A heartfelt novel about trust, tolerance, and aging with—and sometimes without—grace.
Life keeps handing Sunny all the hits, but even a period of homelessness can’t slow her down. Gwendolyn runs in fashionable circles back home in New York, though an extended trip to California challenges her ideas on sophistication. Charlie might have a bestselling novel or two under his belt, but his latest idea for a book doesn’t impress his editor. Henry’s life takes an unwanted turn, leaving him vulnerable in a way he’s never experienced. At the center of all the drama stands Margaret Meyer, a steady presence in this sea of emotional turmoil. Of course, Margaret has made her fair share of mistakes over the years, hurting all these loved ones in one way or another. But these days, Margaret is the woman everyone looks to for stability… until she isn’t. Her friend Sunny lands on hard times and the strain on their friendship wears thin. Gwendolyn, Margaret’s mother, has never been easy to deal with, but a family visit stretches on to the point of fatigue. Though Henry is the ex-husband, everyone else loves him and Margaret can’t turn him away in his time of need. And Margaret’s boyfriend Charlie has a case of writer’s block that is exacerbated by the constant commotion in his home. Margaret can barely cope with the stress, and it shows in every relationship she once cherished. Has this frazzled family tree become too splintered to survive the storm of proximity?
The Unexpected Guests welcomes readers to enjoy a wonderful slice-of-life story shared by a family with enough love and domestic dysfunction to fill more than a single book! This second humorous outing in the South Bay Series brings modern problems to light through the antics of a cast you’ll be happy to think of as friends. All these multifaceted characters share a strong connection with Margaret, but this is by no means Margaret’s story alone. Instead, the author allows the focus to drift between the meaningful people in Margaret’s life, exploring their complicated upbringings and personal transformations. Most unexpected is Gwendolyn, a woman who is as prickly on the outside as a hedgehog, but after a few tough lessons, reveals a softer side that endears readers. From sharp yet elegant prose to engaging character arcs, there is so much to celebrate, but it is the aching love between Charlie and Margaret that pulls readers in and reminds us of everything there is to adore about this series. A heartfelt novel about trust, tolerance, and aging with—and sometimes without—grace, The Unexpected Guests is a precocious family affair that will reveal the transformative power of relationships.
