My Favorite Read of February 2026

Title: The House of Eve

Author: Sadeqa Johnson

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication Date: February 7, 2023

Description:

1950s Philadelphia: fifteen-year-old Ruby Pearsall is on track to becoming the first in her family to attend college, in spite of having a mother more interested in keeping a man than raising a daughter. But a taboo love affair threatens to pull her back down into the poverty and desperation that has been passed on to her like a birthright.

Eleanor Quarles arrives in Washington, DC, with ambition and secrets. When she meets the handsome William Pride at Howard University, they fall madly in love. But William hails from one of DC’s elite wealthy Black families, and his par­ents don’t let just anyone into their fold. Eleanor hopes that a baby will make her finally feel at home in William’s family and grant her the life she’s been searching for. But having a baby—and fitting in—is easier said than done.

With their stories colliding in the most unexpected of ways, Ruby and Eleanor will both make decisions that shape the trajectory of their lives.

My Thoughts

It took a few chapters for me to get into this one. But once I did, I really enjoyed it. Despite difficult circumstances, Ruby and Eleanor are both very driven and continue working toward their dreams. Even though the book showed the harsh realities of being black and a woman during the 1950’s, it was refreshing to see educated and wealthy black people represented.