The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw
A Review By: NJH
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies explores the raw and tender places where Black women and girls dare to follow their desires and pursue a momentary reprieve from being good. The nine stories in this collection feature four generations of characters grappling with who they want to be in the world, caught as they are between the church's double standards and their own needs and passions.
There is 14-year-old Jael, who has a crush on the preacher's wife. At 42, Lyra realizes that her discomfort with her own body stands between her and a new love. As Y2K looms, Caroletta's "same time next year" arrangement with her childhood best friend is tenuous. A serial mistress lays down the ground rules for her married lovers. In the dark shadows of a hospice parking lot, grieving strangers find comfort in each other.
With their secret longings, new love, and forbidden affairs, these church ladies are as seductive as they want to be, as vulnerable as they need to be, as unfaithful and unrepentant as they care to be, and as free as they deserve to be.
Review Notes:
Audio Book Publication Year: 2020
An installment in a Series? No
Narrator (s): Janina Edwards
Listen here, this book dealt with some real stuff. Was somebody following the members home from church? I was all in like an old lady at the beauty salon half under the dyer trying to get the gossip.
I enjoyed the writing style of each story. Chapter 8’s list had me in an “okay, girl” mood. I'm not sure what I expected, but I was pleasantly surprised. The narration was fitting for the book. Greatly enjoyed it.
Only con I have is the ending, wish it gave a little more.
Reading Recommendation? Yes
Rating: 4 (It’s lit!)
Content Warnings? None
