First published 2014
Blaise McCarthy commands respect as a television news anchor, grilling world leaders and tackling complex political stories. But she guards a secret: her teenage daughter Salima lives at a specialized boarding school, blind from childhood diabetes complications. When the school closes after a tragedy, Salima moves into Blaise's New York apartment. The transition proves rocky for both mother and daughter, who have lived separate lives for years. Simon Ward, Salima's new caretaker, challenges their assumptions about disability and independence. The thirty-two-year-old refuses to treat Salima as fragile and pushes both women beyond their comfort zones. As Blaise struggles with this new dynamic at home, her professional world crumbles. The network hires a younger anchor to replace her, threatening the career that has defined her identity. For the first time, Blaise cannot compartmentalize her life into neat segments. She must navigate being a hands-on mother while fighting for her job, discovering that perfection was always an illusion.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, second-chance
Setting: New York
Period: contemporary
320 pages · Hardcover · Delacorte Press