An exceptional debut novel that explores a most unlikely friendship between a churchgoing Southern woman and the bewitching young prostitute who moves in next door.

Set in the fictionalized town of Bigelow, Arkansas, circa 1950, Sugar is a rich and moving story that traces the lives of two unforgettable women and the small community they change. After the horrible death of her young daughter, Jude, Pearl Taylor turns to the church for support, suppressing her own desires. But when Sugar, a beautiful, uninhibited spirit (who resembles Jude with eerie similarity) moves into the neighboring home at 10 Grove Street, Pearl's life is irrevocably and dramatically changed. Over sweet potato pie the two woman learn to trust and confide in each other, but when the local gossips discover that Sugar is a prostitute, Pearl shocks the once quiet town-and herself-by remaining loyal to her new friend.

Filled with lyrical prose, McFadden reveals her talent for using language with an almost spiritual grace to describe the vivid and mysterious details found in everyday life. Sugar is a timeless story of what it means to accept and to forgive.

"Bernice McFadden grabs the reader's attention immediately and doesn't let go until the last sentence of the final chapter . . . Sugar is moving, tragic, and hopeful in equal measure."-Sharon Mitchell, author of Nothing but the Rent

"Driven mightily by engaging characters, Sugar is written with a wonderful combination of wit and heart."--Yolanda Joe, author of He Say, She Say and Bebe's By Golly Wow!