First published 1995
Darlin calls herself a femme fatale and deploys every trick she knows to snare a husband. She believes her looks and cunning will deliver the life she wants. Meanwhile, MLee reaches forty convinced her best years have ended. Then she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself. She packs up and leaves to discover what kind of new existence she might create. Across town, Kissy and Buddy each search for love in all the wrong places until fate brings them together. Aberdeen watches her daughter Uniqua pursue education and advancement, learning that it's never too late to follow that example. These women navigate romance and disappointment, making mistakes and second chances in equal measure. Cooper reveals how ordinary people find strength to keep moving forward when life tests their faith.
Genres: fiction, romance, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, second-chance-romance
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
273 pages · Hardcover · Doubleday