This is an incredible novel! It's an evocative commentary on how class and race intersect, but also a stirring, often heartrending, exploration of motherhood. The history captured by the author is fascinating, as is her exploration of colorism within the Black community. It often feels uncomfortable, as it should. However, this book goes well beyond a searing critique of American society and norms in the 1950s; all of the traditional storytelling elements are equally strong, creating an immersive and emotional experience for the reader. The time period is captured exquisitely, there's a cast of complex but relatable and (mostly) likable characters, the story is perfectly plotted and paced, and the stakes feel real. This was a joy to read!

This book is everything it promises to be and more. After reading Yellow Wife, I knew I needed to read more of Sadeqa Johnson's books. The House of Eve continues that feeling.

We follow Ruby and Eleanor. Without giving away spoilers, their storylines are heartbreaking and raw. We get a real look at the 1950s for Black people, especially young, poor Black women. Sadeqa doesn't shy away from some of the real horrors of the time, including the forced adoption rings run by the Catholic church—and they weren't just for Black girls!

The characters come to life with the way Sadeqa has written them. I can hear their voices as clear as day in my head, even now. I would love more of the story of Ruby and Eleanor after the events of the book, but I'm also ready for new stories from Sadeqa.

Did you ever have a book where you just could not put your feelings down in words? The House of Eve is that for me.

I really struggled as to what to say about this book because I truly loved it and I want to do it justice.

My heart was broken and mended so many times while reading this book.

This book is a dual POV between two women, Eleanor and Ruby. They are both striving to leave the poverty their families have been in by achieving a college degree.

They both have a challenge face them to achieving this dream. I don’t want to say too much about their stories because I am afraid to give too much away. All I can say is if you loved Yellow Wife, you will love The House of Eve. They are two different stories but both are equally important.

Johnson is a successful American author whose most recent novel was "Yellow Wife". This new release is another historical fiction. It is set in the early 1950's in both Philadelphia and Washington DC. We meet two young black women, Rudy a senior in high school and looking forward to going to college if she can win a scholarship and Eleanor who is at Howard university. Both of them meet young men and fall in love, only to have pregnancies threaten to disrupt their plans. This is a story about youth, racism, ambition, love, pregnancy, abortion, adoption and families. It is a wonderful recommendation for historical fiction fans.

What a beautiful read, I love the way the author writes ! The story flows beautifully between the two POV and I loved the final outcome where the stories come together. It was an easy and quick read that I did not want to put down. The author tackles segregation but not just whites and coloured she also writes about the classification of how light or how dark within the coloured community giving privilege to some and not others.and also white and coloured relationships. The author also tackles adoption within those communities and young pregnant girls being sent away to live in a home run under the guidance of churches.
A good book to pair with this read would be Looking For Jane by Heather Marshall

I voluntarily received a free copy from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I would highly recommend this book to friends, family and my book clubs.

I loved this! The only reason it's a 4 star and not 5 is because the beginning was a little slow and the end felt a little rushed; I think the pacing could have been better for that. Otherwise the whole middle of the story was done to perfection. I loved the back and forth povs and the parallels between the girls' lives. Truly well done!

"I was forced to learn his history, but he knew nothing of mine".

Im going to preface this with the fact that out of 190 or so books that I read when Yellowwife came out, it hit the top ten of that year, so I went into this book with high expectations.

That said, what Yellowwife did with graphic (painfully accurate heartache), House of Eve was more of a quiet book. Yes, there was the heartache of two young women trying to find their way out of poverty and dealing with the 1950's racism and pain, but it was more about motherhood and young women finding their own space in the world. I love books that don't "shout" but rather dig into uncomfortable spaces that leave me thinking.

My "mama" heart hurt for Eleanor & Ruby and yet I admired their strength and tenacity when it felt like the world (race, class, family) were against them. I wanted to protect them & love on them. And yet knew, that these strong women were both ones that needed nothing but a fair chance.

recommended to all audiences from me

The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson is a well-written, thoughtful book that asks questions about the meaning of Motherhood. It follows Ruby, a black teenager in 1950s Philadelphia, who struggled with the relationship she has with her mother, and Eleanor, a Howard university student who eagerly wants to become a mother. In describing their loves and lived experiences, it also depicts the other women in each of their lives - mothers through birth or circumstance - and what they would do for the children they love.

Though at times slow, I thought this book did a beautiful job of also depicting issues related to class, culture, and lived experience for black people in the United States in the 1950s. It is a perfect book to read and review for book clubs!

Thank you so much to Net Galley and Simon and Schuster for the advanced copy. It is definitely a book that I would recommend.

The story is told from the point of views of two black women who do not know each other. It provides a perspective on black culture and the impact subtle shades in skin colour can have on woman's life in what I understand is still very true today.

Throughout the novel the lives of these two women are woven together.

The story was well written and well told. It draws the reader in and makes one want to know how the lives of these two women are going to intersect.

However, I did feel the story was a bit predictable and that a few of the thoughts these women had were not founded in the reality of the story but just conjured up in their imaginations.

Thank you @netgalley and @simonschusterca for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

Well-developed characters pull you into the story immediately and stirs strong emotions within you. A grim time of history masterfully narrated. Although rooted in the 1950s this heartbreaking but hopeful story resonates equally today. This hauntingly beautiful, heart wrenching and tragic novel will keep you on the edge of your seat right from the first page.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Shuster Canada who provided me with a copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

I'm trying to read more historical fiction this year, and this book was the perfect start. We follow two Black women in 1950s Philadelphia whose lives couldn't be more similar and different at the same time. Eleanor and Ruby (our main characters) are both trying to get ahead in academia. Ruby wants to be the first person in her family to attend university and Eleanor is already in university but is having a hard time navigating social relationships at her school, where there is a pronounced colorism issue. This story is dual POV and we get to see how the decisions each main character makes affects the trajectory of their lives. Both end up in very taboo relationships while trying to navigate said academic careers. Both were also raised in poor households, so there is a lot at stake in each story. I don't think I have any negative thoughts in regard to the execution of this story. The pacing was perfect and each character's story was equally compelling. I laughed, I cried and I got to the end wishing I could read it all over again. Highly, highly recommend if you love women's literature and/or historical fiction.

Really appreciate the research and thought that Johnson puts into her novels. This is a beautiful story of two young black girls, Eleanor and Ruby who have to make tough decisions in America in the 1950’s. I was rooting for each of these characters, hoping for each one in their circumstance. Another novel by Johnson that shows she is an amazing researcher and skilled historical novelist. A one day read.

I chose to read this book because I very much enjoyed this author's previous book, The Yellow Wife. And, I love the cover. I have long maintained that you CAN judge many books by their cover.

It starts off in 1948, which makes it a historical novel. It starts out with 2 parallel stories, one narrated by Ruby, the other by Eleanor. There does not seem to be a connection between the two, but the reader can assume that there will be. Both young ladies want to better the lives they were born into and have set high goals for themselves. Both want to further their education. Both want to be accepted for who they are. Both are dealing with racism, which was rampant in the mid-20th century. And both of their lives take an unexpected direction.

I enjoyed the characters of Ruby and Eleanor, equally. While each of them was totally unique in personality, they were also the same in their strength and determination. There were many interesting side characters. There is William and Shimmy, the love interests of each girl respectively, Ruby's Aunt Marie who was truly a diamond in the rough, Ruby's mother Inez is a piece of work as are the mothers of William and Shitty. Every book needs characters that the reader can admire as well as characters that are easy to hate!

It is easy to figure out about halfway through how the connection between the two women was going to come about. But that does not detract from the progression of the story.

Many themes are covered in the story: racism, sexuality, pregnancy, loss of a child, adoption, abuse, determination, choices and consequences. These are in no particular order but they all blend to make a very compelling story. Ms. Johnson does an excellent job of telling us a cohesive and compelling tale. I was just over halfway through the book when I knew that it rates 5 stars.

I am so thankful to authors that write historical fiction. They create a very easy means of learning about earlier times and social issues. While the setting of this book is 70 years ago, it is still very relevant. All of us are familiar with racism, but when a picture of actual experiences is drawn with words, it makes an indelible imprint on our minds.

I love the ending. The only word I can think of to describe it is SUBTLE. Also very suitable. I also loved that there is an Epilogue that takes the reader forward by 14 years. I often wonder what happens to the characters after the book ends. This Epilogue takes my uncertainty away.

Ms. Johnson adds Author's Notes at the end. She explains where the storyline came from. She also explains the parallels to her family history.

Excellent read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.

The House of Eve is a book that will capture your heart and attention from the first to the last page.

You will cringe at times, cry with Ruby and Eleanor at times but most of all you will admire their courage, their determination and their strength.

The story takes place in the 1950's and it to say the least it racial prejudice is rampant.

The book is written in dual time lines and flows beautifully. You can feel the girls anguish and their pride.

The House of Eve is a powerful read and the authors notes point out statistics that are mind boggling.

Highly recommend not only The House of Eve but also Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson.

Both books will still with me for a very long time.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Shuster Canada , Simon & Schuster for a compelling and informative read.

From the author of Yellow Wife comes a Historical Fiction novel set in a very different time. The House of Eve begins in 1948 with Ruby, a teenager living in Philadelphia, aspiring to be the first in her family to go to college. When she falls for a boy who she's forbidden by society to love, her whole life and future begin to unravel. We then meet Eleanor, a student and hard worker at Howard University in Washington D.C. who falls for a man from a wealthy family of doctors, going to school to become a doctor himself. With stories similar, but so very different, the two women are faced with challenges at every turn.

I absolutely loved this novel! Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. The challenges that these women face and overcome are beyond anything I could ever understand. So powerful and inspiring, I had to keep reading to find out how their stories would end - and maybe even be woven together. It reminded me very much of Heather Marshall's Looking for Jane, another excellent novel. Both deal with the little known bits of history, especially surrounding homes for unwed mothers, forced adoption and motherhood in general. This novel also deals with the difficulty of accessing education as a Black woman in the 1950s, as well as many other facets of racism and sexism that they faced. This is a "must" for 2023 pre-orders!

I loved this book. I had read Yellow Wife, si I was thrilled when I got the chance to read The House of Eve. Sadeqa Johnson is a brilliant storyteller. From the moment you start reading, you are pulled into the story. Young black women trying to get ahead, being the first in their families to go to college and university. It's the late 1940's, two young black women, Eleanor and Ruby, have found love and each become pregnant. One gets married to an up and coming doctor, the other choses her schooling over her baby and the man who loves her. She goes to a home for unwed girls, ready to give up her baby for adoption.
This is a remarkable story of determination, motherhood and the sacrifices women make for their families, their children and themselves. How important it is to get a good education and learn from ones mistakes.
I love historical fiction. I rate this story 4.5 out of 5.

This book was absolutely brilliant. It was heartbreaking and beautiful and so sad. I highly recommend The House of Eve!

I loved this book and would highly recommend it..
The House Of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson is a heartbreaking and enlightening historical fiction about two black women in the early 1950’s. Written in two points of view, alternating between Ruby and Eleanor living in different situations. These women from different backgrounds meet men, fall in love, and get pregnant and have to make life changing decisions. The book shows the hardships and abusive treatment that women of colour endured during this time period. Both women are pushed to make difficult decisions due to their situations in order to follow their dreams.
The author does a great job of making you fall in love with the characters and shining a light on tough topics. A very memorable thoroughly research novel inspired by the author’s own family history.
Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with an ARC copy of this book to read.

Sadeqa Johnson’s House of Eve alternates between the perspectives of two black women: Eleanor and Ruby two intelligent students working towards a brighter future.

This was a beautiful heartfelt story set in the late 40’s. It is about the choices they make and dealing with consequences, love, and heartache. It explores what it means to be a woman and a mother, and how much one is willing to sacrifice to achieve her greatest goal.

As with her previous novel Yellow Wife Johnson’s characters are well developed it is well researched it has a great narrative is very well written. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to get an advance copy of this book. This novel did not disappoint.


Thank you #netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This well-researched and well written historical fiction tells the story of two young black women in the 1940s/1950s who are intelligent and trying to make their way through their education when they fall in love and get pregnant and have to make some difficult choices about their futures which cross paths and come together near the end. Alternating between the two main characters perspectives, the author uses a seamless narration that will keep readers wanting to read more. It is easy to keep reading and rooting for the characters, getting swept up in their individual and combined stories. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book!