Paulette’s twenty-nine and within reach of her dream: a wedding, a baby, and a little house. She’s got the man, handsome Denton, and a good job as an assistant nurse. But when tragedy strikes, her baby comes from Denton’s friend, a relationship that can’t last. Soon it’s just Paulette, grieving the life she almost had, and her son, Bird. It seems like enough, until another boy, the same age as Bird, appears. Now, there’s someone new to take under wing and worry about, someone who calls her Sweet Pea and makes her laugh. Through friendships, motherhood, and connections that emerge in the most unexpected places, Paulette discovers strength in everyday acts of kindness.
Splendid ... Sensuous, sympathetic ... At times Paulette’s dogged devotion to a cad like Denton — even at her own expense — may test the reader’s patience ... Throughout de Waal weaves in richly drawn characters — Maggie’s punchy one-liners...bring levity to heart-wrenching events ... Moving.
Her prose sings in moments of quiet humor and heartwarming details, such as when Paulette lapses into Caribbean phrases whenever she’s grumbling about her friends. It’s a story of radical forgiveness, made all the more moving by its unsentimental honesty.
