There are three generations of Moon women living in the hills of Madison County, North Carolina: cranky matriarch Marvelle Moon, who's starting to lose her footing in the world after more than eighty years of life; her middle-aged daughters Ruth Ann and Cassandra; and Ruth Ann's nineteen-year-old daughter, Ashley, fresh out of rehab, unmarried, and three months pregnant.

Marvelle and Ashley both need a place to live and Ruth Ann, in spite of herself, is unable to turn either of them away. As she grapples with the changes brought on by both mother and daughter living under one roof -- not to mention an ex-husband who's not at all sure he wants to stay divorced -- the people she loves are trying to figure things out for themselves. Ashley's baby is coming, whether she's ready or not. Cassandra, who has always hovered around the edges of her family, slowly starts to feel her way toward a life of her own. And Marvelle privately contemplates a long-held secret that would change everything for all of them -- if they only knew . . .

The warmth and wisdom in these pages are the work of a natural storyteller. Filled with wit, humor, and compassion, this gifted debut marks the emergence of a truly original voice.