At the age of forty, Hannah Solace is pregnant for the first time. For her husband Carl, it is the chance to rekindle their faltering marriage and create the family he's always wanted. But Hannah's conscience is haunted by what she sees around her - neglected and abused children, her sister's struggle to raise three children, memories of her difficult childhood.
Penny Reed is just beginning to test the boundaries of her sheltered life. At twenty-three her life is filled with her devout grandmother Mattie and the doctrine of their church, a staunchly pro-life congregation led by a charismatic young minister named Dr Bill.
As this powerful story unfolds, Hannah and Penny's lives slowly converge, until Hannah's decision to end her pregnancy brings them irrevocably together.
