Saving Ruby King

A Novel

By: Catherine Adel West

Narrated by: Kim Staunton, Imani Parks, Ron Butler, Adam Lazarre-White, Lloyd Roberson II, Terra Strong Lyons

Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's Summary

Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2020 by Ms. Magazine, USA Today, Book Riot, The Rumpus, Library Journal, PureWow, The Everygirl, Parade, and more.

“Forever and to the end. That’s what they say instead of I love you.”

When Ruby King’s mother is found murdered in their home in Chicago’s South Side, the police dismiss it as another act of violence in a Black neighborhood. But for Ruby, it’s a devastating loss that leaves her on her own with her violent father. While she receives many condolences, her best friend, Layla, is the only one who understands how this puts Ruby in jeopardy. 

Their closeness is tested when Layla’s father, the pastor of their church, demands that Layla stay away. But what is the price for turning a blind eye? In a relentless quest to save Ruby, Layla uncovers the murky loyalties and dangerous secrets that have bound their families together for generations. Only by facing this legacy of trauma head-on will Ruby be able to break free. 

An unforgettable debut novel, Saving Ruby King is a powerful testament that history doesn’t determine the present and the bonds of friendship can forever shape the future.

©2020 Catherine Adel West (P)2020 Harlequin Enterprises, Limited

Excellent Read

Loved this book! Powerful story telling! Although some of the stories it told were not stories I have lived persay, I related to the emotions and trauma these experiences create and perpetuate in generations of families. Reading this story helped me understand some of my family's relationships better and I now have empathy in a different way. I couldn't put the book down once I started. I listened to Saving Ruby King first on audible book and now plan to purchase a hard cover book from a black owned book store to support black business and writers, and will read again.

Didn't hate it, didn't love it

I wish the story was more about the mystery and less focused on "sins of the father" theme. It wasn't bad, but just didn't interest me as much as the mystery could have. I also didn't like the voice of one of the actors, she wasn't believable all the time, and it took me out of it. Sometimes I had to turn it off for a bit because her voice gave me a headache. I think if I read the book, I would've liked it a little more, but not much. Just wasn't for me.

Had me in the beginning, strong the middle , lost me at the end

This book was recommend to by a adubile customer service person so I gave it a try. It has a really interesting plot and I was very invested in the characters for the first half. Then the middle really picked up but towards the end I lost interest. The characters become confusing and the plot twist really don’t make sense. The ending was a little too happy. But it was alright not a waste of credit. Either way. It was 3/5 for me

Amazing Read

This was an amazing story and I couldn’t stop. Ruby will stay with me for a while.

We are always as sick as our secrets.

I love this book. The characters are well developed and full of secrets. The secrets build walls between father and daughters and mother and son. All of this is hidden in the walls of a church which carries the energy and burden of their secrets. Loved it.

Loved It!!

Started out a little slow but I ended up loving the book. It's my best read this year!!

loved it

it was 4 stars all the way around...great story line ...out standing narrators...outstanding...loved it so much greating ready to listen to it again

What You Don't Know Can Destroy You

This novel has so many things I usually don't like. I don't like multiple narrators. I don't like dysfunctional families, having learned enough first hand. Most of all I hate secrets. This book had all of these elements in abundance. And yet...and yet, it worked. The story was so universal. Secrets that were meant to protect the "innocent" turned toxic. Moral rectitude was a cover for hypocrisy. A terrible crime kept secret warped and twisted people unto the third generation. But it was also about friendship and love. On top of that, it was a pretty good murder mystery with a surprise at the end. I had to just stop after it was over and absorb it, thinking about all the myriad complications of human relationships. I am glad that the author didn't end it on a dark note. It could have been a real downer, another thing I don't like. All in all I thought it was really good and I highly recommend it.

We all need darkness,makes us appreciate the light

"Calvary", the church walls tells story after story because you see, we people don't see it all, but someone always does. The world takes so much but "Forever and to the end", those words meant do much. To them, it surpassed the overused term "I love You". Hmmmm, the girls(Naomi, Sarah, and Violet) being 20 but still acting as teenagers didn't sit right with me. But then again, all the trauma they had to endure explains it all, literally from cradle to grave. Rape, abuse, molestation, alcoholism, arrogance, backstabbing, and death all hidden behind religion and parenting. A pastor, one they regard as "King Saul", molested his daughter Sarah every night, and now that her mother is dead, he amps his antics up and ends up impregnated his daughter. Naomi and Violet have a plan to get her away from Evil and his doings. But evil isn't new, it does disappear no matter where you flea to. Now there's Ruby (Rue) and Layla best friends. Like the other girls, they too endured too much. Rue's mother (Alice) was killed, by who, many think it's her abusive father(LeBanon) Layla knows all of her secrets and wants to rescue her from her father. Lebanons mother Sheila is dying from cancer, but she is the reason why he's the way he is. She beat him as he beat his wife Alice and daughter Rue. I despise how he refers to his daughter as "the girl", yuck men 😒. What I loved is, the girls were from different generations yet, they're connected. Like I mentioned previously evil isn't new, it follows even in family. Fleeing does nothing, deal with your issues head on and your peace will follow. Peace is something you even have to fight yourself for. Life doesn't give us our happy Endings, we take them and sometimes we take too much. This book was heavy, but goodt! #AMustRead #Book45of2020 #bookworm #whatsnext

Boring!

I kept listening to this book thinking it would get better but it didn’t it was so boring and disconnected! Simply awful, think it’s the worst book I’ve either read/listen to in years.