From Booklist Nevai's first novel substantiates her previous success in the short story collection Normal (1997). Here each chapter snaps tight as a snare drum on its own， while together they are linked perfectly in a tender， subtle way that speaks volumes for Nevai's belief in her readers' intelligence and ability to find her cords of connection and follow them. Nevai tells a simultaneously charming， witty， and realistic story of Tamara Johanssen， a 29-year-old with a painful past searching for peace and hope in an unknown future. Tamara is the second of three girls and a survivor， even more than her sister (a successful TV producer)， who intentionally shelves the tragic death of their parents and youngest sister in a house fire that she chalks up to accident instead of intentional arson provoked by a mother losing her grip on sanity. It's refreshing to see how deftly Nevai tells a good story by avoiding unnecessary words or details and revealing important emotional information gracefully and patiently， little by little. Janet St. JohnCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Book Description Tamara Johanssen's life has taken an unplanned turn:With help from her successful sister， she moves to the rural crossroads of Dustin in upstate New York， where she opens a modest art gallery.Dustin， population 39， is small in size but large in personality.Tamara meets Boz， a rich， married man who becomes her friend and lover; Donna and Iris of the 'womanart' factory， specializing in strawberry potholders; Detering， the snoopy postman; Shirley Girt of Girt Real Estate， who calls Dustin 'the up-and-coming arts town'; and the Doctor， whose shockingly amusing secret is uncovered， and kept， by Tamara after his death.She cautiously engages with the hamlet's oddballs and eccentrics， eventually learning important personal lessons from their determination， humor， vitality， and heartbreak.These unlikely relationships give Tamara the strength to make peace with her traumatic past-and to finally 'stay put' in her present.