From the "perceptive and piercing" author (NYTBR) of The World We Found and The Space Between Us, this is a heartbreakingly honest novel about friendship and secrets, forgiveness and second chances. An experienced psychologist, Maggie knows to keep a distance from her patients. But when she meets a young Indian woman who tried to kill herself, her detachment disintegrates. Lakshmi is desperately lonely, trapped in a loveless marriage to a domineering man, and Maggie senses that she needs a friend more than a therapist. But crossing professional boundaries has its price: as Maggie and Lakshmi's relationship deepens, long-buried secrets emerge, shaking their faith in each other and forcing them to confront painful choices in their own lives.

"A taut, suspenseful page-turner with depth, heart, and psychological credibility whose believable and enduring characters ponder the meaning of friendship, the challenges of marriage, and the value of storytelling itself."—Boston Globe

"Explores cross-cultural friendships, troubled marriages, love, loss, and forgiveness with [the author's] characteristic wisdom, humor, and warmth.... This satisfying, psychologically complex story will appeal to a wide range of readers.... its characters are both smart and likable without being sentimental or idealized."—Library Journal (starred review)