On the night before their son’s high school graduation, Lillie can’t wait to tell her husband about the European vacation she booked for them. Except, Lillie’s husband tells her he’s leaving her for another woman. Bradley (no longer Brad) needs to find his own joy. After twenty years of marriage, he no longer feels joy with Lillie.
Neither Lillie nor Bradley want to ruin the summer for their son, so Lillie’s forced to keep up the pretenses of a happy family. But she’s seething inside. Once her son leaves for college, all bets are off. Petty behavior ensues.
As the fall marches on, Lillie takes a long look at her life and the people in it. She adopts a dog. She allows her father’s first mate, Ben, to stay in the cottage on the property throughout the winter so she won’t be alone.
Life has a funny way of changing everything but turning it upside down might not be the worst thing ever for Lillie. Yes, her family is broken, but maybe she will discover a silver lining in the mess.
Kristan Higgins knows how to suck readers into the story and not let them go. She’s a master at evoking emotions – anger and hatred, to support and love, and to the ability to wrap characters into a great big hug. Readers, like myself, who look forward to a new Kristan Higgins book each Spring will not be disappointed.
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