A grave loss changes the lives of three friends in ways they never imagined in this warm and heartrending novel from an author who "writes with grace and humor, reminding us to hold tight to the ones we love" (Luanne Rice, New York Times bestselling author).What makes a wife a lover?For Kate, the spark went out of her marriage long ago but her husband doesn't seem to notice. Their role as parents consumes their lives so they need to rekindle the romance they once shared.What makes a woman a mother?For Jo, a high-powered career has led her to believe that she doesn't have a single maternal instinct. When an orphan unexpectedly enters her life, she is forced to confront her own unhappy childhood and the walls it has built around her heart.What makes a man the love of your life?For Sarah, home is the steamy jungles of Africa while the man of her dreams waits in the air-conditioned confines of Los Angeles. Her longing for this man from the past is blinding her to a new love standing right in front of her.What these women all have in common is a friend with a generous soul, an irrepressible spirit- and a serious illness. In her final letters, Rachel raises one last question: What makes a friend live in our hearts forever?"Full of humor, love, and life lessons, this is an uplifting and satisfying novel that lingers long after the last page." —Elizabeth Noble, bestselling author of The Reading Group and The Girl Next Door"A lovely novel with moments of deeply moving insight into what it means to be a mother, a wife, and a friend." —Nancy Thayer, New York Times bestselling author of Beachcombers