First published 2007
Grace Russo stands her ground in Hilton Head, South Carolina, far from the familiar rhythms of New Jersey. At thirty-one, she has chosen to live with Michael, her Irish scientist boyfriend, a decision that horrifies her traditional Italian parents. Her father Big Al refuses to allow Michael inside their home, while her mother Connie wrings her hands over Grace's unmarried state. Grace loves her parents deeply despite their maddening interference. She knows they would embrace Michael if they gave him a chance, but family pride and old-world expectations create an unbridgeable divide. The standoff intensifies as Grace tries to build a new life in the South while honoring her roots. When an unexpected crisis strikes the family, everything Grace believes about love, loyalty, and belonging gets tested. The collision between tradition and independence forces her to examine what truly matters in her relationships with both Michael and her parents.
Genres: romance, literary-fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: family-drama, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Hilton Head, New Jersey, South Carolina
Period: 21st-century
340 pages · Mass Market Paperback · William Morrow Paperbacks