First published 2009
Adele and her thirteen-year-old son Henry live a secluded life together. Their routine breaks when they encounter Frank, an escaped convict who needs help. What begins as a chance meeting at a store becomes something more complex when Frank comes home with them for what should be a brief stay. Over the course of one long Labor Day weekend, this mysterious man changes everything about how Adele and Henry see themselves and each other. Frank cooks, repairs things around the house, and shows Henry skills he never learned from a father figure. Adele finds herself drawn to Frank despite knowing his dangerous past. As the weekend stretches on, all three must face what happens when their temporary arrangement ends. The story explores how unexpected connections can reshape a family and how trust develops in the most unlikely circumstances.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
Period: Labor Day Weekend
272 pages · Kindle Edition · HarperCollins Publishers