As a young African American woman from Durham, North Carolina, Sky Valentine is tired of being boxed in by small minds and Southern expectations. To escape the restraints of her Southern upbringing, Sky flees to Rhode Island to attend college. Once there, Sky doesn’t just work on her degree, she also works on shedding many of the things that peg her as a Southerner.
Sky also falls head over heels with the sexy and vibrant Zenobia, solidifying what she had felt in her heart all along—that she loves women. But their affair is brief and interrupted by Zenobia’s sudden departure from school.
With college completed, Sky returns home to find that her domineering mother has promised her hand in marriage to a rich and arrogant man. But it’s 1986, and Sky is determined to live her own life. So she gathers her courage and flees to New York City, where she lands a teaching job and an apartment.
In time Sky meets Grace Webster and it’s love at first sight. But then Zenobia comes back into Sky’s life and Sky is faced with an impossible choice—finish what she started with Zenobia years ago, or fight for the relationship she is building with Grace. What will she choose?
GCLS Goldie Awards
Choosing Grace — Finalist, Tee Corinne Award for Outstanding Cover Art.
FROM THE AUTHOR
"Choosing Grace originated from my desire to write a book about my experiences within the black lesbian community and growing up in the Bronx. My original title for the book was Jumping Rope in High Heels and then it was changed to The Get-Together. As the story developed, it was predominately about the two characters, Sky Valentine and Grace Webster and their relationship and the fact that no matter what occurred between them, Sky would always choose Grace. As such, the title of the book changed once again."—Regina Jamison
NetGalley
Fiona T. - I was drawn to this book by the cover and the description of the story and I was not disappointed! This book had me hooked right from the first chapter. Set in the USA in the 80's the reader follows Sky as she breaks away from societal norms. I found Sky to be a very real character and I became invested in her story and the journey she takes as she moves away from her hometown of Durham to begin a new life in New York.
Sky's journey of self-discovery and love leads her to meet other people and I found myself infuriated by Grace's hot/cold attitude and insecurities whilst willing Sky to pursue a relationship with another character. The author skilfully weaves a believable and authentic world that any reader can immerse themselves in.
I am happy to have discovered a talented author and will definitely look out for other future publications.
NetGalley
Kennedy O. - It was good to read a story with people of color. It was also good yet heart breaking to read about the challenges of coming out to family and friends. What was most interesting to me was reading about Sky and how she dealt with the challenges she faced. It was not a linear road and the reader may or maynot agree with the decisions she made and how she made them but that contributed to making the read interesting. There is no way I would have done that like that...really? The book cover is gorgeous!
NetGalley
Kat W. - This is an interesting story about self-discovery and being true to yourself. The drama that comes with it and decisions that have to be made is another story. I was very happy that Sky was able to realize what is important in her life and move along.
The Lesbian Review
Choosing Grace is a lovely romance. It has the feel of an autobiography with it’s relaxed, first person narrative. Despite being set in the 1980’s it’s very relatable and Jamison does an excellent job making Sky feel like an old friend. The two women in love with Sky couldn’t be more different from each other so watching her sort out her feelings for each of them had a hint of suspense to it. The entire book is populated with strong female supporting characters and it makes for a delightful read.
hcoughlin –
I was excited to see a lesbian romance with a woman of color. The story was great and it took me on a journey with Sky that was beautiful. I love NYC so it was fun to read a story set in the city.