Sweet Fifteen

A compelling coming-of-age novel set against the backdrop of a traditional quinceanera celebration. Preparations for the traditional quinceanera celebration marking young Stephanie's fifteenth birthday serve as the backdrop for a traditional, Mexican-American family struggling with the problems of breaching the gap between male and female, young and old. The unexpected death of Stephanie's father, a loving but domineering and influential man who ran his business and his family with an equally firm hand, has cast a shadow over Stephanie's quinceanera party, which is supposed to mark her transition to womanhood. Rita, the young seamstress charged with designing Stephanie's gown, detects the girl's reluctance to go through with what she considers an outmoded tradition. Her efforts to convince Stephanie's Uncle Brian that the girl needs a compassionate friend more than a dress lead to a budding romance between the two.