The vibrant stories in “I'll Give You a Reason” explore race, identity, connection, and belonging in the Ironbound, an immigrant neighborhood in Newark, New Jersey. A young widow goes on her first date since her husband's death and finds herself hunting a bear in the woods with a near stranger. An unhappy wife compares her mother's love spells and rituals to her own efforts to repair her strained marriage. A self-conscious college student discovers a porn star who shares her name and becomes obsessed with her doppelgänger's freedom and comfort with her own body.
Annell López's indelible characters tread the waters of political unrest, sexuality, religion, body image, Blackness, colorism, and gentrification-searching for their identities and a sliver of joy and intimacy. Through each story, a nuanced portrait of the "American Dream" emerges, uplifting the voices of those on its margins.
Chant� McCormick and Torian Brackett narrate this collection, dividing the stories between them. The intensely emotional audiobook focuses on the experiences of immigrant and first-generation Americans in Newark, New Jersey, and all kinds of relationships. McCormick takes a gentle tone in her performances, subtly developing diverse character voices and going all-out on the emotive elements. She ca
