Alice Hoffman mixes the magical with the everyday, the mystical with the mundane. In this story, two women find their lives mixed up when one of them finds out she’s pregnant. Rae ran away with her high school boyfriend seven years ago, but finds herself run out on when she turns out to be pregnant. Can she do this alone? Turning to a local reader of tea leaves, Lila, she looks for answers, but Lila has her own past and runs away from anyone who’s leaves point to future children.

This book is truly sad in some places. Hoffman is never one to shy away from the sadness of life, but this time I found the story more touching, more melancholic. That’s not to say that the story is depressing, it’s not. But there’s not a lot of easy answers. Lila’s story is full of inexpressible grief, and can at times be a bit of a harrowing read. Rae is also struggling, but she has more options, though it can be frustrating that she doesn’t take more control of her life.

All in all, it’s a poignant intertwining of two women’s stories, two lives that influence the other and become entangled til the past and the future must be faced. Beautifully written, this is another gem from a fabulous author.

Read It If: you have your own past to face, or your own future to discover. This book will turn you inside out.