The Secret Lives of Church Ladies

A National Book Award Finalist, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies is an excellent book of short stories by Deesha Philyaw. A glowing starred-review in Kirkus Reviews proclaims, “these stories will sneak inside you and take root,” which I found to be true. The book description from the publisher describes it best: “The Secret Lives of Church Ladies explores the raw and tender places where Black women and girls dare to follow their desires and pursue a momentary reprieve from being good. The nine stories in this collection feature four generations of characters grappling with who they want to be in the world, caught as they are between the church's double standards and their own needs and passions. With their secret longings, new love, and forbidden affairs, these church ladies are as seductive as they want to be, as vulnerable as they need to be, as unfaithful and unrepentant as they care to be, and as free as they deserve to be.”

Most of the stories are well-written, immaculate, self-contained worlds. “Eula” is about two friends who have an on / off lesbian relationship over many years, although the titular Eula continues to date men in hopes of landing a husband; she never does, at odds with her friend Caroletta's enjoyment of what they've had together all along. “Peach Cobbler” is a marvel of story-telling, about young Olivia's observations of her mother's affair with their church's pastor, luring him into their home every week with a delicious peach cobbler that Olivia herself is prohibited from enjoying. Not all stories in the book hit the mark, though. “Instructions for Married Christian Husbands” reads simply as a madame's sexy dating profile, more titillating than emotive. But magnificent “Snowfall” is a masterpiece, evoking nostalgia in an attempt to heal wounds of the soul, while reminding readers that love can be found in the present. I was brought to tears by the end of this story, revealing that sometimes you can't retreat to the past to find love's redemptive powers. Couple LeeLee and Rhonda have made a new life in the snow-covered north, away from the judgmental family members back home in the warm south. This story is astonishing. All readers will find lots to love in this fantastic book of short stories.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I recommend it. I would give this book 5 stars.