After Annie by Anna Quindlen

 Annie’s four children, her husband, and her best friend must find a path forward after Annie suffers a fatal aneurysm in After Annie by Anna Quindlen coming out February 27. The novel covers five seasons as those left behind deal with struggle after struggle as they find their way without the woman they so dearly love.

While the community of Greengrass embraces the Browns, husband Bill finds life overwhelming as he is the sole keeper of the family now. He realizes more than ever before just how much Annie steered them all in their day-to-day life.

As the eldest at 13, daughter Ali assumes many of the daily responsibilities with the younger three children: Ant, Benjy, and Jamie. Annemarie, Annie’s lifelong pal and Ali’s godmother, falters in her sobriety without Annie to pull her back from the edge.

Within a couple of months, Bill allows himself to be pursued by his high school girlfriend Liz who tries to worm herself into the lives of the children. Ali is furious to learn that while she had gone to a sleepover, her father had left the boys home alone to be with Liz. Ali’s fury is unleashed as she watches her father kiss Liz in their driveway. Ant is terribly upset thinking that his father is going to marry Liz.

Ali continues to hold her own in her studies but is mandated by the school system to see the counselor because of her mother’s death. At first Ali tries to reveal nothing in these sessions because her best friend warned her that she doesn’t have to tell a counselor anything. Instead, Ali finds Philomena Cruz to be a guiding light as she steers Ali to talk about her mother when no one else can seem to. Eventually her brother Ant and her father will get guidance from Miss Cruz as well. A life-changing surprise steers Annemarie back on course.

Time does not heal all the Browns and Annamarie soon learn, but Annie’s love transcends death as her family and Annamarie move forward step by step to find their way once again. Quindlen’s deft hand is what makes this story work so that it is redeeming and hopeful rather than a downer.

Anna Quindlen, a novelist and journalist whose work has appeared on fiction, nonfiction, and self-help bestseller lists, won the Pulitzer Prize as a columnist at The New York Times. Her semi-autobiographical novel One True Thing (1994) served as the basis for the 1998 film starring Meryl Streep and Renée Zellweger. She lives in Manhattan.