Mother in the Dark
Kayla Maiuri
Three sisters orbiting a mother whose warmth keeps tipping into darkness. A debut about class, inheritance, and everything daughters carry. Beautifully done.
Buy on Bookshop.org ↗If you liked this, try…
Show Don't Tell
Curtis Sittenfeld
Sittenfeld's short stories are every bit as sharp and funny as her novels. She just gets people.
Empire Falls
Richard Russo
A decent man running a diner in a dying Maine mill town, hemmed in by everyone's expectations. Russo's warmth and wit carry it.
★ 5Sandwich
Catherine Newman
Sandwich, by Catherine Newman, describes a family’s week-long vacation in Wellfleet and instantly transported me back. It’s funny, moving, and relatable, much like Newman herself (Aliza and I saw her speak in Boston a few weeks ago.) If you just finished All Fours and aren’t ready to stop thinking/reading about menopause, try Sandwich next.