A powerful drama about two cousins lured into the underground drug trade at a young age and the inextricable ties that bind them, as one woman seeks power and the other seeks a way out.

'Powerful' Sunday Times 'Electric' Danya Kukafka 'Vital' Katie Gutierrez 'A triumph' Alice Ryan 'A powerful read' Heat 'Read this book!' Angie Cruz 'An instant classic' Morning Star 'Deserves all the hype' Glamour 'Crackles with life' Xochitl Gonzalez 'The book of the year' Rene Denfeld Carmen and Grace have been inseparable since they were little girls – more like sisters than cousins, survivors of a childhood marked by neglect and addiction. For too long, all they had was each other. That is, until Doña Durka swept into their lives and changed everything, taking Grace into her home and playing an outsize role in Carmen’s upbringing too. But Durka is more than a beneficent force in their Bronx neighbourhood. She’s also the leader of an underground drug empire, a larger-than-life matriarch who understands the importance of taking what power she can in a world too often ruled by violent men. So when Durka dies suddenly, Carmen and Grace’s lives are thrown into chaos. Grace has been primed to take over and has grand plans to expand the business, but Carmen is ready to move on – from Durka’s shadow, and from always looking over her shoulder in fear. As tough and tender as its main characters, Carmen and Grace is a devastatingly wise and intimate story about the bonds of female friendship, ambition and found family.

"Cousins Carmen and Grace share a traumatic childhood that has bonded them together tightly. That is, until they meet a sisterhood of women known as the D.O.D, who are guided by a leader of an underground drug empire, Doña Durka. This plot-driven novel explores the bonds of found family and the ways in which power and ambition can sever relationships" - Today.com

"A grittily realistic book... a writer to watch'" - Daily Mail

"This is superbly written, the characters are complex and a presence on the page, you can feel their frustration, despair, and bond as they persevere against all the odds. A Latinx drama that deserves all the hype and praise." - Glamour

"A powerful read ****" - Heat Magazine

"A powerful portrait of two women trying to make it in the Bronx... Melissa Coss Aquino offers a rich portrait of a dystopian matriarchy where shelter and security come at a high price." - The Sunday Times

"This passionate, uninhibited book, written with great craft as well with great feeling, has the air of an instant classic." - Morning Star

"The characters are gripping, the story is fast-paced and the NYC Bronx setting is incredibly evocative – all the makings of a perfect summer read." - STYLIST