First published 2017
Russell stands in his kitchen watching his young daughter wait for breakfast and hair braiding before school. His wife's unexpected death has thrust him into a world of bedtime stories and school pickup lines he never learned to handle. Preparing basic meals becomes a puzzle. When his daughter wakes from nightmares, he fumbles to offer comfort that doesn't come naturally. She watches him struggle with tasks that seemed simple when shared between two parents. Her emotional outbursts test his patience, yet her sudden hugs break down his walls. Russell discovers reserves of strength he had forgotten. Sleep becomes precious and rare. Every morning delivers both heartbreak and small victories. Through months of errors and growth, father and daughter create something new from their shattered world.
Genres: literary-fiction, domestic-fiction, grief, contemporary, parenting, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, heartfelt, intimate, introspective, tender
Tropes: emotional-growth, found-family, second-chance
Setting: North Carolina, Venice
512 pages · Paperback · Grand Central Publishing
Content warnings: death