God Don't Like Ugly

God Don't Like Ugly by Mary Monroe.

This was a limited time freebie I downloaded to my Kindle. Set in the 1960s, this story brings together two black girls from very different worlds, struggling to make it through a changing America.

Dirt poor Annette lives with her mom after dad runs off with a rich white woman. They move from one run down place to another, Annette's mom working for various white families cleaning their homes and sometimes turning tricks for a little extra money. Annette's mom brings in a boarder to help with the bills, and he helps himself to Annette.

The trio makes it to Ohio and Annette finds relief in a new friend, Rhoda. Beautiful, rich and spoiled, Rhoda is everything Annette wants to be, and the fact that Rhoda WANTS to be her friend makes life bearable.

Together Annette and Rhoda make it through a difficult adolescence and share some HUGE secrets along the way. Annette overcomes her insecurities and becomes an independent adult.

In all honesty, the title turned me off, but FREE always adds a little push toward trying it out anyway. The story was a little depressing at times, but the friendship forming behind it pushed me to keep reading. That said, the end left me a little disappointed and unless they are offered for free, I doubt I will read it's sequel.

NOTE: rape and sex moderately covered