by Anne Tyler
First published 2018
Willa has lived through three defining moments: her mother's disappearance when she was eleven, marriage at twenty-one, and the accident that left her widowed at forty. Now she receives an unexpected phone call that changes everything. Her son's former girlfriend has been seriously injured, and Willa makes a spontaneous decision that surprises even herself. She abandons her routine life to help this woman, caring for her, her nine-year-old daughter, and their dog. This impulsive choice forces Willa into unfamiliar territory where she must navigate her own desires and decisions. As she tends to this makeshift family, Willa discovers what it means to choose her own path rather than simply react to circumstances. The experience becomes a journey of self-discovery and transformation, revealing the possibilities that emerge when someone finally decides to take control of their life.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, family-life, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, self-discovery
Period: 21st-Century
304 pages · Hardcover · Chatto & Windu