by Eric Puchner
First published 2025
Cece reaches the lake house in Salish, Montana ahead of schedule. She plans to use the extra time to finalize wedding details before marrying Charlie, a promising young doctor. Charlie has chosen Garrett to officiate their ceremony. Garrett works as an airport baggage handler and carries the weight of a past tragedy he shares with Charlie. Cece initially sees him as completely wrong for the job. But spending time with Garrett changes her perspective. His rough exterior begins to crack, revealing something that draws her in. Meanwhile, Garrett feels himself coming back to life after meeting Cece. A stomach flu outbreak threatens to derail the wedding plans. The crisis forces Charlie and Garrett to confront their friendship. Cece faces an impossible choice between the secure future she has always wanted and an unknown path she never considered. That summer's events ripple forward through decades, affecting not just the three friends but their children, who inherit the consequences of their parents' decisions. The story spans fifty years against Montana's changing climate.
Genres: romance, literary-fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Salish, Montana, Lake House
Period: Fifty Years
432 pages · Hardcover · Sceptre