Escaping the busy confusion of his homeland and moving to an almost-uninhabited lake shore where he plans on living simply and raising a family, a man descends into rage, obsession, and an abstract sense of reality when his wife suffers multiple miscarriages.

"A day in the life of a dad on the brink: Josh Lanksy--second-rate screenwriter, fledgling freelancer, and stay-at-home dad of two preschoolers--has held everything together while his wife is away on business...until this morning's playdate, when he finds out through the mommy grapevine that she might be having an affair. What Josh needs is a break. He's not going to get one."--P. [4] of cover.

"This is Claude. He's five years old, the youngest of five brothers. He also loves peanut butter sandwiches. He also loves wearing a dress, and dreams of being a princess. When he grows up, Claude says, he wants to be a girl. Rosie and Penn want Claude to be whoever Claude wants to be. They're just not sure they're ready to share that with the world. Soon the entire family is keeping Claude's secret. Until one day it explodes."--

It's been seven years since her husband died, but Helen Crouch is doing just fine. She's selling her jams and canned goods at the bakery and making a tidy living. But her whole world goes topsy-turvy when a new family moves to town. Gabriel Gless has brought his children to Bliss Creek to escape the worldly influences in Indiana. Helen and Gabriel have so much in common -- the loss of their beloved spouses, the experience of raising their families...

"An accomplished photographer and the devoted mom of an adorable little boy, Allie Ross has just moved to an upscale DC suburb, the kind of place where parenting feels like a competitive sport. Allie's desperate to make a good first impression. Then she's framed for murder. It all starts at a neighborhood party when a local dad corners Allie and calls her by an old, forgotten nickname from her dark past. The next day, he is found dead. Soon, the police...

"This is how a family keeps a secret...and how that secret ends up keeping them. This is how a family lives happily ever after...until happily ever after becomes complicated. This is how children change...and then change the world. When Rosie and Penn and their four boys welcome the newest member of their family, no one is surprised it's another baby boy. At least their large, loving, chaotic family knows what to expect. But Claude is not like his...

"Since her husband died seven years ago, Leanna Wengerd has done her best - tending to her son, Chester, and running her Jam and Jelly Nook at the Amish market. Though she enjoys seeing her cousins and customers at the marketplace, she wishes she could find more time for her rebellious teenage boy. When Chester gets into trouble for trespassing, he winds up at the police station with his friend Maggie, who was riding with him to a youth group gathering....