"In her new novel, Danielle Steel tells a riveting story of the dark side of motherhood. Zoe Morgan's childhood was marked by her younger sister's tragic illness, watching as her parents dedicated themselves completely to her final days and then divorced. As a young woman driven by these painful memories, Zoe sets the bar high for herself, studying hard and pursuing a career in the nonprofit world, where her deep compassion for disadvantaged children...

"'Leaving home' brings together three previously published short pieces, each dealing with a variation on the theme of leaving home. The first, "Weights and measures," deals with the tragic loss of a child; the second is a non-fiction letter Picoult wrote to her eldest son as he left for college; and "Ritz" tells the story of a mother who takes the vacation all mothers need sometime" -- from container.