First published 2013
Jackie McMullen faces an impossible reality. Her husband Jimmy has died in a fire, leaving her alone with ten-year-old Charlie. The grief overwhelms them both. Jackie makes a desperate decision to return to Sullivans Island, where she grew up. She hopes the familiar setting will help her son heal, even as she struggles with her own devastating loss. Her mother Annie welcomes them home with open arms and grand plans to make their stay perfect. The relationship between Jackie and Annie has always been complicated, but now they must find common ground. The island's natural beauty begins to work its magic on the small family. Evening gatherings on the porch with neighbors and friends become a ritual that slowly draws them back into life. Through one transformative summer, three generations discover what truly matters. They learn that family bonds can survive the worst tragedies and that love has the power to rebuild broken hearts.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, second-chance
Setting: Sullivans Island
Period: 20th-century
352 pages · Paperback · Esencia