First published 2026
Nora finds paradise in 1949 St. Petersburg, Florida, where sunshine and opportunity draw newcomers from across the country. At seventeen, she meets Leonard, a shy but brilliant boy whose New York transplant family has settled in this booming coastal city. Their romance blooms in the warm Florida evenings as Leonard gains confidence under Nora's encouragement while keeping his gentle nature. His sophisticated mother embraces Nora, but his father views her with suspicion. When those doubts seem validated, Nora loses contact with Leonard's family. Desperate and frightened, she makes a reckless choice that separates her from the people she loves and creates a web of secrets that will shape her adult life. Years later, a wiser Nora recounts her teenage years with honesty and compassion, determined to trust herself above all others.
Genres: romance, literary-fiction, american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, coming-of-age
Vibes: bittersweet, intimate, introspective, nostalgic, poignant, reflective
Tropes: family-disapproval, first-love, reckless-choice, retrospective-narration
Setting: St. Petersburg, Florida, New York
Period: 1949, 20th century
496 pages · Paperback · Random House Large Print