Olivia continues the move away from the feminist position of her early books, a departure that became obvious in His Little Women (1990). With each new novel, Rossner seems to become more traditional, seeking to return to her Jewish roots and the institution of marriage to provide the security she needs. Just as Nell longed for the refuge of a home life with Shimmy in His Little Women, Caroline now acknowledges her need to be "contained" by the "idea of marriage," which keeps her from the unpleasant feeling of "floating loose, without custom to fall back on, a frame to hold you." The search for parental love and approval, the need for a sense of personal self worth, and the importance of friendships between women, so common to Rossner's work, are again present here.