Margin Notes

The Fall siblings, Dizzy, Miles, and Wynton, have been raised by their mother, Bernadette, a chef and restaurant owner, ever since their father left without explanation years ago.

Twelve-year-old Dizzy is the first of the siblings to encounter the rainbow-haired girl. After a betrayal by her ex-best friend and now class bully, Dizzy runs away from school and directly into the path of an 18-wheeler. After she is miraculously pushed to safety, Dizzy catches a glimpse of rainbow curls.

Next Miles, 17, discovers the rainbow-haired girl sleeping in her truck parked on his Uncle Clive’s property. She takes Miles for a ride, and he finds himself telling her things about his family and his life that he has never shared with anyone before, including the fact that despite being known as “Perfect Miles” by his brother and sister, he hasn’t attended school in two weeks.

Finally, 19-year-old Wynton, a violinist, meets the rainbow-haired girl while staggering home after a disappointing gig. When he recognizes her as Cassidy, a girl he knew at 13, he’s hit by a car.

While Wynton lies in a coma, Cassidy shares her story with him. As her connections with each sibling are revealed, the tangled histories of past loves, losses, betrayals, and rivalries begin to surface.

As the details of the past emerge, Miles embarks on an unexpected road trip with a mysterious stranger, unearthing difficult family truths. The question is whether these revelations will lead to healing or drive the Fall family further apart.

Set in Northern California’s wine country, When the World Tips Over is a sweeping family saga told from multiple perspectives, weaving together timelines and plotlines with elements of magic. The novel incorporates a wide range of texts—newspaper clippings, diaries, unsent letters, notes, and emails—while exploring themes of identity, forgiveness, and the power of shared history. For readers who enjoy stories where the past and present collide in unexpected ways, this novel is a must-read.