“Divisiveness. Chutzpah. Seduction. Politics. Opression. Spirituality. Gender relations. Betrayal. Healers-vs-scam artists. Fortitude. Dismay. Against all odd battles. Fighting the good fight. Just like the plight of humanity today, the historical and excellently well-crafted novel, NAKED TRUTH OR EQUALITY, THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT by Carrie Hayes has it all.” – Indie Reader ★★★★★
“This is an amazing novel. I will call it history-as-fiction since most of it is historically accurate or well-rooted in historical fact, but what a glorious job Carrie Hayes does with her facts. Compelling, riveting, enthralling—okay, I am gushing, but this is a truly wonderful book set in the post-Civil War era.” – Claire Matturo, author of The Smuggler’s Daughter ★★★★★
“Carrie Hayes’s novel is rich with history, offering a setting that is politically relevant with historical and familiar names like President Grant, Cornelius Vanderbilt, and Frederick Douglas becoming part of the story. The reader is left in no doubt that the novel is meticulously researched and beautifully written. The newspaper references add credibility to the already exciting historical setting. The shifts in the points of view create a powerful sense of suspense while allowing readers to connect intim