By 
Karen E. Osborne, the author of “True Grace,” has written a captivating and poignant Historical Fiction Novel inspired by actual events and real people. The timeline for this Domestic Fiction and Suspenseful story is set in 1924, during the Roaring Twenties in Harlem. In addition to the Harlem Renaissance, the story takes place in different New York City places, as well as references to The Congo, England, and Jamaica. Karen E. Osborne vividly describes her characters as complex, complicated, and courageous. Some are flawed. There are betrayals, and the author describes life for a mixed-race woman who is an immigrant at the time. There is inequality when it comes to men and women. There are discrepancies in how people are treated because of race and color.
The protagonist, Grace, is faced with making decisions out of love and morality. After some disturbing and tragic events, Grace’s husband is sent to jail. As a light black woman with children, Grace is forced to look for ways for their survival. As Grace replays history in her mind with her parents, she realizes why her mother made certain decisions. Grace is resourceful, creative, and determined, and her goals and dreams are to make dresses to sell. Grace is forced to make other difficult, painful decisions at this point in history. Grace is forced to deal with the inequities of the law, courts, child welfare, banks, gangs, and corrupt people.
The decisions that Grace was forced to make were heartbreaking, and I was constantly cheering her on. I highly recommend this memorable and thought-provoking novel. I appreciate the author discussing the importance of equality, family, friends, community, courage, determination, love, and hope.
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