Only for the Week

One of the work’s protagonists and narrators, Janelle is an OB/GYN in her early thirties. A graduate of Howard University, she is passionate about serving her community in Baltimore and addressing racial inequality in patient care. At the novel’s opening, Janelle is devoted to her professional life but frustrated with her personal one and struggles to find balance, admitting, “[T]he other doctors at the practice make time for vacations, but I never do” (5). Spending two weeks in Tulum, Mexico, for her sister, Amerie’s, wedding is a significant departure from her routines. The Pain of Dysfunctional Family and Sibling Rivalry also contributes to Janelle’s stress. She is on edge because she is the maid of honor and has trouble convincing her family and friends that she has no lingering feelings for the groom, Arnold, who is her ex. Janelle also has trouble expressing her frustrations with her sister’s harsh demands and general mistreatment, which include many last-minute errands and leaving Janelle out of the first-class seating reservations for their flight to Tulum. 

Janelle’s immediate attraction to Arnold’s best friend and best man, Rome Martin, pushes her to acknowledge her passionate side while bolstering her confidence in her own value.