Kaluwa Avril, a Saint Lucian author, brings together literature and music in her first novel, which looks at healing, identity, and self-worth. Worthy of Love From Hohoho to Housewife introduces a layered Afro-Caribbean heroine and includes an original soundtrack by Avril.
Avril began writing the novel in 2019. Reflecting on the process, she told St Lucia Times, “this book didn’t happen overnight,” and credited her persistence and her family’s support for helping her complete it.
Avril said that her own experiences, as well as those she has seen in others, helped shape her main character. She emphasised that she is not Isabella, but feels deeply connected to the book’s themes. “I am not Isabella, because I’ve never lived her life,” she said. Still, she knows “what it is to carry things that, if someone looked in from the outside, they’d judge me for in a heartbeat”.
Avril shared that her life and her work mentoring young women have shown her how many people quietly struggle with identity and self-worth.
Avril spoke about how people are often judged for just one moment or mistake, saying, “The world is quick to reduce her to her hardest circumstances and her decisions.” Through Isabella, she wanted to challenge this and offer a fuller, more compassionate view of a woman shaped by both hardship and resilience.
The main character in the novel is both strong and vulnerable, facing many challenges but still loving deeply and connecting with others.
Avril hopes readers will pause before judging others. “We could relate to almost anyone if we gave them the chance to tell their story,” she said. This idea matters to her book and her own life, as she explained, “that’s where connection lives” and “that’s where my own healing started too”.
Avril’s project also features an original soundtrack to go with the story. She said the idea felt natural because she has always connected music with stories.
“Whenever I read a really good book, I could literally hear the most fitting song for a particular scene or character,” she said. At first, she made a playlist, but then chose to write her own music to match the emotions in the novel.
Some of the songs include Worthy of Love, which she called “a soulful anthem on self-love”, as well as Worth the Wait and Playing for Keeps.
She said she wanted to make her own music to deepen the reader’s experience, explaining that “music is a universal language” and can express feelings that words cannot. By combining music and story, she hopes readers can “feel the energy of the book through music”.
Cultural identity plays a big role in the story. Isabella is both Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Latina, reflecting her ties to Saint Lucia and the Dominican Republic. Avril said this background shaped the character’s voice and the themes of resilience and sacrifice. She spoke openly about how many Caribbean women are taught to give without thinking of their own needs.
“Isabella absolutely embodies those qualities,” Avril said, describing her as strong, resilient, and very close to her family. But Isabella’s story also challenges these expectations by showing why peace and self-fulfilment matter. Avril called this “deeply a Caribbean woman’s journey”, honoring women who have been overlooked or undervalued.
Caribbean culture runs through the novel, especially in how it depicts food, language and shared experiences. There are memorable restaurant scenes set in Saint Lucia, with vivid descriptions of local dishes.
Avril also challenged the idea that professionalism and creativity can’t go together. “Some people believe a structured professional side can’t coexist with a creative one,” she said, but her experience has shown otherwise. She explained that discipline, analytical thinking, and communication have helped her as a writer and producer, and she believes that “it’s all one person”.
Avril said she wants readers to know that their past does not decide their future. She put it simply: “one’s past, mistakes, and trauma do not disqualify them from becoming the best version of themselves, or from being loved unconditionally”.
Forgiveness and courage are central themes in the story. Avril encourages readers to face their fears and look for healing. Most of all, she hopes readers will truly believe a simple message. “I want a reader to feel the words ‘I am worthy of love’ settle into her chest as a truth,” she said.
The book can be bought on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H241PJ3Q The original Soundtrack is available on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjr8-pJmlPbjXjQ8agVUXURntngWBN23M&si=ZXYKoL116gttcMf9
