First published 2020
Beryl Dusinbery sits in her North London home at ninety-something, her memory dissolving like sugar in rain. She creates dark embroidered samplers and spins twisted tales of former lovers to her weary caregivers, Nastya and Euphoria. Her own children have become strangers to her fading mind. Across the neighborhood, Shimi Carmelli stands as the community's last eligible widower. He buttons his own shirts and walks steadily without assistance, but he carries the weight of a childhood shame that has shadowed him for decades. While Beryl loses pieces of her past daily, Shimi remains trapped by memories he cannot escape. When these two damaged souls encounter each other, they discover that even with little time remaining, they might still mend old wounds and create something new. Their connection offers a chance to transform regret into understanding and loneliness into companionship before it's too late.
Genres: romance, literary-fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, second-chance
Setting: North London
Period: contemporary
288 pages · Paperback · Vintage