Description
A fearless young woman from a small African village starts a revolution against an American oil company in this sweeping, inspiring novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Behold the Dreamers. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY ESQUIRE - "Mbue reaches for the moon and, by the novel's end, has it firmly held in her hand."--NPR We should have known the end was near. So begins Imbolo Mbue's powerful second novel, How Beautiful We Were. Set in the fictional African village of Kosawa, it tells of a people living in fear amid environmental degradation wrought by an American oil company. Pipeline spills have rendered farmlands infertile. Children are dying from drinking toxic water. Promises of cleanup and financial reparations to the villagers are made--and ignored. The country's government, led by a brazen dictator, exists to serve its own interests. Left with few choices, the people of Kosawa decide to fight back. Their struggle will last for decades and come at a steep price. Told from the perspective of a generation of children and the family of a girl named Thula who grows up to become a revolutionary, How Beautiful We Were is a masterful exploration of what happens when the reckless drive for profit, coupled with the ghost of colonialism, comes up against one community's determination to hold on to its ancestral land and a young woman's willingness to sacrifice everything for the sake of her people's freedom.
Details
Author: |
Imbolo Mbue |
ISBN 10: |
0593132424 |
Pages: |
384 |
Publisher: |
Random House |
Publication Date: |
March 9, 2021 |
Binding: |
Hardcover |
Weight: |
1.30lbs |
![Biographical Note:
Jasmine Guillory is the New York Times bestselling author of six romance novels, including The Wedding Date, The Proposal, and the upcoming While We Were Dating. Her work has appeared in O, The Oprah Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Bon Appetit, and Time. She lives in Oakland, California.
Review Quotes:
"Jasmine Guillory is the undisputed queen of the modern-day romance, and this novel--in which a budding movie star and the ad guy tasked with making her famous fall hard for one another before encountering life's many complications--is yet another jewel in her crown."-- Vogue
"This romance will sizzle off the page, and leave you excited for whatever Guillory writes next."-- Real Simple
"Jasmine Guillory has long since established her reign as the romance queen, and yet with each new release she reestablishes her dominance. While We Were Dating is as good as you've come to expect from the author--stuffed with glamour and wit, the story follows an advertising professional who falls for a Hollywood actress when she stars in his latest campaign. It's juicy yet meaningful, like every Guillory classic."-- Elle
"Romance author Jasmine Guillory spins another dazzling love story."-- TIME
"The novel introduces thoughtful commentary on mental health, racism and body image issues in Hollywood, while still tying together all the components readers want from a dreamy celebrity romance."-- USA Today
"An Instagram-flavored remix of Notting Hill. Glamorous and sexy? Sounds like the perfect beach read."-- Harper's Bazaar
"Love yourself and pick up this witty, glitzy novel."--Vulture
"A delectable tale."--GoodMorningAmerica.com
"The best-selling romance novelist does it again, this time with a delicious tale of an advertising executive and the movie star he casts in his new campaign."-- Entertainment Weekly
"A ridiculously fun narrative that is grounded in reality while offering a much-needed escape from it...A cheery romance that's not afraid to dip into the hard stuff...A book that honors its readers by taking its genre seriously all the while providing humor and scenes of charm and delight."-- TIME
"Guillory has turned many a romance-novel skeptic into a true believer, and her newest release will garner even more converts . . . [a] charming, sexy love story."-- Elle
"Three things in life are certain: Death, taxes and Guillory will always deliver a satisfying rom-com."--E! News
"Steamy and swoon-worthy."--PopSugar
Publisher Marketing:
An instant New York Times bestseller!
One of TIME Magazine's 100 Must-Reads of 2021!
Two people realize that it's no longer an act when they veer off-script in this sizzling romantic comedy by New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Guillory.
Ben Stephens has never bothered with serious relationships. He has plenty of casual dates to keep him busy, family drama he's trying to ignore and his advertising job to focus on. When Ben lands a huge ad campaign featuring movie star, Anna Gardiner, however, it's hard to keep it purely professional. Anna is not just gorgeous and sexy, she's also down to earth and considerate, and he can't help flirting a little...
Anna Gardiner is on a mission: to make herself a household name, and this ad campaign will be a great distraction while she waits to hear if she's booked her next movie. However, she didn't expect Ben Stephens to be her biggest distraction. She knows mixing business with pleasure never works out, but why not indulge in a harmless flirtation?
But their light-hearted banter takes a turn for the serious when Ben helps Anna in a family emergency, and they reveal truths about themselves to each other, truths they've barely shared with those closest to them.
When the opportunity comes to turn their real-life fling into something more for the Hollywood spotlight, will Ben be content to play the background role in Anna's life and leave when the cameras stop rolling? Or could he be the leading man she needs to craft their own Hollywood ending?
Review Citations:
Library Journal Prepub Alert 02/01/2021 pg. 59 (EAN 9780593100851, Paperback)
Library Journal 05/01/2021 pg. 56 (EAN 9780593100851, Paperback)
Kirkus Reviews 05/15/2021 (EAN 9780593100851, Paperback)
Booklist 06/01/2021 pg. 48 (EAN 9780593100851, Paperback) - *Starred Review
Booklist 06/01/2021 pg. 48 (EAN 9780593100844, Hardcover) - *Starred Review](https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-5b0svc/images/stencil/590x590/products/31803/33929/image__21372.1687882714.png?c=2 "Biographical Note:
Jasmine Guillory is the New York Times bestselling author of six romance novels, including The Wedding Date, The Proposal, and the upcoming While We Were Dating. Her work has appeared in O, The Oprah Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Bon Appetit, and Time. She lives in Oakland, California.
Review Quotes:
\"Jasmine Guillory is the undisputed queen of the modern-day romance, and this novel--in which a budding movie star and the ad guy tasked with making her famous fall hard for one another before encountering life's many complications--is yet another jewel in her crown.\"-- Vogue
\"This romance will sizzle off the page, and leave you excited for whatever Guillory writes next.\"-- Real Simple
\"Jasmine Guillory has long since established her reign as the romance queen, and yet with each new release she reestablishes her dominance. While We Were Dating is as good as you've come to expect from the author--stuffed with glamour and wit, the story follows an advertising professional who falls for a Hollywood actress when she stars in his latest campaign. It's juicy yet meaningful, like every Guillory classic.\"-- Elle
\"Romance author Jasmine Guillory spins another dazzling love story.\"-- TIME
\"The novel introduces thoughtful commentary on mental health, racism and body image issues in Hollywood, while still tying together all the components readers want from a dreamy celebrity romance.\"-- USA Today
\"An Instagram-flavored remix of Notting Hill. Glamorous and sexy? Sounds like the perfect beach read.\"-- Harper's Bazaar
\"Love yourself and pick up this witty, glitzy novel.\"--Vulture
\"A delectable tale.\"--GoodMorningAmerica.com
\"The best-selling romance novelist does it again, this time with a delicious tale of an advertising executive and the movie star he casts in his new campaign.\"-- Entertainment Weekly
\"A ridiculously fun narrative that is grounded in reality while offering a much-needed escape from it...A cheery romance that's not afraid to dip into the hard stuff...A book that honors its readers by taking its genre seriously all the while providing humor and scenes of charm and delight.\"-- TIME
\"Guillory has turned many a romance-novel skeptic into a true believer, and her newest release will garner even more converts . . . [a] charming, sexy love story.\"-- Elle
\"Three things in life are certain: Death, taxes and Guillory will always deliver a satisfying rom-com.\"--E! News
\"Steamy and swoon-worthy.\"--PopSugar
Publisher Marketing:
An instant New York Times bestseller!
One of TIME Magazine's 100 Must-Reads of 2021!
Two people realize that it's no longer an act when they veer off-script in this sizzling romantic comedy by New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Guillory.
Ben Stephens has never bothered with serious relationships. He has plenty of casual dates to keep him busy, family drama he's trying to ignore and his advertising job to focus on. When Ben lands a huge ad campaign featuring movie star, Anna Gardiner, however, it's hard to keep it purely professional. Anna is not just gorgeous and sexy, she's also down to earth and considerate, and he can't help flirting a little...
Anna Gardiner is on a mission: to make herself a household name, and this ad campaign will be a great distraction while she waits to hear if she's booked her next movie. However, she didn't expect Ben Stephens to be her biggest distraction. She knows mixing business with pleasure never works out, but why not indulge in a harmless flirtation?
But their light-hearted banter takes a turn for the serious when Ben helps Anna in a family emergency, and they reveal truths about themselves to each other, truths they've barely shared with those closest to them.
When the opportunity comes to turn their real-life fling into something more for the Hollywood spotlight, will Ben be content to play the background role in Anna's life and leave when the cameras stop rolling? Or could he be the leading man she needs to craft their own Hollywood ending?
Review Citations:
Library Journal Prepub Alert 02/01/2021 pg. 59 (EAN 9780593100851, Paperback)
Library Journal 05/01/2021 pg. 56 (EAN 9780593100851, Paperback)
Kirkus Reviews 05/15/2021 (EAN 9780593100851, Paperback)
Booklist 06/01/2021 pg. 48 (EAN 9780593100851, Paperback) - *Starred Review
Booklist 06/01/2021 pg. 48 (EAN 9780593100844, Hardcover) - *Starred Review")
