“[T]here was a difference between constructive criticism and personal attack. And this latest review was clearly an attack on their livelihood…. [T]hey had worked too hard, sacrificed too much, to let some ungrateful people get away with saying nasty things about their salon.”

Vietnamese refugees Debbie and Phil Tran have worked hard to create a successful business in Toronto with their family nail salon. Along with the anxiety of bad reviews, the competition created by a brand new ultra-fancy chain salon directly across the street gives them more than they’ve ever had to worry about in the past. But the Trans are ready to do whatever is necessary to make their business succeed, regardless of who gets hurt.

Debut novelist Mai Nguyen has written a funny, emotional and thrilling story about an immigrant family who understands hard work, both in commerce and in their relationships with each other.

"As a debut author, Nguyen takes an age-old story and gives it a funny and heartwarming update without falling into Lifetime movie territory. Readers will enjoy the journey with this beautiful and struggling family."

As if the Trans don’t have enough to deal with already, their landlord has raised the rent. That, along with the competition, may drive their beloved business into the ether. So they beg for help from their daughter, Jessica, who herself is stinging from both a boyfriend and a job breakup. Their son, Dustin, and niece, Thuy, put their heads together to enact the greatest act of revenge they can create. The crazier things get, the harder it seems that Debbie and Phil have to work to keep their family happy and intact. Everyone is going to learn lessons the hard (and funny) way in this delightful story.

Debbie came to the United States on a ship that was taken over by pirates and survived the battle. She feels like there is nothing she can’t do, but this unexpected twist in their well-grounded life brings back the fury and terror that she thought she had left behind once she had arrived at this safe place. Jessica is also trying to keep standing despite an earthquake of loss in her own life. However, having not come from her mother’s difficult background, she is less prepared to summon all her gumption and keep her head held high as she tries to move forward while returning to her old house for the first time in eight years.

Cultures clash, and demands are made of these complicated characters. The resilience of the older parents against the savvy that has failed their millennial children is a worthy subject. The story moves forward quickly, the dialogue is sharp and wry, and the backdrop is one that is recognizable to any North American citizen. However, as the turn of their fortunes lies in the balance, SUNSHINE NAILS works hard to move around the boring clichés of the older generation versus a younger one. As much as a manicure business exists to provide some beauty in one’s life, business is business. The kids and the parents both need to adopt each other’s well-worn philosophies in order to keep things working. But this willful group has to set aside its varied egos to coalesce into a unit that can be successful while supporting each member.

As a debut author, Nguyen takes an age-old story and gives it a funny and heartwarming update without falling into Lifetime movie territory. Readers will enjoy the journey with this beautiful and struggling family. Get a copy, read it and encourage others to do so. It brings up so many interesting topics that any book club would benefit from discussing it.