I loved the time period and descriptions but it was a little lengthy and at times paced too slow. If you're looking for something historical and Black though this is worth checking out.

This was a well researched story of a singer’s life journey in the 1920’s . Lucille was known as the little girl with the big voice when she traveled with her parents as a family musical act. But Lucille knows she’s meant for more than singing church songs and family friendly music. She belongs among the stars of the Jazz era and she intends to make it to the big stage and leave the Chitlin’ Circuit behind. But will the decision her father made when she was a child come back to haunt her and derail her dreams?

Although this was a slow read for me, I enjoyed the writer’s detailed imagery of the plight of Black musicians trying to make it big in show business. This story sheds light on what life might have been for people like Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey. With themes of racism, family, camaraderie and perseverance, this story is a good read. I only wished the subplot didn’t fall flat for me.

I’ve also read this author’s other historical fiction work and I look forward to reading more.

Thank you @netgalley for a chance to read and review.

I really did want to love this more but it was really hard to care for the main character, Lucille.

This takes place in the 1910s and the 1920s. I love historical fiction so this called to me because the Roaring 20s are my jam and I was excited to read something from a POC’s point of view.

I liked that it stayed true to those times. While the language made me uncomfortable, it showed a good portrayal of the South and the racism plus violent acts of those times. I also did enjoy trying to find out of Lucille would ever have her dream come true.

Now what annoyed me was how the whole plot came to be. I feel like Lucille’s dad got off so easily since she had to deal with his mistake years later. Plus the writing was not fluid and I wasn’t sure when scenes were changing and also there was zero character development for Lucille. She was not like able to me and came off as spoiled.

The last 25% is where really where my attention didn’t waver and I’m glad at the end they all found their happiness.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange of an honest review!

Fantastic read that left me feeling emotional charged and ready to read something else by the author. I loved every minute of this book.

The gorgeous cover catches your eye immediately. Just as beautiful is the writing. A unique read featuring the jazz age, it’s captivating #historicalfiction with a mix of women’s fiction, romance & some suspense. I enjoyed my first book by Monica Chenault Kilgore!

Quick and Dirty
-linear timeline
-dual POV with only one shift
-racy, not raunchy
-Jazz Age in the MidWest
-BIPOC must-read author

What a fun jaunt! After reading Chenault-Kilgore’s 2023 debut novel, Long Gone, Come Home, earlier this year, I eagerly awaited her newest novel. And, boy, it didn’t disappoint! Full of larger-than-life characters and wild escapades, The Jewel of the Blues was exactly the type of book I love. I enjoyed watching Lucille grow into adulthood, finding her own voice amidst a cacophony of sounds and distractions. The adversity faced by Black artists is vividly portrayed in the book, with Lucille and many of the characters and locations all based on real performers from the Vaudeville circuit. This made it easy to really imagine the experiences Lucille and the gang would have encountered on the road. Chenault-Kilgore’s use of period-appropriate dialogue and local vernacular really brings the time period to life on the page, making this one a joy for true histfic fans. It was well-paced, with only a few lulls in the action for deeper character development. Overall, this is another win for this author!

Vivid storytelling ✅ Immersive read ✅ Suspense ✅

The Jewel of the Blues was such an incredible story! I truly felt transported back in time and from the opening chapter you are HOOKED in this world and characters!

One thing that I love most about books is getting to see the world through the eyes of different characters and this book was no different. The language and imagery truly brought each page to life, I don't know how else to convey just how truly captivating this read was.

You watch Lucille grow up as a young toddler on the run (no spoilers here!) and seeing how each stop along the way shapes her life made the ending truly come full circle. I would say the author truly did a beautiful job with the character of Lucille, She shows her flaws in a way I have ever read before and truly, for a hot second you don't like Lucille very much because of them. But watching her grow and pick herself back up truly leads you though an emotional journey with Lucille.

There are so many beloved characters and details in this book. Pretty sure I could easily re-read it and pick up on so many things I probably missed the first time.

This book will challenge the way you think. One of my favorite lines came from a side character called Miss Opal-
Ch. 5
Lucille knew better than to interrupt with a question or a comment. Miss Opal's lessons always evolved from practical function to big-picture, real-world applications.
"We can't just sit idly by and watch though. That's why I got you girls here. I'll always challenge the old way of life trying to keep me and my people from disappearing in the fields. And you know what? The key is us -- us women and girls. We gon' do whatever we have to do to lift up the race."

Side note: The cover is GORGEOUS! If you are at a bookstore this weekend try to find a copy of this 😍

So grateful to UpLit Book Club for an opportunity to be an ARC reader and for the gifted copy.

I love historical fiction and was very excited to read this story. The descriptions and how the scenery was described was absolutely amazing but the plot fell a bit flat for me unfortunately. Reading about how the Loves family was constantly on the move due to a huge family secret was intriguing but seemed rushed as Lucille got older. She was then on the music scene in the 1920s and trying to make it big with her band & with Marcus her manager who she eventually fell for. Lucile was not the most likeable character in my opinion due to how she treated Marcus and then all things come tumbling down around her. I did enjoy how detailed the author was in describing the surroundings and characters in this book but it seemed to lose its steam as the story progressed. I would still suggest this book to others due to how beautifully written it was. I am grateful for my complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.

Set in the 1920s jazz era, Lucille Arnetta Love is a singer on the run with her family’s band. When she is discovered by talent manager Marcus Williams, Lucille rises to fame with her new band they call Miss Lucille’s Black Troubadours. Amidst their success, Lucille's family secrets begin to emerge and entangle her in danger and past crimes. Dubbed "The Little Girl with the Big Voice," Lucille dreams of hitting it big (New York! Europe! Cruise liners!) with her gaggle of musicians in her band and a stowaway they pick up along the way. Their journey is treacherous and limiting, but their drive and desire to achieve stardom fills their tanks.

4 stars!

What an interesting story! Starting out as a young girl, escaping her hometown with her parents after an incident that leaves her father susceptible to danger, Lucille has grit and gumption and goals. She is not necessarily the most likeable main character, as her dreams of becoming successful and famous often come across a bit iffy, but without her devotion to her craft she wouldn't make it anywhere. Her loyal band musicians - Mitchell, Big Bobby and Lincoln - and their add-on Delphina, make for a sweet and special road family as they perform in terrible buildings, deal with slimy venue managers and get paid only enough to make it to the next day sometimes.

This novel kept my interest from start to finish and gave me Almost Famous, Daisy Jones & the Six and Dreamgirls vibes in their own unique ways. The one thing I was desperate for the entire time I was reading though?.... to HEAR them all. This book reads like a movie, and I could imagine all the details in my head, but I so badly wanted to hear Lucille sing, and to listen to the Troubadours wail on their instruments! Maybe someday...

This book was a bit sluggish. I eventually put it aside because it didn't compel me to finish it. I think the subject matter was interesting, but the book itself wasn't so dynamic that I cared how it ended.

A well researched and impeccably detailed story which really brought the 1920s performance scene to life. It highlighted the many struggles this family faced.

If you like a character driven story where the characters have to wrestle with personal demons, this one is for you.

I liked this book. Most people will. But whether or not you can tolerate the repetitive nature of the book or a fairly predictable plot will determine whether you rate it high or low.

This book had all the elements of a good book: a bit of mystery, a love story, family affairs, a (female) protagonist, adventure. But it dragged in parts and presented a storyline that you see coming. It had the potential to be great, but fell short in a few parts.

I rated it high because it is a great book, but I glazed over a few parts because of its length. Don't let any reviews stop you from reading it. It's a good one and will certainly give you a lot to talk about if you're reading it alongside others. Enjoy!

Thank you to Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
This is an excellent book that takes place in the 1920s jazz era. The story is exciting right from the beginning. The father in the story is involved in a crime that will come back to haunt the family in later years. His daughter Lucille Love is a blues singer with aspirations to perform on a big stage. Along comes Marcus, who manages her family and later just Lucille. This story takes us through Lucille's struggles with her career and life. I liked almost all the characters. Her Black Troubadours were well-loved characters and brought a lot to the story. I like stories about strong women, and Lucille is definitely courageous and determined. In spite of all the racial tension, drinking and failed love affairs she never gives up. I highly recommend this book!

Thank you NetGalley, Graydon House, and Monica Chensault-Kilgore for providing a copy of this eARC.

I wanted to read this book because it promised a tale of glitz and glamour and grit, but it's taking too long to deliver. The first 15 or so percent of this book doesn't even focus on Lucille, but rather her father and the aftermath of him packing his family up after The Incident and moving them across the state to run and hide. Even at the 20% mark Lucille is still basically a child and I'm having a hard time reconciling how this is going to somehow turn into a Chicago-esque story of jazz and liquor. I honestly think if the book had started with Lucille as an adult and then parts of her childhood were shared throughout the book, that would have worked better. After spending so much time with child-Lucille, I'm uncomfortable with the idea of reading about her having affairs and engaging in the lusty culture that surrounds booze and clubs in the 1920s.

I'm DNFing this book at 20% and will not be leaving a review on Goodreads, although I did share a positive post about it on Instagram.

This Jazz era historical fiction novel explores the challenges faced by Lucille Love to achieve success as a singer. Lucille is a character to love as she shows her talent and resilience while she pursues her dream of having a successful singing career. The odds of success are against her as a young black woman in the 1920’s South with no connections to the business. The dangerous realities of the time are even more dangerous when a secret from her family’s past catches up to her. This book pulled me into Lucille’s world and grabbed hold of my heart as I experienced the terror, determination, hope, love, and joy along with the characters..I highly recommend this book to readers of historical fiction and readers that enjoy books about strong and determined women.

A beautiful read! The main character is witty, with a large personality and even bigger talent. With all the fun, glitz, and glam of showbiz, there is a perspective of a group coming together and working through harsh living, cruel men, and unequal treatment.

There are a lot of books out there about jazz and the 1920s, but what made this book stand out - at least for me - was the focus on the African American Vaudeville Circuit at a time when black culture was big business but black performers were considered second-class citizens. It was a time in history I knew very little about, and Chenault-Kilgore does a magificent job of recreating it.

Central to the tale is Lucille Love, an immensely talented jazz singer determined to make it to the big time. Lucille was such a loveable, vibrant heroine. Readers get to travel with Lucille as she grows from young girl with raw talent to a mature woman ready to embrace her moment. Along the way, she makes plenty of mistakes, sometimes big ones, but her love for the music never waivers. I loved every member of the musician family she collects along the way.

Woven into Lucille's journey is a subplot regarding a 19th century bank robbery. I won't spoil the story, but suffice to say Lucille's father makes an impulsive decision that not only changes the trajectory of the entire family's lives, but comes back big time to haunt Lucille decades later.

My only complaint is that, like many 400 page books, the story drags a bit in the middle. That won't stop me from reading more of this author's work. 4 1/2 stars.

I like the characters in this book and the overall plot and the history aspect but like the other readers I found the pacing slow .
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review book

I was super excited about this one with the main focus being Lucille singing in the 1920's jazz era out on the road. I really enjoyed the beginning and the conflict with Lucille's dad which led to them becoming the traveling Loves. It did a good job touching on the racism that they faced during that time and the fear they had being in certain areas for just existing. I think that the middle part of the book did start to drag on a bit once Lucille went on the road with her manager Marcus. Lucille's muse was not as big of a storyline that I thought she should have had, It was more so just a mention of her every now and then.

I really enjoyed this story, just think it could have been a little shorter or maybe included more scenes of her muse.

I really wanted to like this book but struggled to even read it. It started out really well and I was hooked. But then it just became a lot of the same thing after Lucille left with Msrcus as her manager. The other characters didn't add to the story and maybe even dragged it down if I'm honest.

After trudging through 58% off this book I gave up and dnf'd it.