[3] Amadeo Padilla, a struggling alcoholic, lives with his pregnant daughter, Angel, and ailing mother, Yolanda, in Las Penas, New Mexico.

"[5] In their starred review, Publishers Weekly praised the "well-developed characters [who] convey palpable emotion" and called Quade's depiction of the novel's community "pitch perfect.

"[3] Library Journal's verdict was that this "expertly crafted story of family and community introduces us to often needy characters for whom readers come to care deeply.

Booklist commended Quade for "ably deliver[ing] a story that is nuanced and authentic without melodrama... [it's a] generous tale of characters who understand the inevitability of fate but try to forge ahead anyway in the hope of breaking free.

"[7] In The New York Times, Alexandra Chang added, "Quade has created a world bristling with compassion and humanity" with characters whose challenges are "wholly realized and moving."