Second House from the Corner, Sadeqa Johnson
Second House from the Corner, Sadeqa Johnson
List: $26.99 | Sale: $18.89
Club: $13.49

Second House from the Corner
A Novel of Marriage, Secrets, and Lies

Author: Sadeqa Johnson

Narrator: Robin Miles

Unabridged: 9 hr 29 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/14/2026


Synopsis

"A captivating tale to savor about a woman whose buried past threatens her picture perfect family life. Felicia is a wonderfully flawed, compelling main character, one who has stayed with me long after I finished the book. A winning novel from a writer to watch." -Benilde Little, bestselling author

Felicia Lyons, a ­­­­­­­ stressed out stay-at-home mom, struggles to sprint ahead of the demands of motherhood while her husband spends long days at the office. Felicia taps, utters mantra, and breathes her way through most situations, but on some days, like when the children won’t stop screaming her name or arguing over toy trucks and pretzel sticks, she wonders what it would be like to get in her car and drive away.

Then one evening the telephone rings, and in a split second the harried mother’s innocent fantasy becomes a hellish reality. The call pulls her back into a life she’d rather forget. Felicia hasn’t been completely honest about her upbringing, and her deception forces her return to the Philadelphia of her childhood, where she must confront the family demons and long buried secrets she thought she had left behind.

From a phenomenal fresh voice in fiction, comes the compelling story of what happens when the dream falls apart. Sadeqa Johnson's Second House from the Corner is an unforgettable tale of love, loss, rediscovery, and the growing pains of marriage.

About Sadeqa Johnson

SADEQA JOHNSON is a former public relations manager who spent years working with well-known authors such as J.K. Rowling, Bebe Moore Campbell, Amy Tan, and Bishop T.D. Jakes before becoming an author herself. Her debut novel, Love in a Carry-on Bag, was the recipient of the Phillis Wheatley award for Best Fiction and the USA Best Book award for African-American fiction. She is a Kimbilo Fellow, former board member of the James River Writers, and a Tall Poppy Writer. Originally from Philadelphia, she currently lives near Richmond, Virginia, with her husband and three children.

About Robin Miles

Robin Miles began her audiobook narration in 1994.  She's read over 130 titles covering many different genres and has won multiple Earphones awards.  Her many audiobook credits include Augusten Burroughs's Sellevision, Edwidge Danticat's Brother I'm Dying, and Lalita Tademy's Cane River.  Her film and television credits include The Last Days of Disco, Primary Colors, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order, New York Undercover, National Geographic’s Tales from the Wild, All My Children, and One Life to Live.  She regularly gives seminars to members of SAG and AFTRA actors' unions, and in 2005 she started Narration Arts Workshop in New York City, offering audiobook recording classes and coaching.  She holds a B.A. in Theater Studies from Yale University, an MFA in acting from the Yale School of Drama, and a certificate from the British American Drama Academy in England.


Reviews

Goodreads review by jv on February 25, 2022

I adore absolutely everything in this heart-tugging tale of love and lines blurred. I'm looking forward to more from Ms. Johnson, for sure.......more

Goodreads review by Monica **can't read fast enough** on August 27, 2022

This was a solid three star read for me, but Felicia...DANG! My whole relationship with her came down to "No, she won't. No, she won't really. Damn, she did." There are two big problems that Felicia has to navigate and they both resolve pretty easily in the end, which was a little disappointing. I h......more

Goodreads review by Jennifer on July 28, 2016

What a great book! Second House from the Corner is a standalone, women's fiction novel written by Sadeqa Johnson. This story follows a stay-at-home mother: Felicia Lyons as she struggles with her present-day role as "mommy", her aspirations for something more to fulfill her, and the resurfacing demo......more

Goodreads review by La Tonya on September 05, 2017

When you want that Kodak picture perfect life, at what lengths would you do to make it a reality? The lies you tell finally catches up with you like a spider spinning her web. This is what occurs with Felicia Lyons. She is a stay-at-home mom with three beautiful children in the suburbs of New Jersey......more

Goodreads review by Laura.125Pages on February 20, 2016

This review was originally posted on [www.125pages.com] The beginning of Second House from the Corner was amazing! A frustrated mom who feels like she is drowning, a husband who is an asshat, aspirations to be more true to herself. I was in book love. Then the "drama" started and it all went dow......more


Quotes

"So good." —Jennifer Weiner, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"Sadeqa Johnson should take a bow for her latest effort. Fans of 2011's Love in a Carry-On Bag, her first offering, will devour every word." -Essence

"Rich with complex characters, this novel goes beyond a story of frazzled motherhood. The first-person narrative reads like a warm conversation, and the pace stays sharp and steady." -Romantic Times

"Johnson is a skilled storyteller with a breezy style, and the journey of Felicia, a strong African American woman, will have particular appeal for Terry McMillan fans." -Booklist

“Felicia is a protagonist that you’ll laugh with and cry for.” –Pride

"A captivating tale to savor about a woman whose buried past threatens her picture perfect family life. Felicia is a wonderfully flawed, compelling main character, one who has stayed with me long after I finished the book. A winning novel from a writer to watch." -Benilde Little, bestselling author

"Sadeqa is a wonderful writer. We think you'll really enjoy this book." -Troy Johnson, AALBC.com

"I loved Second House from the Corner. Sadeqa was totally in my head at some times (with the mommy stuff!), and I found the ending really, really satisfying. Well earned." -23 Books You Should Read This Winter, Brenda Janowitz, PopSugar

"I loved the characters that Sadeqa Johnson created. The relationship between Faye and Preston was so loving and sexy and Johnson perfectly played out the typical male reaction when he finds that the woman he placed on a pedestal isn't the angel he always believed her to be. I also enjoyed Faye's relationships with her kids - the mature Rory, the needy middle child Twyla (and I loved her nickname, Two) and baby Liv. The author outdid herself with this book and I can't wait to see what she puts out next." -Read in Colour (4 stars)

"[An] excellent novel. She nails those days of rearing young children, how it's deeply rewarding and blindingly frustrating." -NJ.com