This has much a meatier plot and is quite ambitious compared to Bromfield's first novel so I was excited to read it. The first half was so boring I started skim-reading, trying hard not to abandon the book completely. The "romance" between Irie and Jilly felt laboured and unconvincing. In the last third of the book, events picked up and the writing got quite engaging before ending abruptly in an unexpected way. I liked how the last handful of chapters were written; it was like the author suddenly decided to be creative while the earlier part was an exercise in deliberate formulaic plotting. Overall, I appreciated the historical fiction aspect but as a YA coming-of-age/romance, it was weak.

Thank you to Wednesday Books who kindly sent me an ARC for review. ( )

I love this book. It was beautifully done. It doesn't shy away from hard topics, but it's written in such a way that it's easy to follow. Still, reader be prepared to have your emotions drawn through the ringer. ( )

What a beautiful and painful story about love, music, and violence in Jamaica! It's 1976, and Jamaica is divided between political parties. Irie and her best friend Jilly have graduated school. Irie wants to perform reggae; Jilly is trying not to succumb to her politician parents' expectations. All they have in common is love of music and love for each other. Is it enough to bridge the divide between them? Irie is so powerful and passionate. I loved her journey even though it destroyed me. Jilly really came through in an unexpected way. I think everyone who loves Sapphic historical stories needs to read this. ( )

I have so many thoughts on this book, that I don’t know where to begin. The book was thoughtful and well-plotted, and did a fabulous job of slowly building the atmosphere and setting without doing massive information dumps. The main characters, Iris and Jilly, were both complex and complicated. I would 10 out of 10 recommend. ( )