*I received an E-Arc from Sideways Books via NetGalley. All views are my own*
Confessions in B-Flat by Donna Hill has been on my TBR for a while, and I finally had the chance to check it out for future tour dealings and such. But you didn't hear that from me, though. If taking a journey with romance development with a side quest of civil rights piques your fancy, this book is for you!
"The year is 1963. In Harlem, the epicenter of Black culture, the fight for equality has never been stronger. The time is now. Enough is enough. Yet even within its ranks, a different kind of battle rages. Love thy neighbor? Or rise up against your oppressors?
Jason Tanner has just arrived in New York to help spread the message of his mentor, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., of passive resistance, while beat poet Anita Hopkins believes the teachings of Malcolm X with all her heart: that the way to true freedom is “by any means necessary.” When Jason sees Anita perform her poetry at the iconic B-Flat lounge, he’s transfixed. And Anita has never met anyone who can match her wit for wit like this…
One movement, two warring ideologies—can love be enough to unite them?
Confessions in B-Flat is a celebration of the hard-won victories of those who came before us, and a stark reminder of just how far we still have to go."
Now, in my opinion, the book was a little slow. I don't know if it had to do with one of the audio narrators or just the topics at hand, but I was hoping for some action to help me get through the story. The narrators, Earl Sewell and Aria Addison, were good, but if I had to choose my favorite performance, it came from Addison. She gave spunk and fire that I needed, whereas Sewell gave slow and steady. Maybe because I'm a feisty city girl, and Addison's character resonated with me. Who knows.
Honestly, I thought the book would deal with music or the love of music. With a title using the term "B-Flat," I was gung-ho on seeing musical creativity dance across the pages. But alas, it is about love versus civil rights perspectives. We follow Jason and Anita's story on what it is to fall in love with two very different personalities while trying to stay true to one's mission. Not to be long-winded, but Jason is for Martin Luther King Jr., and Anita is down with Malcolm X. You can only imagine how tumultuous the relationship was. But it makes you think: how can two people who believe in a tantamount cause but in different ways work together to find love?
Overall I rated this book 3-stars. I don't have much opinion on the story other than that it's slow. The feels of the book will remind you of movies such as Sylvie's Love, The Photograph, and If Beale Street Could Talk. So if any of those films is up your alley, Confession in B-Flat is for you.
Confessions in B-Flat is available now.
