it, we read about the lives of two black women. In 1955, the famous actions of Rosa Parks have a profound effect on young Mattie Banks. Seeing her courage in standing up to injustice gives Mattie the courage to stand up for herself. In the present day, Mattie's granddaughter Ashlee is finding that being a black woman still brings challenges and injustices. When she hears that her beloved grandmother is dying, she immediately goes home to spend time with this woman whose wisdom has guided her so much throughout the years. But Mattie has been keeping some secrets from Ashlee and she wants her to know the truth before she dies.

I so enjoyed this book and in particular the way the women's lives had so much in common, despite the years between them. I was outraged on behalf of Mattie so many times at the injustice and prejudice she had to face. Yet I was so impressed by her calm and dignified manner and her bravery. Although I wasn't initially so keen on Ashlee, she grew on me particularly with the love she showed to her grandmother. Love was what really stood out for me in this book. The love Mattie had for her child, the love she shared with her husband which led to some particularly poignant scenes later in the book, the love between Mattie and Ashlee. I won't be able to hear the beautiful song 'Chances Are' by Johnny Mathis again without thinking of Mattie and her husband. Please do give it a listen - it's lovely!

The Girl at the Back of the Bus is a very moving read and one that will make you reflect on racist attitudes throughout the years which, sadly, we know all too well are still prevalent today. The strength and support from family and friends are conveyed so well in this book. Even though it's a very emotional read at times, there are also some lighter, funny moments and it's definitely a book that will leave you feeling uplifted. The Girl at the Back of the Bus is a beautiful story of courage, respect and above all love.

The Girl at the Back of the Bus by Suzette Harrison

1950s Alabama - 16 year old Mattie Banks is on the same bus as Rosa Parks and is inspired to change her life after witnessing her bravery. Present day Georgia - Ashlee Turner has worked hard to become a successful lawyer but discrimination means that an incompetent colleague is promoted above her, prompting her to rethink her life.

Wow, I can't possibly do this book justice in a review, I'm not going to even try - read it, it's AMAZING! Fabulous characters, really interesting and inspiring story...in fact everyone should read it. A fantastic five stars from me!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.

The Girl at the Back of the Bus is set in the Deep South of America across two timelines- the 1950s and the present day. In the 1950s storyline we follow Mattie who at just 16 years old finds herself pregnant with limited options as a black girl living under Jim Crow. In the present day timeline, we follow Ashlee a promising black lawyer who is getting increasingly tired of dealing with microaggressions at work and being overlooked for promotion by her white, male bosses. The two stories eventually come together and this, I thought, was done beautifully.

I appreciated how the 1950s story incorporated real life events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955 and even references the real life historical figure, Rosa Parks. The present day storyline looks at issues of race that we continue to deal with including the challenges of inter-racial relationships, the legacy of slavery and the importance of continuing to tell the story of pioneering African-Americans.

Harrison's writing flows wonderfully and the pages just flew by. I found myself compelled to go back to the characters and came to care about them. I liked how Harrison addressed difficult issues such as racism and pregnancy outside of wedlock, without ever allowing those issues to bog down the narrative. As a result, I found The Girl at the Back of the Bus to be an uplifting read despite some of the tough things the characters had to face. A thread of strong family ties and support from the community runs throughout the novel and shows that even though black people still suffer from systemic prejudice, family and friendship is a lifeline that allows there to also be joy, hope and meaningful connection.

This was a fantastic book! I really enjoyed it ! This book was simply amazing. I enjoyed the storyline and how it flowed so seamlessly. I could read this book again and again.

If I could increase the ratings on this I would.

A charged, emotive read. Very impactful.

I’m going to say “in my day” we had history lessons that involved the teaching of slavery and how the black people were treated plus the pregnancies that weren’t acknowledged, the segregation of whites from blacks.

This reminded me of how I felt then in my younger days to how I still feel today and how I raised my kids, plus stood up against diversity.

My soap box over!
This story was intense and sourly beautiful.
I loved Mattie and she reminded me of someone I knew in life with a strong disposition and a true tale to tell. A warm loving person with a huge back life.

The generation of women were astoundingly strong and resilient. Just like Mattie.

The Girl on the Bus . There starts the story. There sees the changes, personal and historic.

I was literally blown away by this story.
I need this book in physical format to keep on my shelves. It’s a book that will stay with me.


Do you think I’ve found my top 5 in literature fiction?
I do.
I can’t see anything surpassing this.

I need more books like this.

With two povs, this books jumps through past and present, talking about young Mattie back in 1950's and her granddaughter Ashlee in today's America. I have to be honest and say that I didn't particularly enjoy the present day story, it was a bit bleak and I actually didn't get to care about the characters at all. But the past part was great. Interesting, touching and sweet and sad at the same time. It pointed out to a time of a history I knew not much about and I loved it. It was a story about love and family, and about life.

As I always repeat, the most horrible stories wrote the humans themselves, with their jealousy, ignorance and selfishness. So many hurt could be avoided in the world if we just learned to respect other people and be kind. But, maybe these stories should be written and read to teach us a lesson we mustn't repeat. I certainly hope so. ⠀⠀

The Girl at the Back of the Bus by Suzette D. Harrison
Publication Date: February 8, 2021 - Out Now!
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Description from NetGalley...
“I watched in awe as Miz Rosa stopped those men on the bus with her clear, calm “no” and I thought about that word. What if I said no? What if I refused to follow the path these White folks wanted for us? What if I kept this precious baby?”

“Montgomery, Alabama, 1955
On a cold December evening, Mattie Banks packs a suitcase and leaves her family home. Sixteen years old and pregnant, she has already made the mistake that will ruin her life and disgrace her widowed mother. Boarding the 2857 bus, she sits with her case on her lap, hoping that the driver will take her away from disaster. Instead, Mattie witnesses an act of bravery by a woman named Rosa Parks that changes everything. But as Mattie strives to turn her life around, the dangers that first led her to run are never far away. Forging a new life in a harsh world at constant risk of exposure, Mattie will need to fight to keep her baby safe.

Atlanta, Georgia, present day
Ashlee Turner is going home. Her relationship in ruins, her career held back by prejudice, she is returning to the family who have always been her rock. But Ashlee’s home is not the safe haven she remembers. Her beloved grandmother is dying and is determined to share her story before she leaves…”
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Thank you to @NetGalley @bookouture for the digital ARC in return for my honest review.
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My thoughts...
Fantastic read! Though this book was written in dual timelines and mainly about two women, we actually learn about four women and their stories of struggles. A story of heartbreak about being a Black woman, segregation, interracial relationships and family loyalty. But, it was also a story of self-preservation, success, love and hope. There were a lot more but you will have to read it. The characters were so well defined and developed that you could feel their emotions. Their struggles were at times raw, that it leapt out of the page. This was an empowering read.

Set in Alabama, this is a family saga told from the perspectives of Mattie and her granddaughter, Ashlee. Mattie's story begins in 1955, when, pregnant at 16, she gets on the same bus as Rosa Parks, intending to seek an abortion. This thread of the story is very powerful, drawing a vivid picture of segregation and Jim Crow laws which led to the civil rights movement. Ashley's story is set in the present day and although she has opportunities her 'nana Mattie' and even her mother could only dream of, she still suffers from the discrimination of white, middle class America.
If I'm honest, I found Mattie's story more compelling but the two threads worked well. My only tiny criticism was that the language got a little too flowery for my taste at times. But that doesn't change the fact that this is a powerful book, showing that, in Mattie's case particularly, even the seemingly insurmountable odds can be overcome sometimes.

The Girls at the Back of the Bus is a beautiful multi-generational story that is completely captivating from beginning to end.

The story opens with a pregnant sixteen year old Mattie Banks boarding the 2857 bus in Montgomery, Alabama, 1955. Little does she know as she clutches her suitcase to herself that she is about to witness a historical act of bravery by Rosa Parks. This remarkable defiance gives Mattie her own strength and courage to fight for herself and her baby, all the while battling societies prejudices.

Meanwhile, in present day Atlanta, Georgia, Ashlee Turner is also dealing with her own social prejudices. When Ashlee goes home to be with her much loved dying grandmother, she begins to question her life choices, career ambitions and as secrets unravel, her own family.

This book is an incredible page turner that tackles so much, racial segregation, sexism, pregnancy, interracial relationships, family dynamics, living life and death. Now, those are not easy topics to write about but Suzette D. Harrison seemingly draws the reader in effortlessly and creates an engaging and emotional tale. The Black women in this story are so admirable, in particularly, I enjoyed the parallels between Mattie and Ashley's lives, it was fascinating to see the differences and similarities that exist in both past and present day.

The Girl at the Back of the Bus is most definitely a book to read and recommend.

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with a copy to review.

#TheGirlattheBackoftheBus #NetGalley

Excellent historical fiction with lessons that can be applied to today's world.

This is an excellent read for Black History Month.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

An absolutely cracking example of historical fiction. Taking a parallel timeline this book looks at the lives of two women - one not quite an adult in the 50s and the other aspiring career woman in her early thirties in the present day. Their stories intertwine but we aren’t sure how at the beginning

The 50s scenes on the bus are startlingly evocative and demonstrate the treatment that black people received in segregated America and the fear that caused. The behaviours of whites towards blacks are abhorrent- but there are echoes of this segregation and white privilege through the present day chapters of the book.

I loved the historical chapters more than the modern day but that doesn’t detract from the book.

If anyone isn’t sure what white privilege is, this book is a great way to demonstrate it. Would be a fantastic book for teenagers to read and understand the challenges faced merely for having a different skin colour.

It’s probably not my classic 5* book - simply written rather than beautiful prose- but it’s engaging and the story has stayed with me long after I finished it.

1956- Mattie is sixteen, colored and pregnant--with a White boy child. She also witnessed Rosa Parks getting arrested for sitting at the white section, one of the pivotal moments in the Civil Rights History. Though Mattie is pregnant she is actually very studious and wants to become a writer...
Present Day - Ashlee is a successful lawyer but loses her promotion in the law firm to someone else. She is also in a relationship with Brad, who is White. She then gets the news that her Nana is on the deathbed and then rushes to be by her.

This story really moved me. I have studied about the civil rights movement in the American history and so the story it self was emotional and gripping. I like the lifestyle Mattie Banks had back when they are segregated and Ashlee who is able to live in privilege. The story is well written and the author did a good job, catching the reader into the story. The characters to me are all likable, particularly Mattie. This story reminded me a little from the book The Help, where at that time, in the South, Black women worked as maids to the White people houses. Mattie's mother worked as a maid in Stanton Household, a privileged white family and their son, Edward was the father of Mattie's unborn child. I mean, I couldn't literally believe that many years ago, these things happened in real life, the segregation, the racial injustice but thanks to civil rights, Black people are able to live freely though still there is some racial injustice. The story is so realistic that sometimes, you couldn't believe that things happened in real life.

Overall I rate this book as five stars!

I love a dual timeline story and this one is great. The stories of Mattie and Ashlee, grandmother and granddaughter, eloquently explain the strength needed by black females, both in the 50’s and today, to achieve their dreams. It’s a fascinating read with engaging characters, and I loved how Mattie’a story was being presented as a memoir to aid Ashlee’a future choices.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing a review copy of in exchange of honest feedback.

This story has 2 main characters where Mattie and her grandchild, Ashlee's life are highlighted in their own eras. Mattie who lived through racism and prejudice towards unwed pregnant woman in 50s while Ashlee's facing sexism at her workplace.

Both of them facing life challenges but none of them gave up despite it pressured them. Both of them proved that they were both such strong women in their own era. They also proved that diversity should be promoted and lived it positively. Being biracial might be one of the answer to end racism. A very heartwarming family story also portrayed in these 2 lives. In the end, family is the one who will always supported us in the end no matter what.

I love how Ashlee & Brad always trying their best to communicate and fix their relationship. This promoted that being in a relationship is all about accepting each other's flaw and lived with it as long as it is still can be communicated. Overall, this novel reminds me of Hallmark/Diva channel movies. What a harmony this family is.

Those who loved family/romance story, this is for them.