In this collection of compelling short stories set in Jamaica and the United States, female characters struggle in a world filled with sexual violence, neglectful fathers, jealousy, lies, and prejudice. But in these diverse, subtly constructed stories, there is often a glimmer of hope as the women rely on their resilience, creativity, optimism, humor, and friendship to help them make their way. In these stories, gritty realism and irony are in constant tension with possibility and hope as a child overcomes her fear of roaches to get an education, a middle-aged woman Reggae singer finds happiness with a younger Brazilian lover, and estranged friends seek forgiveness.