This is the story of three women: Hannah, in her thirties and happily married, struggling to reconcile motherhood and her not-so-glamorous career in the beauty industry; her mother Marguerite, who patiently copes with an alcoholic, abusive husband but wonders if this is all her life has to offer; and Hannah's young cousin-in-law Ali, who is finding her feet in a strange city as she sets out on her life's journey. In her most daring and sophisticated novel yet, Maggie Alderson explores the idea of how we find happiness - and whether love can survive betrayal.