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Josephine N. Leary is determined to build a life of her own and a future for her family. When she moves to Edenton, North Carolina, from the plantation where she was born, she is free, newly married, and ready to follow her dreams.
As the demands of life pull Josephine's attention away, it becomes increasingly difficult for her to pursue her real estate aspirations. She finds herself immersed in deepening her marriage, mothering her daughters, and being a dutiful daughter and granddaughter. Still, she manages to teach herself to be a businesswoman, to manage her finances, and to make smart investments in the local real estate market. But with each passing year, it grows more and more difficult to focus on building her legacy from the ground up.
"Filled with passion and perseverance, Josephine Leary is frankly a woman that everyone should know" (Sadeqa Johnson, author of Yellow Wife) and her story speaks to the part of us that dares to dream bigger, tear down whatever stands in our way, and build something better for the loved ones we leave behind.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
February 22, 2022 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781797137698
- File size: 291696 KB
- Duration: 10:07:41
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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December 6, 2021
Romance writer Alexander (Back to Your Love) offers an informative if clunky story inspired by the true story of Josephine N. Leary, who was born into slavery and went on to build a real estate empire in North Carolina. At nine, spunky Josephine devours Shakespeare, does her chores, and remembers being enslaved as a little girl. As a teen, she meets her husband, Archer “Sweety” Leary, while training to be a barber. They marry and set up their own barbershop, which, with clever negotiation, Josephine buys outright using wedding money from the white man who fathered her. Thus begins her dream to invest in property and make her own money. While running various businesses, Josephine raises two daughters, instilling in them her love of reading, education, and independence. Josephine’s ambition and headstrong nature serves her well, but it causes constant friction with Sweety, such as when she insists on buying a house (“I vowed, from the day I was freed, never to live at the whim of another white man”). Some of the dialogue is clichéd (“I’m no spring chicken”) or anachronistic (“It is what it is”), but Alexander’s exhaustive research and the ample historical detail do justice to the material. As a novel it’s fairly unremarkable, but the author does a nice job illuminating the life of an extraordinary historical figure. Agent: Sarah Younger, Nancy Yost Literary. (Feb.)Correction: An earlier version of this review misspelled the author's last name. -
June 1, 2022
Romance author Alexander (After Hours Attraction) turns to historical fiction in this fictionalized biography of Josephine N. Leary, one of the first female African American real estate entrepreneurs. This book will transport listeners to the 1870s with immersive details. Listeners will enjoy their time with Leary but might wish to learn more about the conflict and obstacles she had to overcome. VERDICT The narrators' voices are music to the ear. Shayna Small moves quickly between the characters, creating enough distinction between them to make it possible to follow the story, and her alto tones lull listeners into the North Carolina of the past. Leon Nixon personifies Sweety, making his voice heard in the wake of his determined and strong-willed wife.--Laura Trombley
Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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