First published 2023
Andrea returns to her childhood home after years away, carrying the weight of decisions that brought her back. The familiar streets and faces trigger memories she thought she had left behind. Her mother still lives in the same house, still asks the same questions Andrea struggles to answer. Old friends have moved on or stayed exactly where she left them. Andrea takes a job at a local restaurant, serving people who remember her as someone she no longer recognizes. She walks through rooms filled with the remnants of her younger self while trying to figure out who she is now. The town holds her history in its buildings and conversations. Each day brings small encounters that force her to examine the distance between who she was and who she wants to become. Andrea must decide whether returning home means moving backward or finally moving forward.
Genres: literary-fiction, coming-of-age, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Childhood Home
256 pages · Paperback · Scribner UK