PositiveLibrary JournalAs the novel’s perspective jumps between Vivian and her daughters Ruth, Esther, and Chloe, each character gets treated to a fully developed and satisfying arc, while the minor characters breathe life into the story of this neighborhood. Sexton’s writing is expressive and lyrical, sometimes verbose and sometimes soaring, like her standout descriptions of nightclub scenes. There’s a somewhat unbelievable moment when one music producer states that it’s hard to find a girl group, but Sexton’s third novel is, overall, a solid and realistic tale with hopeful undertones.
Caitlin Macy
PositiveLibrary JournalMacy brings these stories to life with a sharp moral critique and an observant eye.
Kristan Higgins
MixedLibrary Journal... doesn’t strike the right balance of happy and sad; the narrative skews heavily toward sorrow. Higgins turns away from her books’ usual story lines (independent women and their relationships) and instead focuses on Joshua as he tries to survive grief and finds direction and strength in Lauren’s letters. Higgins writes that Joshua has autism spectrum disorder, a fact that doesn’t much enter into his characterization in this novel ... The emotion is heavy in this tearjerker. Reading its dramatic and moving exploration of loss is like being lost on a cold, gray day, with no way home. Higgins’s easy-to-read prose and romanticizing tone make this a good match for fans of Nicholas Sparks.
Laura Dave
RaveLibrary JournalThe first-person, present-tense point of view makes the pace quick; readers will be hooked from the start. Skillfully woven into the present mystery are flashbacks of scenes between Hannah and Owen, showing their tender relationship and Owen’s behavior that hints at his past. For readers who like a resilient, resourceful heroine and a compelling domestic suspense story.
