McMillan's debut novel looks at conflicts in both family and romantic relationships. Nicki, a 37-year-old real estate appraiser, is about to buy her dream home, which she's planning to share with her 16-year-old son, Cody, and her boyfriend, Jake, a chef. Nicki is also investing in her future with Jake by funding his dream to open a restaurant. After Cody is suspended for truancy, Nicki's world starts to collapse. Jake starts acting evasive and erratic, and Nicki's estranged father, Ronnie, shows up on her doorstep hoping for reconciliationand a homeafter an early release from prison. When Jake bolts, Ronnie provides a strong male presence for Cody as Nicki licks her wounds in whiny conversations with her best friend, Peaches. McMillan's protagonist is not an especially appealing or sympathetic narrator; Nicki is clingy and self-absorbed as well as judgmental. She reads the New York Times wedding announcements each week and romanticizes what she calls the "outliers: older couples, interracial couples, the couples who've obviously made (at some level) an arrangement." Readers might find Nicki histrionic and self-absorbed, and they won't find any refuge with Ronnie, either, though he's the novel's other point-of-view character. McMillan, a relationship writer, deposits nuggets of unremarkable insight in the book through Ronnie, a self-styled pop-psychology guru. It's a device that tires quickly. Ronnie manipulates almost every woman he meets even if she's vulnerable or he knows he's not using his best judgment. As the novel skids toward its predictable ending, the reader can't be done with it fast enough. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Memoir author McMillan (I Love You and I'm Leaving You Anyway) turns to fiction with a compelling family drama about a single mom and real estate appraiser in Portland, Ore., who rediscovers the meaning of family when her father unexpectedly shows up on her doorstep, having been early-released after 17 years in prison. The story is told in first person by Nicki Daniels and her father, Ronnie Daniels, a former drug dealer, pimp, and pool hustler who hasn't lost his "boogie" in prison, where he worked in the kitchen and read psychology books. Ronnie's arrival is especially complicated for Nicki as she narrows her search for a new house for herself, her teenage son, and her boyfriend. When a sudden turn of events upends the family and Nicki's future plans, Ronnie sees an opportunity to heal their frayed relationship. The plot unfolds predictably and can be somewhat sentimental, but McMillan's debut novel is a fun read, thanks to the conversational, fluid voice of Nicki, which is successfully sustained throughout. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

TV writer McMillan has published a memoir (I Love You and I'm Leaving You Anyway) and a self-help book (Why You're Not Married.Yet). In the author's first novel, she delves into her own life experience to create overachieving Nicki, who has a 16-year-old son, a successful home appraisal business, and a much younger boyfriend with whom she's planning to buy an expensive house and open a restaurant. Into this hectic life unexpectedly drops her father Ronnie, a former drug dealer who has spent most of his adult life in prison. After the initial shock, Nicki reluctantly accepts him into her home, and he becomes surprisingly necessary to her family unit, especially as a male role model for her son. In chapters with alternating viewpoints of daughter and father, readers learn about the lifelong effects of Nicki's early abandonment and how her handsome and charming dad spent his time in prison studying self-help and psychology to take ownership of his past mistakes. VERDICT If it wasn't autobiographical, this compelling portrait of people seemingly irredeemably damaged might seem implausible, rather than inspirational.-Jan Marry, Williamsburg Regional Lib., VA © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Despite growing up with an emotionally distant mother and a father in prison, Nicki Daniels has built a comfortable life for herself and her teenage son, Cody. She has a successful home-appraisal business, a sexy (and much younger) boyfriend, and is about to buy a brand-new house. But all of Nicki's carefully curated reality comes tumbling down when her father, Ronnie, is released from prison. According to the conditions of his parole, Ronnie has to live with a family member and all he has is Nicki. Debut novelist McMillan populates Nicki's world with a number of memorable characters, including her childhood best friend, Peaches, whose life choices frequently lead her astray, and her son, Cody, who blossoms under Ronnie's guidance. There are numerous side plots, but it's the push-and-pull of the father-daughter relationship that shines most brightly. This bighearted, emotionally engaging novel will appeal to readers who enjoy stories of family and forgiveness.--Donohue, Nanette Copyright 2016 Booklist