The Heart of It All by Christian Kiefer

The best days of this small town in north-central Ohio are in the past, but the residents persevere. There's Tom and his wife, Sarah, who are overwhelmed by the death of their infant son. They are the parents to two teenagers, Janey and Charlie. Janey falls for Anthony, who has just moved to town and lives with his aunt, Paula, the only African-American resident. Mary Lou is Tom's co-worker at the local factory, where they make transformers. She spends her evenings with her mother, who is showing signs of dementia. The owner of the factory, Khalid, was born in Pakistan, and lives with his wife, Rafia and two teenagers. The quartet must deal with prejudice and the experience of being outsiders in the community. The Heart of It All tells these stories firsthand, intimately conveying to the reader their fears, hopes, and dreams. A great read-alike for Stewart O'Nan, Say Nice Things About Detroit by Scott Lasser, and The Road to Dalton by Shannon Bowring.