By Ann Tyler

As I have mentioned in the past, often where and when I read a book adds to my enjoyment of it and that is the case with this one. I read this while visiting our friends, the Dolans, on Cape Cod and sitting on their fabulous screened porch. I could enjoy reading Ikea assembly instructions there! That said, this is a good one in and of itself. Willa Drake is a mom of two on her second marriage, not altogether happy in her life, and sad about her non-existent relationship with her sons. Out of the blue she gets a very confusing call about her son’s ex-girlfriend, whom she barely knew when they were dating, needing help with her…not his, by the way…young daughter. Desperate for her own grandchildren and for a new direction in her life, she inexplicably agrees to go, to the complete dismay and frustration of her new husband. After a lifetime of passively taking the path of least resistance, Willa decides to be proactive and for once try to chart a decisive course for her life.