First published 2009
Celia arrives at Smith College with her grandmother's rosary and a bottle of vodka, sharing a dorm with three women who seem nothing like her. Bree misses her fiancé back in Savannah. Sally mourns her mother while wearing pristine Lilly Pulitzer. April sports a "Riot: Don't Diet" shirt and immediately requests a room transfer. Despite their differences, the four forge deep bonds through college's emotional extremes. Celia's faith in men shatters during one devastating night. Bree discovers love she cannot take home to her conservative family. Sally finds comfort with her English professor. April learns what true friendship means for the first time. Four years after graduation, they gather for Sally's wedding, their relationships evolved but their loyalty intact. Armed with feminist ideals from their education, each woman struggles to apply these principles to real decisions about careers, relationships, and identity. While Celia, Bree, and Sally wrestle with dating choices and family expectations, April's activism leads her toward genuine danger. Their reunion forces all four to confront how their college dreams measure against adult realities.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, friendship, contemporary, contemporary-romance, college, family-drama, academic
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, real-world-problems
Setting: Smith College, Savannah
Period: 4 Years After Graduation
320 pages · Hardcover · Knopf