Well, I finished this book, and I hated to put it down when it was done. (It felt like I was losing the friends I made.) Such wonderful characters!!!! At times I laughed out loud-a lot! I was on a plane reading a chapter, and I laughed so loud that my husband wanted to know what it was about. I found myself reading passages from the book to my mother and him. At other times, the tears welled up in my eyes, relating to the overwhelming pain of loss. I liked the first half of the book more than the second. The first part dealt with the raw emotions of grief, and how it incapacitates you. The next half was about moving on and dealing with issues like a mother-in-law's Alzheimers, a troubled teen, a new career venture, and a new love interest. But it didn't "candy coat" any of it. This is apparently this author's first book. I can't wait to get her next one. She put into words the feelings we've all experienced, or watched a loved one go through after a loss. This is a book that will touch your heart!