Solomon's exquisite storytelling grabs our heart and shows how life can be tragic, inspirational, and fulfilling in unexpected ways. In story after story in this haunting collection, Carol Solomon reveals a person who has lost love and found a substitute. Sometimes another person, sometimes self-destructive behavior, sometimes a ghost. Her stories take place in the Maryland suburbs, in a rural Midwest town, in an Orthodox Jewish community-settings that frame her characters' losses and limit their choices. Her characters, often deeply flawed, surprise us with their capacity to endure. Along with nine new stories, Solomon's collection features seven previously published stories, including the award-winning story "The Fixer."