At nearly 500 pages, Claire Lombardo’s family drama introduces Julia Ames in her late 50’s as she nears the empty nest stage. Married to a reasonable, pleasant man, Julia is not very likable or easy to be with. She had a difficult childhood with an unloving mother and seems to miss the usual social queues and norms. The novel switches from the present day and back to her childhood and courtship with her husband. These different stages revolving to bring the plot to the current time, paints a full picture of how she got to be the wife, mother and friend she is now. Her son and daughter are also in transitional stages which completes the family dynamic. Enjoyable.