From Boston Globe/Horn Book Award–winning author Brandy Colbert comes the story of four generations of a Hollywood family—an unforgettable tale of ambition, fame, struggle, loss, and love in America.

The Blackwoods. Everyone knows their name. Blossom Blackwood burst onto the silver screen in 1962, and in the decades that followed, she would become one of the most celebrated actors of our time—and the matriarch of the most famous Black family in Hollywood. To her great-granddaughters, Hollis and Ardith, she has always just been Bebe. And when she passes away, it changes everything. Hollis Blackwood was never interested in fame. Still, she’s surrounded by it, whether at home with her family or at the prestigious Dupree Academy among Los Angeles’ elite.

When private photos of Hollis are leaked in the wake of Blossom’s death, she is thrust into the spotlight she’s long avoided—and finds that trust may be a luxury even she can’t afford. Ardith Blackwood has always lived in the public eye. A television star since childhood, she was perhaps closer with Blossom than anyone—especially after Ardith’s mother died in a drug overdose. Ever since, she has worked to be everything her family, her church, and the public want her to be. But as a family secret comes to light and the pressures from all sides begin to mount, she wonders what is left beneath the face she shows the world.

Weaving together the narratives of Hollis, Ardith, and Blossom, award-winning author Brandy Colbert tells an unforgettable story set in an America where everything is personal, and nothing is private.  

I wasn’t sure how much I would enjoy this one, mostly because it isn’t necessarily a subject I reach for much, but the premise intrigued me enough that I wanted to give it a read – and I’m glad I did. It does take some time to get going, but I really enjoyed the multi-generational aspect and the way we were moving back and forth between them. I really enjoyed the look at Black Hollywood as it is something I don’t know a lot about, but can definitely see a place for books like this to explore it. Colbert’s writing style is wonderful and easily consumable, which makes me want to pick up more of their books in the future. I did feel that there were some things that could have been perhaps fleshed out a bit more, such as things happening in the present, but that doesn’t mean the story wasn’t complete. Overall I’m really glad I picked this one up and found it to be a very enjoyable read.

Happy reading!