“This collection is a masterful exploration of the tenderness and turbulence of human relationships. With language that is both luminous and precise, each story exposes the rawness of emotion, capturing the complexities that shape our lives. An evocative journey through the depths of the human heart, a stunning testament to the power of storytelling.”

—Nana Sule

“Patrick Shyaka's story collection is a luminous portrayal of life in Rwanda. It grips you from the first story and doesn't let you! What a wonderful feast of stories!”

—Dennis Mugaa, author of Half Portraits Underwater

Synopsis:

Where Women Meet Boys captures the bitter-sweetness of youth—when every experience feels like a revelation and every relationship brings with it the thrill of discovery. These short stories of friendship, love, heartbreak, and grief, explore the defining moments of life’s early lessons.

There’s a story of a man who tries to save his marriage by using Viagra; a young boy discovers porn with his cousin at his grandma’s house; broken by her father’s departure, a young girl frolics with men and seduces her sister’s boyfriend.

From shared laughter over mundane routines to life-changing events, each story reveals what it’s like to experience endings and beginnings in equal measure. Set in Kigali and beyond, this collection speaks to the rawness of growing up and the ache of a youth that fades too fast.