With Love from Harlem: A Novel of Hazel Scott – A Sweeping Biographical Drama of Music, Politics, and Sacrifice in 1940s America

By ReShonda Tate

USA TODAY BESTSELLER

"Tate blends fact and fiction with elegance...A captivating, emotionally resonant portrait of a singular woman who refused to be diminished." — LIBRARY JOURNAL

"Tate has a rare gift for storytelling that strikes straight to the heart." — SADEQA JOHNSON, New York Times bestselling author of Keeper of Lost Children

From The Queen of Sugar Hill author ReShonda Tate—a new novel inspired by beloved Harlem jazz performer Hazel Scott and the equal parts exhilarating and tumultuous relationship that changed the course of her life.

Harlem, 1943. At just twenty-three, Hazel Scott is a woman on fire. A jazz prodigy, a glamorous film star, and a fierce advocate for civil rights, she’s breaking barriers and refusing to play by the rules. Then Adam Clayton Powell Jr. walks into her life. Harlem’s most electrifying preacher-turned-politician, Adam is as bold and unyielding as Hazel—charismatic, powerful…and married.

This kicks off a decades-long relationship that propels them into the center of a political and cultural revolution. As Hazel’s star rises, Adam takes the national stage in Congress and the couple becomes the toast of the country. But when their affair turns into a marriage, behind the glamorous façade is a battlefield of ego, ambition, and sacrifice. Forced to choose between her music and her family, Hazel must decide what she’s willing to lose—and what she refuses to give up.

Set against the pulsing backdrop of twentieth-century Harlem and featuring icons like Billie Holiday, Langston Hughes, and James Baldwin, With Love from Harlem is a sweeping, emotionally charged romantic drama, rich with historical detail. ReShonda Tate delivers a powerful portrait of love, art, and the price of being unforgettable.

"[A] vivid and compelling picture of the life of this singular woman." — MARIE BENEDICT, New York Times bestselling author of The Queens of Crime

BUY THE BOOK

Published Jan 27, 2026

416 pages

Average rating: 7.88

105 RATINGS

|

|

BOOK TALK

Community Reviews

What Bookclubbers are saying about this book

✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI

Readers say *With Love from Harlem* vividly brings Hazel Scott and the Harlem Renaissance to life, praised for rich historical detail, engaging charac...

Lyssatunes
Lyssatunes
8/10 stars
This book introduced me to Hazel Scott. It wasn’t until I was a quarter way through that I did some research on her. Her name should be mentioned more with the greats of this era. I appreciate the storyline and the character introductions. I love a good historical fiction novel!
ericaj423
ericaj423
8/10 stars
I had never heard of Hazel Scott before picking up this book, and that alone made it worth reading. ReShonda Tate has written a story that pulls you in from the beginning with drama, secrets, and a cast of interesting characters. The writing flows nicely, and the twists are well-placed enough to keep you genuinely invested in how everything unfolds. What impressed me most is how closely Tate sticks to the historical timeline while still delivering a story that feels cinematic. The historical notes at the end, where she lets you know where she took creative liberties, are a nice touch. By the time I finished, I was already down a research rabbit hole about Hazel Scott's real life, and that is the highest compliment I can give a piece of historical fiction.
Blackandproudmillenial
Blackandproudmillenial
8/10 stars
Introduced me to some historical people I had never heard of. Great book! ❤️🖤💚
Jah D.
Jah D.
3/10 stars
I am a big historical fiction fan, but this missed the mark for me. I enjoyed learning about Hazel Scott’s brilliance, activism and legacy, but the storyline fell flat for me. A lot of attention was on Billie Holiday’s narrative, but it would have been great to read it from Billie’s lens throughout the book. The supporting characters, while iconic, felt thrown in without much relevance. I did appreciate the reimagining of Hazel’s quest to connect with her Trinidadian roots. We don’t see this angle taken in Harlem Renaissance/post-Harlem Renaissance literature.
Vid
Vid
4/10 stars
With Love, From Harlem didn’t work for me. It read like loosely connected scenes rather than a full story, and Hazel never felt consistently developed. Her personality shifted from confident to passive without clear motivation. The narrative also seemed more invested in Adam than in Hazel herself, which left her arc feeling thin.

See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.