FACING THE SUN

Can four friends weather the storms of friendship?

KeeKee, Nia, Faith, and Eve want to save the beautiful Bahamian beach they’ve grown up on from developers who want to build a hotel, blocking local families’ access. However, saving the beach is complicated. Faith’s father works for Parliament and supports the development. Nia’s mother is a local journalist who writes about protests against the hotel. KeeKee’s father is an architect working on the new hotel. Eve’s father’s beachfront church is a pillar in the community. To top it all off, KeeKee’s three friends harbor a crush on her brother, Toons. Each girl also has her own personal problems. Nia struggles to gain freedom from her overbearing mother and wants to know who her father is. Faith must be a caretaker for her mother, who struggles with debilitating dementia. Eve parents her younger brothers and sisters when her dad falls ill. And, KeeKee’s whole world is rocked when she learns the truth about one of her parents. When a suspicious and devastating fire reduces the church to ashes, the girls must navigate friendship as their world changes. The author skillfully portrays tensions between maintaining community control and flavor against economic expansion. The protagonists have varied talents and interests, exhibit creativity and drive, and offer nuanced insights into the diversity of black communities outside the U.S.

A heartwarming and sincere journey following four girls as they mature into their friendship.