This felt like watching a movie drama. I could picture all the well written characters and envision the settings. It takes you through the ups and downs as they experience it. I wish I could have read it a little slower to take it all in. I will be re reading this again but I feel everyone should give this story a chance. It is so real and the situations complex and diverse. I am glad I was given the chance to try this one.

Initially whilst reading through the early pages of this book, I’m not sure what it’s supposed to be about and although part one is mainly an introduction to the characters in this book, although Charley is the main character I’m quite drawn to Xander who is so quirky and full of life.

During part two, Xander and his friends get together for the weekend and include Charley for the ride. It’s just lots of bonding of friendship a lot of talking about current affairs and past histories and communicating just what friends are supposed to do I suppose. It’s revealed that the company just works for is possibly going to tear down the bookstore where Charley works and lives and turn them into condos. But until this decision is made permanent, she has to hold it herself but shares it with Terrance.

This book does talk about immigration, race and sexuality a lot and the resentment and issues experienced that are raised from these demographics in society. There is an incident that shows how black men feel and are treated after being pulled over for no apparent reason, the racism that’s shown towards them just for the colour of their skin. That particular incident bought tears to my eyes, because of the pain and anguish and the relief at him coming away alive. But it also showed his anger to be treated so badly so degradingly by the police just for being black.

It’s also goes onto describe illegal immigration and the issues surrounding it within American corporate businesses. The action of one of the group members was to find somewhere that a corporation could purchase cheap, so that it could be razed to the ground and then build condos in its place. The only trouble is they became friends with Charley, who lives there. So to try to make amends, she reports the companies practices, regarding the workforce and the non-payment of taxes to a reporter, in the hopes that it would stop their practices but her actions has consequences which affect her personal life.

This book once it picks up, is so beautifully written, so powerful and touching there are times when you feel as though you are actually there, experiencing all the hardship and pain and circumstances that the cast and their families have endured, you feel it all and I loved every second of it. I highly recommend that you read this book, it’s full of emotions and tears and there’s even some laughter. But it shows how the group deals with loss, companionships and societal issues that can have a negative effect on the character’s wellbeing. I also think that this book would be excellent for book clubs everywhere.

The only criticism I have of this book is that every time “Sunny” is having a conversation with “Charley”, the author keeps using they or their or them instead of her or she. So it gets very confusing as to whether there are other people with them or it’s just the couple having a conversation between themselves.