A beautiful story filled with obstacles to overcome in a time filled with limitations for certain groups of people.

HIGHLY recommend
5.0 stars

This is the second book about pre-Civil War Philadelphia I have read this year, but the first by this author. This historical novel covers the time between The Fugitive Slave Act and the Civil War when Elizabeth "Eliza" Taylor Greenfield was making her mark. She was known as "The Black Swan" and was the first Black prima donna.

Eliza was born enslaved and was freed by her enslaver. Her family immigrated to Liberia while Eliza was left with their former enslaver who became her benefactor. Eliza has a lovely singing voice which causes twists and turns in her life. But her voice prevails!

The storyline, characters, and time are incredibly fascinating. Additionally, the author writes well and educates the reader about what was really happening to Blacks during this horrible time in American history. It is not a white-washed story, but it is something to remember during these similar times.

I like that this was a Black woman author writing about a historical Black woman.

Published/posted dates with links
• Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6981400632 ; posted 11/21/2024
• Books by Dorothea - https://booksbydorothea.blogspot.com/2024/11/review-unexpected-diva-ebook.html ; posted 11/21/2024

Thank you to Net Galley and William Morrow for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
I like to read books about strong women, and this book certainly qualifies. Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield was a brilliant singer, but she faced a lot of hardships because of the color of her skin. In spite of this, she managed to sing all over the world before and during the Civil War. I really liked this book. I had never heard of Eliza, so it was so interesting to learn about her life. I also enjoyed reading about her beautiful dresses and the fashions of this time. I also enjoyed reading the facts at the end. Highly recommend! I'm glad author Tiffany L. Warren wrote a book about this fascinating lady!

Thank you, William Morrow, for the copy of The Unexpected Diva by Tiffany L. Warren. If you love historical fiction, this is the book for you. If you have never read historical fiction, this is the book you should start with. The story of Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield was immersive and enlightening. This Black opera singer toured America and sang at Buckingham Palace for Queen Victoria. I had not heard of her so I was so anxious to read her story. There aren’t lots of records about Eliza, but Warren did a great job of weaving fact with fiction. I loved the hints of romance that Eliza experienced as she pursued her career. I loved the Historical Note and appreciate how much research Warren did as well as how much I learned from this book. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Tiffany L Warren truly delivers in The Unexpected Diva, an important, well-written story that needed to be told.

This was a great work of historical fiction. The writing was top notch, and I enjoyed the ride I was taken on. The story of freed slave- Elizabeth, whose love was singing opera. This was a gift she shared with the world. She endured a lot to share her gift during post civil war times.
This was my first introduction to Tiffany L. Warren. She didn't disappoint. I look forward to reading more by this author. love.

#Netgalley #HistoricalFiction

Prior to this book, I had never heard of Eliza; however, I do now! Her story is so juicy, and Ms. Warren brought it to life beautifully! Thank you for the opportunity to read this book, and I am excited for more!

Thank you @netgalley for the gifted Arc.

How have I never heard of Miss Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, the first Black prima Donna? Raised by a wealthy white benefactor, Eliza dreams of advancing her skill and career by studying in Paris. Of course,the death of Miss Lizabeth and a delay in receiving the inheritance left to her, Eliza charts her own course to pursue her career.

What I enjoyed most was Eliza growing in her confidence to pursue what she wanted, on her own terms. Yes this is a fictional account of her life (in her twenties), her decision was not one most women, but especially a free Black woman, might have chosen. To remain unmarried was not looked upon favorably, I imagine, a free woman of color who society saw first as a woman who was Black. Her audacity! I love this about her.

I love how much tea was had in this book!

Some of the people in the book were based on real people who Eliza came in contact with. Electra Potter on the steamboat to Buffalo may have been a catalyst to introduce Eliza to audiences that would be stunned by her talent. Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Eliza’s tour in Europe!

I would love to hear Eliza’s voice! I can only imagine.

There were a few times I would have hoped the author could have used other words to describe the depth and complexity of Eliza’s voice. The word trills and runs was overused imo. But it does describe the vocal range of Greenfield.

I definitely recommend reading this book.

I am so thankful that the author reached out to me to ask if I would be interested in reading her upcoming historical fiction novel, The Unexpected Diva. It is excellent and will be one of my favorite reads this year!

Told in the first person, the story is about the real-life Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, a Black opera singer in pre-Civil War America (1850s). I had never heard of her or knew that she was the first Black American to sing for Queen Victoria.

Elizabeth (Eliza) is a fascinating woman and seeing the story unfold through her eyes drew me right into the story. Enslaved at birth but freed after the death of the slave holder, she grew up under the care of his widow who was an abolitionist and who nurtured Eliza’s love of singing (she had a three-octave voice).

Eliza faced many restraints as to what she could do, both due to her skin color and to the control men exercised over women in the 1800s. But she was resililent and gutsy with a strong belief in herself. She lived in a time when women were expected to marry and raise a family and nothing else. But Eliza refused to be limited and pursued her dream of being a famous opera singer even when many obstacles were put in her path.

The story is well-written and includes elements of what life was like for Black citizens in pre-Civil War America, even in the more liberal North. Black patrons couldn’t attend Eliza’s concerts in the North and where they could, protestors were out in full force. Slave traders came from the southern states to “catch” slaves who had fled the south - anyone who was Black, particularly the poor, could be grabbed by these traders and sold to plantations. The novel also weaves in the Underground Railway and how it helped many escape to Canada. Harriet Beecher Stowe, who wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin showing the abhorrent conditions of slavery, makes an appearance as one of Eliza’s benefactors.

Eliza is the heart of this story and I was intrigued by her life (the author notes that some aspects are fictionalized). I highly recommend this one to all historical fiction lovers.

My thanks to the author for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions are my own.

Tiffany L. Warren is one of my top-tier authors! The Unexpected Diva was an amazing read. I am a huge fan of historical fiction and this book delivered. had never heard of Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield before reading this book. Her story is so necessary.

Reading about this world class BLACK singer was so inspiring. Tiffany made her a real person through her words. Her determination, her struggles, her loneliness, her power were all openly displayed. I didn't want the book to end. Elizabeth pushed through barriers that seemed insurmountable and she did it with grace and resolve.

I know this is her first foray into historical fiction, but hopefully it's not her last. I hope everyone reads this book when it comes out!

I will write a fuller review closer to the release date, but this story about Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield was phenomenal. I went into this story knowing nothing about her, but this book sparked my curiosity. This is the kind of book that will stay with you for a little while after you've finished.
I look forward to reading more from Tiffany L. Warren.

Bravo!
I enjoyed this book so much. It is expertly written. Tiffany L. Warren is a phenomenal author and this book did not disappoint. Reading Eliza’s story I felt like I was with her every step of the way. I felt every emotion Eliza felt and when she sang it was as if I could hear the applause of the audience. This book is truly a masterpiece. I highly recommend adding it to your collection.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow Publishers for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This was a beautifully done historical novel that I enjoyed going through. I loved Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield as a character and enjoyed getting to learn about her in this book. It was written well and was engaged with the story being told. It had a strong story going on and was glad I got to read this. Tiffany L. Warren has a strong way of writing this type of book and am excited for more.

I absolutely loved this book. Thank you Net Galley ARC for giving me the opportunity to read it. I recommend this book, and it should be added to library shelves.