 |
Ruby is a singer at The Blackbird Lounge, an entertainment establishment owned by the questionable and deceptive Mr. Daniels. The three dollars the boss pays Ruby for singing in his club for four hours is not enough, but when Daniels offers Ruby a way to earn money “the easy way,” Ruby refuses. Like others in her circle, Ruby knows that she deserves better than the audience and pay The Blackbird offers her. When Ruby learns that The Silver Moon, a swankier Chicago club rumored to be operated by the Italian mafia, is looking to offer a new, fresh singer an exclusive contract, Ruby must make a decision that could lead to a better life not only for her but also for her mother. Of course, other obstacles, such as her recently received eviction notice and a deal that threatens her future, stand in her way, but Ruby is determined to prove herself as a talented singer who lives for the music and only for the music.
This book is not merely a steamy romance. It is also an examination of the choices young, talented women were historically forced to make in order to maintain their sense of identity and to establish their independence. When Ruby escapes an arranged engagement to a church deacon, she realizes her decision to pack a bag and leave her mother is a radical one. However, the book not only focuses on the hardships women faced in the past. It also addresses the oppression and the racism that the Black community has endured for centuries.
Carefully curated scenes, such as Ruby’s entrance into a club called The Palace Theater, fully depict how Black entertainers were treated at such venues. For example, the book’s audience sees Ruby endure mostly white entertainers who are auditioning as well: “She was the only colored woman there, and she felt the stares as she took her place at the end of the line.” Ruby yearns for audiences and managers to “see past the color of her skin” and instead focus on and recognize her for “the quality of her voice.”
Of course, Ruby finds herself caught in the middle of “business” after she accepts a contract with The Silver Moon. Just as she stands on the cusp of success, the Feds threaten her freedom and her career, as well as her relationship with the notorious Vincent Moretti. As Moretti’s business involvements grow dirtier and dirtier, his relationship with Ruby grows deeper and steamier. Ruby recognizes that “the world would not easily accept their relationship across racial lines” and that “her career would bring its own pressures and temptations.” Nonetheless, the unquenchable passion she and Moretti share is the passion of the greatest forbidden love stories.
This book is an exciting, gripping, and steamy read. It brings to life a quickly forgotten era in American history. For those who enjoy crime fiction, this novel incorporates many of the genre's classic elements. For people who want a steamy romance with a historical setting, this book transports them to some of America’s seediest clubs.