Thanks to Berkley and Netgalley for this advance copy!

Jessie Redmon Fauset was an incredible woman, with an eye for talent and an incredible vision of bringing literature to Black America in the early part of the 20th Century. She has been lost to history in many ways because of her affair with WEB Du Bois, but Victoria Christopher Murray does an incredible job of bringing her to life in this historical fiction novel. Jessie's intelligence and grace ooze off the page as she interacts with the likes of Langston Hughes and other notables of the Harlem Renaissance. Her role is central to this period, and yet she stands behind the greats she supported and helped popularize.

I loved the writing in this novel; it was engaging and vivacious. I appreciated that this is only from Jessie's point of view and I loved how Murry wrote her with no apologies or judgement. A fantastic read for anyone interested in the women of the Harlem Renaissance.

I’m late to the party once again… but whew there’s so much I want to say.

The first few pages pulled me in and I went down a rabbit hole about Dr. WEB Du Bois for a little bit. At first, I was thinking how can the author put this affair in print? Isn’t that slander? Is this actually true? I know it’s historical fiction, but there are real folks names in this novel. I was concerned, but my curiosity outweighed that.

It sucked that Jessie didn’t get what she wanted the most in the end, but at least she found clarity and her “role” in WEB’s life. One review on this novel, stated that it mainly focused on the affair. I don’t think it did. I think that reader may have felt that way because all of Jessie’s accomplishments, desires, and dreams were intertwined with WEB and their relationship. I mean she did move to Harlem because of him and the position he created FOR HER. The author couldn’t talk about one part of Jessie’s life without it having some connection to WEB as WEB was the creator of “The Crisis” and Jessie loved both.

The author did a great job introducing us to Jessie and helping us get to know her. We got to know her desires, see her put her big toe down, lift up and inspire world famous Negro writers, and eventually follow her own dreams of being a writer and choosing herself.

As for the other characters of the novel, Maman played a major role in Jessie’s life and even though she was distraught when Maman refused to put up with her being a mistress she still did what she wanted 😂. I knew Jessie wasn’t going to leave until she figured it all out for herself. Maman stood firm on what she said though and I never heard of the work integrationist until I read this, so that was interesting as well.

It still amazes me how true this story is, but I feel as though it makes the story even more special. It just confused me at first and had me side-eyeing the whole story for a good minute.

If you’re looking for historical fiction with some real TEA, funny moments, famous name dropping, along with determined and inspiring characters during the Harlem Renaissance, then this is for you. I learned alot!

Thank you Penguin Random House and Victoria Christopher Murray for the ARC of this book. It was a ride. 4.5 ⭐️/5

This is a gripping historical fiction page turner which effectively evokes the Harlem Renaissance period and brings to life one of its driving forces, Jessie Redmon Fauset. I felt like I was back in the 1919-1925 period with Jessie and her colleagues and friends etc. Very informative and obviously well researched. Definitely a recommend especially for fans of The Personal Librarian.

I really enjoyed reading this historical fiction novel, it had that concept that I was looking for and enjoyed from this type of book. The use of 1919 worked with this storyline and was invested in what was happening. I thought the characters worked well in the novel and had that feel that I was looking for and thought they were realistically done. Victoria Christopher Murray has a strong writing style and enjoyed the overall feel of this package.

DNF'd at 54%. While I do like that Murray explored the misogyny unique to Black women that is both within and outside of the Black community, I would have enjoyed this more and been prompted to finish it if more of the focus had been on Jessie Fauset, instead of so much page time given to her affair with W.E.B. DuBois.

An important and timely historical fiction that has me on the edge of my seat. Well researched and beautifully paced.

I very much enjoyed the history behind this story. Incredible book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this arc.

I had the honor of reading an advance copy of Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray in preparation for a video series we filmed in Harlem, NY ahead of the book's release. Murray successfully marries history and imagination to tell the story of an unsung hero who was crucial to one of America's most creative eras. This is a must read for Black history buffs who enjoy a little fiction on the side.

DNFd at 36%

I wish I could finish this. I liked the writing style and would have loved to learn more about all the topics but the focus on their alleged affair was not something I liked reading about.

*thank you berkley and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was five star book for me, I absolutely loved it. I love learning about unknown or forgotten historical figures, particulary minorities that are not taught extensively. The main character, Jessie, has a love affair with W.E.B. duBois, but that is not the defining issue of her importance to the Harlem Renaissance. Wonderful story of an important African-American Woman!

This book didn't really work for me, but I do think a lot of readers will enjoy it. It's an interesting book that deals well with its subject.

3.75 Stars
This was a solid read, and I’m glad I stepped outside my usual picks for something more diverse and enriching.

I found Jesse a bit frustrating at times, particularly in how she seemed to lack self-respect—but upon reflection, I realized that by slightly lowering the bar for men, she may have strategically positioned herself to advance her own career and open doors for other Black individuals as well. That nuance added depth to her character and choices.

I especially appreciated the author’s epilogue—it was fascinating to learn what became of Jesse after her time at the magazine. She was truly an impactful woman who played a significant role in shaping the Harlem Renaissance.

Harlem Rhapsody is a story that takes place in 1919 and 1920. Harlem is the place where Black pride is everywhere in music literature, theatre, fashion and the arts, while in the rest of the country, a lot of civil and racial unrest takes place.
The Crisis is a magazine founded by W.E.B (Will) du Bois, who is also the editor. Jessie Redmon Fauset, the main character in this book has recently moved to Harlem with her mother, and she becomes the editor of The Crisis. Her task at the magazine is discovering young black writers whose writing will change the world .She discovers many new black writers; sixteen-year-old Countee Cullen, seventeen-year-old Langston Hughes, and Nella Larsen, who becomes one of her best friends.The magazine thrives under Jessie's leadership, the number of subscriptions rises quick and every black aspiring writer wants their work published in the groundbreaking magazine.

But her work at the magazine also has a darker side; she has a an affair with Will, while he is married an has a daughter and is fourteen years older then Jessie. Jessie's mom finds out, leaves and moves back home. From one of her friends she gained over the years working at the magazine, rumors come that Will is also seeing other women besides Jessie. Their affair is chaotic and has many ups and downs, and it influences Jessie's work at the magazine more and more, as she sees Will almost everyday. And she has a goal, to one day become the editor in chief of the magazine, which is Will's position at the magazine. When her relationship with Will becomes troubled, she has to choose between her position at the magazine, going on with her relationship with Will, or to study at the Sorbonne University in Paris and choose for herself.

This is a book I have mixed feelings about. Most of all, I found this story lacked depth, and the characters stayed very one-dimensional, and the storyline, which also lacked an interesting development or events that keep you interested as a reader, evolved mostly around the secret relationship between Jessie and Will, which made the more interesting topics that the book has, the era of racial and civil unrest it was set in, fall to the background. And to stay interested in the characters, what was happening in the book was just not interesting and the storyline felt quite thin. You truly starts wondering as a reader why Jessie is starting an affair with a married and very egoistic man like Will, which truly conflicted with her work for The Crisis, and I truly expected Jessie to be smarter than to start an affair. What else was missing was any interesting plot twist or turns, in this story there where not any of them, and that's a true pity. It would have been a nicer book if the author decided that Jessie made a few wiser decisions earlier in the story, and stood more up for herself instead of falling for a doomed affair.

I truly expected more of this book, and do not really recommend reading it.

I loved this story! W.E.B.'s antics definitely had me side-eyeing him, but Jessie is brilliant and a trailblazer!

I just finished Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray, and I’m honestly teary-eyed. This powerful novel, centered on Jessie Redmon Fauset, a Black woman I knew far too little about due to the glaring gaps in our school system, moved me to my core.

Jessie’s brilliance, her flaws, her unwavering determination, it all took my breath away. The way she fought for her voice, her words, and her people is nothing short of extraordinary and so deserving of more recognition.

Murray wrote this story with such care, depth, and honesty. She didn’t shy away from the hard truths, the complexities of Jessie’s affair with Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois, the shame and fulfillment that coexisted in that relationship, or the deeply flawed, often misogynistic and self-righteous behaviors of Du Bois himself. These moments were heartbreaking, but they also made the story feel incredibly real and human.

Harlem Rhapsody is not just a beautifully written book, it’s a necessary one. Through Jessie’s eyes, I also gained a deeper appreciation for figures like Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, and Nella Larsen. I’m walking away from this novel grateful, inspired, and more curious than ever.

If you love historical fiction that tells the stories of our ancestors with tenderness and truth, this one is a must-read.

You will be so inspired by Jessie Redmon Fauset’s tenacity, skill, and leadership in a time when Black Women were barely given a second glance. BRAVA!! I am so happy to have learned about this incredible woman who reshaped literature and lifted up so many Black Artists.

What a fantastically messy, and informative book! While this book was historical FICTION, I learned so much about Jessie Redmon Fauset and her influence on the success of so many Harlem Renaissance writers. The messiness of Faucet’s affair with WEB DuBois was crazy, but Fauset’s success as the literary editor of The Crisis was the meat of this story. The author uses her historical research about Faucet to weave a timeline that reads as a who’s who of the Harlem Renaissance. While the book celebrates the success of these writers, the author also addresses some of the challenges ass well. Jean Toomer’s identity politics almost kept his work out of certain publications, even the Crisis, and despite all the success Faucet has and how instrumental she is in launching the careers of so many, she’s never able to reap the benefits of that outside of The Crisis because of racism and sexism. After reading the book, I want to read all of Faucet’s work and some of the more obscure works from some of my favorite Harlem Renaissance writers.

I do wish that affair business had wrapped up a lil earlier than it did, but that little scene at the end with Nina was very Barbara and Shirley. Lol. Very well-written, and the audio with Robin Miles is excellent!

Harlem Rhapsody was amazing. I truly didn’t know what to expect when I first started reading but when I spotted some mess, I immediately sat up in my seat. While the mess captured my interest- the storyline, attention to detail, impressive research, and characters kept me coming back for me. I appreciated how the author highlighted Jessie Redmon Fauset’s story, educating me on her journey in the literary world. Great job.

I really enjoyed reading Harlem Rhapsody. After hearing the author speak about the book, I took her suggestion and read it through 20th century eyes. Some things still didn’t sit well with me but I found that I had developed an appreciation for a part of history that has been largely forgotten.

I learned so much from reading this book and you know a book is interesting when it has you running to google for deep diving. I love historical fiction and this was probably one of the easier reads in terms of pacing and writing style. I truly felt transported through the writing and I won’t lie, the ☕️ is piping!

Highly recommend 🫶🏾

My favorite thing about reading historical fiction is that you learn so much, well, history. This one delivered on a topic I really did not know too much about- the Harlem Renaissance. And while I’ve heard of (and read some) W.E.B. Du Bois and Langston Hughes, I didn’t really know that much about them or the magazine The Crisis. So I really enjoyed learning about all of that. One thing I didn’t enjoy as much, though, was how the FMC’s affair with Du Bois, a married man. It was understandable that Jessie didn’t want to get married, but to treat the marriage of Du Bois and his wife so flippantly kind of annoyed me. I do like that the author built these complex characters, though, not shying away from them having flaws in real life.

𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝑰'𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐:
Any historical fiction lovers, or someone wanting to learn about the Harlem Renaissance and/or the writers/poets who helped shape it.