by Anita Shreve
First published 2004
A French coastal home draws together family members whose relationships shift like the nearby tides. The house by the sea holds memories and tensions that surface when relatives gather within its walls. Old grievances mix with new discoveries as characters navigate the complex bonds between them. Love triangles emerge while family loyalties face testing. The ocean setting mirrors the emotional currents that pull these people toward and away from each other. Past decisions cast shadows over present choices as the story explores how place shapes the people who inhabit it.
Genres: romance, literary-fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: complex-relationships, family-dynamics
Setting: France, Coastal Home
Period: 20th-Century, 21st-Century
Paperback