With Love from Harlem: A Novel of Hazel Scott

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.

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Published Jan 27, 2026

Average rating: 9

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Community Reviews

DilonW87
Jan 29, 2026
9/10 stars
I love a good historical fiction piece, and With Love From Harlem was right up my alley. This was my first time hearing about Hazel Scott, after some further digging I learned a lot about her life and the great accomplishments she achieved. The author did a great job painting the scenes of the time, describing the clothes, and the rest of the supporting cast. Speaking of the supporting cast it was entertaining reading how Hazel interacted and knew so many different people. Her former husband, who loved Harlem and Harlem loved him back was a handful. Every chapter I kept thinking “has she had enough?” I enjoyed hearing about Billie Holiday, I did know about, but I definitely learned so much more. Reading about James Baldwin and Josephine Schuyler took me on another google deep dive to read more about their lives as well. The novel had all the feels, in some chapters you felt love and happiness, while in others you could feel the cold and bitterness of the characters and their internal and external battles. It was a shame all some of them wanted was to be treated equal and share their gifts, but they were labeled communist and blacklisted. I would recommend this to anyone who loves artist from the Harlem Renaissance Era.

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