From the Publisher
Praise for Songs of Irie:
CBC, "25 Canadian YA books to read in fall 2023", "All the Canadian books we're excited about this fall", "The CBC Books fall reading list: 40 Canadian books to read this season", "20 Canadian books to give to kids and teens this holiday season", and "18 Canadian books for children and young adults to read during Black History Month 2024"
Goodreads, "Our Big Preview of Fall's Most Anticipated Young Adult Books"
The Root, "October 2023 Books By Black Authors I Can't Wait to Read"
Publishers Weekly, "New and Noteworthy Children's and YA Books: October 2023"
"Dramatic, deeply sensual." - Booklist
"A devastating and nuanced look at two teens’ battle for freedom, hope, independence, and love." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"The relationship between Jilly and Irie is heartbreakingly comparable to Romeo and Juliet, and the two stand out as realistic, complex teens whose strong chemistry evolves into a romance doomed to fail in their political environment." - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Jamaican history, provocative lyricism, and relatable characters form an effective foundation for this bittersweet queer love story...A richly intimate novel of rebellion, romance, and reggae." - Kirkus
"An arresting, romantic coming-of-age story set during a time of intense political violence in Jamaica." - Shelf Awareness
“Songs of Irie is a powerful and urgent reminder of what’s worth fighting for in a world determined to tear you apart. Irie and Jilly’s love for one another is boldly vulnerable, achingly real, and absolutely unforgettable. Bromfield is a bright, burning talent with a voice that demands—and deserves—to be heard. A stunning book.” — Courtney Summers New York Times bestselling author of I’m The Girl
Praise for Hurricane Summer:
"... sharp observations about cultural difference, class implications, economic privilege, and colorism... Prose about Tilla’s reflections and the glory of the countryside is accessible yet sumptuous..." —The Bulletin for the Center for Children's Books
"This is an excellent examination of the ways wealth, gender, and color can shape and at times create mental and emotional fractures. Verdict: A great title for public and high school libraries looking for books that offer a nuanced look at patriarchy, wealth, and gender dynamics." —School Library Journal (starred review)
"Bromfield may have made a name for herself for her role on Riverdale, but with this debut, about a volatile father-daughter relationship and discovering the ugly truths hidden beneath even the most beautiful facades, she is establishing herself as a promising writer...this is a must." —Booklist (starred review)
"Searingly beautiful, heartfelt, and full of strength. I could not put it down and even when done, I held it tight to my heart. Bromfield is the storm we've all been waiting for." —Tiffany D. Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of Grown and Monday's Not Coming
"Hurricane Summer is a gorgeous story that radiates with resilience and bravely drops hard truths. Asha Bromfield will take readers by storm in her captivating debut about discovering yourself when your world is out of control." —Adam Silvera, New York Times bestselling author of They Both Die at the End
"Stunningly written. An unflinching coming-of-age novel that bravely demands an audience to the cost of life's pain & the rewards of all its beauty. Wow." —Courtney Summers, New York Times bestselling author of Sadie
Kirkus Reviews
2023-08-26
The politically charged story of two girlfriends in 1970s Jamaica.
Despite wholly dissimilar home lives, Irie Rivers and Jillian Casey are music-loving best friends at an elite Jamaican high school. A controversial scholarship from the new progressive government is the only way brown-skinned Irie from the Kingston slums can afford her education. Lighter-skinned Jilly’s wealth and privilege come from her father’s position in the conservative opposition party. But as the girls graduate and struggle with growing political tensions that influence their diverging paths, they also experience the complications and tensions of budding desires. Irie’s father is a record shop owner at the center of reggae’s rise as a voice for a generation of poor Black radicals opposing the status quo that Jilly’s father upholds from the hills, where affluence goes hand in hand with elitism and anti-Blackness. Irie is becoming an impressive reggae singer in her own right, taking Jilly on risky, exciting late-night dance hall excursions. While politically motivated gang violence takes the lives of many in Irie’s community, by the time sheltered Jilly discovers her own father’s degree of responsibility for the death and suffering, personal and political issues may prove to be too much for the teens’ relationship to overcome. Tragedy strikes in the buildup to a key election, as Jamaican history, provocative lyricism, and relatable characters form an effective foundation for this bittersweet queer love story.
A richly intimate novel of rebellion, romance, and reggae. (author’s note) (Historical fiction. 13-18)
