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The Secret Lives of Church Ladies - Deesha Philyaw

 

I'm so pleased to be on the blog tour for this book today.

Description

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.

There is fourteen-year-old Jael, who nurses a crush on the preacher's wife; the mother who bakes a sublime peach cobbler every Monday for her date with the married Pastor; and Eula and Caroletta, single childhood friends who seek solace in each other's arms every New Year's Eve.

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

A collection of short stories that are sure to stay with you for many years to come.

Each of these stories is a jewel with many facets. I am amazed at how one author can write such varied and unique voices, and be so observant of differing human traits. If you are a people watcher you will definitely enjoy these stories.

I really enjoyed all of these stories so very much. Each one was just the right length and the writing was really rich and inviting. If I had to pick a favourite it would be Peach Cobbler. Told through the eyes of a young girl who thinks the Pastor is God himself. It was so full of humour but also with heart wrenching reasons why her Mother does what she does.

Another story that was full of humour for me was  "Instruction for Married Christian Husbands" written in a totally different style, hard hitting and didn't keep anything back. 

Perfect to dip in and out of or just read all in one go - as I did, just couldn't stop.

If I had one request it would be that the author had put a recipe for Peach Cobbler in this book. Two of the stories feature it, and it really made me want some.

I'm giving this book a well deserved 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Pushkin Press for the tour invite and to netgalley for the ARC to review.

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