First published 2021
Alice Stanhope has built a quiet life in California with her daughter Zoe, just the two of them against the world. Zoe struggles with social phobias, and Alice has always been her shield. They know little about Zoe's father and have almost no other family, but their small unit works. Then Alice receives a devastating diagnosis. As her illness progresses, Alice realizes she must secure Zoe's future before time runs out. She turns to two near-strangers who become her only hope: Kate, a nurse, and Sonja, a social worker. When these four women come together, their meeting sets off a chain of revelations. Alice's ticking clock forces each woman to confront buried fears and hidden truths. The story explores how mothers and daughters navigate love and protection, and how families form in unexpected ways when blood ties fail.
Genres: literary-fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, mothers-and-daughters
Setting: California
384 pages · Paperback · Boekerij
Content warnings: terminal-illness