Better with You Here

Zepeda (Houston, We Have a Problema) offers a subtle and often amusing look at a single mother struggling to raise her kids in Dallas, Tex.. Natasha Davila has custody of her two children, Alex and Lucia, and rarely has positive interactions with their father, Mike, her ex-husband who now lives with his new girlfriend, Missy, and Missy’s toddler. While Natasha and her children share a small apartment in a questionable complex, they’re happy and managing to get by with the help of kindhearted friends and neighbors. Then Mike sues for full custody of his kids. When Natasha contests the suit, Mike plays dirty, exploiting some unsavory details about Natasha’s new social circle. But playing dirty opens Mike to the same level of scrutiny, and no one, it turns out, is perfect. Zepeda’s command of family dynamics shows in every scene, creating complexity and drama that is somewhat mitigated by a message that readers of women’s fiction will have heard before. Still, despite far-fetched narrative turns, well-drawn characters, particularly Natasha (who shares narration duties with her son and a feisty friend) make this a rewarding read. Agent: Jenny Bent. (July)