My Fine Lady: A Novel

by Yolanda Joe

An uplifting story about finding true love and a true voice—with a fresh spin on Pygmalion—from the bestselling author whose novels top 300,000 copies in print.

Yolanda Joe has wowed thousands of fans with her lively storylines and savvy heroines. Now she introduces Imani, a rising star whose dreams and challenges will capture the hearts of thousands more.

Talented, ambitious, and just twenty-two years old, Imani is surrounded by men with advice about her singing career. Her father, who owns a struggling nightclub, sees Imani’s future as a chance to fulfill his own failed dreams. Her boyfriend, Taz, is determined to become a mega-producer, with Imani’s street rapping as his ticket to fame. But Professor Orenthal Hopson, who teaches in the music department of a historically black college, has his own designs on her: he struck a bet with a colleague requiring him to transform Imani from a hip-hop hopeful into a traditional jazz singer. Like a modern-day Eliza Doolittle, Imani finds herself caught up in a musical makeover that causes her to question who she really wants to become. As Professor Hopson begins to sweep her off her feet, she also has to decide whether to stand by Taz, the man she’s cared about since childhood, or let herself fall for the dashing intellectual.

A delight on every page, My Fine Lady presents the dilemmas of romance, family, and career with Yolanda Joe’s signature wit and flair.

Genres: Romance, Music, Teachers, Fiction

221 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Litsplaining]

This book still hits almost 20 years later.

Now, yes! There is some respectability politics and mysogynoir prejudices written into the character development. But, keep in mind that the book was penned in the early 2000s when this was the norm way of talking. If you can look past these tropes and make it to the end of the book, the character development of Imani is transcending.

Highly recommend this Afrocentric blended spin on the My Fair Lady and Cinderella trope!

[Millie]

Aaw wow...such a sweet story.

I loved all the random messages within the book...just highlighted all of them.

I loved the book. And good to see a lady shining. To Imani🥂...

Well written.l

[Linda Boyd]

I stumbled across this audio book at the library quite by accident. I love Yolanda Joe, I read her very first book Falling Leaves of Ivy several years ago have enjoyed her writing every since. This book I had never heard of. Going well so far.


Not one of my favorite books by Yolanda Joe, but pretty good. Not sure if it was because I listened to this book on audio. (still trying to get with audio, the jury is still out on that). This book was about a young lady named Imani, whose parents were in the music business. She has a good voice, but is a little scared to sing, so, she decided to be a hip hop star. Her mom was a jazz singer and she died when Imani was a little girl. So after she grows up she is having a hard time getting her hip hop career off the ground, then she meets a guy who grooms her to be a jazz singer and the rest is history. I give this book 3 stars.

[Destiny “ Dee”]

I just finished listening to this book today. A breath of fresh air. A good older book. I felt as if I knew the characters. The flow of the book was very good. The growth of Imani was inevitable. Professor Hopson was a determined Music Professor who sacrificed his education for love. Imani's loyalty towards her friends and family was remarkable, very similar to that of her mother. A good love story.

[Amethyst]

Love this woman's writing in this particular book. She had some truly strong lines that are just beautiful that I truly appreciate.

[Shannan Harper]

Another great read that makes you want to say WOW. It was very engaging throughout and as always a well written story.

[Bill Littell]

Plot maybe a little too reminiscent of the Pygmalion story, but the author's style makes this novel worth the read.