First published 2011
Betty Weissmann finds herself abandoned after nearly five decades of marriage, cast out from her luxurious Manhattan apartment with nowhere to turn. Her two adult daughters, Miranda and Annie, face the same harsh reality when the three women meet unexpectedly on the street. Unable to afford even basic housing in the city, they retreat to a rundown summer cottage in Westport, Connecticut, owned by Betty's wealthy cousin Lou. The cramped quarters become a testing ground as the Weissmann women navigate their wounded pride and dwindling resources. Miranda and Annie must choose between following their hearts and heeding practical concerns while mingling with Westport's established families. The sisters debate whether passion or reason should guide their romantic decisions. This contemporary retelling of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility transplants the classic story into modern America, where divorce replaces death as the catalyst for upheaval. The Weissmann family's struggle to maintain dignity while rebuilding their lives becomes a romantic comedy about second chances and the persistence of love.
Genres: romance, literary-fiction, contemporary, 21st-century, divorce, contemporary-romance, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, second-chance-romance
Setting: Manhattan, Westport, Connecticut
Period: Contemporary
305 pages · Hardcover · El Aleph Editores