The Two Lives of Sara

By: Catherine Adel West

Narrated by: Adenrele Ojo

Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2022 by Ms. Magazine, The Root, Popsugar, Bustle, and many more!

“An utterly absorbing and dazzling novel about the stories we tell to stay alive and the secrets we keep to protect ourselves.” — Nancy Jooyoun Kim, New York Times Bestselling author of The Last Story of Mina Lee


In 1960s Memphis, a young mother finds refuge in a boardinghouse where family encompasses more than just blood and hidden truths can bury you or set you free.

Sara King has nothing, save for her secrets and the baby in her belly, as she boards the bus to Memphis, hoping to outrun her past in Chicago. She is welcomed with open arms by Mama Sugar, a kindly matriarch and owner of the popular boardinghouse The Scarlet Poplar.

Like many cities in early 1960s America, Memphis is still segregated, but change is in the air. News spreads of the Freedom Riders. Across the country, people like Martin Luther King Jr. are leading the fight for equal rights. Black literature and music provide the stories and soundtrack for these turbulent and hopeful times, and Sara finds herself drawn in by conversations of education, politics and a brighter tomorrow with Jonas, a local schoolteacher. Romance blooms between them, but secrets from Mama Sugar’s past threaten their newfound happiness and lead Sara to make decisions that will reshape the rest of their lives.

With a charismatic cast of characters, The Two Lives of Sara is an emotional and unforgettable story of hope, the limitations of resilience and unexpected love.

Simply brilliant

This book tells a story that pulls on every heart string. It is beautifully written and brings the reader on a journey of all emotions. Rich with details that provide descriptions you can almost taste, smell, and feel. The author leaves you desperate with compassionate curiosity wanting to know more.

The performance was wonderful. I’d highly recommend this book to any adult.

The ending was not what I expected

It held my interest. The ebding wasn’t what you would expect. There has to be a sequel.

Amazing

This book made me feel everything, anger, sadness, joy, heartbreak. We never know what someone is going through and Sara’s life shows you the proof I’m that.

Heartbreakingly beautiful

Sara’s life is full of grief, sadness and let down. When everything seemed to be crumbling around her, she had the love of her people…her community. This is a beautiful book full of heartbreak and how she gets through her darkest days. You will love this book.

What a BEAUTIFUL mess

This story STOLE my heart! Sara’s lonesome, crushing take sent me on a roller coaster. I wanted so badly for her to be happy, but for some, that’s just a pipe dream. This story was wonderfully written with beautiful imagery and an intense sense of longing. I HIGHLY recommend it, but be sure to grab a box of tissues.