The Charm Bracelet

Shipman’s debut novel unites three generations of women as they come together to heal the wounds of their pasts and forge a family. Arden works for the Chicago magazine Paparazzi, editing and writing code for the magazine’s website. While she is not content with her job, she spends many hours working, knowing that she must pay college tuition for her daughter, Lauren. When Arden’s mother, Lolly, sends Arden a note requesting that she visit, Arden and Lauren decide that it is time for them to take a road trip to the family home in Scoops, Mich., near Lake Michigan. Lolly is as effervescent as ever, continuing to work at the local fudge shop. But Lolly’s memory isn’t as good as it once was, and together the three women face the possibility that it may deteriorate further. At the heart of their reunion is Lolly’s unfettered desire to live in the moment and recall, through the charms on her bracelet, the momentous occasions of her life. Shipman compellingly depicts the bonds of family, revealing that the moments of trials and tribulation are part of lives filled with hope and faith. (Apr.)