In the confusion of a fire in a maternity ward, new mother Sylvie goes home with Rachel, who is not her daughter, while someone else goes home with Rose, who is. Years go by. Rose loves Brian, but ends up marrying Max, because Rachel marries Brian after she nurses him back to health in Vietnam and he risks his life to rescue her behind enemy lines. With Rose's help, Rachel and Brian adopt a daughter, Iris, who has been abandoned by her druggie mother. Rose and Max have two sons, Drew and Jason.
More years go by.
Now Max has died. Iris is sitting on the ledge of an 18th-floor balcony threatening to jump because her longtime relationship with Drew is going awry. And Rose is drawn to the haunting stranger seated next to her at a dinner for Brian, who has just won the Book Critic's Circle Award. Four stars represents the reviewer's highest recommendation. You can buy this book online at Barnes and Noble.