First published 2010
Victoria Dawson grows up feeling like an outsider in her own family. Her tall, slender father Jim and dark-haired mother Christina constantly criticize her weight and appearance in their image-obsessed Los Angeles home. When her perfect younger sister Gracie arrives, Jim calls Victoria his "tester cake" while Gracie becomes the family success story. Victoria finds comfort in food but knows she must escape. She moves to Chicago for college, then lands her dream teaching job in New York. Victoria loves her students and fights her weight battles at the gym, but her parents still know exactly how to tear her down. She remains close to Gracie despite their physical differences. When Gracie gets engaged to a man who mirrors their narcissistic father, Victoria worries about her sister's future. With no relationship of her own, Victoria feels like a failure again. As the wedding approaches, a chance meeting, a betrayal, and a family confrontation create a turning point. Victoria must choose between a lifetime of hurt and the courage to accept herself completely.
Genres: fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: family-dynamics, self-discovery
Setting: Los Angeles, Chicago, New York
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
323 pages · Hardcover · Delacorte Press
Content warnings: emotional-abuse