Short stories of Black women's inner lives as they navigate the daily hypocrisies sparked by the conflict between desire and the church's prescription.

I enjoyed these stories. They are very slice-of-life, but interesting. It's easy to stay with the thread of the stories. Philyaw's voice is distinct and thoughtful, and the audio narration is warm, perfect. I'm happy this was my first book of 2021 and I hope it's a sign of other good reads to come.

Food pairing: There's one story where the character is really missing her southern roots, and her partner prepares a big seafood boil with the necessary Old Bay and sweet tea. But I think gumbo and cornbread would be a nice alternative.