"Hana is suffering from Werner's syndrome, a disease that makes a person age at twice the rate of a healthy individual: at thirty-eight Hana has the appearance of an eighty-year-old. Cate, her mother, is caring for her while struggling with her grief at losing her husband, Max, and with the knowledge that Hana's disease is getting worse by the day.".

"Hana and Cate's days are quiet and ordered. Cate escapes to her beloved garden and Hana reads and writes letters. Both are drawn into the past, remembering the joyous and challenging events that have shaped them: spending the day at Max's favorite beach, overcoming their neighbors' prejudices that Max was Japanese-American and Cate, Italian-American, and coping with the heartbreak of discovering Cate's disease.".

"One of the great joys of Hana's life has been her relationship with her beautiful, successful best friend, Laura. Laura has moved to New York from their hometown in California and has two daughters, Josephine and Camille. She has not been home in years and begs Hana to let her bring her daughters to meet her, feeling Josephine, in particular, needs to have Hana in her life. Despite Hana's latest refusal, Laura decides to come anyway.

When Laura's loud, energetic, and troubled world collides with Hana and Cate's daily routine, the story really begins."--BOOK JACKET.