Erin White scored a hit with her non-fiction work ‘Memoir of Love, Belonging, and Belief’ in which she discussed reconciling faith and sexuality as she grappled with her desire for both divine love and romantic love (she spent time with her girlfriend while also attending Catholic confirmation classes, eventually becoming an ex-Catholic after the Church “closed its doors to her”). ‘Like Family’ is her first novel and it concerns two lesbian couples and one straight couple (and all their sundry children) who live in the rural Hudson Valley in New York state. It begins with Caroline (who is married to Mike) meeting up with Ruth (who is married to Wyn) for an autumnal swim in an idyllic pond – something the two friends do regularly. But this time Ruth has news to share about her teenage daughter, Siddha: how she was conceived, and to whom. It’s a family secret that is starting to unravel in a way that Ruth doesn’t feel comfortable with. What’s more, the secret throws into doubt a get-together the pair had been planning; a celebration that Caroline had invited her friend Tobi to (who is married to Evie). If I’ve made ‘Like Family’ all sound a bit soapy then fear not because this fine novel is anything but. Instead, it asks questions about contentment (how can you be unhappy when you seemingly have everything?) while also being tender, big-hearted and filled with characters who actually interact like real human beings – flaws and all. RM

Published by Serpent’s Tail