The New York Times bestselling author of The Beach House, Jemima J, and Summer Secrets presents a novel about the pleasure and meaning of finding a home—and family—where you least expect them… When Emma Montague left the strict confines of upper-crust British life for New York, she felt sure it would make her happy. Away from her parents and expectations, she felt liberated, throwing herself … expectations, she felt liberated, throwing herself into Manhattan life replete with a high-paying job, a gorgeous apartment, and a string of successful boyfriends. But the cutthroat world of finance and relentless pursuit of more began to take its toll. This wasn’t the life she wanted either.
On the move again, Emma settles in the picturesque waterfront town of Westport, Connecticut, a world apart from both England and Manhattan. It is here that she begins to confront what it is she really wants from her life. With no job, and knowing only one person in town, she channels her passion for creating beautiful spaces into remaking the dilapidated cottage she rents from Dominic, a local handyman who lives next door with his six-year-old son.
Unlike any man Emma has ever known, Dominic is confident, grounded, and committed to being present for his son whose mother fled shortly after he was born. They become friends, and slowly much more, as Emma finds herself feeling at home in a way she never has before.
But just as they start to imagine a life together as a family, fate intervenes in the most shocking of ways. For the first time, Emma has to stay and fight for what she loves, for the truth she has discovered about herself, or risk losing it all.
In a novel of changing seasons, shifting lives, and selfless love, a story unfolds—of one woman’s far-reaching journey to discover who she is truly meant to be…
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Love is a great many words. We are enraptured by it; especially when we can live vicariously through the Lifetime channel, wrapped in our own cocoon of avoidance to the outside world. With a flip of a coin, roll of the dice, (insert your own euphemism) love can change; it can be mean, envious, devastating. Love requires our full trust with another human being, essentially ripping our heart out, placing it in their hands, and hoping they don’t have butter fingers.
Emma Montague is looking for a change. She has been focused and driven at her job, but is lacking in happiness. Being in the banking business allows for multitudinous opportunities, and cocktail parties, but also surrounds employees with a drive of competitiveness and a “Keeping up with the Joneses” complex. As if that’s not enough, Emma’s parent’s expectations of falling in love, getting married, and having children is enough to drive this London girl across the Atlantic to New York City.
Putting her job as a priority has now left Emma in her mid thirties, quitting her job after moving to the States, and seeking solitude and inspiration near coastal property in Connecticut. A quiet respite to figure out what to do with her life. Emma found her temporary home from a Craigslist ad, a simple cottage. What she was not expecting was how much of a modern update it needed, and how close her landlord, Dominic, would be; right next door.
As she is unpacking her belongings, Dominic notices all her boxes filled with books, and equally notices the lack of space to put them. He kindly offers to build her bookshelves, regarding himself as a carpenter. Once finished, Emma notices they are more like a Monet painting. From far away they look great! Once you’re up close to them, the shelving is crooked, and has other minor flaws. Not wanting to insult her new landlord, Emma decides to make tiny upgrades to the shelves to improve their quality; just some paint, and trim.
The tiny upgrades continue through to the office area- completely ripping up the carpet, changing the whole look of the cottage, something out of a magazine. Emma has found her calling, now to work on a portfolio and finding clients. Thankfully Emma has a friend that lives in town that is able to show her around. Dominic also invites her to a cookout, surrounded by his closest friends. Dominic tells his friends how she’s upgraded the cottage prompting everyone to walk over and admire her work. Ultimately this is the spark that allows Emma to really follow through and start up her independent interior design business.
Throughout this entire move, packing up and moving countries, quitting a job and moving towards the coast, the last thing Emma was looking for was love. And love just so happened to be a doorstep away. Dominic finds ways to be around Emma, which at first seem like an annoyance. Annoyance blossoms into warmer feelings as the two are around each other more often. First with home improvements, as well as contracted home improvements, followed by a Farm Dinner date.
It has never been so easy to fall in love. Everything with Dominic feels effortless, easy, and safe. It feels like home- something Emma has never felt before. Can a Londoner with a posh background fit in with a down to earth Italian from the states? Naturally there are speed bumps along the way, but how Emma navigates them will be the telltale sign of how hard she’ll fall.
Jane Green is a relatively new author to me, but I absolutely love her writing. I felt the ending was a little anti-climactic, but the story really drew me in and I couldn’t stop reading it
Heartbreaking, but a good story wellwritten.
Easy reading in the usual Jane Green style. Unpredictable twist that pulled the rug out….rushed ending was unsettling.
Anything Jane Green writes is absolutely wonderful, and I highly recommend this book!
Understood why ended the way it did but did not like it
Slow moving. Repeats same things over and over again. Not one I would read again. Picked this book because of previous books read by this author.
Entertaining but predictable. Not much depth just a basic love story
Jemima J was the first book I read by this author. Still my favorite. She’s a great writer. This was sadder than I wanted though.
This book was good and awful. I don’t read Nicholas Sparks for this very reason….
Love her books
oh – the ending got me – I was not expecting it. Amazing Jane Green!!!
I loved this book and didn’t want it to end.A good contemporary author .