I loved this book so much it’s tempting to reread just to hold on to its spirit. 

Yes, it’s a feel good book because Eddie Triplett is wonderful and kind. And it’s an easy and somewhat light read. But it’s also witty and serious and realistic and artfully constructed with interesting and varied characters, all of whom we want to know, even the less likable ones. 

After not seeing Eddie, her stepfather, in over 40 years, Daphne runs into him at at the MET museum, and this chance encounter reels her into the past as they reconnect in the present. She never knew why her mom ended that marriage after less than two years, and she’d forgotten just how kind and nurturing Eddie was as a short-lived stepfather. 

As their present friendship uncovers events of the past, including a traumatic car accident, Daphne finally gains a better understanding of her mother, of her father who could not be a father, of her sister who became a therapist to help others uncover buried memories, and of herself and her own choices. 

This is a “good of humanity” book people should read (skip the cringy Theo of Golden) to feel better about the world while also enjoying excellent writing. It offers depth, a bit of mystery, compelling relationships, and the complications and missteps we all experience in life. Added bonuses for me: a book editor, an English teacher, art, a unique horse story as metaphor, and lots of excellent lines. Here are a few faves: 

From Daphne: “Why did my mother always make me feel like a telemarketer calling to rope her into a time-share?” (145) 

From Eddie: “We write each other notes, back and forth, back and forth. It’s like texting for people with large collections of stationary.” (244)

From Daphne: “an enormous sadness came over me then, less like a blackbird passing the window and more like a pterodactyl, its great, leathery wings blocking the light.” (249)

Definitely 5⭐️