Such a Fun Age

 Reid, Kiley. Such a Fun Age. 2019. 310p. ISBN 9781526612144. Available as an audiobook from Overdrive.

At 25, African-American Emira lives in Philadelphia and is rudderless. After graduating from Temple University, Emira worked a series of odd jobs, but her favorite so far is being a babysitter for Briar, a precocious 2 years-old who is always asking questions. She works with Briar three days a week, while Briar's mother, Mrs. Chamberlain, cares for Briar's younger sister and writes a book.

Blonde and White, Alix Chamberlain loved her old life in New York City. She used her spirit of positivity and her blog to parley a book deal and get a ton of free stuff. She and her husband moved to Philadelphia for his work as a network anchor, and Alix has felt lost, with her friends and all of her favorite haunts left behind.

When a rock is thrown through Alix' window following a controversial comment made by her husband on the newscast, she calls Emira in a panic to see if she could come and take Briar away while the police are over. Emira, who was at a party for her best friend Zara, agrees to come over even though she has been drinking. Accompanied by Zara, she picks up Briar and heads to the local market, where Briar loves to look at tea and different staples. They walk through the market and dance, but eventually Zara has to depart, leaving Emira and Briar alone. That's when a White customer accuses Emira of having kidnapped Briar, because what kind of sitter would be out in a party dress, smelling of alcohol, this late at night? The whole confrontation with a security guard is filmed by Kelly Copland. Emira is shaken up, but not as much as Alix who feels guilty she placed her sitter in that situation.

Emira begins dating Kelly, who has a complicated history with Alix when they were both in High School. Alix wants to make the whole mess right, but for the wrong reasons. Briar wants Emira to stay with her forever, because Alix doesn't pay much attention to her daughter. And Emira continues to search for herself, hoping to discover who she really is.

The dual themes of self-discovery and race relations percolates through the book. Each character has major flaws. Alix can't let go of the past and doesn't want to be perceived as racist. Kelly is still bitter about the circumstances surrounding his breakup with Alix. Emira's friends are all adults with their own apartments and benefits, but Emira still lives in a dingy apartment with no real prospects. Fans of realistic fiction with dysfunctional families will appreciate this look into a complicated situation.