The Bag Ladies of Ebondale

By: Michelle Davis-Newell

Narrated by: Genn Jackson

What happens when unpacking your emotional baggage reveals more than you bargained for? On Chicago's South Side, in the fictional close-knit community of Ebondale, four friends join a unique therapy group, where secrets and long-hidden truths rise to the surface, testing the bonds of their sisterhood in ways that could either tear them apart or bring them closer than ever.

Each woman shoulders emotional scars that weigh heavily on her spirit. When a scandal threatens to unravel their fragile peace, will these best friends turn on each other, or will they trust in the healing power of truth?

Follow Josie, Londyn, Mia, and Brianna as they strip away the facades they've hidden behind for years, facing deep wounds and harsh realities on their path to healing, self-awareness, and the unbreakable bond of sisterhood. Their journey of strength and transformation mirrors the challenges many of us face. Are you prepared to embrace the truth?

©2024 Michelle Davis-Newell (P)2025 Michelle Davis-Newell

Really great story of growth and sisterhood!

Wow! This story touched on many of the emotional and testing issues women face. These women had endured much in their lives, both personally and romantically. What I really loved was the Bag lady meetings and how it gave the friends support and strength to make the moves in their lives that were right for them. Because it's not always just about being with someone because you’re in love, it's about loving yourself first and making decisions that will truly fulfill and make you happy in the end. Looking forward to this author's next book that I hear she is working on.

Telatable

I really enjoyed this book. Each woman had a story you could relate to. Well written and loved the character development.

I enjoyed the energetic and distinctive difference of each character

I truly enjoyed the definint passion of the narrator, she really brought the story to life.
What's Next?

Such a pleasant surprise!

The Bag Ladies of Ebondale was such a pleasant surprise. It had been on my list for a while, and I finally sat down to listen. I’m so glad I did.

I’ve been swimming in romance audiobooks lately, so I went into this one with totally different expectations. I thought it would be another romantic story, but it wasn’t. Not even close. One of the first hints that it would be different was the narration style. It’s written in third person, which I hadn’t listened to in a while unless I was deep into fantasy or something more plot-heavy. That shift caught me off guard at first, but it worked. It really worked.

The narrator brought this story to life in the most entertaining way. The character voices were everything. At one point I was literally cracking up. She didn’t just read the story. She embodied it. There was so much personality in how she voiced each character. I genuinely loved the voiceover work and it added so much dimension to the story.

As for the story itself, it’s rich. It explores the kind of deep, layered friendships that don’t get nearly enough attention in fiction. It honors the power of therapy. It shows what it looks like to choose yourself, even when that choice is heavy. It digs into how to listen to your partner, how to grow with them, and how to take your relationship further with actual tools like therapy, not just vibes. What I appreciated most is that nobody got to take the easy way out. Every single character had to face themselves. Everyone had to grow. And that kind of storytelling takes care and intention.

At the core, this is a love story...but it’s about the love between friends. It’s about the sacredness of showing up for each other, of healing in community, and of telling the truth even when it’s messy. That kind of love is just as important as romance, and this book centers it beautifully.

If you’re a woman who appreciates powerful Black storytelling, stories with humor and depth, and characters who are allowed to be fully human, The Bag Ladies of Ebondale is absolutely worth your time. There’s so much heart here, and the narration makes it a full experience.