SUNSHINE NAILS

This is a tender, humorous, and page-turning debut about a Vietnamese Canadian family in Toronto who will do whatever it takes to protect their no-frills nail salon after a new "Starbucks of Nails" salon opens up - even if it tears the family apart.

Debbie and Phil Tran are Vietnamese boat refugees who have made a good life for themselves in Toronto, but when a chain nail salon opens across the street, their world is rocked.

To make matters even worse, their landlord has just jacked up the rent of the salon and it's way more than they can afford. The Trans are terrified of losing their business - and everything they've built.

They enlist the help of their daughter, Jessica, who's just moved back home after a messy breakup and even messier firing. Together with their son, Dustin, and niece, Thuy, they devise a series of ill-conceived plans with stalking, blackmailing, and gambling all on the table if that's what it takes. Relationships are put to the test as the line between right and wrong gets blurred. Debbie and Phil must choose: do they keep their family intact or fight for their salon?

Sunshine Nails is a light-hearted, urgent fable of gentrification with a cast of memorable and complex characters who showcase the diversity of immigrant experiences and community resilience.

Mai Nguyen is a National Magazine Award-nominated journalist and copywriter who has written for Wired, Washington Post, Toronto Star, and a number of major brands. She currently lives in Toronto with her husband and French bulldog. Sunshine Nails is her first novel.