Verdict: The crop of characters in this family portrait is sublime—particularly Francesca’s loving, Belgium-born father and her amateur actress mom.

At the onset of this appealing novel Francesca Wilson is a single, twenty-something Manhattan magazine journalist poised to launch an exciting life and waiting for “something big” to happen.

On a train to visit her quirky but sweet Connecticut parents (“Dad and Muth”) she notices a harried, stressed out mom and warns herself to never be like her.  Still, Francesca can’t help falling head over heels for a cute investment banker she meets on a volleyball court, and before you know it this hardcore New Yorker is married, moving to the West Coast because of her husband’s new job, and joining the ranks of stay at home moms.

All would be well, except she misses her two best girlfriends, Alex may be having an affair, and her Dad is facing a serious health crisis. Bigwood walks readers through the ups and downs of family life with humor and a keen sense of observation. Though the plot sags at times and domestic details can get tedious, Francesca’s journey from a self absorbed young career woman to a well-rounded and generous friend, mother, wife, and daughter is ultimately rewarding.

The crop of characters in this family portrait is sublime—particularly Francesca’s loving, Belgium-born father and her amateur actress mom.

Reviewed by Kathryn Livingston for IndieReader