Lush Lives

After inheriting her aunt’s crumbling Harlem brownstone, up-and-coming Black painter Glory Hopkins is overwhelmed. When she takes a box of her aunt’s belongings to an auction house for appraisal, she meets Parkie de Groot, a wealthy, ambitious auction appraiser. Glory thought her aunt’s belongings were junk, but she and Parkie uncover among them a mysterious unpublished manuscript that raises many questions. As they work together to authenticate the document, they discover a truth about Glory’s Aunt Lucille that had been hidden for decades. Both Glory and Parkie feel an instant connection, but will past trauma keep them at arm’s length? Lyon’s print debut (after her Audible original, The Groves) is a queer love story featuring vibrant women who set their own paths. Narrator Elle Cleviden provides a layered narration, enhancing the story with her ability to change dialects and accents. She ably guides listeners through the book’s complicated terrain, incorporating classic romantic tropes while communicating the pressure of the women’s personal and professional ethics.