This Is How It Always Is

Written With Intimate, Accessible Prose, This Is How It Always Is Follows Claude’S Journey And The Ways His Parents Respond As They Navigate School, Community Expectations, And The Secrets They Sometimes Keep To Protect Him. The Storytelling Stays Close To Daily Life—Meals, Bedtime, Play—Letting Readers Feel The Texture Of A Loving Home And The Difficult Choices Families Make In The Name Of Love.

Readers Are Drawn Into A Narrative That Balances Humor With Heartbreak, Exploring How A Family Can Grow When Truth Is Finally Spoken, And How Love Can Endure Even When It Changes Everything. This Is Not Just Claude’S Voyage, But Rosie And Penn’S Discovery Of New Possibilities For Themselves And Their Children, Told With Warmth, Grace, And A Voice That Honors Complexity Without Judgment.

• Central, Character-Driven Drama About Claude And His Parents
• Explores Gender Identity, Parenting Challenges, Secrecy, And Unconditional Love
• Warm, Lyrical Prose With Moments Of Humor, Heartbreak, And Hope
• Vivid Family Life, Authentic Dialogue, And Relatable Everyday Settings
• Thoughtful Themes About Truth, Resilience, And What It Means To Belong
• Reese Witherspoon X Hello Sunshine Book Club Pick Status

After Finishing This Is How It Always Is, Readers Gain A Deeper Understanding Of What It Takes To Support A Child’S True Self And The Courage To Embrace Honesty Inside And Outside The Home. It Leaves You Feeling Hopeful, More Compassionate, And Inspired To Value Love's Unwavering Bond—Long After The Last Page.