First published 2021
Agatha has just taken her vows when she arrives in Little Neon, a small town where nothing feels familiar. She tries to establish herself in this new community but finds herself pulled toward the complicated lives of her neighbors. There's Liz, who seems determined to find fault with everything, and Winona, whose carefree approach to life challenges everything Agatha thought she understood about purpose and devotion. A household full of residents each carries their own burdens and secrets. Agatha watches their struggles unfold around her, feeling increasingly connected to their messy, imperfect world. When an unexpected crisis forces her hand, she faces an impossible choice. She can honor the religious commitments that brought her here, or she can step fully into the emotional complexity that surrounds her. The decision will determine not just her future, but her understanding of what it means to serve others and herself.
Genres: fiction, drama, literary-fiction, contemporary, 21st-century, contemporary-romance
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Little Neon
Period: 21st-century
274 pages · Kindle Edition · Farrar, Straus and Giroux