THE SUN SETS IN SINGAPORE

Three expatriate women navigate love, work, friendship, and family amid the sunny, cosmopolitan glitter of modern Singapore.

Dara, a workaholic Nigerian British lawyer, excitedly senses that she’s on the verge of becoming a partner in her firm, a long-awaited reward for the long hours she’s put in. Amaka, Dara’s best friend, is a credit-risk officer from Nigeria who’s navigating her father’s death and her place—or lack thereof—within his second family as she finds herself spending more and more time gazing lustfully at luxury shoes online. Finally, there’s Lillian, a Nigerian American former pianist turned teacher of Business English who's followed her husband to the island, hoping to start a family even as their marriage threatens to fall apart. Initially drawn together by a book club, the three women become further intertwined when Lani, a handsome and accomplished Nigerian lawyer, joins Dara’s firm, and the women find themselves involved with him in distinctive and potentially explosive ways. As Lani racks up successes and builds admiration at the firm, Dara senses her position is threatened, and she must decide what she’s willing to do to preserve her career. Amaka finds herself irresistibly attracted to him (and away from her stable relationship with her boyfriend) after a chance meeting one night. Seeking an evening course in Japanese, Lani meets Lillian at the language academy where she works, and she is immediately struck by, and then increasingly obsessed with, his resemblance to her late father. Alternating among the perspectives of the three women, Fadipe showcases her rich talent for illustrating Singapore’s social and economic landscape as well as the emotional complexities that motivate each character.

A lovely exploration of the phase of self-discovery between early adulthood and middle age.