Black Candle Women

“Propulsive and poignant, Black Candle Women concocts an intoxicating potion of warmth, wisdom, and wonder. This gorgeous debut novel is a sweepingly fashioned love story where romance and rebellion intertwine with fear and family. And the stakes are epic. I was completely and gladly under Ms. Brown’s spell.”
—Ava DuVernay
 

“Richly imagined and elegantly told, with plenty of satisfying secrets, heartaches, and twists. Black Candle Women is a promising debut.”
—Sadeqa Johnson, author of Reese’s Book Club Pick, The House of Eve
 

“Black Candle Women is a bold and tender story about three generations of women each attempting to find their way amidst the gifts and curses they've inherited. This novel is a wondrous celebration of womanhood.”

—Cleyvis Natera, author of Neruda on the Park

“A spellbinding romp. This book will have you asking yourself, who amongst us isn’t cursed? More importantly, how far would you go for a chance at love?”
—Carolyn Huynh, author of GMA Book Club Pick The Fortunes of Jaded Women

“A big-hearted debut, with complex, flawed, and compelling characters I was rooting for every step of the way. Diane Marie Brown compassionately depicts how mothers try to protect their daughters from the threats and disappointments of the world.”
—E.M. Tran, author of Daughters of the New Year
 

“Written with warmth and an eye for detail, Diane Marie Brown’s Black Candle Women explores the bonds of family and the magical power of belief to transform our lives.”
—Shaunna J. Edwards and Alyson Richman, authors of The Thread Collectors

“Black Candle Women is a compassionate novel about motherhood, sisterhood, independence, and the reflection and forgiveness required to break generational curses. Diane Marie Brown’s prose, as well as her fascinating main characters, will win you over immediately.”
—De'Shawn Charles Winslow, winner of the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and author of Decent People

“Brown deftly portrays an insular family of women in all of its complicated glory...The spiritual angle gives this powerful family drama a magical twist that will delight readers.”
—Booklist (starred review)
 

“For fans of intergenerational family dramas, this magical twist on the genre will prove refreshing.” —Publishers Weekly

“[A] gripping Black family drama...Brown’s debut tackles generational trauma in an engaging and heartfelt way.” —Library Journal