First published 2010
Karla, Kelly, Marilyn, Jane, Jenny, Karen, Cathy, Angela, Sally, Diana, and Sheila grew up together in Ames, Iowa, forming an unbreakable connection as children. When they become young women, life scatters them across eight different states. The distance tests their friendship as they navigate university, careers, marriage, and motherhood. They face romantic encounters and divorces, the illness of a child, and the mysterious death of one group member. Through each challenge, the eleven women work to preserve what they built in childhood. Their bond becomes proof that female friendship can survive heartbreak and unexpected tragedy. The story shows how ordinary women create extraordinary connections that help them overcome life's difficulties. Their shared history anchors them as they move through separate adult lives filled with both triumph and loss.
Genres: family-life, friendship, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, slice-of-life
Setting: Ames, Iowa
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
368 pages · Paperback · Epsilon Yayinevi