When the Road Curves: A Novel

by Marianne Lonsdale

In the turns of life, we discover who stays beside us.

Thirty-six-year-old Nora returns to Oakland after a decade of living fast in New York City, hoping to reconnect with herself and decide what kind of future she wants. Marriage? Children? A meaningful career? Nothing feels certain.

Then she meets Paul, a magnetic singer-songwriter whose passion and charm sweep her into an intense romance. But beneath the chemistry lies a volatile temper Nora cannot ignore.

As Nora struggles to choose between independence, love, and the life she imagined for herself, the road curves again when her best friend Linda is diagnosed with AIDS. Faced with heartbreak, friendship, and the fragility of time, Nora must decide what truly matters and what kind of family we create for ourselves along the way.

Set in the Bay Area during the 1990s, When the Road Curves is a heartfelt novel about love, chosen family, and finding your way when life refuses to follow the map.

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Praise for When the Road Curves

"Marianne Lonsdale's debut novel, When the Road Curves, is an emotionally resonant story about the courage it takes to break free from destructive patterns. Set in the early years of the AIDS epidemic, it explores the strength of female friendship, the complexities of love, and Nora's hard-won journey toward self-discovery."

—Julia Park Tracey, author of Whoa, Nelly! A Love Story in Footnotes

About the Author

When the Road Curves is Marianne Lonsdale’s debut novel. Her personal essays and poetry have been published in print anthologies and online journals including The New York Times, Literary Mama and Pulse. She’s an alumna of the Community of Writers and The Napa Valley Writers Conference and is a frequent reader at San Francisco’s Litquake. She’s committed to youth literacy efforts, volunteering with 826 Valencia and the Oakland Literacy Coalition. She lives in Oakland.

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