First published 2021
Dori carries only an address in her pocket when she runs. At seventeen, she participated in an attack on a gay classmate and now faces prosecution. She cannot bear her childhood any longer. The address belongs to Teresa, a half-sister she has never met. Dori arrives at Teresa's door with no warning and no plan. She discovers that Teresa lives with her wife, a fact that complicates everything Dori thought she knew about family. The sisters barely tolerate each other at first. They come from different worlds and speak different languages of pain. Yet circumstances force them together. As they navigate their shared blood and separate wounds, Dori and Teresa must decide whether connection can override years of absence. Reynolds explores how family ties persist even when understanding fails. The novel asks whether forgiveness requires comprehension or simply the willingness to stay.
Genres: fiction, contemporary, lgbt, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, redemption
Setting: Teresa's Home
Period: Present Day
220 pages · Paperback · Bywater Books
Content warnings: abuse, homophobia