In the 1970s, Gwen is an ambitious young student looking for a profession that will grant her independence. She decides on dental school, and asks to shadow Dr. Lee, a well-respected and very successful dentist. Dr. Lee has a happy marriage of more than thirty years to Lottie, an elegant housewife who shares his love of golf and skiing. He mentors Gwen through dental school and eventually offers to share his practice with her.

But when Gwen starts working with him, the relationship becomes more complicated, and eventually she is driven into the tender arms of Edward, with whom she leads a secret double life while still maintaining her practice. Tormented by questions of loyalty and betrayal, commitment and independence, love and lust, Gwen struggles to find answers.

Ashes in My Peanut Butter is a deeply engaging and emotionally resonant dive into the world of a woman seeking to find herself amidst the subtle coercions the men in her life subject her to and the restrictions society puts on her. Finely spun, layered and nuanced, it gives us something to love and something to question in every character, presenting deeply flawed and verifiably human individuals who will resonate with readers long after the final page is turned.