Kit Bianci, an ER doctor and surfer in Santa Cruz, believes that Josie, her sister, died in a terrorist attack on a train fifteen years ago. When she sees her in a video broadcast from New Zealand, she and her mother are astonished. Her mother insists that Kit go to New Zealand and search for Josie. The reader knows, and Kit discovers that Josie has reinvented herself as Mari, is married to Simon, and has two children.
Josie/Mari had a troubled childhood and became an alcoholic and drug addict as a youngster. She figuratively killed off her old self and started anew. The author leads the reader to consider the extreme pain of abuse and neglect, leading to a perceived need to bury the past for healing. The idea that one can dismiss one’s birth family and create a new one is part of this novel’s underlying message, and it does a good job showing the concomitant grief and heartache.
In addition to the main story, the novel includes Kit and Josie’s backstory. Both daughters describe their parents’ lifestyles as restaurant owners and incompetent nurturers. We also learn different points of view of Dylan, a young man who worked at Eden, the family restaurant, lived with the Bianci family, and became a surrogate nurturer even though he was an addict and, in retrospect, not such a good role model. Of course, Kit also falls in love while traveling in New Zealand. Javier, a well-known singer, becomes her soulmate and fulfills a need that she had been ignoring.
The book is an easy, engaging read with realistic, relatable characters.
