I read Don’t Cry for Me in November and couldn’t wait to get my hands on this companion novel! This one was enjoyable, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first one.

This was definitely a necessary companion novel. After reading Don’t Cry for Me, I was very excited to hear Issac’s point of view. The writing style flows so smoothly that it feels so easily readable and you can really fly through it. And this book called me out SEVERAL times! I highlighted a lot of impactful quotes. There were lots of important discussions had throughout the story. However, at times the story felt less character driven than the first one and more like a lesson. And the lessons were very important, but they felt less organic. Issac’s Song had less emotion than Don’t Cry For Me. The characters felt more flat because I think the author just assumes we remember them from the first book, so they felt as if there was less depth and personality to them. Also, the ending dragged on so long to me. I feel like the book should’ve ended 10-15% earlier than it did.

But, this was still an enjoyable read! If you enjoyed Don’t Cry For Me, this will be a great next read for you! (Though I wouldn’t recommend it as a standalone. Read Don’t Cry For Me first!)

Thank you HTP Hive and NetGalley for this arc. All opinions are my own.

content warnings: child abuse, homophobia, alcoholism, racism, racial & homophobic slurs, micro aggressions, graphic depictions of slavery, sexual assault, AIDS-related death

Thank you HTP and Harlequin Audio for the gifted copies. I originally planned to listen to the audio, but grabbed the ebook so I could annotate the crap out of it!

I think this might be the best book I’ve ever read. It’s absolutely beautiful—heartbreaking yet ultimately hopeful. It offers a poignant and profound exploration of the complex dynamics between a father and son, each a product of their generation and unique passions. Though I didn’t personally relate to their specific lived experiences as Black men and as a father navigating his relationship with a gay son, the writing is so beautiful and universal that I could easily empathize and connect with the characters.

The story itself is stunning, but I also really loved the unique narrative structure.. The protagonist, Isaac, is in therapy, and the story of his life unfolds through a series of short vignettes, written as part of his therapy “homework.” The therapist is such a standout — compassionate, empathetic, and overflowing with wisdom. We should all be so lucky to have a therapist like her!!

Narration Notes: The story is narrated by JD Jackson. While he’s not usually my favorite narrator (just personal preference), his performance here is phenomenal. He embodies Isaac so fully that I can still hear his voice in my head when I think back on the story.

Make sure to check this one out when it releases on January 14.

Wowowwowowow. What a beautiful story and book. I have been so excited about reading this since I read don’t cry for me last year by Dr. Daniel Black. Dr. Black is one of my favorite authors and I love nearly everything that he has written. I only say nearly because I haven’t read everything. lol

I don’t really have the most beautiful words to describe the story, but it is the perfect sequel to don’t cry for me. We get to understand and experience Isaac, after the passing of his father and the aftermath. I felt like this book did a good job of not leaning too much on the prequel while being its own entity in a book. I wish that Isaac’s therapist was my therapist because wow she really earned her money! So insightful. I feel like this is a book that I’m going to have to read every few years to get something else from it because I read for the first time and I feel like there’s so much more. I highlighted it so much and took so much from this book.

A sequel to Don’t Cry for Me, Issac’s Song is written from the perspective of Issac. Issac is a Young Black professional who is struggling to accept his queerness. Told through his therapy sessions, Issac is on a journey of self-love, acceptance, and forgivenes. He seeks to heal seeds of self-hatred he believes were planted by his judgmental and autocratic Father, but unearths so much more about his Father and himself than he imagined. Issac’s Song is an emotional read that emphasizes the powerful of words, both spoken and written.

After finishing Don't Cry For Me, I found myself wondering about Isaac’s perspective and his thoughts on his father’s letters. Lo and behold, Daniel Black has provided exactly that in Isaac’s Song. This narrative gives an intimate look into Isaac Swinton's journey from childhood to adulthood, exploring the complexities of identity, healing, and forgiveness. It offers deep insights into personal growth and the intricate nature of familial relationships.

The story unfolds through Isaac's therapy sessions and personal journals. I felt this gave a raw and authentic portrayal of his experiences and his processing of grief. This structure allowed me to witness Isaac's growth and self-discovery but also highlights the transformative power of therapy in addressing deep emotional wounds.

The book is raw and deeply emotional. I felt for Isaac throughout. But it is so much more than that—it’s a powerful work of literature that tackles heavy societal issues like racism, homophobia, and generational trauma that leaves an enduring impact.

After recently finishing Don’t Cry For Me, I had very high expectations for Isaac’s Song and Dr. Daniel Black did not disappoint. I was incredibly moved by Isaac’s journey from the first chapter. This novel discussed heavy topics from grief of parents, homophobia, and racial prejudice in a wide range of settings. Isaac will forever be embedded in my heart and will be a character I think about daily. The way his character was beautifully written and the way he evolved through the whole book touched me in ways I never imagined. Thank you NetGalley for my e-ARC!!

From the very beginning of this novel I felt as if I had known Isaac my entire life. We were first introduced to this character through the letters written to him by his father, Jacob, in the novel Don’t Cry For Me (a must read).

We witness as Isaac grows from a fragile boy to a man struggling with many insecurities and self-hatred. His volatile relationship with his father has left him with mountains of unsorted baggage. From that we get a story of someone pulling back the layers as he learns how to forgive his dead father, how to love himself, and what it means to truly live.

This was an absolutely incredible read. Don't Cry For Me is one of my favourite books of all time, so I was stoked to get an ARC of Isaac's Song. I loved hearing about some of the events in Don't Cry For Me from Isaac's perspective and I love how Daniel Black incorporated Isaac finding Jacob's letters. This was the most emotional part of the book for me and I can honestly say that I was moved to tears. The writing style was easy to read and follow, but was beautiful in its storytelling. This was also, most importantly, a realistic story - we all know a dad like Jacob and sons like Isaac who have had their lives turned upside because of their words and opinions. I think I've found a new favorite author - this was amazing.

Daniel Black does it again. Now told from Isaac’s perspective, Isaac’s song almost feels like the other half to Don’t Cry For Me, but tells an entirely new story. I cried, I loved, and my heart broke and got stitched back together. Black’s writing is gut wrenching and powerful, and I really couldn’t get enough of Isaac’s story. It’s told as Isaac meets with his therapist and writes about his past, which means it feels like reading a memoir - with recounting a past story then gives the reflection and analysis. I loved this way of storytelling because it felt so impactful. I would say it’s not essential to read Don’t Cry for Me first, but I would recommend reading both (in any order) for a more complete reading experience.

This. Book. Was. Phenomenal! Beautiful. Heartbreaking. Realistic. Poetic and easy to read.

I picked up this book because I had heard of this author from a previous book he published. And after finishing Isaac's Song I realized the two books go hand in hand. The previous book was about the father of this book and this book is about his son, Isaac and told completely from his POV. It was like reading a biography of a gay, Black man in a time when being different wasn't really accepted. It's also a story about a relationship between a father and son, acceptance and how it evolves and ultimately ends.

"Okay. Dad wasn't a monster."
"How'd you get to that?"
"I don't know. Just thought about what he did versus what he meant to do."
"What do you think he meant."
"Well, I think he meant to make sure I was strong enough to withstand the world's opposition to me."

Isaac's Song begins with the death of Isaac's father. His death brings up very mixed emotions in Isaac which leads him to therapy to work through his relationship he had with his father while growing up and the toxic masculinity he forced on Isaac through his formative years.

The role of the therapist was to navigate the reader to each story of Isaac's past. At first I thought it started out slow and took me a minute to become familiar with the writing style. But then it was like reading a biography and getting to hear about a person's past that helped mold them into the person they become. The relationship between Isaac, his mother and his father ultimately made him into the person he became as an adult. We get to see how the roles of race, masculinity, gender and sexual identity changed throughout the years for Isaac. Sometimes they were hidden, sometimes they were out and proud. But at the center of it all was Isaac's love for the arts and how that helped him to move forward in all aspects of his life, no matter what he was encountering. I loved Isaac and toward the end, I began to better understand his father and his actions (although I didn't agree). But when he left Isaac letters? Those letters teared me up and moved me on a whole deeper level. Such powerful prose that made me see the characters in the story as real life people.

After finishing this story and seeing the connection this book has to Don't Cry For Me, I definitely will be reading that book to come full circle, but it was not necessary for me to fully grasp and enjoy Isaac's Song. 4.5 stars

Having read Don't Cry For Me this year, I was eager to read Isaac's side and boy was I not disappointed. Isaac's Song felt like a therapy session (some of things the therapist said in the book it felt like I was in the session too, getting told about myself). It forces you to take a reflective unbiased look at the past. So well written and engaging, I'm sad to close the chapter on these characters.

This is so beautifully written. Daniel Black doesn't miss. Isaac's perspective definitely opens the reader's eyes and we now see all sides of the father son relationship fraught with misunderstanding and love and confusion. Black settles the spirit by masterfully bringing us into the world of the son..

Isaac’s Song is a stunning work of literary fiction that masterfully weaves together themes of love, loss, identity, and resilience. The prose is lyrical and evocative, immersing the reader in a story that’s as poignant as it is thought-provoking. Every page feels imbued with meaning, and every scene carries emotional weight.

What makes this book truly exceptional is its ability to balance profound introspection with a deeply human narrative. The characters are complex and relatable, and their journeys feel authentic and deeply moving. The storytelling is rich and layered, inviting readers to reflect on the themes long after turning the final page.

If you’re a fan of literary fiction that challenges and moves you, Isaac’s Song is a must-read. It’s an extraordinary story that lingers in your mind and heart, a testament to the power of beautifully crafted writing.

4.5/5 stars - I absolutely loved this book. Issac's Song is a follow-up to Don't Cry For Me and shares Issac Swinton's perspective from childhood to adulthood. This book was beautiful, emotional, and poetic! Similar to Don't Cry For Me, I was captivated from the first page. Dr. Daniel Black did an excellent job of addressing masculinity within the black community and tackling other topics such as race, gender, and sexual identity. These characters truly felt like real people! This is a must-read if you were a fan of Don't Cry For Me. I also think fans of historical fiction will also like this as well. Thank you to The Hive and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this e-ARC!

The first thing I remembered thinking after I read the last line of Don't Cry for Me was "I need a book from Isaac's pov." I didn't actually think it would happen but I was excited when I saw it on netgalley to read.

Just like Don't Cry for Me, Isaac's song is a deep look into the relationship between a father and his son. His father's death brings up a lot of mixed feelings Isaac and it was interesting to see how much Isaac's father really affected Isaac's life and how he felt about himself. This was a very interesting insight into family and how every family member has a story and a past that affects how they treat others in the future even their own children.

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me engaged and it only took a few days to read. I think this is going to be a good book club option for several clubs. I plan recommending to my book friends and I look forward to reading more by this author.

This follow-up to Don't Cry for Me is a powerful story of healing. Anyone who has struggled with loving a flawed person should read this book. I was drawn in from the first chapter and found so many nuggets of wisdom in the protagonist's journey to reconcile his feelings with his strained relationship with his father. Reading Don't Cry for Me is not necessary to enjoy this story, but it give the reader more insight into the history of the main character's parents. I loved this story and highly recommend it.

Thank you publisher for the eGalley!

WOW! This book was so beautiful! I annotated because this book had so many things that I want to revisit in the future. This story is about our MC, Isaac, and his complicated relationship with his father. After losing his father, his therapist suggests for him to write his story from the beginning, and we watch as Isaac comes to fully understand his parents (mainly his father), and his family's history. This book was so moving, and the ending absolutely made me cry.

I didn't realize that this is a parallel story to a previous book, Don't Cry For Me, but I will read it immediately.

I will post my full review on my Instagram page closer to the pub date (january 2025).

THANK YOU to Netgalley and Hanover Square Press for the opportunity to read this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Isaac's Song is a powerful, heartfelt story about identity, healing, growth. and forgiveness As a young, gay, black man growing up in the 80's, Isaac constantly desired the love and approval that he never got from his father, until he discovers letters that his father wrote to him right before he passed away. The story takes a look into the complexities of the black father/son relationship and shows how Isaac is able to forgive his father through the stories he writes.

I do have to admit that I had NOT read "Don't Cry for Me" prior to me requesting this ARC. I wasn't even sure if I needed to read it at all.
By the time I got a few pages into "Isaac's Song", I simply knew that I WANTED to. I NEEDED to read Jacob's POV!! I downloaded it immediately.

Everyone needs to read this book! It made me take a closer look into my personal relationship with my own parents and felt so very intimate and personal. I will be purchasing physical copies of BOTH books once Isaac's Song releases on 1/14/25.

I highly recommend!

📚 Every once in awhile a book comes along that is so good you want to shout about it from the rooftops, yet you’re terrified to write a review in fear you’ll never do it justice. This is one of those books. Thank you, sincerely, to @drdanielblack for his beautiful words and to @htpbooks / @htp_hive for the sneak peek. This comes out in January.

📚 If I could describe this book in one word, it would be: intimate. Though this book is fiction, it felt deeply personal and I was honored to read it. The author takes us inside the therapy sessions of Black, gay man who recently lost his estranged father. Needless to say, it’s emotional.

📚 Daniel Black’s writing in this book is masterful. It’s emotional, it’s gripping. He walks us through Isaac’s life and shows us his perspective in such a beautiful way. Of course, this also revolves around one of my favorite life tropes— the moment we realize our parents are not superheroes, they’re just people who have lived past lived and made mistakes. They’re also not always what we have built them up to be in our memories.

📚 Lastly, Isaac is a writer at heart and the short stories and novel he ‘writes’ in this are amazing too! It’s like we get to read a great book, PLUS all these amazing bonus stories.

📚 I often say the thing I love most about
books is being able to see life from a different perspective and this book painted the Black experience for me in a way few other books have. It comes out in January. Add it to your TBR now. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend reading ‘Don’t Cry For Me’ first, and you may even consider a reread. This is about the same father and son. Will you be adding this to your TBR?