Sima's Undergarments for Women

I have mixed feelings about Ilana Stanger-Ross's first novel Sima's Undergarments for Women. Sima Goldner is the owner of a Brooklyn shop that specializes in women's lingerie. When she hires young Timna as a seamstress, her growing affection for her forces her to confront her feelings about her inability to have her own children and its affect on her marriage. On one hand, it's a pretty good story. The characters and conflict are engrossing and the details of the orthodox Jewish neighborhood are interesting, especially since I know so little about that culture. But on the other hand, I didn't really like Sima. She was frustrating, and even though she did experience some growth, I don't think she redeemed herself very much. I was also confused about the feelings she had for Timna. At times it seemed motherly and at times it felt like Sima envied her, but it also felt very sexual, so I was confused. For example: Sima follows Timna on several occasions. Is she doing it to watch over her and protect her? Or is she doing it out of jealousy? Or is she doing it because she's a creepy stalker? I couldn't tell. Nevertheless, I think it might be a good choice for a book discussion. There seems to be a lot that can be discussed here.