Nola and Baldwin

Donna Hill began her career in 1987 writing short stories for the confession magazines. Since then, she has written more than 100 published titles and is considered one of the early pioneers of the African American romance genre. Three of her novels have been adapted for television. She has been featured in Essence, the New York Daily News, USA Today, Today’s Black Woman, and Black Enterprise among many others. She has received numerous awards, including The Career Achievement Award, the first recipient of The Trailblazer Award, The Zora Neale Hurston Literary Award, The Gold Pen Award, as well as commendations for her community service. She has also edited several highly successful novels and anthologies. Donna is a graduate of Goddard College with an MFA in Creative Writing and is an Associate Professor of Professional Writing and Executive Director for the Center for Black Literature at Medgar Evers College. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

A moving story of romance, courage, and resilience in turbulent times. NOLA AND BALDWIN is both a stark lesson in history and an ode to the promises of love and community. — Charmaine Wilkerson, New York Times Bestselling Author of Good DirtIn Nola and Baldwin, Donna Hill expertly blends history, romance, and resistance. A beautiful nod to the central characters of Their Eyes Were Watching God, this novel is a triumph—and one I believe Zora Neale Hurston would be proud of. — Bernice L. McFadden, bestselling author of SUGAR and FIRST BORN GIRLS.A pioneer of the genre, Donna Hill is at the height of her powers with Nola and Baldwin. It is Their Eyes Were Watching God for a new generation - a sweeping, lyrical epic that finally delivers the romantic finale our hearts have been craving. Set against the harsh shadows of the Great Depression, Hill crafts a masterful journey of resilience and a love powerful enough to anchor the soul. This isn’t just a romance; it’s a stunning tribute to the legacy of those who fought for a better life. Rich, soulful, and deeply moving. — ReShonda Tate, author of the USA Today Bestseller With Love from Harlem"Nola and Baldwin is a beautifully told story of hardship, hope and enduring love that simply swept me away. Donna Hill masterfully captures the resilience of the human spirit against the backdrop of history. I had never read a novel that so thoroughly dropped me into the life of a Pullman Porter and I loved it. This story will linger long after the last page is read." — Vanessa Miller, USA Today Bestselling authorNola and Baldwin are a beautiful reminder that through endurance, there is love. Black love is one of the best forms of rebellion and Donna Hill brings that to life on the page. — Natasha Bishop, USA Today bestselling author of The Art of Loving You.Donna Hill delivers a gripping, emotionally rich triumph in Nola and Baldwin. Through unforgettable first-person narration, readers are placed directly into the hearts and minds of Nola Faye Denny and Baldwin “Win” Carter, feeling every ounce of their love, longing, struggle, and fear. Hill captures the brutality of racism and the crushing weight of oppression, while never losing sight of Black resilience, ambition, and hope. The cadence, vernacular, and emotional authenticity sing from every page, creating a story that feels both deeply personal and profound. Sweeping, intimate, and unforgettable, this is historical fiction at its finest. — Vanessa Riley, Award-Winning Author of Island Queen and Fire Sword and Sea?Nola and Baldwin is a delightfully stunning portrait of resilience and familial legacy - a vibrant glimpse into the triumphs, heartbreak, and broken promises of the migration we came to call great. — Phill Branch, Emmy Award Winning Director and Author of the Double Dutch FussDonna Hill has crafted a deeply human love story that titillates as much as it teaches, balancing the painful realities of post-Emancipation Black life with the unsinkable hopes and dreams of the titular hearts. As Nola and Baldwin refuse to accept trauma and dehumanization as the norm, their demand and pursuit for joy keeps you rooting for their happy ever after. — Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond, Author of My Parent’s MarriageImmersive. Palpable. Gorgeous. A layered and intense love story. — Kalima Sesuze, Owner and Founder of Café con Libros.What a story! Donna Hill has written such a beautiful and emotional love story that is shaped by and wrapped in history. From the first page, I was immersed in Nola and Baldwin’s worlds, feeling every heartbreak and tragedy, but also every triumph and moment of hope. I was with Nola as she fled her past in search of a future she couldn’t yet see. And through Baldwin’s work as a Pullman porter, I experience a remarkable piece of American history. From Meridian to New Orleans, Chicago and New York, I wasn’t just reading, I was transported through the pages. I finished reading Nola and Baldwin weeks ago and the two still linger with me. I didn’t want their journey to end. — Victoria Christopher Murray, New York Times Bestselling author of Harlem RhapsodyA wrenching story of love and endurance. — Kirkus