Higher Love by Joanne Kukanza Easley
A book blog tour from iRead Book Tours.
Thank you to the author, publisher, & Lauren at iRead for providing me with the information for this tour. 
Quick Summary:
A moving tale of redemption, forgiveness, and second chances, Higher Love follows Lauren as her quiet life is upended by the arrival of the daughter she gave up for adoption. As past secrets surface, this emotional novel explores the healing power of love and the complex bonds that define family.
Giveaway:
Enter to win an author-signed copy of HIGHER LOVE (one winner) (USA only) (ends June 13) ENTER BELOW.
Content Considerations:
PG-13 + M: Adult themes of alcoholism, underage drinking, and underage sex
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Higher Love by Joanne Kukanza Easley - #WomensFiction #LitFic #IndieAuthor #RedemptionStory #ForgivenessJourney @iReadBookTours @joanneeasleywriter #iReadBookTours #books #authors #giveaway
Book Details
Higher Love
By Joanne Kukanza Easley
Published by Red Boots Press on May 12, 2025
Genres: Adult Fiction 18+, Literary Fiction, Women's Literature
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 380
Higher Love—a captivating new novel from Joanne Kukanza Easley, the multi-award-winning author of Sweet Jane, Just One Look, and I'll Be Seeing You.
Set against the eclectic backdrop of Austin, Texas, in 1986, Higher Love introduces sixteen-year-old Stephanie, a teenager scarred by a turbulent past, who steps into the quiet life of sixty-two-year-old Lauren, her uncanny resemblance cracking open a buried past. Stephanie claims to be the granddaughter Lauren never knew—the daughter of the child she relinquished for adoption forty-five years earlier. Her arrival disrupts Lauren's carefully rebuilt world, already strained by her recent remarriage to Brett after years of separation. Reeling from the revelation that her adoptive grandmother hid the truth about her mother's adoption, Stephanie carries the weight of tragedy and self-harm, yet her vulnerability forges an unexpected, fragile bond with Lauren and Brett, two people grappling with their own regrets.
As Stephanie integrates into their lives, her aspirations for college are shattered when the 1987 stock market crash obliterates her trust fund, leaving her future in jeopardy. For Lauren, haunted by the loss of her child decades earlier, Stephanie represents a chance to rewrite her story. Fueled by fierce, unconditional love, Lauren sacrifices her financial security and emotional reserves to give Stephanie a path forward only to face a bittersweet twist that echoes the past and changes everything, reshaping their understanding of family, trust, and forgiveness in profound, lasting ways.
Higher Love is a sweeping, heart-wrenching family drama that explores the enduring weight of secrets and the transformative power of love. Through its richly drawn characters, the story delves into the courage it takes to face painful truths, the resilience found in embracing the present, and the unexpected joy of building a family from broken pieces. At its core, Higher Love celebrates the messy, redemptive beauty of human relationships, delivering a deeply moving tale of loss, healing, and the unbreakable bonds that define us.
Source: iRead Book Tours, Kindle Unlimited
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Purchase Links for Higher Love
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My thoughts on Higher Love
“She’s searching for redemption—but the past doesn’t let go without a fight.”
If you enjoy emotional, character-driven stories that pull at your heartstrings and offer a peek into life’s messier corners, Higher Love is well worth your time. Joanne Kukanza Easley gives us an eye-opening, behind-the-scenes look at the long shadows cast by past choices—and the painful, beautiful work of healing.
Lauren’s quiet life in Texas is upended when Stephanie, the daughter she gave up for adoption over thirty years ago, arrives on her doorstep. What follows is a deeply moving journey through forgiveness, redemption, and the intricate dance of family dynamics. Secrets unravel, buried pain resurfaces, and both women are forced to face truths they’ve long avoided. It’s not always easy to read—but that’s what makes it so powerful.
I appreciated how the novel tackled intergenerational trauma with honesty and grace, showing that the path to healing is rarely straight. There’s real emotional grit here, but also so much hope. If you're a fan of nuanced mother-daughter stories or tales about second chances, this one belongs on your shelf.
This book made me reflect on how love, even when it’s messy and complicated, can truly transform us. The characters are flawed and real, and Easley's writing allows them the space to stumble, grow, and ultimately reconnect.
If books that explore healing, found family, and emotional resilience are your cup of tea, give Higher Love a read. You just might find a piece of your own story in Lauren and Stephanie’s journey.
(Fun note: The musical remembrances earned an extra .5 star)
I read this book through my Kindle Unlimited subscription. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.
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I love to read books through my Amazon Kindle Unlimited subscription.
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Joanne Kukanza Easley, a retired registered nurse who worked in the cold, stark environment of operating rooms and the highly charged setting of psychiatric facilities, now resides in the Texas Hill Country. There, she crafts fiction centered on complex women of the twentieth century. Her debut novel, Sweet Jane, garnered multiple accolades, including the adult fiction prize at the Texas Author Project, and was a finalist for prestigious honors like the Sarton Award and the Eric Hoffer Award, among others. Her second book, Just One Look, was selected as a May 2022 Pulpwood Queen Book Club Pick. Her third novel, I’ll Be Seeing You, revisits characters from Sweet Jane. Her fourth novel, Higher Love, a continuation of her third, is slated for release in Spring 2025. Easley’s award-winning short stories and poetry have been featured in various anthologies.About Joanne Kukanza Easley
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Guest Essay from Joanne Kukanza Easley, author of Higher Love
The Music That Shapes My Stories
Kiki Dee’s 1974 anthem, “I’ve Got the Music in Me,” has echoed through my life for years. A five-star review of my debut novel, Sweet Jane, sums up why: “One of the real treats of this novel is the way the author works in musical references that are perfectly attuned to the action at hand. You’d swear the book has a soundtrack–and in a very real sense it does. As you read, you are hearing (in your mind) Janis Joplin, Bob Seger, Steve Miller, and so many others, which makes for a richer reading experience.”
I’m a dedicated music lover, especially of sixties and seventies rock, and my novels are infused with that passion. Each book takes its title from a song tied to its setting. Sweet Jane is named for the Velvet Underground’s iconic track. The inspiration for the main character, Jane, comes from a prompt in a writing group: she didn’t get that far. I pictured a heartbroken teenage girl standing at the side of the road with her thumb out, hitchhiking to Monterey Pop during 1967’s Summer of Love.
My second novel, Just One Look, a standalone set in Chicago, is bookended by two versions of the song: Doris Troy’s 1963 original, which sparks Dani Marek’s first love, and Linda Ronstadt’s 1978 cover. While Dani’s first romance doesn’t turn out as she hoped, fate offers her a second chance at love.
I’ll Be Seeing You, my third novel, steps outside my usual era and draws its title from the classic from the forties. Lauren Eaton, a character from Sweet Jane, never told Jane her story, so I had to. The novel spans five decades of Lauren’s turbulent life, with the song igniting a debate between her and her husband, Brett, over whether Bing Crosby or Frank Sinatra sang it best. The title also pays tribute to my parents, who adored the song.
On May 12, 2025, my fourth novel, Higher Love, will hit shelves. Inspired by Stevie Winwood’s 1986 hit, the book continues the story of Lauren. This one is deeply personal—my sister, who loved the song and lived its message of selflessness, passed away during its writing. I dedicated the book to her memory.
If you love stories about complicated women who overcome life’s toughest challenges, check out my novels here: Book Store - Joanne Kukanza Easley
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Giveaway!
Enter to win an author-signed copy of HIGHER LOVE (one winner) (USA only) (ends June 13)
Please visit more stops on the tour for extra chances to win!
Official Tour Page for Higher Love
Full Tour Schedule:
May 19 - Liese's Blog - book spotlight
May 19 - Cover Lover Book Review - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
May 19 - @adriftinfictionalworld - book review
May 20 - @acourtofspinesnpages * - book review / giveaway
May 20 - @tia.reads * - book review
May 21 - @jilljemmett * - book review / giveaway
May 21 - @theliteraryescapade * - book review / giveaway
May 22 - Working Mommy Journal - book review / giveaway
May 22 - Gina Rae Mitchell - book review / guest post / giveaway
May 23 - @reader_ceygo * - book review / giveaway
May 26 - @thebookishren * - book review / giveaway
May 27 - @Leannebookstagram - book review
May 28 - @readsandmusic * - book review
May 28 - @michellegodardricherauthor * - book review / giveaway
May 29 - Deal Sharing Aunt - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
June 2 - Happily Managing a Household of Boys - book review
June 2 - Ilovebooksandstuffblog - book spotlight / giveaway
June 3 - Locks, Hooks and Books - book review / giveaway
June 4 - @chloeltaylor__ * - book review / giveaway
June 4 - Book Corner News and Reviews - book review / giveaway
June 5 - China Sorrows - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
June 6 - @lizzies.reading.recs * - book review / giveaway
June 6 - @nissa_the.bookworm * - book review / giveaway
June 6 - @this.human.reads * - book review
June 6 - Books R US - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
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Book Title: HIGHER LOVE by Joanne Kukanza Easley
Category: Adult Fiction (18+), 360 pages
Genre: Women's Literary Fiction
Publisher: Red Boots Press
Release date: May 2025
Tour dates: May 19 to June 6, 2025
Content Rating: PG-13 + M: Adult themes of alcoholism, underage drinking, underage sex
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