Frangipani : The daughter whose mother amazed her and everything that happened next

In Tahiti, some mothers say that daughters are a curse, others say they are a blessing.

Materena, champion professional cleaner of the Mahi family and the best listener in all of Tahiti, is usually the one solving the problems. But right now she's that close from throwing her daughter Leilani into the street. 'It doesn't matter what I do,' she confides to Mama Teta, to Cousin Rita, to Mama Loana and the Virgin Mary Understanding Woman, 'it's always the wrong thing. I'm going taravana!'

And if that wasn't enough, now there's a boy on the horizon. Or so the relatives are saying...

Célestine Hitiura Vaite's irresistible follow-up to the much-loved Breadfruit is a book filled with wisdom, laughter and two of the stubbornest women you will ever meet. It's such a vibrant, colourful slice of Tahitian life you can almost smell the frangipani.

Praise for Frangipani:

'She renders a vision of Tahiti which leaps off the page…more than just an offbeat family saga filled with warmth and humour…it is a demonstration of the universal principle that with two strong women under the same roof, something interesting is bound to happen.'

Le Courier Australien

'Frangipani is a feast. It is bursting with vitality and charm.'

Sydney Morning Herald

'Vaite's work celebrates the vibrant fullness and humour of daily life in Tahiti and reflects her tremendous respect for the strength of the local women.'

Marie Claire