Sugar

"Strong and folksy storytelling... think Zora Neale Hurston... Sugar speaks of what is real."—The Dallas Morning News "Unforgettable images, unique characters, and moving story that keeps the pages turning until the end."—Ebony "A literary explosion... McFadden reveals amazing talent."—The Chicago Defender  “McFadden's debut novel is an earthy slice of life in a small Southern town. When Sugar, a prostitute who never had a chance for love or a normal life, moves into the house next door to Pearl, a matron who lost her spirit after the murder of her daughter 15 years before, the two women form a bond strong enough to withstand even the most vicious gossip. But secrets from both of their pasts may prove too much even for these two compelling women, and Sugar must choose between her dreams for something better and the people she has learned to love. McFadden captures the full character of small-town life and the strengths and weaknesses of its people. This novel of friendship and loss is an excellent addition to the growing body of work by young African American writers.”—Library Journal   “With her eponymous anti-heroine, debut novelist McFadden breaks the mold of a venerable stereotype. Here, the hooker with a heart of gold is instead a hooker with a past so tarnished no amount of polishing can change her fate… This ambitious first novel will appeal to readers who can appreciate Sugar's determination to come to terms with her past and fashion a viable future.”—Publishers Weekly