'The literary love child of Jonathan Franzen and Anne Tyler' Observer'A gripping and poignant ode to a messy, loving family in all its glory' Madeline Miller'Should appeal to fans of Maria Semple, Emma Straub and Jennifer Egan' Sunday Times'The perfect, engrossing holiday read' Red

At fifty-seven, Julia Ames has found herself with an improbably lovely life. Despite her inclination towards self-sabotage, she has a husband she loves, two happy children and a quiet, contented existence in the suburbs. But, out of the blue, things begin to change. Her always well-behaved son is acting strangely. Her beloved but belligerent teenage daughter is about to depart for college. And, in the local grocery store, Julia encounters a woman she hasn't seen for twenty years - a woman whose friendship was once both her lifeline and, very nearly, her downfall. All of a sudden, Julia's...