Blackness Thirteen Ways (Forthcoming)

Lush Lives (Grove Atlantic / Roxane Gay Books, 2023)

For Glory Hopkins, inheriting her Aunt Lucille’s Harlem brownstone feels more like a curse than a blessing. As a restless artist struggling to find gallery representation, Glory doesn’t have the money, time, or patience to look after the aging house of an aunt she barely knew. But when she stumbles into Parkie de Groot, a savvy, ambitious auction house appraiser on the verge of a coveted promotion, her unexpected inheritance begins to look more promising. Glory and Parkie form an unlikely alliance and work to unearth the origins of a rare manuscript hidden in the brownstone’s attic. In doing so, they uncover not only the well-kept secrets of Lucille’s life but also the complex relationships between Harlem and its distinguished residents.

Undeniable as their connection may be, complications arise that threaten to tear apart their newly forged relationship. Between Parkie’s struggle to overcome the heartache of past romances and professional problems that threaten to end her rising career, and Glory’s unbridled and all-consuming ambition, they begin to keep secrets from each other. The deeper they dig into the mysteries of the Harlem brownstone, the more fraught their relationship becomes.

Lush Lives is an unforgettable novel of queer love, ambition, and the forgotten histories that define us.

Praise:

“Lyon (The Groves) blends romance and family history with a scathing critique of the New York City art world in this sumptuous tale… With prose that turns on a dime from blistering to sensual, Lyon makes Glory an appealing and complex narrator. This is a treat.” —Publishers Weekly

“Lush Lives is a joy to read. It’s tender, sharp, funny, and oh so sexy. This is one to savor; I didn’t want it to end. I can’t wait to read more from J. Vanessa Lyon.” —Jasmine Guillory, New York Times-bestselling author of The Proposal

Lyon is clearly invested in illuminating the interior lives of her characters and showing how intersectionality is everywhere… the braided plotlines drive the characters’ individual transformations. —Kirkus Reviews

Lyon writes a compelling and sexy story of the lives of queer women, both past and present, grounded in the beautifully drawn atmosphere of Harlem. The novel successfully blends real and speculative history to evoke what may hide in the silence of historical records. VERDICT This will appeal to readers who enjoy sapphic romance or literary mysteries and especially to those who enjoyed Nella Larsen’s Passing. —Library Journal, starred

Lyon’s hot, perceptive novel grapples with navigating interracial relationships and issues of authenticity and selling out. The resolution of the manuscript story line reveals secrets about Lucille’s life that resonate with Glory in the present. …an unerringly satisfying read. —Booklist, starred

“Insightful, brazen, and groundbreaking in its vivid portrayal of boundary-pushing characters who rarely get the spotlight, Lush Lives is the total package — a sexy queer romance with substance.” —Camille Perri, author of When Katie Met Cassidy and The Assistants

The Groves (Amazon / Audible, 2022)

For readers of campus novels from Tartt and McCarthy to Real Life, comes this captivating debut novel following a diverse cohort of socially-influential queer women students as they investigate the darker side of their picturesque New England college.

Returning to rural Vermont for her senior year after time abroad, New Yorker Daphne Howard just wants to make it to graduation. She’s still processing the sting of her social circle moving off-campus under the thrall of Serena Vigil, a talented poet from Texas who happens to be Daphne’s nemesis. But when a gruesome story overheard at a local bar leads Daphne to consider an unusual artifact discovered on campus in a new light, friends, lovers, and others unite to confront the collision of present and past, political and personal.

The Groves introduces listeners to an unforgettable ensemble of characters: a college-hopping drifter whose journalistic instincts drive the group’s investigation, a Virginia equestrienne turned intersectional feminist, the only Black lesbian majoring in art history… and more make up this eclectic, sharp-witted cast. Through the shocks and revelations of one momentous year, these bright twenty-somethings on the cusp of independence fall in and out of love, make plans and change course, and learn from each other what it means to be yourself.

Please note: This production contains strong language and mature themes. Discretion is advised.

Meet Me in Madrid (HarperCollins / Harlequin, 2021)
Writing as Verity Lowell

Charlotte Hilaire has a love-hate relationship with her work as a museum courier. On the one hand, it takes her around the world. On the other, her plan to become a professor is veering dangerously off track. Yet once in a while, maybe every third trip or so, the job goes delightfully sideways…

When a blizzard strands Charlotte in Spain for a few extra days and she’s left with glorious free time on her hands, the only question is: Dare she invite her grad school crush for an after-dinner drink on a snowy night?

Praise

“Lowell’s debut ably combines blazing-hot eroticism with tender romance and sometimes-painful realism.” — Publishers Weekly

“…a mature, honest, and erotic romance that will have readers admiring what these two smart and determined women accomplish.” — Library Journal

“Lowell’s romance between two educated and charming women will resonate with anyone who has juggled careers and love.” — Booklist