Stone Fruit

 Lai, Lee. Stone Fruit. 2021. 236p. ISBN 9781683964261. 

Ray and her sister Amanda always fought as children, and their relationship as adults is not much better. Ray did agree to help out with Nessie, Amanda's daughter, when Amanda went through a painful divorce, and now Auntie Ray takes Nessie on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Ray is in a couple with Bron, another woman whom Amanda doesn't like much, but Nessie adores Bron, who comes up with the best games and songs outside. At six, Nessie doesn't care about relationships and just wants to have fun.

Tensions simmer between Ray and Bron on one hand, and Ray and Amanda on the other. Bron needs space, and can't be emotionally there for Ray as she figures out what is happening in her life. She returns to her parents, a couple who is deeply religious, and to her little sister, who turned 16 and understands more than Bron could express. Left alone, Ray wallows in despair, but then decide to patch up her relationship with her sister, while Nessie demands to know what has happened to Bron.

Working to figure out who they are and how they should relate to one another, the triangle between Ray, Bron and Amanda is difficult at time to observe, but as each character grow, they discover that their lives may not be as different as they thought they were.