Author: Anne Tyler

It’s nice to be back to a favourite author for my first book of the New Year. I just signed up for my 50 book challenge through Goodreads.

An Anne Tyler story is often a story about real people doing everyday things – not too much drama and not much suspense – but by the end of the book her characters are your friends.

The book opens when Ian is a high school student; he lives with his family, mother, father, sister and brother. When his brother introduces the woman he is going to marry Ian is a little star struck. But as the days go by the glitter is wearing off. When his brother kills himself Ian is filled with guilt that only worsens when his sister-in-law also dies and three children are left homeless.

Ian, by chance, stumbles into a service being held by the Church of Second Chances and is convinced that he must raise the children as penance.

Goodreads Rating: * * *