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The Light Always Breaks
As 1947 opens, Eva Cardon is the twenty-four-year-old owner of Washington, D.C.’s, most famous Black-owned restaurant. When her path crosses with Courtland, a handsome white senator from Georgia, both find themselves drawn to one another—but the danger of a relationship between a Black woman and a white man from the South could destroy them and everything they’ve worked for. Few women own upscale restaurants in civil rights era Washington, D.C. Fewer still are twenty-four, Black, and wildly successful. But Eva Cardon is unwilling to serve only the wealthiest movers and shakers, and she plans to open a diner that offers Southern comfort to the working class. A war hero and one of Georgia’s native sons, Courtland Hardiman Kingsley IV is a junior senator with great ambitions for his time in D.C. But while his father is determined to see Courtland on a path to the White House, the young senator wants to use his office to make a difference in people’s lives, regardless of political consequences. When equal-rights activism throws Eva and Courtland into each other’s paths, they can’t fight the attraction they feel, no matter how much it complicates their dreams. For Eva, falling in love with a white Southerner is all but unforgivable—and undesirable. Her mother and grandmother fell in love with white men, and their families paid the price. Courtland is already under pressure for his liberal ideals, and his family has a line of smiling debutantes waiting for him on every visit. If his father found out about Eva, he’s not sure he’d be welcome home again. Surrounded by the disapproval of their families and the scorn of the public, Eva and Courtland must decide if the values they hold most dear—including love—are worth the loss of their dreams . . . and everything else. The author of When Stars Rain Down returns with a historical love story about all that has—and has not—changed in the United States
384 pages, Paperback
Published July 5, 2022
60 people are currently reading
5128 people want to read
About the author
Angela Jackson-Brown
9 books486 followersAngela Jackson-Brown is an award-winning writer, poet and playwright who teaches Creative Writing at Indiana University in Bloomington. She also teaches in the Naslund-Mann School of Writing at Spalding University in Louisville, KY. She is a graduate of Troy University, Auburn University and the Spalding Naslund-Mann low-residency MFA program in Creative Writing. She is the author of several novels, including the soon-to-be released, Homeward, and has published in numerous literary journals. Her publisher is Harper Muse, an imprint of HarperCollins.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
April 26, 2022
“The light will always break, Eva. You just have to give it time, and then, any sadness left over from the previous day will fade away.”
Where many would walk the fine line of neutrality, Eva Cardon puts everything she’s worked hard for on the line when she supports the civil rights movement. For her, there’s no question of ‘if’ but ‘when’ as she’s been learning about segregation from time spent on her grandmother’s knee. The nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., was a glaring contradiction of Jim Crow laws and its citizens claimed that ‘separate is not equal’. The Negro leaders have been working to end the laws and Eva wants to show her support. When she offers up her restaurant to host meetings, it becomes the focus of racist attacks. Eva’s commitment is put to the test just as she’s struggling personally regarding her friendship with the southern Democrat Senator, Cortland Hardiman Kingsley IV.
The author has dedicated time to explaining the African American civil rights movement so that even ‘green’ readers understand Eva’s actions and reactions. She’s also meticulously crafted her characters, gifting them with tremendous tension and grit. Readers are always aware that the characters are struggling; with family, with friends, with the negro community, with those in politics and with the white majority. The author uses this tension well to help readers see who the characters really are underneath their façade. I loved Eva. She was a force to be reckoned with - a female negro owner of a popular restaurant. I love that she relied on what she was taught as a child and that she had the strength to stand for what’s right. The most insightful part of the book was when she was reminded that having power and being powerful are two different things!
Despite a few pacing problems, this was an enlightening historical fiction book about trust, familial and cultural bonds, and doing what’s right in a world that is rapidly changing. The book centers around the fight for civil rights.
I was gifted this advance copy by Angela Jackson-Brown, Harper Muse, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Where many would walk the fine line of neutrality, Eva Cardon puts everything she’s worked hard for on the line when she supports the civil rights movement. For her, there’s no question of ‘if’ but ‘when’ as she’s been learning about segregation from time spent on her grandmother’s knee. The nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., was a glaring contradiction of Jim Crow laws and its citizens claimed that ‘separate is not equal’. The Negro leaders have been working to end the laws and Eva wants to show her support. When she offers up her restaurant to host meetings, it becomes the focus of racist attacks. Eva’s commitment is put to the test just as she’s struggling personally regarding her friendship with the southern Democrat Senator, Cortland Hardiman Kingsley IV.
The author has dedicated time to explaining the African American civil rights movement so that even ‘green’ readers understand Eva’s actions and reactions. She’s also meticulously crafted her characters, gifting them with tremendous tension and grit. Readers are always aware that the characters are struggling; with family, with friends, with the negro community, with those in politics and with the white majority. The author uses this tension well to help readers see who the characters really are underneath their façade. I loved Eva. She was a force to be reckoned with - a female negro owner of a popular restaurant. I love that she relied on what she was taught as a child and that she had the strength to stand for what’s right. The most insightful part of the book was when she was reminded that having power and being powerful are two different things!
Despite a few pacing problems, this was an enlightening historical fiction book about trust, familial and cultural bonds, and doing what’s right in a world that is rapidly changing. The book centers around the fight for civil rights.
I was gifted this advance copy by Angela Jackson-Brown, Harper Muse, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
June 6, 2022
Unfortunately, I found this book to be quite repetitive and could not connect to the characters. The story was there but it was poorly executed in my opinion.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse.
July 8, 2022
This was a good book, but it could have been a great book. It highlights a time and place that may not be familiar to a lot of contemporary readers: Washington, DC and Georgia in the years immediately after World War Two, specifically, 1948. This was a time when segregation was the law and Negroes (as they would have termed it at the time) did not have equal rights, to put it lightly. The author makes the point repeatedly, assuming that it had to be driven home over and over again, which I think was a mistake. (Example: she had characters detail the riots of 1919 at least two times.) It was more effective when she showed the daily indignities and outright racism faced by Negroes.
Nevertheless, the story was an interesting one, featuring a young Negro businesswoman, Eva, who owns her own high-end restaurant in DC, based on her family’s New Orleans cuisine. She mixes with a lot of the upper crust of Negro society in her restaurant and in her civil rights activism. The author includes a good number of real people in the story, most especially Representative Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., his wife Hazel Scott, and Mary McLeod Bethune. She also name-drops a lot of others, including Count Basie, Paul Robeson, and John F. Kennedy.
The story is kind of a Romeo-and-Juliet theme, featuring Eva and a young white Senator from Georgia, Courtland, whose attraction is a sort of insta-love. Their relationship is deemed an impossible one in that time and place. Courtland wants to support the civil rights movement but is afraid of losing his Senate seat if he goes too far (people were accusing President Truman of moving too far, too fast in the same regard.) I enjoyed a kind of inside look at how the civil rights movement in the 1940s worked and the internal conflict of “should we move faster or be patient” among its movers and shakers. The police force in DC does not come out well in this story.
Unfortunately I was disappointed in the ending. It felt like a kind of cop out, with nothing really being resolved in terms of Eva and Courtland. I can’t say more without it being a spoiler.
While I received the eARC from NetGalley, I wound up bouncing between reading and listening to the published audiobook. The narrators, Joniece Abbot–Pratt and Neill Thorne, were terrific. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Nevertheless, the story was an interesting one, featuring a young Negro businesswoman, Eva, who owns her own high-end restaurant in DC, based on her family’s New Orleans cuisine. She mixes with a lot of the upper crust of Negro society in her restaurant and in her civil rights activism. The author includes a good number of real people in the story, most especially Representative Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., his wife Hazel Scott, and Mary McLeod Bethune. She also name-drops a lot of others, including Count Basie, Paul Robeson, and John F. Kennedy.
The story is kind of a Romeo-and-Juliet theme, featuring Eva and a young white Senator from Georgia, Courtland, whose attraction is a sort of insta-love. Their relationship is deemed an impossible one in that time and place. Courtland wants to support the civil rights movement but is afraid of losing his Senate seat if he goes too far (people were accusing President Truman of moving too far, too fast in the same regard.) I enjoyed a kind of inside look at how the civil rights movement in the 1940s worked and the internal conflict of “should we move faster or be patient” among its movers and shakers. The police force in DC does not come out well in this story.
Unfortunately I was disappointed in the ending. It felt like a kind of cop out, with nothing really being resolved in terms of Eva and Courtland. I can’t say more without it being a spoiler.
While I received the eARC from NetGalley, I wound up bouncing between reading and listening to the published audiobook. The narrators, Joniece Abbot–Pratt and Neill Thorne, were terrific. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
February 24, 2022
From the first moments we meet Eva Cardon, it's easy to fall in love with her. Her intelligence, compassion, motivation and generosity make it clear why everyone in her sphere seems to regard her so highly. Inspired by the glamour of her legendary hostess mother and her nurturing, wise grandmother, Eva has created a thriving restaurant business with plans to expand. Some would bask in that success and hesitate to do anything to risk it, but Eva is determined to do anything she can to support the civil rights movement regardless of potential harm that may come to her. Her thoughtfulness is evident in her choices to use her flourishing business for good by donating leftover food and by creating opportunities for other black businesspeople in her community ranging from interior designers and artists to restaurant staff.
Through this story we are transported back to the Jim-Crow era, and Angela Jackson-Brown brings this time into devastating focus by including myriad small details that go far beyond the basics of what most people already know. These details help to flesh out the entire setting, also helping us to understand the intricacies of the difficulties our protagonists face.
The author does an exceptional job in this book of introducing the characters to us in a way that helps us to truly understand them. We get to see the people they want to be and how they present themselves to the outer world, but we also get to peek behind the curtains into their true hidden feelings and thoughts. We encounter the cores of their beings and are able to then relate to how deeply they are affected by the things happening beyond their control.
Through the encounters between Eva and Courtland, Jackson-Brown captures the power of attraction and that undefinable quality which motivates humans beyond reason and judgement. This is truly a beautiful book that is equal parts romance, history and substance.
Highly, highly recommend!
*Spoilers*
I really appreciated that Jackson-Brown didn't try to tie Eva and Courtland's relationship up into a pretty little bow and have everything somehow magically work out. She instead takes us through what many of us have experienced, which is horrific loss, and shows us Eva's strength by how she moves through it. Our already remarkable heroine has more to her still, and in the end the light truly does break through.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Through this story we are transported back to the Jim-Crow era, and Angela Jackson-Brown brings this time into devastating focus by including myriad small details that go far beyond the basics of what most people already know. These details help to flesh out the entire setting, also helping us to understand the intricacies of the difficulties our protagonists face.
The author does an exceptional job in this book of introducing the characters to us in a way that helps us to truly understand them. We get to see the people they want to be and how they present themselves to the outer world, but we also get to peek behind the curtains into their true hidden feelings and thoughts. We encounter the cores of their beings and are able to then relate to how deeply they are affected by the things happening beyond their control.
Through the encounters between Eva and Courtland, Jackson-Brown captures the power of attraction and that undefinable quality which motivates humans beyond reason and judgement. This is truly a beautiful book that is equal parts romance, history and substance.
Highly, highly recommend!
*Spoilers*
I really appreciated that Jackson-Brown didn't try to tie Eva and Courtland's relationship up into a pretty little bow and have everything somehow magically work out. She instead takes us through what many of us have experienced, which is horrific loss, and shows us Eva's strength by how she moves through it. Our already remarkable heroine has more to her still, and in the end the light truly does break through.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
October 30, 2022
Eva Cardon is one of the most powerful characters that I've read I love her strength, and her boldness, she was beautiful and she was the owner of the most famous Restaurants here in Washington, but people around her especially white folks didn't want her, or "her people" as they use to call Eva's family and friends, the klan was behind these atrocities and terrible events that were happening in the plain election.
Courtland Kingsley IV a senator from Georgia was rooting for Miss Eva and her business, her family, and her friend but, he wasn't always welcome, his skin didn't help that they were afraid of anything he could bring to their business and family, and that's exactly what happened someone didn't like Eva's friendship with Courtland, bringing so much pain and chaos to their homes.
This was my second book by Angela Jackson and I really love her style, and her writing, she always makes your feelings go on a roller coaster, especially with the main characters, and also she always includes so many of the secondary characters like Eva is the heroine but all the others are as equal as important as to her and bring so much to the story and without all of them the story wouldn't be possible.
I always cry and laugh and feel joyful with Angela's books but I have to say I always cry because it never happens what I want it to at the end, haha, especially the love part is like the main characters always end up alone and sad.
Very happy that I had the opportunity to read this book
It was a good story, I love how evolved so organically and made us feel all the feels and emotions with everything Eva was experiencing no matter what.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the advanced copy of The Light Always Breaks in exchange for an honest review.
Courtland Kingsley IV a senator from Georgia was rooting for Miss Eva and her business, her family, and her friend but, he wasn't always welcome, his skin didn't help that they were afraid of anything he could bring to their business and family, and that's exactly what happened someone didn't like Eva's friendship with Courtland, bringing so much pain and chaos to their homes.
This was my second book by Angela Jackson and I really love her style, and her writing, she always makes your feelings go on a roller coaster, especially with the main characters, and also she always includes so many of the secondary characters like Eva is the heroine but all the others are as equal as important as to her and bring so much to the story and without all of them the story wouldn't be possible.
I always cry and laugh and feel joyful with Angela's books but I have to say I always cry because it never happens what I want it to at the end, haha, especially the love part is like the main characters always end up alone and sad.
Very happy that I had the opportunity to read this book
It was a good story, I love how evolved so organically and made us feel all the feels and emotions with everything Eva was experiencing no matter what.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the advanced copy of The Light Always Breaks in exchange for an honest review.
September 5, 2022
This book highlights a time of racial segregation in post WW2 Washington DC, with a strong female protagonist, true-life historical information and an underlying love story. I felt the characters were well developed, even the minor characters. Good insights into those times, from 2 particular points of view.
August 8, 2022
The Light Always Breaks opens just as the new year begins in Washington DC. Eva Cardon, the owner of one of the city’s best restaurants, is organizing a party to welcome the new year, and even though the restaurant is filled with celebrities and activists, it’s a young Senator from Georgia who catches her eye. It’s pretty obvious that the senator, named Courtland, is smitten with Eva and wanted to get to know her the moment he first saw her. The only problem? Eva is Black, Courtland is white, and it’s the cusp of 1947, when segregation was still in full swing.
The premise of this book immediately caught my attention but unfortunately, the further I got, the more disappointed I was. The writing lacked the depth and intensity that I was hoping for, but what annoyed me the most was how perfect Eva was. I love strong female characters but she simply could not do anything wrong, everyone loved her, and overall she felt very much like a Mary Sue. While some of the things that happened in the book had a bit of a Lifetime movie quality to them, I felt compelled to read until the end, because I was really curious about how everything was going to be resolved. I appreciated the background of this novel - the Civil Rights movement and the fight for racial justice - and the message it conveyed, but the relationship between Eva and Courtland was too insta-lovey for me, and I kept wishing the characters were better developed.
TLDR: The Light Always Breaks is a novel with a fantastic premise, but the execution fell flat. The historical aspect was fascinating but sadly, the romance did not sweep me off my feet.
The premise of this book immediately caught my attention but unfortunately, the further I got, the more disappointed I was. The writing lacked the depth and intensity that I was hoping for, but what annoyed me the most was how perfect Eva was. I love strong female characters but she simply could not do anything wrong, everyone loved her, and overall she felt very much like a Mary Sue. While some of the things that happened in the book had a bit of a Lifetime movie quality to them, I felt compelled to read until the end, because I was really curious about how everything was going to be resolved. I appreciated the background of this novel - the Civil Rights movement and the fight for racial justice - and the message it conveyed, but the relationship between Eva and Courtland was too insta-lovey for me, and I kept wishing the characters were better developed.
TLDR: The Light Always Breaks is a novel with a fantastic premise, but the execution fell flat. The historical aspect was fascinating but sadly, the romance did not sweep me off my feet.
August 18, 2022
Washington DC, 1947.
Eva Cardon owns an upscale restaurant that caters to notable politicians, entertainers and civil rights activists. She is proud of her heritage, business capabilities and independence. Eva is not looking for love, especially not with Courtland Kingsley, a white senator from Georgia. Eva is fully aware of the consequences of an inter-racial relationship after witnessing the price paid by her mother and grandmother who feel in love with white men. How does she guard her heart from the love she and Courtland share?
While I appreciated the historical significance of the story it felt a bit sugar coated in it's authenticity.
Eva Cardon owns an upscale restaurant that caters to notable politicians, entertainers and civil rights activists. She is proud of her heritage, business capabilities and independence. Eva is not looking for love, especially not with Courtland Kingsley, a white senator from Georgia. Eva is fully aware of the consequences of an inter-racial relationship after witnessing the price paid by her mother and grandmother who feel in love with white men. How does she guard her heart from the love she and Courtland share?
While I appreciated the historical significance of the story it felt a bit sugar coated in it's authenticity.
August 3, 2022
Gosh, I love Angela’s writing. She writes such dimensional characters, I often feel like I am right there in the room with them. Although this story takes place in Jim Crow era Washington DC, I found there were quite a few parallels that could be drawn to issues we are currently facing. Without giving anything away there is racial injustice, politics, love, loss and at the very heart of it all humanity.
Eva is our main character and who the novel is based around. She is a young, successful African American women who is carving her way in the world. She owns and operates an upscale restaurant in Washington DC and is doing her part to challenge segregation laws in place at that time. During a chance encounter at one of her parties, Eva meets and begins to fall for Courtland; a rich, white senator from Georgia who is progressive but his family and the party he represents are not. As the story unravels, her restaurant and relationship with Courtland are both challenged and her life is out at risk. Eva must decide what path to take and how it will effect not only her future, but also those she loves and the things she is fighting for.
Many thanks to Angela Jackson-Brown, Harper Muse, and Goodreads for a digital copy of this book. I read and reviewed this voluntarily and opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own. This book is available for purchase as of July 5th, 2022
Eva is our main character and who the novel is based around. She is a young, successful African American women who is carving her way in the world. She owns and operates an upscale restaurant in Washington DC and is doing her part to challenge segregation laws in place at that time. During a chance encounter at one of her parties, Eva meets and begins to fall for Courtland; a rich, white senator from Georgia who is progressive but his family and the party he represents are not. As the story unravels, her restaurant and relationship with Courtland are both challenged and her life is out at risk. Eva must decide what path to take and how it will effect not only her future, but also those she loves and the things she is fighting for.
Many thanks to Angela Jackson-Brown, Harper Muse, and Goodreads for a digital copy of this book. I read and reviewed this voluntarily and opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own. This book is available for purchase as of July 5th, 2022
November 23, 2022
This tale of a Black businesswoman and a White Southern senator (but who gave me very JFK vives) required me to suspend my disbelief a few times, although perhaps it shouldn't have. The romance between Eva and Courtland was sweet and kind - I particularly liked how he wanted to be supportive of her career and ambitions - but I was disappointed this couple was cheated of the ending they deserved. Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot, but I do think some additional editing could have been helpful - Courtland's military service seems to have occurred both in Guadalcanal and Nazi Europe, making me very interested in how that came about, but if there was an explanation, I missed it.
June 1, 2022
Kristina says: It’s New Year’s Eve, 1947, and Eva Cardon is throwing an integrated party at her D.C. restaurant, Chez Geneviève, serving traditional Cajun and French Cuisine inspired by her Black Creole grandmother’s recipes.
Eva is daring to challenge Jim Crow segregation laws by hosting events where white and black celebrities and politicians mingle, making her family nervous for her safety. Georgia Senator Courtland Hardiman Kingsley IV may look like a typical white Southern Democrat but his personal feelings on race relations are more progressive than his party will allow, as are his feelings for Eva. They cannot deny the magnetic pull they feel, putting both their careers at risk, but when her restaurant becomes the focal point for racist attacks, Eva and Courtland must confront whether their desire for each other is greater than their desire to change their world.
Award-winning author Jackson-Brown’s latest historical fiction novel, following "When Stars Rain Down" (2021), skillfully tackles romance, religion, and race relations, and readers who enjoyed "The Personal Librarian," "The Vanishing Half," and "Black Bottom Saints" will want to take a look at this. Three and a half stars.
Eva is daring to challenge Jim Crow segregation laws by hosting events where white and black celebrities and politicians mingle, making her family nervous for her safety. Georgia Senator Courtland Hardiman Kingsley IV may look like a typical white Southern Democrat but his personal feelings on race relations are more progressive than his party will allow, as are his feelings for Eva. They cannot deny the magnetic pull they feel, putting both their careers at risk, but when her restaurant becomes the focal point for racist attacks, Eva and Courtland must confront whether their desire for each other is greater than their desire to change their world.
Award-winning author Jackson-Brown’s latest historical fiction novel, following "When Stars Rain Down" (2021), skillfully tackles romance, religion, and race relations, and readers who enjoyed "The Personal Librarian," "The Vanishing Half," and "Black Bottom Saints" will want to take a look at this. Three and a half stars.
July 13, 2022
I found this book to be very slow and the writing very simplistic. The pacing seemed to operate on one level throughout and to me, lacked emotion and heart. Did not keep my interest and I found myself skim reading some pages. 2.5 stars.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 7, 2023
this was boring af and the language of the writing was like a middle school book. i think the concept was cool and it highlights a cool point in history but it was executed poorly.
November 26, 2022
I began this story eager to learn more about some of the people in Washington, D.C., who were involved in the Civil Rights movement. I got that, but I also got a story about a fascinating woman and restauranteur, Eva Cardon, and the white Senator she becomes involved with, despite the extreme danger to herself.
I enjoyed this story till the meeting between Eva and Courtland, when he kisses her without permission. I never warmed to Courtland after, and he was enough of an annoyance that I had to put the book aside for several weeks before returning to finish it. Much as I loved Eva, and liked learning more about people working to progress civil rights at the time in D.C., my enjoyment of the book was compromised by Courtland.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Harper Muse for this ARC in exchange for my review.
I enjoyed this story till the meeting between Eva and Courtland, when he kisses her without permission. I never warmed to Courtland after, and he was enough of an annoyance that I had to put the book aside for several weeks before returning to finish it. Much as I loved Eva, and liked learning more about people working to progress civil rights at the time in D.C., my enjoyment of the book was compromised by Courtland.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Harper Muse for this ARC in exchange for my review.
March 1, 2023
Picked up The Light Always Breaks after really enjoying the author's previous book, When Stars Rain Down. This one wasn't quite up there with her other book, but it was an interesting look at 1940s Washington, DC. I definitely learned a lot about the segregation that was so prevalent there at the time, something I didn't realize. I loved what a strong character Eva was, especially as a woman during the 40s. Overall, the story just fell a little flat for me and I wanted a bit more out of it.
July 28, 2022
a really enjoyable historical romance! set in the 40s amongst the emerging roots of the american civil rights movement, the light always breaks examines the challenges faced by black americans, particularly black women, during this time as well as the challenges faced within an interracial relationship in the face of an unaccepting society. the story carries a strong message of love and hope, with many reminders of fighting for what's right that remain important into the present day, and is very character driven! my only issues are that i felt that the storyline about courtland's father's involvement in the attacks on eva wasn't given a proper resolution, and that courtland's death seemed to come out of nowhere without enough time left in the story to deal with its repercussions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2022
3.5 stars.
It’s New Year’s Eve, 1947, and Eva Cardon is throwing an integrated party at her D.C. restaurant, Chez Geneviève, serving traditional Cajun and French Cuisine inspired by her Black Creole grandmother’s recipes. Eva is daring to challenge Jim Crow segregation laws by hosting events where white and black celebrities and politicians mingle, making her family nervous for her safety. Georgia Senator Courtland Hardiman Kingsley IV may look like a typical white Southern Democrat but his personal feelings on race relations are more progressive than his party will allow, as are his feelings for Eva. They cannot deny the magnetic pull they feel, putting both their careers at risk, but when her restaurant becomes the focal point for racist attacks, Eva and Courtland must confront whether their desire for each other is greater than their desire to change their world. Award-winning author Jackson-Brown’s latest historical fiction novel, following When Stars Rain Down (2021), skillfully tackles romance, religion, and race relations, and readers who enjoyed The Personal Librarian, The Vanishing Half, and Black Bottom Saints will want to take a look at this.
It’s New Year’s Eve, 1947, and Eva Cardon is throwing an integrated party at her D.C. restaurant, Chez Geneviève, serving traditional Cajun and French Cuisine inspired by her Black Creole grandmother’s recipes. Eva is daring to challenge Jim Crow segregation laws by hosting events where white and black celebrities and politicians mingle, making her family nervous for her safety. Georgia Senator Courtland Hardiman Kingsley IV may look like a typical white Southern Democrat but his personal feelings on race relations are more progressive than his party will allow, as are his feelings for Eva. They cannot deny the magnetic pull they feel, putting both their careers at risk, but when her restaurant becomes the focal point for racist attacks, Eva and Courtland must confront whether their desire for each other is greater than their desire to change their world. Award-winning author Jackson-Brown’s latest historical fiction novel, following When Stars Rain Down (2021), skillfully tackles romance, religion, and race relations, and readers who enjoyed The Personal Librarian, The Vanishing Half, and Black Bottom Saints will want to take a look at this.
June 21, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Muse for the advanced review copy of The Light Always Breaks, releasing July 5, 2022.
The Light Always Breaks is the story of Eva, a young Black restaurant owner in 1940s D.C. During the course of the book, we watch her find her way in the midst of running a restaurant, falling in love, and navigating tumultuous politics.
What worked for me:
-A strong Black female protagonist
-Complicated relationships
-Differing viewpoints about the Civil Rights movement as it was happening
-Positive portrayal of sisterhood
What didn’t work for me:
-Parts of this were overly sappy. I felt like someone was always crying.
-Toward the end of the book, some characters made decisions that didn’t seem to match where they had been heading for the rest of the book.
-The ending was very disappointing and felt like an easy and irresponsible way to resolve loose ends.
Overall, this book had a promising premise and the elements of a great novel. Unfortunately, the pieces didn’t come together to make a great whole.
The Light Always Breaks is the story of Eva, a young Black restaurant owner in 1940s D.C. During the course of the book, we watch her find her way in the midst of running a restaurant, falling in love, and navigating tumultuous politics.
What worked for me:
-A strong Black female protagonist
-Complicated relationships
-Differing viewpoints about the Civil Rights movement as it was happening
-Positive portrayal of sisterhood
What didn’t work for me:
-Parts of this were overly sappy. I felt like someone was always crying.
-Toward the end of the book, some characters made decisions that didn’t seem to match where they had been heading for the rest of the book.
-The ending was very disappointing and felt like an easy and irresponsible way to resolve loose ends.
Overall, this book had a promising premise and the elements of a great novel. Unfortunately, the pieces didn’t come together to make a great whole.
May 23, 2022
A strong historical fiction that features themes of racism, racial justice, and a strong female lead. Set at the height of the Civil Rights movement, a Black woman and a White man are drawn to each other. Volatile, inspiring, powerful story- a thought provoking read.
March 20, 2022
What a powerful story!
Set in 1947, the main characters are Eva - 24, successful restaurant owner in Washington, DC and Courtland - decorated war hero, junior senator from Georgia and its a beautiful, sad love story.
This book has strong, courageous women characters; racial discrimination; interesting family dynamics; love; loss; and such an incredible story. It's a hard story to enjoy, knowing its in our history, but a rewarding read!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.
Set in 1947, the main characters are Eva - 24, successful restaurant owner in Washington, DC and Courtland - decorated war hero, junior senator from Georgia and its a beautiful, sad love story.
This book has strong, courageous women characters; racial discrimination; interesting family dynamics; love; loss; and such an incredible story. It's a hard story to enjoy, knowing its in our history, but a rewarding read!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.
April 15, 2022
3.5 ⭐ rounded down. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange of an honest review.
This book was fine. I really liked the sorry, the characters were complex and I was interested to see how the story develops but other than that the book fell short of my expectations. I particularly did not enjoy the writing. It was repetitive at times (the whole book could have been 100pgs less in my opinion) and it just felt very forced. There was no flow.
Overall it was a good story but I found it poorly executed.
This book was fine. I really liked the sorry, the characters were complex and I was interested to see how the story develops but other than that the book fell short of my expectations. I particularly did not enjoy the writing. It was repetitive at times (the whole book could have been 100pgs less in my opinion) and it just felt very forced. There was no flow.
Overall it was a good story but I found it poorly executed.
July 20, 2022
3.75 ⭐️
Ehh this was okay.
I didn’t realize this was a historical romance between a Black woman and a white man in the 1940s.
Overall the story was okay. They fell in love a little too fast for me.
Ehh this was okay.
I didn’t realize this was a historical romance between a Black woman and a white man in the 1940s.
Overall the story was okay. They fell in love a little too fast for me.
Read
July 1, 2022Angela Jackson Brown’s The Light Always Breaks is set in 1940s Washington, D.C. yet (unfortunately, angrily) much of the discourse is still relevant today.
Eva Cardon is a successful restaurant owner. This would be impressive on its own, but she’s also only 24, Black, and it’s 1948. She’s using her exceptional business prowess to help feed the Civil Rights movement, metaphorically and literally, when she finds herself pulled towards Courtland Hardiman Kingsley IV, Georgia’s young hotshot Senator who is already testing the patience of the South with his liberal leanings. Love between them is more than complicated– it could ruin both of them and endanger their families.
This heart-wrenching tale is told in both Eva and Courtland’s point of view, giving insight into both characters. As with all of Angela Jackson Brown’s novels, each character is intricately developed. The secondary characters are just as well developed as the main players, including those only present in a few scenes.
Several real life historical figures are included, including Representative Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Hazel Scott, and many other prominent figures of the 1940s political and musical landscape.
One detail I adored in this novel is the relationship Eva shares with her sister. Though they disagree on the best path to equality and on the type of life each wants to lead, they are still there for one another with such tender love. Though their family isn’t perfect, nor are they claiming to be, they are each a shining example of loving someone right where they are.
The tone and voice of this book matches the formality of the time. This, combined with the fantastic setting and gorgeous fashion descriptions, root the reader in the historical time and place the book is set. Historical fiction can be tricky in this way, and Jackson Brown seamlessly draws the reader into the time, and keeps them there without the details ever getting distracting.
The character of Eva is certainly one of my personal favorites, and I particularly love how intersectionality she is. Eva is not only actively fighting for racial equality but also standing up for herself and her fellow women. One of my favorite scenes is when her restaurant is hosting a plethora of strong leaders, and she’s singled out as ‘not like other women.’ Instead of leaning into this, she says in reply:
“Well, maybe if you menfolk would actually engage in dialogue with your wives, mothers, and sisters, you would find that they are more than just pretty armpieces…I believe there are more women like me than any of you can imagine, many of whom are sitting across the room, banished from being part of this conversation. Women with careers that would be just as illustrious as yours if they shared your XY chromosomes.”
I cheered out loud the first time I read that passage. Eva has both the skills and the fire to stand up for what’s right, which makes her a fierce advocate. Just a few pages earlier, she had noted the way the men excluded the women from the discussion, “Eva could tell that the women were not pleased to be segregated from the men’s discussion, but Eva knew this was not something that was unusual. As much as the Negro men railed against segregation that was created and supported by white folks, they did not hesitate to do their own version of it against their own women– women who often did more work and raised more money to push the agenda of civil rights than the men.” This is just one of many scenes where Jackson Brown really shows how women were, and still are, vital to political and social movements of the times.
This novel has so much packed into it, from relevant historical information to a love story to portraying a beautiful, loving family to showing the chokehold of overt and systemic racism. There is also a special nod for fans of When Stars Rain Down, as several characters are mentioned and even have a small role in this novel.
Stay tuned to this page for an interview with the author of The Light Always Breaks, Angela Jackson Brown!
Thank you to Angela Jackson Brown, Harper Muse, and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The Light Always Breaks will be available on July 5, 2022.
Eva Cardon is a successful restaurant owner. This would be impressive on its own, but she’s also only 24, Black, and it’s 1948. She’s using her exceptional business prowess to help feed the Civil Rights movement, metaphorically and literally, when she finds herself pulled towards Courtland Hardiman Kingsley IV, Georgia’s young hotshot Senator who is already testing the patience of the South with his liberal leanings. Love between them is more than complicated– it could ruin both of them and endanger their families.
This heart-wrenching tale is told in both Eva and Courtland’s point of view, giving insight into both characters. As with all of Angela Jackson Brown’s novels, each character is intricately developed. The secondary characters are just as well developed as the main players, including those only present in a few scenes.
Several real life historical figures are included, including Representative Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Hazel Scott, and many other prominent figures of the 1940s political and musical landscape.
One detail I adored in this novel is the relationship Eva shares with her sister. Though they disagree on the best path to equality and on the type of life each wants to lead, they are still there for one another with such tender love. Though their family isn’t perfect, nor are they claiming to be, they are each a shining example of loving someone right where they are.
The tone and voice of this book matches the formality of the time. This, combined with the fantastic setting and gorgeous fashion descriptions, root the reader in the historical time and place the book is set. Historical fiction can be tricky in this way, and Jackson Brown seamlessly draws the reader into the time, and keeps them there without the details ever getting distracting.
The character of Eva is certainly one of my personal favorites, and I particularly love how intersectionality she is. Eva is not only actively fighting for racial equality but also standing up for herself and her fellow women. One of my favorite scenes is when her restaurant is hosting a plethora of strong leaders, and she’s singled out as ‘not like other women.’ Instead of leaning into this, she says in reply:
“Well, maybe if you menfolk would actually engage in dialogue with your wives, mothers, and sisters, you would find that they are more than just pretty armpieces…I believe there are more women like me than any of you can imagine, many of whom are sitting across the room, banished from being part of this conversation. Women with careers that would be just as illustrious as yours if they shared your XY chromosomes.”
I cheered out loud the first time I read that passage. Eva has both the skills and the fire to stand up for what’s right, which makes her a fierce advocate. Just a few pages earlier, she had noted the way the men excluded the women from the discussion, “Eva could tell that the women were not pleased to be segregated from the men’s discussion, but Eva knew this was not something that was unusual. As much as the Negro men railed against segregation that was created and supported by white folks, they did not hesitate to do their own version of it against their own women– women who often did more work and raised more money to push the agenda of civil rights than the men.” This is just one of many scenes where Jackson Brown really shows how women were, and still are, vital to political and social movements of the times.
This novel has so much packed into it, from relevant historical information to a love story to portraying a beautiful, loving family to showing the chokehold of overt and systemic racism. There is also a special nod for fans of When Stars Rain Down, as several characters are mentioned and even have a small role in this novel.
Stay tuned to this page for an interview with the author of The Light Always Breaks, Angela Jackson Brown!
Thank you to Angela Jackson Brown, Harper Muse, and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The Light Always Breaks will be available on July 5, 2022.
March 14, 2023
I stumbled across this book while at the library. The cover was so beautiful, I had to pick it up. Low and behold, it was my favorite genre, historical fiction.
.
I definitely was not prepared for this book to suck me in the way it did. It’s told from the perspective of the 2 main characters. 1st, Eva, who is an African American business woman living in Jim Crow era DC attempting to find her place in the budding Civil Rights Movement. 2nd, Courtland who is a white senator from Georgia beginning to come to terms with the cost of his privilege and what he is willing to lose to advocate for what he truly believes.
.
The author was skilled in how she formed her main and secondary characters and how she set the scenes. I felt like I was transported into the 1940’s, feeling all of the angst, frustration and pressure caused by living in a time when who you love feels impossible because of a society that would rather you be dead then disrupt status quo.
.
It’s interesting because the pace of Eva and Courtland’s relationship was swift with little details, but some how depth and emotion was articulated in a way that had me deeply invested.
.
I so desperately wanted all good things for these two, but you can only imagine the outcome of an interracial relationship in the 1940’s, post WWII and at the start of the Civil Rights Movement.
.
Overall, although this was an emotionally heavy book, I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it.
.
I definitely was not prepared for this book to suck me in the way it did. It’s told from the perspective of the 2 main characters. 1st, Eva, who is an African American business woman living in Jim Crow era DC attempting to find her place in the budding Civil Rights Movement. 2nd, Courtland who is a white senator from Georgia beginning to come to terms with the cost of his privilege and what he is willing to lose to advocate for what he truly believes.
.
The author was skilled in how she formed her main and secondary characters and how she set the scenes. I felt like I was transported into the 1940’s, feeling all of the angst, frustration and pressure caused by living in a time when who you love feels impossible because of a society that would rather you be dead then disrupt status quo.
.
It’s interesting because the pace of Eva and Courtland’s relationship was swift with little details, but some how depth and emotion was articulated in a way that had me deeply invested.
.
I so desperately wanted all good things for these two, but you can only imagine the outcome of an interracial relationship in the 1940’s, post WWII and at the start of the Civil Rights Movement.
.
Overall, although this was an emotionally heavy book, I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it.
June 28, 2022
This book is a fabulous read. It’s part love story, part education and introduction into the post-war era, including the implications and consequences of systemic racism.
Eva and Courtland fall in love in the late 1940’s in Washington, DC during the time of Jim Crow laws. These institutionalized laws embedded racism and white supremacy into every system from educational institutions to economic, social and political. Jackson-Brown’s characters bring all of this to light through their actions, their wants, needs and loves. In this novel we watch an entrepreneurial black women and a white, affluent, southern senator fall hopelessly in love.
Angela Jackson-Brown does these topics justice with her easy prose and heartbreaking plot. We, the reader, can feel the generational trauma caused by racism and white supremacy. Jackson-Brown does not shy away from important issues like colourism, white guilt, white privilege and the importance of taking a stand and using your power for good. As a reader, I heard her words and took them to heart. She writes, “If those of us with power don’t do something with it, we might as well not have it.” These words resonate just as relevant for me today as they did for her characters in 1948.
Interwoven throughout the love story we see how interracial dating was so very dangerous for Eva and Courtland. We watch helplessly as society and powerful family members line up in dissent. In this novel, some police members played a sinister role and one could see parallels between 2022 and 1948 in this respect. Reading about Courtland struggling to stand up against lynching black lives while weighing his career options, as he bemoaned the tenuous position it was putting him in, made me feel all the necessary feelings of anger toward him.
This book asks us, the reader, to not only enjoy the marvellous plot, but also asks the bigger questions. I am left with big questions like ‘how am I using my power in ways that dismantle oppressive systems and institutions?’
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. I would like to purchase this book so I can read her afterword which didn’t make it into the ARC. Thanks to the author for this powerful read.
Eva and Courtland fall in love in the late 1940’s in Washington, DC during the time of Jim Crow laws. These institutionalized laws embedded racism and white supremacy into every system from educational institutions to economic, social and political. Jackson-Brown’s characters bring all of this to light through their actions, their wants, needs and loves. In this novel we watch an entrepreneurial black women and a white, affluent, southern senator fall hopelessly in love.
Angela Jackson-Brown does these topics justice with her easy prose and heartbreaking plot. We, the reader, can feel the generational trauma caused by racism and white supremacy. Jackson-Brown does not shy away from important issues like colourism, white guilt, white privilege and the importance of taking a stand and using your power for good. As a reader, I heard her words and took them to heart. She writes, “If those of us with power don’t do something with it, we might as well not have it.” These words resonate just as relevant for me today as they did for her characters in 1948.
Interwoven throughout the love story we see how interracial dating was so very dangerous for Eva and Courtland. We watch helplessly as society and powerful family members line up in dissent. In this novel, some police members played a sinister role and one could see parallels between 2022 and 1948 in this respect. Reading about Courtland struggling to stand up against lynching black lives while weighing his career options, as he bemoaned the tenuous position it was putting him in, made me feel all the necessary feelings of anger toward him.
This book asks us, the reader, to not only enjoy the marvellous plot, but also asks the bigger questions. I am left with big questions like ‘how am I using my power in ways that dismantle oppressive systems and institutions?’
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. I would like to purchase this book so I can read her afterword which didn’t make it into the ARC. Thanks to the author for this powerful read.
January 3, 2025
I would love to give it a 2.5
The storyline itself is truly beautiful except - WHY COURTLAND WHY.
But anyway - it was stereotypical - boy meets girl, they shouldn't be together, they get together.
The author did a lovely job of transporting you to the time period and making you feel the frustration and pain of the black community. And as a mixed person myself I resonated with Eva feeling a little like she had to hold fast to being black while also passing as white and being more privileged. However th story could have been fleshed out more and not had such a predicable ending (sans COURTLAND)
I do recommend it, but have your tissues.
The storyline itself is truly beautiful except - WHY COURTLAND WHY.
But anyway - it was stereotypical - boy meets girl, they shouldn't be together, they get together.
The author did a lovely job of transporting you to the time period and making you feel the frustration and pain of the black community. And as a mixed person myself I resonated with Eva feeling a little like she had to hold fast to being black while also passing as white and being more privileged. However th story could have been fleshed out more and not had such a predicable ending (sans COURTLAND)
I do recommend it, but have your tissues.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 6, 2022
An enveloping read about Washington DC in 1948. The story revolves around a love that would never pass intense scrutiny between Courtland and Eva. I knew the relationship was doomed and held my breath repeatedly, waiting to see how it would come to pass.
I didn’t really like Courtland. He was all over the place and I thought he was selfish. I felt as if he wasn’t listening to Eva and railroaded his wants on her.
Eva is left to pick up,the pieces, with lasting ramifications.
Thanks to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the advance copy.
I didn’t really like Courtland. He was all over the place and I thought he was selfish. I felt as if he wasn’t listening to Eva and railroaded his wants on her.
Eva is left to pick up,the pieces, with lasting ramifications.
Thanks to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the advance copy.
July 6, 2022
This is a wonderful book that takes you back to the Jim Crow Era. Eva is a successful restaurant owner looking to expand. She is also very involved in politics and abolishing slavery.
Eva is a brave, sophisticated character that I loved.
I liked the attraction between her and Courtland. We see how some things were different back then but in some ways still the same today. Especially when it comes to segregation and diversity.
A great book club book because there is plenty to discuss!
Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!
Eva is a brave, sophisticated character that I loved.
I liked the attraction between her and Courtland. We see how some things were different back then but in some ways still the same today. Especially when it comes to segregation and diversity.
A great book club book because there is plenty to discuss!
Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!
July 13, 2024
I really appreciated reading about a successful Black woman business owner in the 1940s because we don’t often hear those stories, however I wanted a liiiiiittle more. Still a good read and I would recommend it.
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