First published 2024
Annie Brown's sudden death shatters her family's world. Her husband Bill drowns in responsibilities he never handled alone. Her best friend Annemarie spirals back into destructive patterns without Annie's steady guidance. The burden falls hardest on Ali, Annie's daughter, who steps into the impossible role of caring for her three younger brothers and even her overwhelmed father. Ali faces adult realities no child should confront while trying to hold together what remains of their family. Over the following year, grief transforms each of them in unexpected ways. Bill learns to navigate single parenthood. Annemarie finds new sources of strength. Ali discovers her own resilience while shouldering burdens beyond her years. Though Annie's absence creates a void that cannot be filled, her influence continues to shape those she loved. The family she nurtured carries forward her greatest gift: the capacity to love and endure even in loss.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, grief
283 pages · Hardcover · Random House
Content warnings: death