First published 2004
Karen sits on Death Row in Gatestown, Texas, counting down her final days at twenty-nine. The same age in New York, Dr. Franny makes wedding plans while fighting an overwhelming desire to flee her approaching marriage. Meanwhile in Austin, librarian Celia grieves her husband's death, her brassy exterior masking deep loss. One summer brings these three strangers together in unexpected ways. Karen confronts her approaching execution date. Franny wrestles with whether to commit or run from the life she's built. Celia searches for meaning after tragedy upended everything she knew. Their separate struggles with uncertainty and belonging converge toward a single night that will reshape all their futures. Ward's debut captures how people find connection and grace even when facing the darkest moments, exploring what it means to choose hope when the ground shifts beneath your feet.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, psychological-thriller
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, grief, redemption
Setting: Austin, Gatestown, New York, Texas
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
Paperback · HarpPeren
Content warnings: death, mental-illness