First published 2011
Isabel arrives in New York City on a winter day with two toddlers and heavy baggage. Her husband has abandoned their marriage for another woman. She moves into her parents' home and faces the overwhelming reality of single motherhood. Isabel tackles an endless list of tasks: changing her name, opening bank accounts, finding work, securing a midyear preschool spot in Manhattan, and managing three generations under one roof. She stumbles through dates and breakdowns while trying to understand her role in her marriage's collapse. Isabel gets sick, her family gets sick, and she makes countless mistakes. She searches for someone who can give her one perfect kiss. Through tears and laughter, she slowly discovers strength she didn't know she possessed. Old friendships reveal new depths. Just when Isabel stops looking, love finds her again. She learns to forgive herself and others, eventually remarrying and finding something better than what she lost.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, adult-fiction, 21st-century, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, second-chance
Setting: New York City
Period: 21st-century
256 pages · Hardcover · Grand Central Publishing