The collective elder mothers of Upper Room Chapel open with a Greek chorus-esque recitation about happenings affecting their congregation. At the center of the chatter is Nadia, 17, who had "earned a wild reputation" since her mother committed suicide six months earlier; the Upper Room elders know that Nadia is pregnant by the pastor's son Luke. Desperate to be somewhere else, Nadia chooses the promises of a prestigious college-degreed future, has an abortion, and leaves. The repercussions will continue for years. Relationships crumble, reignite, repair, and disappear among family, friends, and lovers, but the inescapable reach of the mothers—even the missing and lost mothers—looms. Debut novelist Bennett finds an ideal accomplice in narrator Adenrele Ojo, who moves effortlessly among decades, voicing teenagers and elderly women with ease. Ojo soothes with a deep richness, until she sharply demands attention with the slightest adjustment in pitch and tone. VERDICT A resonating performance that will enhance any literary fiction collection; especially recommended for fans of Yaa Gyasi, Heidi Durrow, and Tayari Jones. ["With its sophisticated, nuanced tone, it's a poignant tale of the hard decisions twentysomethings may face": LJ 9/1/16 starred review of the Riverhead hc.]—Terry Hong, Smithsonian BookDragon, Washington, DC

Bennett's brilliant, tumultuous debut novel is about a trio of young people coming of age under the shadow of harsh circumstances in a black community in Southern California. Deftly juggling multiple issues, Bennett addresses the subjects—abortion, infidelity, religious faith, and hypocrisy, race—head-on. At 17, Nadia Turner's life is topsy-turvy. Six months after learning of her mother's suicide, Nadia winds up pregnant and decides to abort the baby. The unborn baby's father, Luke—a preacher's son—gives Nadia the money to terminate but falls back on his promise to pick her up at the clinic after her appointment, causing a fissure in their relationship. Nadia's secret decision haunts her for decades—through college in Michigan, law school, and an extended trip back home to care for her ailing father. Meanwhile, the slow-to-build trust between Luke and Aubrey, Nadia's bible-thumping childhood best friend, who knows nothing of Nadia's past, is threatened when Nadia and Luke reunite and rip open old wounds after Luke and Aubrey's wedding. There's much blame to go around, and Bennett distributes it equally. But she also shows an extraordinary compassion for her flawed characters. A Greek chorus of narrating gossipy "Mothers" (as they're referred to in the text) from the local Upper Room Chapel provides further context and an extra layer to an already exquisitely developed story. Agent: Julia Kardon, Mary Evans Inc. (Oct.)

In a black Southern California community, 17-year-old Nadia deals with the grief of her mother's suicide by throwing herself into a relationship with Luke, the pastor's son. The resulting pregnancy and abortion are hastily covered up, and Nadia and Luke go their separate ways. Yet years later, the secret causes ripples that deeply affect their adult lives. Meanwhile, the elderly women of the church—"the mothers," as they are called—act as a kind of Greek chorus, having their say in alternating chapters, gossip mixed with wisdom. Reader Ojo creates believable voices for all the characters—the church women and Nadia, Luke, and Nadia's friend Aubrey both as teens and as adults. She ably brings out all the characters' conflicting emotions and their complicated relationships. A Riverhead hardcover. (Oct.)