Each of the women experiences a role change. If you've experienced that type of swerve, did it just happen, or did you make a choice? How do those swerves help the women in the book grow and change? How did your swerve change you?

Lark thinks being an oncologist is her life’s purpose, so her switch to emergency medicine makes her feel like a failure. Ellie, too, has had a role in life—the perfect wife—which is suddenly taken from her. Joy says she’s always felt that she was a costar in her brother’s life, and without him, she feels lost. Did you ever feel that you were meant to be one thing, then became another, either in your professional or personal life? Did that swerve happen to you, or did you make a choice to go another route? How do those swerves help the women in the book grow and change? How did your swerve change you?

Lark wants to be in oncology because Justin died of cancer and she wants to be part of the cure. But instead, she cries when she confronts more suffering and death. Then, she finds that in the ER, she can actually help most patients and even save lives and that's a pretty good outcome.

Ellie learns that all was not perfect - and while that's not her fault (Gerald didn't tell her the extent of his back injuries - or how he felt losing the meaning of his job or how he felt with her criticizing him for alleged laziness when he couldn't physically do the chores she wanted done) and she was blindsided by his involvement with Camille and his criticisms of her, but she realizes they were both hurting and that they did actually love each other and that there was a way forward.

Don’t we all change with circumstances? Obviously, Lark discovers that other fields of medicine can be just as rewarding as oncology. Lark’s mother wakes up to find her marriage wasn’t as solid as she thought. And we don’t know all of the changes that Justin’s parents had to make after his death.

I swerved in college. I caved to parental pressure and changed my major, but I forged a successful career for myself that proved to be satisfying. I resolved never to bow to pressure again and never have. I also swerved in relationships over the years as I came to the realization that I had settled for something I didn't want and was unhappy.

In Ellie's case, the need to change course was unexpected, but she handled it with insight, courage, and deliberation as one would expect from a 63-year-old woman with a lot of life experience. Joy made life changes as a result of growing close to & observing Ellie and Lark, who served as role models for her. It was delightful to see Joy develop close female friendships for the first time in her life. Lark initially has a swerve imposed upon her, but, like so many things in life, it winds up being a blessing because she learns that oncology is not the best specializaion for her -- it was a self-imposed penance -- and finds a career that is truly fulfilling and a perfect fit.