Katherine Dieckmann

Darcy Baylor is an academic administrator at a Mississippi college. But another round of budget cuts puts her job in limbo. Her son Walker committed suicide seven years ago, and the only constants in Darcy's life since then have been her gardening and her best friend, Byrd. Shortly after her worrying workplace news, Darcy learns that Walker's old college pal Mark is now the owner of a successful restaurant chain, whose concept was stolen from her...

Eliza Welsh is a stay-at-home mother of two who tries to plan her daughter's birthday party, help her absent-minded husband, save her car from being towed, make up with her best friend, and still find time to write a large essay for a contest in a major magazine.