Sometimes making history means breaking some rules. This is a gripping historical fiction novel about bravery, hard work, the quest for success and two women's stand against prejudice in all its forms, perfect for fans of Kate Quinn, Sadeqa Johnson and Dolen Perkins-Valdez. New York, 1950. Ambitious journalist Hettie Carlin is reeling from a scandal and desperate for a scoop to salvage her career. When her boss tasks her with covering the meteoric rise of Althea Gibson, the tennis world's newest star, there's just two problems: Hettie knows nothing about tennis. Plus, her and Althea have a history - and it's not pretty. Hettie must convince a media-sceptic Althea Gibson to allow Hettie back into her life, and it won't be an easy feat. But, as Althea's star rises and she challenges the status quo, she faces media bias, tennis establishment prejudice, and discrimination head-on - and Althea soon realises she may just need Hettie, too, in order to tell her own story on her own terms.
When Althea becomes an unexpected civil rights icon, the pair realise their partnership transcends tennis, holding the potential to change history. If they can work together, they may just help revolutionize more than just the sport once and for all. Don't miss the powerful new historical fiction novel Inspired by the incredible true story of Althea Gibson, the first Black athlete to win a Grand Slam title in 1956. * Inspired by the incredible true story of Althea Gibson becoming the first Black athlete to win a tennis open in Paris in 1956, against the backdrop of the civil rights movement in America. * Set in New York predominantly, the story sees Althea and our protagonist, a fictionalised journalist, travel to Paris, London and other international tennis competitions. * The novel shines a light on the role of a woman of colour during the civil rights movement and how Althea used her voice to advocate for change both in the sport but in the world at large. * The novel is exceptionally well written with ample research full of real life historical detail. * This is Embassie's second traditionally published novel.
Competition: The;Storyteller;Casablanca;Rose Code;Skylark's Secret;Tattooist;Keeper;of Auschwitz;Light we Cann. by;kate quinn;Kristin Harmel;Heather Morris;Kate;Quinn;Anna Ellory;Stuart;Gian Sardar;Fiona Valpy;Barbara Erskine;Carol Kirkwood;Anthony Doerr;Pam Jenoff;Kaia Alderson;Mandy Robotham;Suzette Harrison.