"The principal characters are singular and unforgettable, and their responses to injustice lead to outcomes that are by turns heartbreaking and uplifting. It's a marvelous tale about the limits of freedom." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"It's hard to believe that this is Perry's first novel, so effectively does it pull readers deep into the lives of its evolving, powerful, multifaceted characters...The writing style of award-winning Perry recalls that of Zora Neale Hurston...and her storytelling showcases injustice in the manner of Richard Wright." —Library Journal (starred review)

"Epic… Meticulous research into the time period down to the clothing, the food, the landscape, and the lifestyle create a believably vivid setting." —Booklist

"In the tenderest of prose and the most compelling of storytelling, Princess Joy L. Perry has reached back centuries to our earliest national moments, writing of the confusion that occurs when power crosses love—but oh, how that love can survive! A love at the beginning and at the end. A love which is the sweetest human wisdom, the most merciful of legacies." —Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, author of The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois

"In the manner of Edward P. Jones's The Known World, this sweeping and greathearted novel presents a cast of unforgettable characters driven by their hopes and yearnings, men and women who in the face of the suffering and loss and violence of bondage manage to go about the 'brave business of love.' This is a beautiful book." —Janet Peery, National Book Award finalist for The River Beyond the World

"A luscious storyteller, Perry brings to light the profound moral and emotional dilemmas her characters face, making the reader feel the weight of their impossible choices and everyday courage. A fierce and luminous debut." —Sheri Reynolds, author of The Rapture of Canaan and The Tender Grave

"In This Here Is Love, Princess Joy L. Perry refuses to shy away from the cruelties of surviving the realities of seventeenth-century America and has charted the terrible truths of her characters' impossible choices—even as they map a journey toward their own freedom, their futures, their shared humanity. In these pages, we have love rooted and rebuilt in the land that stripped these compelling characters of almost all they have, and a blueprint for how hope may still move us forward." —DéLana R. A. Dameron, author of Redwood Court, a Reese's Book Club Selection

"This Here is Love is an utterly riveting intergenerational saga of love, betrayal, theft and resilience. Princess Joy L. Perry laces every chapter with fireworks and unforgettable characters―all off-kilter, wounded and searching for solace in this epic tale of slavery and freedom." ―Lawrence Hill, author of Someone Knows My Name, winner of the Commonwealth Writers Prize

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Rated of 5 by Gaye_R
Hope
A beautiful written story about the enslaved in America in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The book writes about the courage, perseverance and love of people who were treated in inhumane and despicable ways and because of their human capacity to think and to love, they had a will to survive in the hope for something better for themselves and future generations.

Rated of 5 by Alison_W
This Here is Love
As a High School English teacher, I try to get my hands on all genres of books to share with my students, colleagues, and friends. This is one of those books I cannot stop thinking about. The characters are rich and developed with such depth that you feel you have stepped back in time to share their pain. Without giving anything away, I found myself rooting for the unlikeliest of characters. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Rated of 5 by Emily_Bahhar
Beautiful, devastating and real
Wow. Just wow. I am still thinking about this one days after finishing.

Three intertwined stories of slaves, indentured servants, and masters in Virginia in the late 1600s-early 1700s. We travel through the years with the main characters of Bless (slave), David (slave of a freed father), and Jack (white indentured servant turned slave master) who face impossible situations and irreparable decisions.

The characters were honest and true, and the events so very real. And oh boy, the author did not hold back in her depiction of slavery in the U.S. - rightfully so and to all our benefit. Now more than ever, we need to be reminded of the brutality and devastation that laid waste to individuals and families of Black slaves.

This was not a light read;
instead was full of brutal and gut-wrenching storytelling with harsh but so beautiful writing. Each betrayal was met with another character showing deep love and care, even in the face of unfathomable circumstances.

Needless to say, the book was deep and thought-provoking. Through her writing, the author seemed to be asking the reader, what would you do? How would you survive? What lengths would you go to for the people you love?

I struggled with Part I of the book, as the characters had not yet come together and their stories seemed disjointed. Then Part II, the author hit her groove, everything came together and I was completely invested in the rest of the book.

TY BookBrowse for the ARC!

Rated of 5 by Joyce_Montague
Honest Depiction of American Slavery
This Here is Love is an incredible novel. If you are a cryer get out a box of tissues. If you anger easily hold on to a stress ball. Ms Perry relates the story of the lives of an enslaved mother and daughter, an enslaved family whose father is free, and an indentured European family. The style of writing is easy reading; comes across as straight forward and matter-of-fact. Since there is no sugar coating some events may shock you.

The sad truth is that in this fictional tale everything that takes place is factual in the history of slavery and indentured servitude. The meaning behind the title is revealed about two thirds into the novel. What the characters in the book did for love was incredible. There was one character in the book that ended up with "skin in the game" that caused him to see what was most important in his life. There were a few times when I was able to smile and one opportunity to laugh out loud, but all in all the book was sobering and should be read by anyone interested in understanding what slavery was really like in America.

Rated of 5 by Kristina_C
5 stars
I've struggled with how to summarize this book in few words. It's a book filled with heartbreak and suffering. Yet, at its core this is a story of love and of hope, which shines above all the rest. I found myself awed at the author's beautiful writing - the people, the emotion, the landscape and world building. While the people and stores are fiction, we know the heartbreak and injustices told in this book are seeded from a reality not so distant from today. It's a powerful story, one I would encourage everyone to read. Without a doubt a 5 star read.

Rated of 5 by Mary_L1
New Perspective
This Here Is Love brought me to a picture of the enslaved that I had not viewed before. Writing about both slavery and indenture was a very interesting juxtaposition. An outstanding book that I will be thinking about for a long time to come.

Rated of 5 by Patricia_Williams
A Powerful Story that Lingers with You
This Here Is Love is a story that will linger with you. Many stories tell about slavery, but this book is largely told from the viewpoint of the enslaved. You can feel their pain and watch how different people cope with the experience of loss, abuse, dehumanization, and powerlessness. It is set early in the settlement of the United States and also includes people coming to America as indentured servants. It is inconceivable that people can be persuaded to treat others as less than and with no hesitation to subject them to cruelty. As always, the wealthy and powerful rule the land. History should not be hidden or erased. I will recommend this book to all of my friends.

Rated of 5 by Catherine_O_Callagha
Outstanding
This Here Is Love is not an easy book to read. The author helps us by giving short chapters and being terse about the violence.

After finishing the novel I had to reflect before writing my review. The book is set in the late 1600's, mainly in Virginia, where I now live. The novel follows an indentured Irish servant, Jack, as well as several slave families and one notable free slave as they survive in the harsh conditions of the day.

The characters and the author's understanding of the human characteristics are what make this novel remarkable. You will not forget David, Bless, Cassie or any of the strong, long suffering characters in this novel.

I would recommend this novel to anyone who is a fan of realistic historical fiction. It is an important reminder of the pain and suffering that built our country. There are many themes for book clubs to discuss.

Rated of 5 by Wendy_F
A tribute to a hurting people
This book will affect me for a very long time. The story of enslaved and indentured people and how their stories are similar yet so very different. Ms. Perry writes a poignant and deep perspective of people who are placed in horrible circumstances. We see how they cope with the atrocities of the time that people of color still are traumatized by. The character's lives intertwine in difficult and loving ways. How do you love someone that you know you could lose at any moment? How do you live when your child is certain to be taken from you? This Here Is Love will burrow into your soul and show you the pain of our historical past. It is at times heartwrenching and at other so very touching as each person deals with their plight. Everyone should read this book, surprisingly Ms. Perry's first.

Rated of 5 by Kate_Schaefer
History is not Always Pleasant
Very few authors have the ability to write about such a difficult subject matter; yet capture the reader from page one and provide an extraordinary lesson in history. Princess Joy L. Perry was able to relay the horrific and unbelievable ways that humans can treat one another but also share the undeniable spirit of hope and love. The characters were well defined, the story line flowed seamlessly, and the style of writing was beautiful. This book would be a perfect choice for bookclubs wanting a discussion that delves into choices people make, moral issues, and the dark stain of slavery on American history. I am grateful I was able to receive this book and had a reminder of our past. Highly, Highly reccomend this book!

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Princess Joy L. Perry is the recipient of a Virginia Commission for the Arts Fellowship and a winner of the Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Award. Her short stories have appeared in All About Skin, African American Review, and Kweli Journal. She lives in Norfolk, Virginia.