This coming of age story about a Canadian girl spending the summer with her Jamaican father in his home town has a lot going for it. The dynamics between Tilla and her family and the other people in the country are well thought out and feel authentic. There are the family secrets she discovers and rumors that swirl around her, which all make up for an unforgettable summer.

Ms. Bromfield presents a side of Jamaica that vacationers don't see. Tilla's father comes from the countryside where people are money poor, resources can be unpredictable, and everyone knows everyone else's business. She explores the colorism, sexism, and slut-shaming that are a very real part of life. I wish there had been some kind of a warning about assault, but there wasn't, so I'm telling you now.

The fault I found was the extensive glossary at the beginning and the language switching sometimes by the same character during the same conversation. Jamaican patois was used throughout the book, along with terms and words that don't translate directly. If you are not familiar with it, this could be a hindrance to the flow of the book.

I would have preferred there to be more consistency in language and maybe footnotes or some other way of defining a word or term on the same page it occurs. It would have helped me to learn the words in context rather than flipping between the glossary and the story.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so very beautifully written. Besides having one of the most gorgeous covers I’ve ever laid my eyes on, the narrative was poetic & soothing even when I was balling my eyes out. It is so vivid and I felt like I was there in Jamaica with Tilla though I have never set foot on Jamaican soil before. I don’t share in Asha’s Jamaican heritage but as a fellow descendant of the Caribbean, I could relate to so much of this story.

There is more about how I felt/was triggered in the link posted.

Wow, wow, wow. This book took me through all of the emotions. It isn't an easy book to read, but I was absolutely impressed by Bromfield's handling of the many issues she tackles. The people in the book felt like people Bromfield actually knew, they popped off the page for better and for worse.

Hauntingly beautiful is right. This was a stunning read that I would love to be able to incorporate into my classroom. This story hits all of the notes - coming of age, identity, culture, colonialism, love, relationships, racism, sexism… there are so many ways that this could be brought into the classroom. I feel very lucky to have read this story and I look forward to figuring out how I CAN bring it into my classroom in the upcoming years.

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me. I didn't connect with the characters even after several attempts.

TW: Sexual assault

This is a story of growth, resilience, strength, and trauma.

Tilla is told by her mother that she is going to be spending the summer in Jamaica with her father. She is not excited about seeing him because she is still resentful that he leaves their family to spend half of his year on the island. Tilla discovers so many dark secrets on the island that unravel throughout the story.

My favorite part of the story was the Patois that the author weaved into the story!

Heartbreaking, unflinchingly honest, and beautiful, Asha Bromfield proves herself to be a voice the YA genre needs with Hurricane Summer. She takes care in moments of intense pain and suffering, and validates the experiences of so many involved. While you root for the main character, you can't help but understand the ideologies and cultural norms that cause those around her to treat her the way they do. You see a young woman who survives despite everything and who learns to find bravery and joy in the little moments in life. Would highly recommend.

I like cultural stories but this one didn’t click with me. Why? I don’t know. Maybe because Tilla’s aunt was nasty from the beginning for no apparent reason? I just didn’t feel the story working for me so I DNF and moved on to another book.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. I liked the characters. There were a lot of them, so you need to pay attention. I thought the story flowed well. It was interesting to see the differences in family because of where they grew up, opportunities they had, etc. It was sad and had some hard things to read about. Also, the dialect was a bit hard to follow at times, but it made the story more authentic. Some racy parts, so maybe not for younger teens.

By far one of the most powerful, embracing and life changing books i’ve ever read. I loved the voice it gives to embrace sexual shame. And i thought that was written well.

For a YA< this book was so mature and complex. Asha Bromfield really tore my soul apart with her prose at times. It was so raw. I cannot wait to read what she has next.

#HurricaneSummer by Asha Bromfield is an exploration of identity. It covers so many topics and issues—colonialism, racism, colorism, privilege—but in a way that flows within the story. Tilla’s journey is so easy to get wrapped in. And it all takes place in Jamaica!

This book was so raw and realistic. I found it very relate able. The writing style was compelling too .

This was a fantastic coming of age story and I loved the background of a lush Jamaica as it prepared for a hurricane. This was a beautiful debut and I highly recommend for those that like these kind of Afro-Caribbean stories.

This book evoked all the emotions. I was amazed and awed but not surprised by the secrets and lies. The treatment of family members based on the color of their skin or the place they are raised is not new to many POCs. Beautifully written with some harsh realities.

When I read this book I had all sorts of feelings! This book is about a girl who gets sent to Haiti for the Summer to spend time with her family on her father's side. During the plotline of the book I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. My heart broke for the main character as we followed her through the journey in Haiti. I really enjoyed this book overall and I hope that the author comes out with a new book soon!

Whew. This book was much darker than I expected. It does a good job of explaining how girls and women, especially young Women of Color, are oversexualized and how this treatment affects them, but that's obviously not easy to read. The main character is an older teenager and this book verges on "new adult" territory.

Hurricane Summer was a cute read. I enjoyed the overall premise. However I had difficulty with connecting to some of the characters in this story. Overall an enjoyable read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

This was such a refreshing read. It tells the story of Tilla, a Jamaican-Canadian teenager who travels to Jamaica with her little sister to spend two months with their father. She expects to spend the summer catching up with her dad after not seeing him for over a year; however, shortly after they arrive, Tilla realizes the visit will be nothing like she expected.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one! Asha’s descriptive writing paints such a vivid, beautiful picture of the island of Jamaica, I felt as though I was along for the adventure through the countryside. Well...I was also reading this while sitting on the beach in Aruba, so that could have added to the tropical, island vibes I was feeling. But anyway. 🤷🏾‍♀️

There are so many different themes explored, which makes it such a great story. While Hurricane Summer primarily focuses on Tilla as she grows into womanhood and learns more about her father’s side of the family, it is also a depiction of relational aggression, family secrets, building trust, young love, exploring sexuality, colorism, and forgiveness. It’s good stuff!

I began reading and left this book several times .... An amazing writing style that vividly describes sequences full of trauma, pain, and judgment, and makes you want to leave the book while forcing you to continue reading... A roller-coaster of emotion is a weak expression to describe the whole dizzying range of emotions that will engulf you as you turn the pages. Anger, laughter, sadness, rage ... are just a small part of the emotions that changed as I traveled this heartwrenching trip into the world of Tilla ...
Hurricane summer is a heartbreaking story of a teenager visiting her father in Jamaica, a journey that takes you through the life of this young girl and her attempt to discover herself and her origins. The desire of a child to feel the love and care of a parent. A period of growth and change, of finding and losing love, of strong emotions .... Tilla and the puzzle called her life and her struggle to fit all the pieces, to fit herself into that world while being attacked from all sides .... And you might expect to experience the beauty of the island of Jamaica where you will experience this strong young woman coming of age, but be prepared to face the horrible side of this amazing place. Race, colorism, class, abuse, and a bit of sexual assault are just some of the situations you will encounter through the pages of this book.
And now as I write this review, the first thing that comes to mind is the brutal intensity, with words that are etched in your heart and the pain that makes you sympathize with this young girl and her pain. And even though I knew this book was a debut, I somehow felt like I was reading the words of a very experienced author. Maybe because all the emotions were so skillfully poured into every sentence, in every scene. Love and beauty, versus destruction and pain... One of the things I loved about this novel is that it uses the Jamaican dialogue of Patois. Somehow it contributes to the greater complexity and depth of the story itself. Admittedly, it was quite difficult to understand, at least until you got used to the terminology. The glossary at the beginning was a great aid.
Definitely a book that is not for everyone. A book that will make you cry and feel a range of emotions that will remain in you, long after reading. Though provoking and brutally honest, this book is definitely an excellent choice for people who are unafraid to dive into a sea of emotion.