April Epner teaches high school Latin, wears flannel jumpers, and is used to having her evenings free. Bernice Graverman brandishes designer labels, favors toad-sized earrings, and hosts her own tacky TV talk show: Bernice G! But behind the glitz and glam, Bernice has followed the life of the daughter she gave up for adoption thirty-six years ago. Now that she's got her act together, she's aiming to be a mom like she always knew she could. And she's hurtling straight for April's quiet little life....

Elinor Lipman is the author of eight novels about contemporary American society, a collection of short stories, and an occasional feature column for the Boston Globe. Born in 1950 and raised in Lowell, Massachusetts, Lipman graduated from Simmons College where she studied journalism. She lives in the Boston area.