In the Face of the Sun: A Fascinating Novel of Historical Fiction Perfect for Book Clubs

"Bryce excels at placing readers in a glamorous time and place...riveting and vibrant." - Booklist Go On Girl Book Club 2021 New Author of the Year | She Reads Best Literary Historical Fiction Coming in 2022 | BookRiot 2022 Historical Fiction to Add to Your TBR Right Now | We are Bookish Historical Fiction Novels You'll Want in Your Future | BiblioLifestyle Most Anticipated Books of 2022 | BookBub Best Books of Spring 2022 & Best Historical Fiction Books of 2022 | BookTrib Top Ten Historical Fiction Books for the Spring 2022 In this haunting novel, the author of Wild Women and the Blues weaves together two stories as they unfold decades apart, as a woman on the run from an abusive husband joins her intrepid aunt as they head across the country from Chicago to Los Angeles, and confront a painful and shadowy past that has reverberated across generations. "Bryce excels at placing readers in a glamorous time and place...riveting and vibrant." - Booklist Go On Girl Book Club 2021 New Author of the Year | She Reads Best Literary Historical Fiction Coming in 2022 | BookRiot 2022 Historical Fiction to Add to Your TBR Right Now | We are Bookish Historical Fiction Novels You'll Want in Your Future | BiblioLifestyle Most Anticipated Books of 2022 | BookBub Best Books of Spring 2022 & Best Historical Fiction Books of 2022 | BookTrib Top Ten Historical Fiction Books for the Spring 2022 In this haunting novel, the author of Wild Women and the Blues weaves together two stories as they unfold decades apart, as a woman on the run from an abusive husband joins her intrepid aunt as they head across the country from Chicago to Los Angeles, and confront a painful and shadowy past that has reverberated across generations. 1928, Los Angeles- The newly-built Hotel Somerville is the hotspot for the city's glittering African-American elite. It embodies prosperity and dreams of equality for all-especially Daisy Washington. An up-and-coming journalist, Daisy anonymously chronicles fierce activism and behind-the-scenes Hollywood scandals in order to save her family from poverty. But power in the City of Angels is also fueled by racism, greed, and betrayal. And even the most determined young woman can play too many secrets too far . . . 1968, Chicago- For Frankie Saunders, fleeing across America is her only escape from an abusive husband. But her rescuer is her reckless, profane Aunt Daisy, still reeling from her own shattered past. Frankie doesn't want to know what her aunt is up to so long as Daisy can get her to LA-and safety. But Frankie finds there's no hiding from long-held secrets-or her own surprising strength. Daisy will do whatever it takes to settle old scores and resolve the past-no matter the damage. And Frankie will come up against hard choices in the face of unexpected passion. Both must come to grips with what they need, what they've left behind-and all that lies ahead . . . "The scenes are cinematically vivid, the language fresh and vibrant, the characters complicated and real." - Historical Novel Society "The author of Wild Women and the Blues is back with another historical fiction novel to dazzle and amaze." - Book Riot "An engrossing family saga filled with heartbreak and love, victory, forgiveness, and loss, and a wonderful character study of several unforgettable women." - All About Romance

About the Author :
Denny S. Bryce is the award-winning author of historical fiction novels including Wild Women and the Blues and In the Face of the Sun. A former professional dancer and public relations professional, she now is an adjunct professor in the MFA program at Drexel University, a book critic for NPR, and a freelance writer whose work has been published in USA Today, Harper's Bazaar, and FROLIC Media. She is a member of the Historical Novel Society, Women's Fiction Writers Association, and Tall Poppy Writers. Originally from Chicago, she now resides in Savannah, Georgia and can be found online at DennySBryce.com.

Review :
Praise for In the Face of the Sun “In her second novel, Bryce shines light on notable people and events from American history, from civil rights activists Drs. Vada and John Somerville and the actor Stepin Fetchit to the painful wounds of Tulsa. The scenes are cinematically vivid, the language fresh and vibrant, the characters complicated and real.” —Historical Novel Society “The author of Wild Women and the Blues is back with another historical fiction novel to dazzle and amaze.” —Book Riot “In the Face of the Sun is an engrossing family saga filled with heartbreak and love, victory, forgiveness, and loss, and a wonderful character study of several unforgettable women.” —All About Romance “Like she did in her previous novel, Bryce excels at placing readers in a glamorous time and place. Her 1928 LA is riveting and vibrant…Recommended for historical-fiction readers who like to get lost in a time and place.” —Booklist Praise for Wild Women and the Blues   “Travel back in time to the Jazz Age this summer with this time-hopping read. It follows two stories of a chorus girl in the 1920s and a modern-day film student, past meeting present in a book about loss, forgiveness, and joy.” —The Pioneer Woman, Best Books of Summer   “The music practically pours out of the pages of Denny S. Bryce's historical novel, set among the artists and dreamers of the 1920s.” —Oprah Daily “This is the best kind of historical novel: immersive, mysterious and evocative; factual in its history and nuanced in its creativity and connection to the present.” —Ms. Magazine   “Perfect…Denny S. Bryce is a superstar!”  —Julia Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of the Bridgerton series   “Evocative and entertaining!”  —Laura Kamoie, New York Times bestselling author   “Wild Women and the Blues deftly delivers what historical fiction has been missing.”  —Farrah Rochon USA Today bestselling author   “All the glitz and glamour of Jazz Age Chicago, along with all the mob violence, is artfully described by the Bryce in this richly told, historical fiction debut.”  —Booklist   “The author deftly weaves fiction with reality and paints a vibrant picture of the sparkling yet seedy era…Perfect for fans of light historical fiction led by a complex heroine.”  —Kirkus Reviews   “Immersive and exciting, Denny S. Bryce’s Wild Women and the Blues [is] a vibrant novel that gathers elements of Chicago’s jazz past together.”  —Foreword Reviews   “An ambitious and stunning debut novel…With a sparkling cocktail of evocative detail, world-wise characters and heartfelt prose, Bryce celebrates the glam, danger, and promise of Chicago during the Jazz Age, giving readers an intricate, multi-generational story.”  —Stephanie Dray, New York Times bestselling author   “Bryce takes readers from Roaring Twenties Chicago to the 21st century, in a riveting tale that speaks of ambition, forbidden love and courage.”  —Palm Beach Post   "Denny S. Bryce paints a vibrant picture of the 1920s Jazz Age in this alluring and well-researched novel. Ritzy dance clubs, bootleg whiskey, chorus girls, gangsters, celebrities, secrets, and murder, Wild Women and the Blues has it all! A highly entertaining read!” —Ellen Marie Wiseman New York Times Bestselling author of The Orphan Collector   "A scintillating debut that whisks you away on a gritty yet glamorous ride through Chicago’s Bronzeville district during the Jazz Age...a highly intriguing and entertaining story."  —Jamie Beck, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author   “Denny did her research and it shows: she accurately includes notable historical figures within the story line and provides a list of additional titles for further reading. The small details describing the experience of a Black Chicagoan in the 1920s (from dress and entertainment to slang and the sense of community) create a vivid background for this cast of engaging characters. The slowly revealed mysterious connections between families tie the book’s two time periods together. VERDICT Readers looking for solid historical fiction or complicated relationships, or to gain new insights into underrepresented points of view, will enjoy this book.”  —Library Journal   “The author deftly weaves fiction with reality and paints a vibrant picture of the sparkling yet seedy era…Perfect for fans of light historical fiction led by a complex heroine.”  —Kirkus Reviews   “Wild Women and The Blues weaves together two equally ‘engaging’ stories.”  —SheReads   “A brilliant debut, full of atmosphere and wonderfully immersive history.”  —Cultured Vultures