"Katharine Noel--the award-winning, critically acclaimed author of Halfway House--returns with a funny, wise, and moving second novel about the bond between two sisters whose stable lives are suddenly uprooted. Claire Hood has never had a typical family. When she was nine, her father fell in love with a married woman, and the two households agreed to live under one roof. Nicknamed "the Naked Family," they were infamous in the community for their eccentric, free-spirited lifestyle. Now, her stepsister Nicole has set her mind to having a baby on her own, and Claire's husband is enthusiastic about starting a family as well. But Claire wants to avoid an ordinary existence at all costs. Then Jeremy becomes seriously ill, and his high-school sweetheart Gita is a bit too eager to lend a hand in his recovery. As Claire's suspicion of their relationship grows, she feels more and more distant not only from the people she loves but also from the kind of person she'd imagined herself to be. Faced with Nicole's pregnancy and Jeremy's increasing closeness with his ex, Claire must resolve lingering childhood hang-ups and decide what she's willing to sacrifice for independence. Meantime is a heartfelt, insightful story of how individuals shape and reshape their families while discovering their truest sense of self. With humanity, humor, and grace, Katharine Noel examines the complex, delicate connections between spouses, siblings, parents and children"-- Provided by publisher.