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Zeal
Win a free print copy of this book!
28 days and 22:33:44
25 copies available
U.S. only
The New York Times bestselling author of This Will Be My Undoing and Caul Baby returns with an epic, multi-generational novel that illuminates the legacy of slavery and the power of romantic love.
Harlem, 2019. Ardelia and Oliver are hosting their engagement party. As the guests get ready to leave, he hands her a love letter on a yellowing, crumbling piece of paper . . .
Natchez, 1865. Discharged from the Union Army as a free man after the war’s end, Harrison returns to Mississippi to reunite with the woman he loves, Tirzah. Upon his arrival at the Freedmen’s Bureau, though, he catches the eye of a woman working there, who’s determined to thwart his efforts to find his beloved. After tragedy strikes, Harrison resigns himself to a life with her.
Meanwhile in Louisiana, the newly free Tirzah is teaching at the Freedmen’s School, and discovers an advertisement in the local paper looking for her. Though she knows Harrison must have placed it, and longs to find him, the risks of fleeing are too great, and Tirzah chooses the life of seeming security right in front of her.
Spanning over a hundred and fifty years, Morgan Jerkins’s extraordinary novel intertwines the stories of these star-crossed lovers and their descendants. As Tirzah's family moves across the country during the Great Migration, they challenge authority with devastating consequences, while of the legacy of heartbreak and loss continues on in the lives of Harrison's progeny.
When Ardelia meets Oliver, she finds his family’s history is as full of secrets and omissions as her own. Could their connection be a cosmic reconciliation satisfying the unfulfilled desires of their ancestors, or will the weight of the past, present and future tear them apart?
Sweeping, textured, and meticulously researched, Zeal is both a story of how one generation’s choices reverberate through the years and an indelible portrait of an enduring love.
Harlem, 2019. Ardelia and Oliver are hosting their engagement party. As the guests get ready to leave, he hands her a love letter on a yellowing, crumbling piece of paper . . .
Natchez, 1865. Discharged from the Union Army as a free man after the war’s end, Harrison returns to Mississippi to reunite with the woman he loves, Tirzah. Upon his arrival at the Freedmen’s Bureau, though, he catches the eye of a woman working there, who’s determined to thwart his efforts to find his beloved. After tragedy strikes, Harrison resigns himself to a life with her.
Meanwhile in Louisiana, the newly free Tirzah is teaching at the Freedmen’s School, and discovers an advertisement in the local paper looking for her. Though she knows Harrison must have placed it, and longs to find him, the risks of fleeing are too great, and Tirzah chooses the life of seeming security right in front of her.
Spanning over a hundred and fifty years, Morgan Jerkins’s extraordinary novel intertwines the stories of these star-crossed lovers and their descendants. As Tirzah's family moves across the country during the Great Migration, they challenge authority with devastating consequences, while of the legacy of heartbreak and loss continues on in the lives of Harrison's progeny.
When Ardelia meets Oliver, she finds his family’s history is as full of secrets and omissions as her own. Could their connection be a cosmic reconciliation satisfying the unfulfilled desires of their ancestors, or will the weight of the past, present and future tear them apart?
Sweeping, textured, and meticulously researched, Zeal is both a story of how one generation’s choices reverberate through the years and an indelible portrait of an enduring love.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published April 22, 2025
434 people are currently reading
15416 people want to read
About the author
Morgan Jerkins
8 books1,093 followersMorgan Jerkins is the author of the New York Times bestseller, This Will Be My Undoing: Living at the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America and the forthcoming Wandering In Strange Lands: A Daughter of the Great Migration Reclaims Her Roots.
A graduate of Princeton University and the Bennington Writing Seminars, Jerkins is the current Senior Editor at ZORA of Medium and former Associate Editor at Catapult. She teaches at Columbia University's School of the Arts and most recently was the Picador Professor at Leipzig University in Germany.
She's based in Harlem.
A graduate of Princeton University and the Bennington Writing Seminars, Jerkins is the current Senior Editor at ZORA of Medium and former Associate Editor at Catapult. She teaches at Columbia University's School of the Arts and most recently was the Picador Professor at Leipzig University in Germany.
She's based in Harlem.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 471 reviews
May 7, 2025
This story pulls you in right from the beginning. I expected more of a back and forth timeline, probably because that’s what I’m used to with books like this. Jenkins however does something different here. Instead, she lets us sit with the past for a while, really soak in it, before bringing us back to the present. It’s a powerful way to show how some things can haunt a family for generations, and how it often takes one person to say “enough” and try to break the cycle.
That said, it’s also so important to acknowledge the unimaginable hardships these families faced. You can’t always expect people to make the right choices under that kind of pressure. These characters are deeply flawed, fully responsible for their actions, yes, but I could still understand some of the decisions they made, even when I was absolutely disgusted at times……multiple times.
Once the story shifted into the modern world for the final stretch, I did struggle a bit to see how everything was connecting. Still, it was incredible to witness how generational pain trickles down and how the newer generation begins to reflect, grow, and ultimately make choices that felt healing. It dragged a little in some parts, but overall, it was a journey I’m really proud to have taken.
Of course, any story that reflects on the Black American experience, especially in such a specific, painful historical context, is never going to be easy. But Jenkins does such a great job creating complex characters who feel real and rooted in their time.
That said, it’s also so important to acknowledge the unimaginable hardships these families faced. You can’t always expect people to make the right choices under that kind of pressure. These characters are deeply flawed, fully responsible for their actions, yes, but I could still understand some of the decisions they made, even when I was absolutely disgusted at times……multiple times.
Once the story shifted into the modern world for the final stretch, I did struggle a bit to see how everything was connecting. Still, it was incredible to witness how generational pain trickles down and how the newer generation begins to reflect, grow, and ultimately make choices that felt healing. It dragged a little in some parts, but overall, it was a journey I’m really proud to have taken.
Of course, any story that reflects on the Black American experience, especially in such a specific, painful historical context, is never going to be easy. But Jenkins does such a great job creating complex characters who feel real and rooted in their time.
March 12, 2025
I finished this audiobook over the weekend, and y’all… Y’ALL!!
ZEAL is everything I love about historical fiction. The story is absolutely breathtaking from start to finish. The characters (!!!), the dual timelines, the depth of research, the rich storytelling—I was captivated by every damn word! I especially loved the dual timelines and haven’t stopped thinking about these characters since. Without a doubt, this will be one of my top reads of 2025!
If ZEAL isn’t on your TBR yet, I highly recommend adding it. Preorder now—you won’t regret it! I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy.
Given the time period (1865), there are definite trigger warnings, and Morgan does not shy away from the hard realities. Her delivery is immaculate.
ZEAL is everything I love about historical fiction. The story is absolutely breathtaking from start to finish. The characters (!!!), the dual timelines, the depth of research, the rich storytelling—I was captivated by every damn word! I especially loved the dual timelines and haven’t stopped thinking about these characters since. Without a doubt, this will be one of my top reads of 2025!
If ZEAL isn’t on your TBR yet, I highly recommend adding it. Preorder now—you won’t regret it! I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy.
Given the time period (1865), there are definite trigger warnings, and Morgan does not shy away from the hard realities. Her delivery is immaculate.
December 12, 2024
Absolutely stunning from beginning to end 😭❤️
Read
March 11, 2025I devoured Morgan Jerkins's new novel in two days. That's saying something because at nearly 500 pages,
Zeal
isn't exactly a quick read. But Jerkins, who gave us This Will Be My Undoing and Caul Baby, has outdone herself with this sweeping tale of love, family, and survival that spans 150 years.
The story grabs you from the first page. It's 1865, and Harrison, a former Union soldier, is making his way back to Mississippi to find the woman he loves. What follows is the kind of epic that makes you forget to eat dinner. Jerkins weaves together generations of stories that ripple out from that first journey home, showing how the choices we make echo through time.
Her research is impeccable, but unlike some historical fiction that reads like a textbook, Zeal never loses sight of the beating hearts at its center. The post-Civil War South comes alive through intimate details – the crack of a whip, the smell of cotton dust, the whispered prayers of those dreaming of freedom. But it's the characters who stay with you: their hopes, their fears, their fierce determination to protect the ones they love.
Jerkins has grown tremendously as a writer. Gone is the occasional melodrama of Caul Baby, replaced by prose that cuts straight to the bone. She handles multiple timelines with the skill of a master weaver, creating patterns that only become clear when you step back to see the whole tapestry.
If there's any fault here, it's that some storylines get less attention than they deserve – an almost inevitable issue when you're juggling 150 years of history. But that's like complaining that a feast has too many dishes.
This is the kind of book that makes you miss your subway stop. It's for anyone who loved Yaa Gyasi's Homegoing or Colson Whitehead's work, but really, it's for anyone who believes in the power of a story well told. Zeal hits bookstores on April 22, 2025. Mark your calendars – this one's special.
The story grabs you from the first page. It's 1865, and Harrison, a former Union soldier, is making his way back to Mississippi to find the woman he loves. What follows is the kind of epic that makes you forget to eat dinner. Jerkins weaves together generations of stories that ripple out from that first journey home, showing how the choices we make echo through time.
Her research is impeccable, but unlike some historical fiction that reads like a textbook, Zeal never loses sight of the beating hearts at its center. The post-Civil War South comes alive through intimate details – the crack of a whip, the smell of cotton dust, the whispered prayers of those dreaming of freedom. But it's the characters who stay with you: their hopes, their fears, their fierce determination to protect the ones they love.
Jerkins has grown tremendously as a writer. Gone is the occasional melodrama of Caul Baby, replaced by prose that cuts straight to the bone. She handles multiple timelines with the skill of a master weaver, creating patterns that only become clear when you step back to see the whole tapestry.
If there's any fault here, it's that some storylines get less attention than they deserve – an almost inevitable issue when you're juggling 150 years of history. But that's like complaining that a feast has too many dishes.
This is the kind of book that makes you miss your subway stop. It's for anyone who loved Yaa Gyasi's Homegoing or Colson Whitehead's work, but really, it's for anyone who believes in the power of a story well told. Zeal hits bookstores on April 22, 2025. Mark your calendars – this one's special.
March 8, 2026
If you only take one book rec from me this year, please ensure that this is the one.
I thought that this was going to be the inter-generational story of a love story so strong that it could endure anything, and in some ways that is true; just not in the way I initially anticipated. At its core I really think that this is a story of the bonds of women, how they are tested and forged and even in the most unlikely of instances they can find themselves united.
It is also a love story. It's a story of family. Of loss and perseverance. It's a story that sticks with you long after you have read the last page. What Morgan Jerkins was able to do in this text is astounding and you are doing yourself a disservice to not experience the ride yourself.
I thought that this was going to be the inter-generational story of a love story so strong that it could endure anything, and in some ways that is true; just not in the way I initially anticipated. At its core I really think that this is a story of the bonds of women, how they are tested and forged and even in the most unlikely of instances they can find themselves united.
It is also a love story. It's a story of family. Of loss and perseverance. It's a story that sticks with you long after you have read the last page. What Morgan Jerkins was able to do in this text is astounding and you are doing yourself a disservice to not experience the ride yourself.
June 6, 2025
Yall please read this book 😭 I am in shambles. Miss Morgan Jerkins—you have a fan in me! This is a powerful novel that shows the power of love, the power of family, and the power of Black peoples spirit and spirituality. I am in awe and lost for words.
August 4, 2025
This novel contains a multigenerational story with dual timelines in which the reader is fully informed about their genealogical history, but the current generation's searching to discover and make sense of that history are baffled by incomplete and confusing records. The story begins with a separated ex-slave couple attempting to reunite after the Civil War, but due to various complications they are unable to do so. Subsequently their descendants follow the typical African American migrations (first to Nicodemus, Kansas, then to Chicago), and then concludes with an engaged couple in New York City trying to survive the COVID pandemic.
It is a romantic plot to have the descendants of separated lovers finally being united five generations later in an engagement to be married. I was attracted to this book in the first place because it roughly follows a plot configuration of a semi-autobiographic historical novel that I, for many years, have been planning to write. (I've concluded I'll never get it done because I enjoy listening to audio books and writing book reviews more).
It is a romantic plot to have the descendants of separated lovers finally being united five generations later in an engagement to be married. I was attracted to this book in the first place because it roughly follows a plot configuration of a semi-autobiographic historical novel that I, for many years, have been planning to write. (I've concluded I'll never get it done because I enjoy listening to audio books and writing book reviews more).
June 30, 2025
This is the best book I’ve read (Audiobook) so far in 2025 - an absolutely brilliant and beautiful work of art. I need time to process. More to come.
May 18, 2025
Finished this in 24 hours… baby this was good. I love a story rooted in heritage and legacy and this one did not disappoint. I held my breath many moments and all I can say is now I need to go back and read Caul Baby because Morgan wrote the stank out of this book! So rich.
May 16, 2025
5⭐️ "Zeal"
Zeal: great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective
This one immediately put me in my feelings. I kept pausing and putting the book down. However, that's not a bad thing at all. It’s a testament to the powerful words Ms. Jerkins put in this tragically beautiful novel.
Covering the span of 150 years, from Mississippi to Chicago and from Juneteenth through the pandemic we experienced, a story is told about love, betrayal, secrets, determination, and generational struggles. In the present day, we're with Oliver and Ardelia at their engagement party in 2019. A love letter from his family member sends us back to 1865 with Tirzah and Harrison. We know that so many families were separated in slavery but what if you experienced a love so strong that although you were separated, that same love continued to return to you in different forms? Some forms even heartbreaking to witness?
Tirzah and Harrison were determined to find each other again but in order to live, they had to focus on the "right now," even if that meant marrying someone right now because it was the best thing to do at the time or moving across the country to get away from plantation owners who continued their torture and abuse in the deep south despite us being "free."
In the present, Oliver, a doctor, and Ardelia experience the pandemic and their freedom is turned upside down as Oliver is dealing with the reality of this virus every day. Like their ancestors, Oliver had to focus on the "right now" while Ardelia looked to their future until the past called her name in the form of a letter and a mysterious picture of a Union soldier.
The stories that were untold affected generations. I believe across the diaspora we have to break these generational curses of "Why didn't I know this about my family?" Only to get the response: "You never asked." We have to talk to each other, pass down the stories, no matter the embarrassment, hurt or love.
Love returned to these characters through secrets, violence, found family, and of course it found them with...Zeal. 🧡
Zeal: great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective
This one immediately put me in my feelings. I kept pausing and putting the book down. However, that's not a bad thing at all. It’s a testament to the powerful words Ms. Jerkins put in this tragically beautiful novel.
Covering the span of 150 years, from Mississippi to Chicago and from Juneteenth through the pandemic we experienced, a story is told about love, betrayal, secrets, determination, and generational struggles. In the present day, we're with Oliver and Ardelia at their engagement party in 2019. A love letter from his family member sends us back to 1865 with Tirzah and Harrison. We know that so many families were separated in slavery but what if you experienced a love so strong that although you were separated, that same love continued to return to you in different forms? Some forms even heartbreaking to witness?
Tirzah and Harrison were determined to find each other again but in order to live, they had to focus on the "right now," even if that meant marrying someone right now because it was the best thing to do at the time or moving across the country to get away from plantation owners who continued their torture and abuse in the deep south despite us being "free."
In the present, Oliver, a doctor, and Ardelia experience the pandemic and their freedom is turned upside down as Oliver is dealing with the reality of this virus every day. Like their ancestors, Oliver had to focus on the "right now" while Ardelia looked to their future until the past called her name in the form of a letter and a mysterious picture of a Union soldier.
The stories that were untold affected generations. I believe across the diaspora we have to break these generational curses of "Why didn't I know this about my family?" Only to get the response: "You never asked." We have to talk to each other, pass down the stories, no matter the embarrassment, hurt or love.
Love returned to these characters through secrets, violence, found family, and of course it found them with...Zeal. 🧡
May 25, 2025
I read this on audiobook but I wasn't a huge fan of the main narrator. I was reading this heavy book while doing heavy (read - depressing) archival work so that may have coloured my experience of it.
The writing was okay. I loved the historical fiction aspect, examining the reconstruction era in the US South. It's always neat to make connections to other media I've consumed. Zeal reminded me of Sinners a bit.
I did not vibe with most of the characters. I wanted to connect with them. I enjoy messy lives but there was something missing for me to put up with it. Harrison being described as a African with a big **** made my skin itch. It made me think of 1700s-1800s White travel literature that described Black people in very sexual ways.
There were points where I had warm feelings for Tirzah but not after they moved to Kansas. She babied Free in a way that reminds me when mothers cry for their "good sons" who rape, rob, and murder other people. I'm not a mother - but where is the line when you stop babying your child and realize you raised a lump of a man. I do get the trauma aspect of it, but Free acted that way because the women in his life let him get away with doing whatever he wanted.
I honestly think the book could have ended in the past. When Jerkins tried to bridge it back to the present there was a disconnect for me. Only towards the very end of the book did I see any value in trying to link the two time periods together. It read like two separate books at one point. I enjoying seeing the migration of characters but we didn't need Oliver or Ardelia for that.
The writing was okay. I loved the historical fiction aspect, examining the reconstruction era in the US South. It's always neat to make connections to other media I've consumed. Zeal reminded me of Sinners a bit.
I did not vibe with most of the characters. I wanted to connect with them. I enjoy messy lives but there was something missing for me to put up with it. Harrison being described as a African with a big **** made my skin itch. It made me think of 1700s-1800s White travel literature that described Black people in very sexual ways.
There were points where I had warm feelings for Tirzah but not after they moved to Kansas. She babied Free in a way that reminds me when mothers cry for their "good sons" who rape, rob, and murder other people. I'm not a mother - but where is the line when you stop babying your child and realize you raised a lump of a man. I do get the trauma aspect of it, but Free acted that way because the women in his life let him get away with doing whatever he wanted.
I honestly think the book could have ended in the past. When Jerkins tried to bridge it back to the present there was a disconnect for me. Only towards the very end of the book did I see any value in trying to link the two time periods together. It read like two separate books at one point. I enjoying seeing the migration of characters but we didn't need Oliver or Ardelia for that.
December 30, 2024
Grateful to have been able to read an ARC for this! I loved the premise but I think it got a little meandering and convoluted in execution, with too many points of view. I also think the contemporary story could have been woven in a bit more intentionally earlier in the book. Vera/Violet was such a compelling character, I wished we spent more time with her. Also, I wanted more resolution with the earlier characters- we spent so much time with free, what happened to him? Overall it was an ok book that could have been awesome.
May 11, 2025
Where do I begin?!?!?!
April 30, 2025
STUNNNNNNNING! Historical fiction with a contemporary blend, I read this like watching a movie. By blend, I mean dual timelines done so well (beginning and end). Beautiful character storytelling, with such good research and vivid writing. I was hooked from the start. So glad I picked Zeal up. Did an immersive reading with the audiobook and it made it that much more special 🥹 add it to your TBR!
This book made me emotional and I didn’t even mean to watch Sinners around the same time period as this! Completely different stories but it felt kismet that I watched and read these two back to back and loved.
This book made me emotional and I didn’t even mean to watch Sinners around the same time period as this! Completely different stories but it felt kismet that I watched and read these two back to back and loved.
November 13, 2025
This book captivated me from the start, set against the tumultuous backdrop of the post-Civil War era and the pandemic. The author blends a multi-generational tale of endless love that defies time, exploring the intergenerational consequences of love unmet, resilience, lineage, the legacy of slavery, loss, and the power of love. For those who enjoy historical fiction, I strongly recommend this book. I look forward to reading more from Morgan Jerkins.
July 7, 2025
Not for me
December 25, 2025
Phenomenal storytelling!! This novel reminded me why historical fiction is one of my favorite genres. I was fully engaged from the first page to the last. The exploration of ancestry was powerful, and reading about generations past felt personal. As someone who’s always been intrigued by my own family history, the story resonated with me on a meaningful level. Sidenote: Vera 🥺
June 22, 2025
Special thanks to the author & @harperbooks for my gifted copy‼️
A book that truly lives up to the hype because Morgan Jerkins put her ancestors foot in this. Whenever I read a multigenerational story with dual timelines my first thought is always how will the author make it all connect. This book flows so beautifully from beginning to end and was written in a way that you would never forget these characters or their back stories.
The novel begins in the present with Ardelia and Oliver at their engagement party and Oliver gifts her a love letter that has been passed down through his family for generations. The letter becomes a central theme in the novel as the author takes readers back in time to the origins of where it all began.
Intertwining themes of fate, Black love, romantic relationships, community, found family, the decisions that shape our destiny, connections that are just meant to be, and the continuous struggle to maintain freedom. Morgan doesn’t shy away from proving to readers that something’s in our lives are inevitable and what or who is meant for you will always find you.
Have you ever been so invested in a book that the character deaths destroy you? That’s Zeal cause lord knows my heart couldn’t take anymore just one after another. This book also made me think about how back then so many people settled into relationships they didn’t truly want to be in. “Was their union born of love or of obligation, freedom or fear?” Some of these characters were forcing themselves into relationships where the love was often one-sided. “She was who she came from: a woman forcing herself into a space that wasn't hers.”
Overall, the book is amazing so please READ IT‼️ The author chose the perfect title because every character was in pursuit of something. Whether it was love, happiness, or freedom their unwavering desire never weakened and is why the descendants of both Tirzah and Harrison kept manifesting. Shoutout to my book club Vintage & Black @wellreadpharmacist for having Morgan join our discussion!
A book that truly lives up to the hype because Morgan Jerkins put her ancestors foot in this. Whenever I read a multigenerational story with dual timelines my first thought is always how will the author make it all connect. This book flows so beautifully from beginning to end and was written in a way that you would never forget these characters or their back stories.
The novel begins in the present with Ardelia and Oliver at their engagement party and Oliver gifts her a love letter that has been passed down through his family for generations. The letter becomes a central theme in the novel as the author takes readers back in time to the origins of where it all began.
Intertwining themes of fate, Black love, romantic relationships, community, found family, the decisions that shape our destiny, connections that are just meant to be, and the continuous struggle to maintain freedom. Morgan doesn’t shy away from proving to readers that something’s in our lives are inevitable and what or who is meant for you will always find you.
Have you ever been so invested in a book that the character deaths destroy you? That’s Zeal cause lord knows my heart couldn’t take anymore just one after another. This book also made me think about how back then so many people settled into relationships they didn’t truly want to be in. “Was their union born of love or of obligation, freedom or fear?” Some of these characters were forcing themselves into relationships where the love was often one-sided. “She was who she came from: a woman forcing herself into a space that wasn't hers.”
Overall, the book is amazing so please READ IT‼️ The author chose the perfect title because every character was in pursuit of something. Whether it was love, happiness, or freedom their unwavering desire never weakened and is why the descendants of both Tirzah and Harrison kept manifesting. Shoutout to my book club Vintage & Black @wellreadpharmacist for having Morgan join our discussion!
August 1, 2025
Zeal is one of those novels that deserves so much more attention than it’s gotten. Morgan Jerkins has crafted a sweeping, deeply affecting story that begins with a love letter at an engagement party in Harlem in 2019 and then opens up into a powerful meditation on love, freedom, and generational legacy.
The letter, passed down through Oliver’s family since 1865, leads us back to the year of emancipation, as we follow the intertwined lives of Harrison, a formerly enslaved Union soldier returning to Mississippi, and Tirzah, the woman he loves. Their reunion is far from guaranteed. Harrison learns that Tirzah was given away by their enslaver, and both are left to rebuild their lives in a post-slavery America where freedom is more theoretical than lived reality. Tirzah, now in Louisiana, carries her own wounds and dreams, chief among them the hope of reconnecting with Harrison.
The brutality of this period is rendered with unflinching honesty. Jerkins doesn’t sanitize the aftermath of slavery. There is a lot of violence and struggle, as the supposedly free characters remaine pinned to their former enslavers, white resentment breeds new forms of violence and oppression, and systemic obstacles endure long after emancipation. But Jerkins also captures resilience, agency, and the quiet, determined pursuit of a better future.
Over time, the choices Harrison and Tirzah make echo through generations, eventually bringing us back to the modern-day love story between Oliver and Ardelia, unfolding just as the COVID-19 pandemic begins to shut down New York City. Some of the present-day plot points felt a little too tidy to me and others felt a little too forced, which is why I’m landing just shy of five stars, but the writing is still gorgeous, the characters unforgettable, and the historical insight profound.
Having read and loved Jerkins’s memoir about her own family’s journey through the Great Migration, it was impossible to miss the depth of research and personal connection that permeates this novel. Zeal is both heart-wrenching and full of hope, a story that honors the past while refusing to be trapped by it. More people need to read this book.
The letter, passed down through Oliver’s family since 1865, leads us back to the year of emancipation, as we follow the intertwined lives of Harrison, a formerly enslaved Union soldier returning to Mississippi, and Tirzah, the woman he loves. Their reunion is far from guaranteed. Harrison learns that Tirzah was given away by their enslaver, and both are left to rebuild their lives in a post-slavery America where freedom is more theoretical than lived reality. Tirzah, now in Louisiana, carries her own wounds and dreams, chief among them the hope of reconnecting with Harrison.
The brutality of this period is rendered with unflinching honesty. Jerkins doesn’t sanitize the aftermath of slavery. There is a lot of violence and struggle, as the supposedly free characters remaine pinned to their former enslavers, white resentment breeds new forms of violence and oppression, and systemic obstacles endure long after emancipation. But Jerkins also captures resilience, agency, and the quiet, determined pursuit of a better future.
Over time, the choices Harrison and Tirzah make echo through generations, eventually bringing us back to the modern-day love story between Oliver and Ardelia, unfolding just as the COVID-19 pandemic begins to shut down New York City. Some of the present-day plot points felt a little too tidy to me and others felt a little too forced, which is why I’m landing just shy of five stars, but the writing is still gorgeous, the characters unforgettable, and the historical insight profound.
Having read and loved Jerkins’s memoir about her own family’s journey through the Great Migration, it was impossible to miss the depth of research and personal connection that permeates this novel. Zeal is both heart-wrenching and full of hope, a story that honors the past while refusing to be trapped by it. More people need to read this book.
June 21, 2025
IG review: https://www.instagram.com/p/DLKf1Nvgm...
Natchez, Mississippi 1865, Harrison has been discharged from the Union Army and only wants to see the love of his life, Tirzah. He finds that she’s gone and meanwhile, Tirzah is now in Louisiana yearning for Harrison, her everything. In the following pages we read over one hundred and fifty years of stories of these two and their descendants from post Civil War to the Great Migration and to the 2020 pandemic.
The writing. OBSESSED. I could’ve read about this family for another 200 pages. The research and history that went into this story was so evident but never felt like reading a dry history textbook.
The generational pain. The trauma. The long lasting effects of separation, of fighting for survival, of pushing the pain down to just. keep. going. Some of the decisions these characters made, ohhh I wanted to shake them. The decisions that were made for these characters, brutally unfair. It all played a part, but one emotion shone through. Love, the desire to be loved and fully known.
I much preferred the historical set chapters to the present day timeline, but I understand why that was there to weave the through line of breaking that generational pain and to see the long lasting effects of choices. I can only tell you my experience with this book, but please go read reviews from Black readers!!
Natchez, Mississippi 1865, Harrison has been discharged from the Union Army and only wants to see the love of his life, Tirzah. He finds that she’s gone and meanwhile, Tirzah is now in Louisiana yearning for Harrison, her everything. In the following pages we read over one hundred and fifty years of stories of these two and their descendants from post Civil War to the Great Migration and to the 2020 pandemic.
The writing. OBSESSED. I could’ve read about this family for another 200 pages. The research and history that went into this story was so evident but never felt like reading a dry history textbook.
The generational pain. The trauma. The long lasting effects of separation, of fighting for survival, of pushing the pain down to just. keep. going. Some of the decisions these characters made, ohhh I wanted to shake them. The decisions that were made for these characters, brutally unfair. It all played a part, but one emotion shone through. Love, the desire to be loved and fully known.
I much preferred the historical set chapters to the present day timeline, but I understand why that was there to weave the through line of breaking that generational pain and to see the long lasting effects of choices. I can only tell you my experience with this book, but please go read reviews from Black readers!!
April 16, 2025
THIS STORY, THIS STORY, THIS STORY!! If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would! All I’d wanted to do with my time once I began reading, was to consume this book - I couldn’t put it down. Beautifully written from start to finish - and whew, that finish. TEARS, I tell you. What an incredible story of love transcending over time. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me the privilege of reading this ARC. This story will stay with me for a long time.
February 21, 2026
Different strokes, indeed, because this was some bullshit.
The three genres this book falls under are historical fiction, literary fiction, and—allegedly—romance.
Now, if the romance was a subplot, I could’ve forgiven that. Or, at least, not judged so harshly. But “love” is supposedly the heart of the story throughout /all/ the generations.
And that’s where the author lost me.
I kept hearing “power of love, power of love.” What love? It’s tolerance at best, lust at worst. For every. Single. Couple.
Everybody settled. Or knowingly chased after somebody who didn’t want them. And then proceeded to complain about it for the entirety of their story as if it’s not the consequences of their own dumbass actions. If you do the clownery, it’s going to come back to bite.
There’s a lot going on all the time and yet it constantly feels like absolutely nothing at all is truly happening. It felt mind-numbing, I had to keep dropping the book. There were times when I questioned what the central idea of the novel actually was. I really do fail to see the purpose of this novel. And to add insult to injury, none of the characters were particularly likable.
There’s so much talk about these damn love letters and how they’re so sacred and intimate and personal. When I finally read one of them, I was like: “That’s it?” I’ve seen more depth in a kiddie pool. I think I could belch and produce something more heartfelt than that.
Constantly, with every single couple, every single generation, it was the same song and dance all over again. “I settled with someone I don’t love. I knowingly picked someone who doesn’t love me.” I’m supposed to feel sorry for you, Tabitha? I’m supposed to feel sorry for you, Isaac? Free? Novella? Get the fuck out of my face. Go cry about it in the corner and leave me alone, abeg. Why am I in it?
Like, you had four, five attempts to convince me of at least one love connection. Just one. And all of them were fucking terrible. It’s almost impressive.
Honestly, I should’ve DNF’d after that dumbass 22-year time jump because I immediately stopped caring after that. 3 years, 5 years, even 10. I would’ve forgiven. It’s 400-some-odd pages of constantly telling me you’ve loved and lost this person. Alright. I’ve heard you. Can you try /showing/ me now? Or is that too much?
The three genres this book falls under are historical fiction, literary fiction, and—allegedly—romance.
Now, if the romance was a subplot, I could’ve forgiven that. Or, at least, not judged so harshly. But “love” is supposedly the heart of the story throughout /all/ the generations.
And that’s where the author lost me.
I kept hearing “power of love, power of love.” What love? It’s tolerance at best, lust at worst. For every. Single. Couple.
Everybody settled. Or knowingly chased after somebody who didn’t want them. And then proceeded to complain about it for the entirety of their story as if it’s not the consequences of their own dumbass actions. If you do the clownery, it’s going to come back to bite.
There’s a lot going on all the time and yet it constantly feels like absolutely nothing at all is truly happening. It felt mind-numbing, I had to keep dropping the book. There were times when I questioned what the central idea of the novel actually was. I really do fail to see the purpose of this novel. And to add insult to injury, none of the characters were particularly likable.
There’s so much talk about these damn love letters and how they’re so sacred and intimate and personal. When I finally read one of them, I was like: “That’s it?” I’ve seen more depth in a kiddie pool. I think I could belch and produce something more heartfelt than that.
Constantly, with every single couple, every single generation, it was the same song and dance all over again. “I settled with someone I don’t love. I knowingly picked someone who doesn’t love me.” I’m supposed to feel sorry for you, Tabitha? I’m supposed to feel sorry for you, Isaac? Free? Novella? Get the fuck out of my face. Go cry about it in the corner and leave me alone, abeg. Why am I in it?
Like, you had four, five attempts to convince me of at least one love connection. Just one. And all of them were fucking terrible. It’s almost impressive.
Honestly, I should’ve DNF’d after that dumbass 22-year time jump because I immediately stopped caring after that. 3 years, 5 years, even 10. I would’ve forgiven. It’s 400-some-odd pages of constantly telling me you’ve loved and lost this person. Alright. I’ve heard you. Can you try /showing/ me now? Or is that too much?
August 2, 2025
3.75⭐️ there are some small spoilers ahead so read at your own risk!
I really wanted to love this book more than I did. I have a lot of thoughts on this book and I have a lot to say to back up my rating. I would actually love to have a discussion about this book because it definitely gave me a lot more food for thought than I was expecting!
- typically in historical fiction the author takes you back and forth between generations or timelines chapter to chapter. In this story, roughly the first half of the book is set in the past and the second half is in present day (2020). I think both timelines were great but I think they could have been woven together a little more seamlessly. After getting through the past chapters and switching over to the present, I felt taken out of the story so much and honestly that’s the only reason for my rating being what it is.
- reading the present day chapters really got me thinking and analyzing the point of this story. I was almost ALMOST lost with the whole generational curse thing that starts with Tirzah and Harrison.
Obviously while reading you see that in the beginning the separation and heartbreak stems from slavery, racism, and white supremacy. Alot of what Tirzah and her descendants dealt with was out of their control and the more I read the more I understood that even through multiple generations, the trauma and emotional damage was inevitable and deeply rooted. The story telling is very different than what i am used to but i think it was important. The story was pretty heavy in my opinion but also necessary. This story depicts the realities of familial and romantic relationships during this time period post slavery.
- ngl, (SPOILER!!!) I hate that Oliver basically abandoned Ardelia. I understand the pressures he was facing with work and the pandemic but for him to also use his knowledge (which we later find out of misunderstood and miscommunicated) of Tirzah and Harrison as a reason??? I didn’t like that. It almost felt like he was testing his relationship unnecessarily. But again… deeply rooted through generations.
I really wanted to love this book more than I did. I have a lot of thoughts on this book and I have a lot to say to back up my rating. I would actually love to have a discussion about this book because it definitely gave me a lot more food for thought than I was expecting!
- typically in historical fiction the author takes you back and forth between generations or timelines chapter to chapter. In this story, roughly the first half of the book is set in the past and the second half is in present day (2020). I think both timelines were great but I think they could have been woven together a little more seamlessly. After getting through the past chapters and switching over to the present, I felt taken out of the story so much and honestly that’s the only reason for my rating being what it is.
- reading the present day chapters really got me thinking and analyzing the point of this story. I was almost ALMOST lost with the whole generational curse thing that starts with Tirzah and Harrison.
Obviously while reading you see that in the beginning the separation and heartbreak stems from slavery, racism, and white supremacy. Alot of what Tirzah and her descendants dealt with was out of their control and the more I read the more I understood that even through multiple generations, the trauma and emotional damage was inevitable and deeply rooted. The story telling is very different than what i am used to but i think it was important. The story was pretty heavy in my opinion but also necessary. This story depicts the realities of familial and romantic relationships during this time period post slavery.
- ngl, (SPOILER!!!) I hate that Oliver basically abandoned Ardelia. I understand the pressures he was facing with work and the pandemic but for him to also use his knowledge (which we later find out of misunderstood and miscommunicated) of Tirzah and Harrison as a reason??? I didn’t like that. It almost felt like he was testing his relationship unnecessarily. But again… deeply rooted through generations.
January 14, 2026
This was such an incredible read! I really enjoyed the dual timelines and the ways that each chapter brought me closer to knowing how all of the characters were connected. The author really did a good job describing the settings (and there were alot). So much so, that I felt transported to Shreveport Louisiana, the Mississippi Delta, Kansas, Chicago, and Harlem. I finished this book wanting to dive deeper into my own ancestry and talking to the elders in my family. ❤️
June 30, 2025
This is such a well-written, multi-generational story. She nailed it with the Louisiana-Mississippi history. Also, the audiobook was well done. I’d give it more than 5 stars if I could.
November 8, 2025
I don't know where to start🥹 Wow! This book will stick with me for a long time.
March 12, 2026
4.5–wow..🥹 the storytelling was absolutely beautiful! I enjoyed the time jump from past to present and how the stories connected seamlessly.
July 26, 2025
SO GOOD! I could not put it down
May 22, 2025
after a major reading slump, I came across this book on a list of sorts and downloaded the sample. Next thing I know, I had purchased the book. IT IS MY FAVORITE BOOK OF 2025 thus far. I love a historical fiction, multigenerational family saga … I did NOT want this book to end, at all. I read soooooooooo slow as I got to the end because I knew it was coming to an end. I need someone to read this asap so we can talk about it!!!!
September 14, 2025
3.5
TL;DR - I was drawn in enough to make it through, but it was almost a DNF. Not my all-time favorite multi-generational book, but it definitely gave me strong feelings and opinions. Ultimately, the writing is compelling and that’s what kept me going.
Now settle in for the strong feelings and opinions (that nobody will care about, but I just need to get off my chest):
So you mean to tell me Harrison loved Tirzah SO much that he made his way back to the original plantation to find her after the Civil War (no small feat), finds out she’s gone, goes to requests an ad to find his lost love, is told “come back in 2 weeks to check the status”, yet he immediately goes to a brothel afterwards and hooks up with a sex worker, never returns in the two weeks to check up on his search request, and then proceeds to sleep with every woman in the community? Huh?
He never even went back to check about the ad in the two weeks. He did not know that Tabitha didn’t place the ad, so what would be the impetus for him not to go back in two weeks (or sooner) and check for her if he was so desperately seeking her? I may have bought into the story more if he had gone back to check before he started sexing everyone wearing a dress.
In the story, it was made out to be that he just lost hope and figured there would be no answer. But, I feel like he would have at least gone back, checked to see if there was a response, THEN if there was no response - that might’ve been the time where he said “well, I’m off to the brothel!”. But since he immediately decided to be community peen, I hated him and don’t believe he truly loved Tirzah.
Which brings me to Tabitha. So you mean to tell me, Tabitha experiences Reconstruction-style insta-love so powerful within one minute of meeting Harrison, that when he requests the ad she is overcome with the desire to permanently keep these people apart and not place the ad? Why?? She only knew him for about 60 seconds! She then proceeds to find out that he is the community peen and marries him? There was zero character development for her. I’m not saying that women like her don’t exist. I’m just saying that since she had no character development, her “falling in love“ with Harrison didn’t make sense to me.
Those two (Tabitha and Harrison) put me off so badly in the beginning that it was close to becoming a DNF twice - but I pushed through because folks said keep going and I usually love a good multi-generational story.
I have thoughts about other characters too, but I’ve already gone on WAY too long. I will just share one more observation.
COVID - I’ve seen some reviews where people say they were not ready for COVID to show up in this novel, but that didn’t bother me. What bothered me was how uninspired and boring Ardelia and Oliver were. I didn’t care if they stayed together or broke up.
TL;DR - I was drawn in enough to make it through, but it was almost a DNF. Not my all-time favorite multi-generational book, but it definitely gave me strong feelings and opinions. Ultimately, the writing is compelling and that’s what kept me going.
Now settle in for the strong feelings and opinions (that nobody will care about, but I just need to get off my chest):
So you mean to tell me Harrison loved Tirzah SO much that he made his way back to the original plantation to find her after the Civil War (no small feat), finds out she’s gone, goes to requests an ad to find his lost love, is told “come back in 2 weeks to check the status”, yet he immediately goes to a brothel afterwards and hooks up with a sex worker, never returns in the two weeks to check up on his search request, and then proceeds to sleep with every woman in the community? Huh?
He never even went back to check about the ad in the two weeks. He did not know that Tabitha didn’t place the ad, so what would be the impetus for him not to go back in two weeks (or sooner) and check for her if he was so desperately seeking her? I may have bought into the story more if he had gone back to check before he started sexing everyone wearing a dress.
In the story, it was made out to be that he just lost hope and figured there would be no answer. But, I feel like he would have at least gone back, checked to see if there was a response, THEN if there was no response - that might’ve been the time where he said “well, I’m off to the brothel!”. But since he immediately decided to be community peen, I hated him and don’t believe he truly loved Tirzah.
Which brings me to Tabitha. So you mean to tell me, Tabitha experiences Reconstruction-style insta-love so powerful within one minute of meeting Harrison, that when he requests the ad she is overcome with the desire to permanently keep these people apart and not place the ad? Why?? She only knew him for about 60 seconds! She then proceeds to find out that he is the community peen and marries him? There was zero character development for her. I’m not saying that women like her don’t exist. I’m just saying that since she had no character development, her “falling in love“ with Harrison didn’t make sense to me.
Those two (Tabitha and Harrison) put me off so badly in the beginning that it was close to becoming a DNF twice - but I pushed through because folks said keep going and I usually love a good multi-generational story.
I have thoughts about other characters too, but I’ve already gone on WAY too long. I will just share one more observation.
COVID - I’ve seen some reviews where people say they were not ready for COVID to show up in this novel, but that didn’t bother me. What bothered me was how uninspired and boring Ardelia and Oliver were. I didn’t care if they stayed together or broke up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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