Black Girls Must Die Exhausted: A Novel for Grown Ups
Jayne Allen
eBook
(Quality Black Books, Sept. 15, 2018)
“Black girls must die exhausted” is something that 33-year-old Tabitha Walker has heard her grandmother say before. Of course, her grandmother (who happens to be white) was referring to the 1950’s and what she observed in the nascent times of civil rights. With a coveted position as a local news reporter, a “paper-perfect” boyfriend, and a standing Saturday morning appointment with a reliable hairstylist, Tabitha never imagined how this phrase could apply to her as a black girl in contemporary times – that is, until everything changed. An unexpected doctor’s diagnosis awakens Tabitha to an unperceived culprit, threatening the one thing that has always mattered most - having a family of her own. Stress has caused a premature burnout of Tabitha’s egg reserve, and time is running out on her options to become a wife and mother. With the help of her best friends, the irreverent and headstrong Laila and Alexis, the former “Sexy Lexi," Tabitha must explore the reaches of modern medicine and test the limits of her relationships. Will she risk every comfort to address the complications of her dysfunctionally-blended family and the uncertainty of a future with Marc?Tabitha's journey brings into view the internal experience of race, relationships, and generational patterns, and how each contributed to this crossroads. She must leverage the power of laughter, love, and courageous self-care to bring a healing stronger than she ever imagined - before the phrase “black girls must die exhausted” takes on a new and unwanted meaning in her own life.A well-written character-centered dramatic novel perfect for fans of Terri McMillan, Trisha R. Thomas, Omar Tyree, E. Lynn Harris, Kimberla Lawson Roby.