by Patrick Ryan
First published 2025
Cal Jenkins cannot forget the night he and Margaret Salt came together in Bonhomie, Ohio, celebrating the end of the war in Europe. Cal carries the shame of being unable to serve his country. Margaret hides secrets from her past. Cal's wife Becky possesses an unusual ability to speak with the dead, offering comfort to grieving families. Margaret's husband Felix sails safely on a Navy cargo ship until a telegram brings devastating news. Their stolen encounter plants a secret that takes root in the small town. As America rebuilds itself in the postwar years, the consequences of that single night spread through both families. The next generation must confront truths their parents buried. Two families discover how one moment of passion can reshape everything they believed about themselves and their futures. Ryan explores the weight of secrets and the human need for connection and redemption.
Genres: romance, literary-fiction, american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, secrets
Setting: Bonhomie, Ohio
Period: Post-War
464 pages · Hardcover · Random House