āAmazingā¦I was completely surprised by the ending of this beautifully told and written book.ā āReese Witherspoon
āA triumph of historical fictionā (The Washington Post), an instant New York Times bestseller, and a Reeseās Book Club pick, set in 1950s Philadelphia and Washington, DC, that explores what it means to be a woman and a mother, and how much one is willing to sacrifice to achieve her greatest goal.
1950s Philadelphia: fifteen-year-old Ruby Pearsall is on track to becoming the first in her family to attend college. But a taboo love affair threatens to pull her back down into the poverty and desperation that has been passed on to her like a birthright.
Eleanor Quarles arrives in Washington, DC, with ambition and secrets. When she meets the handsome William Pride at Howard University, they fall madly in love. But William hails from one of DCās elite wealthy Black families, and his parents donāt let just anyone into their fold. Eleanor hopes that a baby will make her finally feel at home in Williamās family and grant her the life sheās been searching for. But having a babyāand fitting ināis easier said than done.
With their stories colliding in the most unexpected of ways, Ruby and Eleanor will both make decisions that shape the trajectory of their lives.