Hayat Amanullah was always the pampered child in her household. With loving, hardworking parents and two older brothers who were more like best friends, Hayat was never neglected of anything. She had no sense of responsibility, no worry in the world, and knew her family would always be her safety net. Abruptly, tragedy strikes the family with such force that they're left scrambling to cope with an enormous loss. Her mom no longer leaves her room, her dad buries his grief in his work, and her remaining brother becomes distant and indifferent. Hayat's life turns upside down, and suddenly she goes from the happy-go-lucky, carefree teenager to the woman taking care of her entire household. Struggling to recalibrate and feeling more alone than ever, Hayat pursues comfort outside her home, in befriending her best friend's brother, who she's had a crush on forever. Yet, despite the growing intensity of their friendship, Hayat is drawn to her dead brother's best friend time and time again, for reasons she can't explain. Attempting to understand her emotions, Hayat falls into destructive methods of healing. Which, despite the damage they inflict on her, might just be the glue that brings her family back together. And along the way she learns that, despite experiencing the same tragedy, a family can handle grief in so many different ways. ~ #2 in revival: 3/26/24 #6 in startingfresh: 8/13/22