In Dolly All the Time, the titular protagonist is defined by her role as a caretaker, a responsibility she assumes in childhood and carries into her adult life with unwavering resolve. Annabel Monaghan portrays this deeply ingrained identity as a complex burden that, while born of love and necessity, ultimately stifles Dolly’s personal growth and isolates her from true partnership. The novel argues that, while caretaking can be an act of great love, it becomes a trap when it consumes one’s identity, and that genuine fulfillment requires allowing others to share the load.

Dolly’s role as the family’s primary support is established long before the novel begins. After her mother abandons the family, a 12-year-old Dolly steps in to fend off the household chaos. This pattern solidifies over the years, and by the time she is 39, she is the default emergency contact. When a fire damages her father’s home, she immediately uproots her life in Boston to manage the repairs and her family’s well-being without a second thought. This sense of duty is so ingrained that she views it as her exclusive responsibility, a mindset that fuels a quiet resentment toward her sister, Patsy, who has built a life separate from the family’s daily crises.