by Ann Packer
First published 2007
Liz watches her teenage daughter spiral into dangerous territory, and she knows she needs help. She turns to Sarabeth, her closest friend since childhood in northern California's suburbs. Their bond formed when they were sixteen, forged in the aftermath of Sarabeth's mother's suicide. For decades, they supported each other through marriage, motherhood, and Sarabeth's struggles to build happiness despite her family tragedy. But as Liz's daughter's troubles deepen and threaten to destroy her family, cracks appear in what seemed like an unbreakable friendship. Both women discover that the roles they've played for each other no longer fit. They must face hard truths about the myths that shaped them as children and the expectations they carry as parents. The friendship that once felt like salvation now feels like a cage, forcing each woman to choose between loyalty and growth.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family
Setting: California, Northern California, Suburbs
Period: Childhood, Decades
560 pages · Paperback · Random House Large Print