Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm

"In this stunning novel – longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction – Laura Warrell turns the “womanizer” trope inside out by centering the stories, struggles, and, yes, joys, of the diverse cast of women who populate his life. Her “womanizer” – 40-year-old jazz musician Circus Palmer – learns the woman he loves most is unexpectedly pregnant with his child. Meanwhile, his teenage daughter Koko (my favorite character in the book) struggles to understand her own blossoming sexuality, cope with her father’s rejection and deal with her mother’s deteriorating mental health. I love the way Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm’s musical, staccato prose enlivens its subject matter. This is a book for anyone who has experienced heartbreak, love and everything in between."