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Who's Lovin You?
It's Christmas 1976 when A'Lelia Cesaire and the Black community are kicked out of the "upscale" Murray Hill Hotel on New York City's East Side. Without a venue, one of the biggest events of Black New York- the Annual Christmas Children's Presents - faces extinction. Created to celebrate the end of the Civil War, it's been a pillar of Christmas for more than a century.
But even worse, the fallout reopens the coffins of Al's celebrated ancestors. Lies long buried and laid to rest will force the young historian to a harrowing choice. One that guarantees devastation now, or later. Either way, the consequences will long outlive her.
While Al works to revive Christmas, and protect her family, she meets an astute Memphis transplant.
Emeric MacPherson doesn't care about Al's money. Or her illustrious family name. This Christmas, he only wants one gift. Yet, after a mortifying revelation, is it a blessing or a curse?
This Christmas, brew yourself a hot cup of love and treachery. This is the first installment of another sprawling Lula White saga.
But even worse, the fallout reopens the coffins of Al's celebrated ancestors. Lies long buried and laid to rest will force the young historian to a harrowing choice. One that guarantees devastation now, or later. Either way, the consequences will long outlive her.
While Al works to revive Christmas, and protect her family, she meets an astute Memphis transplant.
Emeric MacPherson doesn't care about Al's money. Or her illustrious family name. This Christmas, he only wants one gift. Yet, after a mortifying revelation, is it a blessing or a curse?
This Christmas, brew yourself a hot cup of love and treachery. This is the first installment of another sprawling Lula White saga.
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Published February 1, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 22, 2025
I absolutely loved this book!!
Only thing missing for me was a playlist! I appreciated how this story developed. Learning about each of their families how they were connected. It made me appreciate their love story even more. Yes, it’s a slow burn but it’s necessary and absolutely beautiful.
Only thing missing for me was a playlist! I appreciated how this story developed. Learning about each of their families how they were connected. It made me appreciate their love story even more. Yes, it’s a slow burn but it’s necessary and absolutely beautiful.
February 15, 2025
A lush historical romance based in 1970's New York City. I see why Lula revamped this from a quick short to a full length novel-- and a series at that, because there is so much to share. I love a romance that teaches.
"Who's Lovin' You?" delivers a rich story between A'Lelia, a passionate historian from an elite Black family, and Emeric, a young doctor hoping to gain more experience in New York. The connection between them is immediate and electric-the chemistry jumps off the page from their first meeting, and I loved watching their relationship grow as they worked together to put on a historic Christmas event while dealing with family drama.
The romantic scenes between Al and Emeric are well-written and quite steamy (I'd suggest having a cool beverage nearby, you may become parched). What makes their relationship work is how they support each other (Al making sure Em has clean scrubs and a meal between long shifts, Emeric working with Al to put on The Presents amid a lot of pushback) while navigating life as Black professionals in 1970s America.
I do have to say...I'm not sure they said "copacetic" quiet as often as they did in this novel...but it made me giggle when I read it.
The historical mystery about Al's ancestors was a bit murky for me and I am not sure I follow, even after finishing the novel, but the effect on Al, Emeric and the potential fallout is clear. The author clearly did her homework. The bibliography is impressive. I'm interested in whatever author talks Lula is giving on this book to fully understand the history and connection between Emeric's family and the Cesaire's.
Speaking of the bibliography, the research in grounding this novel in the time period is top notch. White references the dawn of Hip Hop with DJ Kool Herc and Afrika Bambaataa, restaurants like Sylvia's (I ate there once!!!) and supper clubs. As well, she highlights the racism that Black doctors faced in the 70s (this was heartbreaking, as Emeric expected northern hospitals to be more progressive and the racism tended to be more subtle than down south) and I can only imagine how complex social circles were in the uppercrust Black community at that time. I especially enjoyed the dichotomy of having The Presents program in what was considered a "ghetto" church and everyone being all up in arms about it. LOL! Absolutely scandalized that their prestigious event might be held in a Harlem church.
As someone who has LOVED Lula White's work, I salivated over this one. Even though the family history gets deep, the love story between Al and Emeric stays front and center. Their journey feels genuine and touching.
Can't wait for the next book, coming in May 2025. White knows how to blend history with a great love story and this novel feels like a step up from her previous series.
"Who's Lovin' You?" delivers a rich story between A'Lelia, a passionate historian from an elite Black family, and Emeric, a young doctor hoping to gain more experience in New York. The connection between them is immediate and electric-the chemistry jumps off the page from their first meeting, and I loved watching their relationship grow as they worked together to put on a historic Christmas event while dealing with family drama.
The romantic scenes between Al and Emeric are well-written and quite steamy (I'd suggest having a cool beverage nearby, you may become parched). What makes their relationship work is how they support each other (Al making sure Em has clean scrubs and a meal between long shifts, Emeric working with Al to put on The Presents amid a lot of pushback) while navigating life as Black professionals in 1970s America.
I do have to say...I'm not sure they said "copacetic" quiet as often as they did in this novel...but it made me giggle when I read it.
The historical mystery about Al's ancestors was a bit murky for me and I am not sure I follow, even after finishing the novel, but the effect on Al, Emeric and the potential fallout is clear. The author clearly did her homework. The bibliography is impressive. I'm interested in whatever author talks Lula is giving on this book to fully understand the history and connection between Emeric's family and the Cesaire's.
Speaking of the bibliography, the research in grounding this novel in the time period is top notch. White references the dawn of Hip Hop with DJ Kool Herc and Afrika Bambaataa, restaurants like Sylvia's (I ate there once!!!) and supper clubs. As well, she highlights the racism that Black doctors faced in the 70s (this was heartbreaking, as Emeric expected northern hospitals to be more progressive and the racism tended to be more subtle than down south) and I can only imagine how complex social circles were in the uppercrust Black community at that time. I especially enjoyed the dichotomy of having The Presents program in what was considered a "ghetto" church and everyone being all up in arms about it. LOL! Absolutely scandalized that their prestigious event might be held in a Harlem church.
As someone who has LOVED Lula White's work, I salivated over this one. Even though the family history gets deep, the love story between Al and Emeric stays front and center. Their journey feels genuine and touching.
Can't wait for the next book, coming in May 2025. White knows how to blend history with a great love story and this novel feels like a step up from her previous series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 17, 2025
Who’s Lovin You is a cozy, nostalgic slow-burn set against the backdrop of Christmas 1976 , and it completely transported me. Lula White blends romance, history, family legacy, and community into a story that feels warm, intimate, and deeply rooted in Black culture and tradition.
A’Lelia (Al) Cesaire is such an easy heroine to root for. Despite the heavy expectations attached to her family name, and the resentment some people have toward it, she comes across as a genuinely good person trying to honor her history while still figuring out who she is. Watching her grapple with family secrets, community pressure, and her own vulnerability added such richness to her character.
And then there’s Dr. Emeric MacPherson. (What a man, what a man, what a mighty good man!) Such an absolute gem of a hero. His southern charm and gentlemanly presence brought so much softness and joy to the story. He’s sharp, funny, kind, a smooth dresser, and the type of man who moves with intention. His energy grounded the book in the best way, and the chemistry between him and Al was undeniable. Even though their relationship unfolds quickly within the story’s timeline, it still felt like a slow burn—the tension simmered for so long before finally breaking open into a beautiful, tender love story.
One of my favorite elements was the setting. The late ’70s details: the 8-tracks, the afro picks, the slang, took me back to memories from my early childhood. The atmosphere is vivid and nostalgic, and the holiday backdrop adds an extra layer of warmth. Lula White’s writing is clear and engaging, and she weaves in legacy, community traditions, and long-buried family truths in a way that feels so meaningful.
The pacing is mostly solid, though the ending did feel a little drawn out. Still, the themes of family, legacy, community, secrets, romance, and the magic of NYC at Christmastime, all come together to create a story that’s bigger than a love story. It’s about history and healing, connection and courage, and finding your place in the lineage that raised you.
If you want a cozy, nostalgic, tender holiday love story with a little dose of family drama, this book is for you!
Thank you Lula White for an e-ARC of Who’s Lovin You.
A’Lelia (Al) Cesaire is such an easy heroine to root for. Despite the heavy expectations attached to her family name, and the resentment some people have toward it, she comes across as a genuinely good person trying to honor her history while still figuring out who she is. Watching her grapple with family secrets, community pressure, and her own vulnerability added such richness to her character.
And then there’s Dr. Emeric MacPherson. (What a man, what a man, what a mighty good man!) Such an absolute gem of a hero. His southern charm and gentlemanly presence brought so much softness and joy to the story. He’s sharp, funny, kind, a smooth dresser, and the type of man who moves with intention. His energy grounded the book in the best way, and the chemistry between him and Al was undeniable. Even though their relationship unfolds quickly within the story’s timeline, it still felt like a slow burn—the tension simmered for so long before finally breaking open into a beautiful, tender love story.
One of my favorite elements was the setting. The late ’70s details: the 8-tracks, the afro picks, the slang, took me back to memories from my early childhood. The atmosphere is vivid and nostalgic, and the holiday backdrop adds an extra layer of warmth. Lula White’s writing is clear and engaging, and she weaves in legacy, community traditions, and long-buried family truths in a way that feels so meaningful.
The pacing is mostly solid, though the ending did feel a little drawn out. Still, the themes of family, legacy, community, secrets, romance, and the magic of NYC at Christmastime, all come together to create a story that’s bigger than a love story. It’s about history and healing, connection and courage, and finding your place in the lineage that raised you.
If you want a cozy, nostalgic, tender holiday love story with a little dose of family drama, this book is for you!
Thank you Lula White for an e-ARC of Who’s Lovin You.
April 8, 2025
“𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐨’𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮.”
This was such a pleasant read. I believe it does fall into the historical fiction/romance category as it’s a love story set in 1970s New York City with an interlaced background story about family history that dates all the way back to the 18th century. It sounds pretty historic to me, which is one of the reasons why I wanted to read this one.
I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Emeric and A’Lelia. Emeric was a sweet southern gentleman trying to adapt to life in the big city, while A’Lelia was a focused young lady with little to no fear outside of disappointing the people closest to her. I don’t think love was on the agenda for either character as they both had separate life adjustments they were handling that were far more important than dating. Yet they didn’t try to fight against the obvious and soon found themselves falling for one other. This pairing was some good old fashioned courting and it gave me all of the romantic feels that I’ve been missing.
Aside from the romance, there was another layer to this story that involved family history and secrets that I also enjoyed following. It touched on some elements of history that I’m familiar with but haven’t seen too much of in other historical fiction books which was nice because learning new points of history is one of my favorite things when it comes to exploring this genre.
All in all, I thought the author did a great job of meshing the different storylines together so that they flowed as one, creating a well balanced read. I do look forward to checking out the rest of the series!
This was such a pleasant read. I believe it does fall into the historical fiction/romance category as it’s a love story set in 1970s New York City with an interlaced background story about family history that dates all the way back to the 18th century. It sounds pretty historic to me, which is one of the reasons why I wanted to read this one.
I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Emeric and A’Lelia. Emeric was a sweet southern gentleman trying to adapt to life in the big city, while A’Lelia was a focused young lady with little to no fear outside of disappointing the people closest to her. I don’t think love was on the agenda for either character as they both had separate life adjustments they were handling that were far more important than dating. Yet they didn’t try to fight against the obvious and soon found themselves falling for one other. This pairing was some good old fashioned courting and it gave me all of the romantic feels that I’ve been missing.
Aside from the romance, there was another layer to this story that involved family history and secrets that I also enjoyed following. It touched on some elements of history that I’m familiar with but haven’t seen too much of in other historical fiction books which was nice because learning new points of history is one of my favorite things when it comes to exploring this genre.
All in all, I thought the author did a great job of meshing the different storylines together so that they flowed as one, creating a well balanced read. I do look forward to checking out the rest of the series!
November 18, 2025
I love this book. It had a great balance of history and entertainment as well as just the right dose of spice. Lula White always delivers a great love story. I can't wait to see what's next.
September 17, 2025
Absolutely luscious read. Who's Lovin You is set in the 1970s, and it drips with the atmosphere of the time. From the slang to the contemporary musicians to the architecture, this book doesn't feel researched so much as lived, like you could walk right into it. A'Lelia is from a wealthy, high-class family. In charge of re-locating her high society Christmas event, she lands on a gorgeous historic church in Harlem, but the parisioners hold a grudge after being ostracized from this event for years. Emeric, an up-and-coming surgeon, volunteers at a clinic run by the church, and steps in to mediate. The two become friends and allies and more as they work to win over the hearts and minds of critics in every corner. Along the way, Al begins to unravel another secret, one that goes deep into who she is. The way this all plays out at the end is dramatic and surprising. The writing is tight and powerful, and the romance builds beautifully between two strong characters who respect each other and show up for one another. A+.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews