A Wedding in the Lowcountry
By Preslaysa Williams
Avon; paperback, 304 pages; $18.99; available today, Tuesday, February 18th
Preslaysa Williams is an award-winning author known for writing heartwarming romance and women's fiction with an Afro-Filipina twist. Her first Avon book, A Lowcountry Bride, received praise from Oprah Daily, which called it an "emotionally stirring debut," Buzzfeed, and Pop Sugar. A graduate of Columbia University, Williams is a professional actress who has appeared in Nickelodeon's The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo, a planner nerd, an avid bookworm, and a busy mom.
In her new novel, A Wedding in the Lowcountry, Avila's mother passes away, and she must return to Charleston to get her mother's house ready to put on the market. Returning home means that she'll have to face relationships that were best left behind.
Avila's feelings are complicated, and they get even more so when she runs into her childhood friend, Terence, who's now a professor at the local college. Years ago, Avila felt abandoned when Terence left Charleston to attend Hampton University, but it's clear their connection is still strong, possibly something more than their longtime friendship.
Terence is very supportive of Avila in the wake of her mother's passing, and they have to deal with the feelings they have for one another. Avila, who's used to taking care of herself and her daughter, is wary of trusting others, but Terence could be the one with the key that opens her heart.
Let Us March On
By Shara Moon
William Morrow Paperbacks; paperback, 336 pages; $18.99
Shara Moon is a first-generation Haitian American and amateur historian who enjoys investigating Black world history. She is a former college writing instructor with degrees from the City College of New York and the University of Central Florida.
Let Us March On is Moon's debut historical fiction novel, and it explores the life and story of Elizabeth McDuffie, FDR's maid, who was an influential but widely known Black female figure in history. In addition to the work she did for the Roosevelts, in which she became indispensable, she served as a liaison between First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Civil Rights activists.
McDuffie boldly proclaimed that she was FDR's "Secretary-On-Colored-People's-Affairs," as she became the President's eyes and ears into the Black community. She was never shy about pointing out injustices, and advocated for the needs and rights of her fellow African Americans, when those in the White House blocked access to the President.
This is a window into a piece of history that is not widely taught, and sheds light on what went on behind-the-scenes of one of the most significant presidential terms. This pulls the curtain back on how the White House is run, and in reading it, mirrors the movie The Butler, which starred Forest Whitaker. The other link to films is that McDuffie had a surprising connection to the classic Gone With the Wind.
McDuffie's was college educated, and while she had to settle for the "official" role of maid, it was her unofficial leadership in Washington that laid the groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and '60s. She also paved the way for Congresswomen such as Shirley Chisholm, who represented Brooklyn and ran for President in 1972, up to this era, with newly elected Senators Angela Alsobrooks and Lisa Blunt Rochester.
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