“Hafner’s taut and utterly delightful debut is a novel of multitudes. . . . What a wonder of storytelling.”—Weike Wang, The New York Times Book Review

“Clever, skillfully crafted . . . A laugh-out-loud delight to read.”—San Francisco Chronicle

“Think of Katie Hafner as Anne Tyler, but much weirder. . . . Hafner is a smart, funny observer of human foibles.”—The Minnesota Star Tribune

“A funny, poignant meditation on a timely topic: loneliness. It’s also nearly impossible to put down.”—The Philadelphia Tribune

“Remarkable . . . Upends expectations in the best way.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A breeze to read, with characters who feel alive.”—San Diego Magazine

“Tender and emotionally intelligent . . . An audacious feat of narrative bravado.”—Maria Semple, New York Times bestselling author of Where’d You Go, Bernadette

“I absolutely loved this little miracle of a book.”—Meg Waite Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Postmistress of Paris

“With exquisite compassion and humor, this novel leaves its readers deeply nourished, heart, mind, and soul.”—Debra Jo Immergut, author of You Again

When introverted Ethan Fawcett marries fun-loving Barb, so comfortable in the world, he has every reason to believe he will be delivered from a lifetime of solitude. She fills his world with a sense of adventure, expanding his horizons beyond his comfortable routine. To ease Ethan’s fears of becoming a father, Barb suggests they foster two young brothers, Tommy and Sam, and Ethan immediately falls in love with the boys.

When the pandemic hits, he becomes obsessed with providing a perfect life for them. But instead of bringing Barb and Ethan closer together, the boys become a wedge in their relationship, as Ethan is unable to share with Barb a secret that has been haunting him since childhood. Then Ethan takes Tommy and Sam on a biking trip in Italy, and it becomes clear just how unusual Ethan and his boys are.

PRODUCT DETAILS

ISBN: 9781954118348
Price: $18.00
On-sale date: 5/2/2023
Weight: 1 lb.