"Nguyen debuts with a glittering story of a family nail salon in Toronto...Nguyen imbues her characters with humanity and nuance, making hay from all their imperfections. Readers are in for a treat."—Publishers Weekly
"Sharp, witty, and warmhearted, Nguyen's debut tackles gentrification, small business ownership, prejudice in the workplace, andmost importantlythe depth of familial ties, and the power of a good manicure."—Shelf Awareness
“Sunshine Nails has been marketed as lighthearted, and it is in many ways — it's funny...and it's a gratifyingly speedy read. But beneath the dust jacket's bright yellows, purples and pinks is a novel of character studies that simmers with questions about work, class, generational divides and the expectations facing refugees making new homes in their asylums.”—NPR's Books We Love – Best Books of 2023
“Filled with heart and humor, Sunshine Nails is an insightful, moving story with striking depth, taking on gentrification, family expectations, and generational differences. You will be rooting for the Tran family through every risk and sacrifice they make to save their salon, and ultimately themselves. Mai Nguyen has proven herself to be a real standout.” —Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of Carrie Soto is Back
"The story of the Tran family is full of zany, hilarious fun — but it’s also poignant and told with care. Sunshine Nails made me laugh, cry, and think deeply about culture, family, and the ties that bind. What a witty and engaging debut — I was thoroughly charmed!"—Marissa Stapley, New York Times-bestselling author of Lucky
“An uplifting story about family, acceptance, and moving forward, Sunshine Nails beautifully illustrates the push and pull of generational divides within the boisterous Tran family and the Vietnamese diaspora within their Toronto community. Sunshine Nails is a heartwarming and colorful debut, proving Mai Nguyen to be an exciting new voice in fiction.”—Sonya Lalli, author of A Holly Jolly Diwali and Jasmine and Jake Rock the Boat
“Like a fresh set of diamond-encrusted gel nails, Nguyen truly sparkles in this hilarious, poignant and utterly engrossing comedy of Vietnamese diaspora, gentrification, class, race, and the millennial pressures of finding oneself among overbearing family members. The immigrant story is usually stoic and filled with suffering, but here, a new kind of Asian-Canadian narrative comes to light, one that is so fundamentally joyful and human, it will make you laugh out loud and cry simultaneously. With an abundance of wit, heart, and cleverness, Nguyen explores the complex realities of kinship and belonging faced by Asian immigrants. I loved it.”—Lindsay Wong, author of The Woo-Woo and Tell Me Pleasant Things about Immortality
“Sunshine Nails is a phenomenal debut from Mai Nguyen. This page-turning story about the Tran family’s desperate attempts to keep their nail salon in business will have you rooting for them as often as you shake your head. It’s a delightful romp, with keen social commentary and writing that simply sparkles. Put it on your summer reading list ASAP!”—Carley Fortune, New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After
“Sunshine Nails manages to be lighthearted and funny while it also shrewdly addresses complex topics, like gentrification and anti-Asian racism. I loved the Tran family and their bright, compelling story.” —Emily Austin, author of Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead
“Sharply observed and incisively detailed, Sunshine Nails is a beautiful debut novel rich with specificity, rooted in a love of and understanding of Toronto and the intricate nuances of the intergenerational divides within an immigrant community. Affectionately written with care for each facet of character, it is a deeply pleasurable, moving, and fast paced read seeped in sensory detail and deeply loving of its subject matter, inviting the reader to fall in love with this funny flawed family too.”—Leah Franqui, author of America for Beginners and After the Hurricane
“Sunshine Nails is a compelling exploration of family, identity, and community. Readers everywhere will root for the Tran family as they navigate love and work. Told with a rare blend of humor and insight, this delightful story shows that Mai Nguyen is a writer to watch! —Saumya Dave, author of What a Happy Family and Well-Behaved Indian Women
"Sunshine Nails is a fresh, fun take on family dynamics and the secrets we keep to protect each other. Well-defined characters and deft navigation of the highs and lows of the immigrant experience make this book a delightful read. Nguyen’s writing sparkles—I can’t wait to tell everyone about this!" —Sierra Godfrey, author of A Very Typical Family
"A whip-smart and hilarious David versus Goliath romp. The Tran family will have you biting your nails as they claw at their competition and each other. Will they survive? Or will they lie forever in the proverbial nail bed that they made? But the Vietnamese diaspora will always find their way back home—even if they lose an eyelash or two along the way." —Carolyn Huynh, author of The Fortunes of Jaded Women
"Nguyen debuts with a glittering story of a family nail salon in Toronto...Nguyen imbues her characters with humanity and nuance, making hay from all their imperfections. Readers are in for a treat."—Publishers Weekly
"Sharp, witty, and warmhearted, Nguyen's debut tackles gentrification, small business ownership, prejudice in the workplace, andmost importantlythe depth of familial ties, and the power of a good manicure."—Shelf Awareness
“Sunshine Nails has been marketed as lighthearted, and it is in many ways — it's funny...and it's a gratifyingly speedy read. But beneath the dust jacket's bright yellows, purples and pinks is a novel of character studies that simmers with questions about work, class, generational divides and the expectations facing refugees making new homes in their asylums.”—NPR
“Filled with heart and humor, Sunshine Nails is an insightful, moving story with striking depth, taking on gentrification, family expectations, and generational differences. You will be rooting for the Tran family through every risk and sacrifice they make to save their salon, and ultimately themselves. Mai Nguyen has proven herself to be a real standout.” —Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of Carrie Soto is Back
"The story of the Tran family is full of zany, hilarious fun — but it’s also poignant and told with care. Sunshine Nails made me laugh, cry, and think deeply about culture, family, and the ties that bind. What a witty and engaging debut — I was thoroughly charmed!"—Marissa Stapley, New York Times-bestselling author of Lucky
“An uplifting story about family, acceptance, and moving forward, Sunshine Nails beautifully illustrates the push and pull of generational divides within the boisterous Tran family and the Vietnamese diaspora within their Toronto community. Sunshine Nails is a heartwarming and colorful debut, proving Mai Nguyen to be an exciting new voice in fiction.”—Sonya Lalli, author of A Holly Jolly Diwali and Jasmine and Jake Rock the Boat
“Like a fresh set of diamond-encrusted gel nails, Nguyen truly sparkles in this hilarious, poignant and utterly engrossing comedy of Vietnamese diaspora, gentrification, class, race, and the millennial pressures of finding oneself among overbearing family members. The immigrant story is usually stoic and filled with suffering, but here, a new kind of Asian-Canadian narrative comes to light, one that is so fundamentally joyful and human, it will make you laugh out loud and cry simultaneously. With an abundance of wit, heart, and cleverness, Nguyen explores the complex realities of kinship and belonging faced by Asian immigrants. I loved it.”—Lindsay Wong, author of The Woo-Woo and Tell Me Pleasant Things about Immortality
“Sunshine Nails is a phenomenal debut from Mai Nguyen. This page-turning story about the Tran family’s desperate attempts to keep their nail salon in business will have you rooting for them as often as you shake your head. It’s a delightful romp, with keen social commentary and writing that simply sparkles. Put it on your summer reading list ASAP!”—Carley Fortune, New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After
“Sunshine Nails manages to be lighthearted and funny while it also shrewdly addresses complex topics, like gentrification and anti-Asian racism. I loved the Tran family and their bright, compelling story.” —Emily Austin, author of Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead
“Sharply observed and incisively detailed, Sunshine Nails is a beautiful debut novel rich with specificity, rooted in a love of and understanding of Toronto and the intricate nuances of the intergenerational divides within an immigrant community. Affectionately written with care for each facet of character, it is a deeply pleasurable, moving, and fast paced read seeped in sensory detail and deeply loving of its subject matter, inviting the reader to fall in love with this funny flawed family too.”—Leah Franqui, author of America for Beginners and After the Hurricane
“Sunshine Nails is a compelling exploration of family, identity, and community. Readers everywhere will root for the Tran family as they navigate love and work. Told with a rare blend of humor and insight, this delightful story shows that Mai Nguyen is a writer to watch! —Saumya Dave, author of What a Happy Family and Well-Behaved Indian Women
"Sunshine Nails is a fresh, fun take on family dynamics and the secrets we keep to protect each other. Well-defined characters and deft navigation of the highs and lows of the immigrant experience make this book a delightful read. Nguyen’s writing sparkles—I can’t wait to tell everyone about this!" —Sierra Godfrey, author of A Very Typical Family
"A whip-smart and hilarious David versus Goliath romp. The Tran family will have you biting your nails as they claw at their competition and each other. Will they survive? Or will they lie forever in the proverbial nail bed that they made? But the Vietnamese diaspora will always find their way back home—even if they lose an eyelash or two along the way." —Carolyn Huynh, author of The Fortunes of Jaded Women
05/01/2023
Nguyen debuts with a glittering story of a family nail salon in Toronto. Matriarch Debbie Tran absentmindedly clicks on a one-star review of her business, Sunshine Nails, which sends her into a chaotic shame spiral about the quality of her English and of her own “unkempt” nails, both subjects of the unsatisfied customer’s blistering screed. Making matters worse, a slick salon chain named Take Ten opens a store across the street, riding a wave of gentrification in the neighborhood. Debbie, desperate to compete with the new salon, recruits her daughter, Jessica, who’s recently returned home after a breakup, to help turn Sunshine Nails around. Debbie also starts spying on Take Ten bigwig Savannah Shaw, paranoid that Savannah is sabotaging her. Meanwhile, Debbie’s husband, Phil, is up to his own shenanigans, securing a business loan from a sketchy associate, prompting readers to wonder how far the Trans will go to hold on to their legacy and whether they’ll tarnish it in the process. Nguyen imbues her characters with humanity and nuance, making hay from all their imperfections. Readers are in for a treat. (July)
06/10/2024
An ensemble cast narrates Nguyen's warmhearted debut, giving voice to multiple members of the Tran family as they navigate changing family dynamics, neighborhood gentrification, and the challenges of finding space in a new country. Vietnamese refugees Debbie and Phil Tran, owners of a Toronto nail salon, live a comfortable life. However, when a sparkly new salon moves in across the street, it becomes nearly impossible for the Trans to keep their salon afloat. In a desperate bid to save the business, the Trans enlist the support of their daughter Jessica, who has returned home after a nasty breakup, along with Jessica's brother Dustin and their cousin Thuy. The ensemble of talented narrators—Carolina Ðo, David Lee Huynh, Quyen Ngo, Vyvy Nguyen, and Trieu Tran—bring out each family member's personality and convey the spirit of Nguyen's text, which is sprinkled throughout with Vietnamese phrases. Listeners will likely enjoy Nguyen's descriptions of tasty foods and a sweet love scene between the parents, but insufficient character development occasionally makes it hard to connect. VERDICT Fans of family dramas with multiple perspectives, such as Balli Kaur Jaswal's The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters, will find much to like.—Laura Stein
A full cast of narrators brings this family drama debut to life. Debbie and Phil Tran, Vietnamese refugees who run their own nail salon in Toronto, are barely breaking even. Things worsen when a new high-end salon opens across the street and rents surge in their gentrifying neighborhood. Desperate to save their family business, they recruit their children and niece to help them undermine the competition. The perspectives of the chapters move among the various flawed Tran family members. The narrators' performances ensure that the characters are easy to distinguish, although some characters are less developed. The nuanced deliveries capture complex family dynamics and generational differences as the story explores themes of gentrification, the immigrant experience, and racism. V.T.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
A full cast of narrators brings this family drama debut to life. Debbie and Phil Tran, Vietnamese refugees who run their own nail salon in Toronto, are barely breaking even. Things worsen when a new high-end salon opens across the street and rents surge in their gentrifying neighborhood. Desperate to save their family business, they recruit their children and niece to help them undermine the competition. The perspectives of the chapters move among the various flawed Tran family members. The narrators' performances ensure that the characters are easy to distinguish, although some characters are less developed. The nuanced deliveries capture complex family dynamics and generational differences as the story explores themes of gentrification, the immigrant experience, and racism. V.T.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine