First published 1958
Reverend Andrew Mackerel has recently lost his wife when he finds himself drawn to Molly Calico, who works as a clerk at City Hall. The attraction catches him off guard, but he cannot act on his feelings openly. The town has decided to build a plaza and shopping mall as a tribute to his deceased wife, making any romantic entanglement deeply problematic. Andrew must navigate his growing affection for Molly while maintaining the dignified image expected of a grieving widower. The memorial project forces him to live with constant reminders of his late wife even as his heart pulls him toward someone new. His position in the community and the very public nature of the planned tribute create an impossible situation. Andrew faces a choice between honoring his past and embracing a future that the town would never understand or accept.
Genres: fiction, drama, romance, literary-fiction, 20th-century, contemporary
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: forbidden-romance, second-chance
Setting: City Hall, Mackerel Plaza
Period: 20th-century
192 pages · Paperback · The New American Library, Signet Books