Asking for a friend : a novel / Kerry Clare.

The bottom of Jess's world is falling out. Cocooned in her dorm in the winter of 1998, she's reeling, looking to be left alone. But a chance encounter with the older, other-worldly, elusive Clara has Jess yearning for her comforting company. Clara, newly returned from a two-year trek drifting around the world is taking a stab at normalcy for once, and the place she starts is university, where she struggles to fit in. Upon meeting Jess, though, an instant connection is forged between them, and everything seems brighter. Soon, the two are inseparable, undeniable necessities in each other's lives. But when tragedy strikes, they are unceremoniously torn apart, sent tumbling down different paths. And with each passing day, their unbreakable bond is tested more and more. As they endure love and heartbreak, loss, marriage, anxiety, isolation, and the complicated existence of motherhood, Jess and Clara must learn how to love one another through it all--and whether growing up inevitably means growing apart. Spanning across two decades, Asking for a Friend explores the tempestuous journey of female friendship, asking whether its fundamentals--history, familiarity, loyalty--are enough to make the relationship everlasting.