nailed it
The Trans live in Toronto and have owned their own business for twenty years. They moved from Vietnam when t war made it too dangerous to continue to live there, and they found people to sponsor their move to Canada. After years of working for others, Phil realized that he would never make money for himself working for someone else, so he and Debbie opened their nail salon. They kept the business going for two decades, through thick and thin, and raised two kids besides. They are successful and respected in the Vietnamese community.
And then a new salon moved in across the street. After a New York Times article exposed the ugly underbelly of independent nail salons—underpaid workers, dangerous working conditions, potential health hazards for customers and employees—a company swooped in and started creating nail salons in New York that are modern and clean, to counteract every issue the article was raising. And now this salon brand, Take Ten, is opening a new nail salon in Toronto, right across the street from Sunshine Nails.
The Trans’ daughter Jessica has just moved back home from L.A., where she had been engaged and working as a casting agent. But she caught her fiancé cheating and lost her job, so she headed back to Canada to figure out what’s next. Their son Dustin never left home, but he does work for a local tech company that creates mood-enhancing technology. He feels good about being a part of something special, but he can’t deny that he works long hours and hasn’t had a raise in years.
When Take Ten opens up and Debbie meets their head of global Expansion, Savannah Shaw, she knows that surviving this will not be easy. This woman is fierce. But Debbie may have a couple of tricks up her sleeve also. Jessica tries to come up with some promotional ideas, but Savannah seems to be one step ahead of them. It will take more than a coupon to keep Sunshine Nails alive.
As another hit to their quaint corner of the city, one of the heritage buildings, a bank the Trans have used for ages, where Dustin first learned to put money in a savings account and had dreamed of taking his own children one day to teach them the same thing, is slated to be demolished. Developers want to tear the building down to build a modern monstrosity that will destroy the charm of the neighborhood and increase traffic and noise. Dustin knows about this because the tech bro he works for has already rented the top floor for their new offices. But Dustin doesn’t want to watch the old neighborhood get torn up and rebuilt without its character.
As the Trans fight for the way of life they’ve become so accustomed to, they try every trick they can think of to stay afloat. But will it be enough for this family to save their corner of Toronto, or will the wealthy and the powerful have too much sway and destroy the shop, the neighborhood, and the found family that the Trans have come to love?
Sunshine Nails is a bright, sweet, honest, funny portrayal of an immigrant family struggling to survive in a changing economy. The Trans are the family you want to cheer for, and while they’re not perfect, the way they care for each other and for their business made me fall in love with them. Debut novelist Mai Nguyen brings this story to life with flair and style, making it an ideal summer read.
I was interested in this book the moment I first saw the cover. The colors and energy of it drew me in and made me think I’d be reading a dynamic, funny, smart, heartfelt story. And that’s exactly what it did. Sunshine Nails is a David vs. Goliath story with lots of family love, good natured kidding, and underlying warmth. I couldn’t wait to start reading it. I didn’t want to stop reading it. I loved it.
Egalleys for Sunshine Nails were provided by Atria Books through Edelweiss, with many thanks.
