MY WEEK WITH HIM

An 18-year-old Black girl is caught between dreams of future stardom and complications at home.

Nikki Williams’ music has caught the attention of a record label executive who invites her to audition for his new girl group. Her mother believes she’ll be spending the weekend with a friend, not going to California. But before Nikki can sneak away from Cactus, Texas, she finds Vae, her younger sister, drunk and making out with a misogynistic creep in their driveway. Their mother comes home unexpectedly, and during the subsequent argument, Vae blurts out Nikki’s secret to deflect their mother’s anger. Nikki is kicked out of the house. Even though things have been strained between them since he started dating someone new, Nikki’s best friend, Malachai, comes through for her as he has many times before, asking her to spend spring break with him before going to the second round of auditions the following weekend. But then Vae goes missing. Nikki’s conflicts with her unstable mother intensify while she and Mal look for Vae. Socioeconomic disparities and difficult family dynamics feature prominently in this narrative, as Mal’s stable home life and wealth are juxtaposed against Nikki’s circumstances. This engaging novel centering Black teens includes romantic elements that take a back seat to the focus on Nikki’s relationship with her mother. Mal’s unfolding story arc sheds light on the insights he has into family struggles.

A realistic portrayal of the impact on young people of troubled family relationships.