A poignant breakout novel, for fans of J. Courtney Sullivan and Elin Hilderbrand, about a single mother who inherits a beautiful beach house with a caveat—she must take care of the ornery elderly woman who lives in it.For years, Maggie Sheets has been an invisible hand in the glittering homes of wealthy New York City clients, scrubbing, dusting, mopping, and doing all she can to keep her head … scrubbing, dusting, mopping, and doing all she can to keep her head above water as a single mother. Everything changes when a former employer dies leaving Maggie a staggering inheritance. A house in Sag Harbor. The catch? It comes with an inhabitant: The deceased’s eighty-two-year old mother Edith.
Edith has Alzheimer’s—or so the doctors tell her—but she remembers exactly how her daughter Liza could light up a room, or bring dark clouds in her wake. And now Liza’s gone, by her own hand, and Edith has been left—like a chaise or strand of pearls—to a poorly dressed young woman with a toddler in tow.
Maggie and Edith are both certain this arrangement will be an utter disaster. But as summer days wane, a tenuous bond forms, and Edith, who feels the urgency of her diagnosis, shares a secret that she’s held close for five decades, launching Maggie on a mission that might just lead them each to what they are looking for.
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An unlikely Beginning with a very interesting story & outcome. I wanted it to continue.
I really liked the character development and the interesting storyline. Though at times it wasn’t quite believable it also wasn’t totally unbelievable. It mixed different relationship issues between generations which I found interesting.
I have 4 children, 8 grandchildren, and 8 going on 9 great grandchildren plus I have seen hundreds of children in my life. I have never seen a 2 1/2 year old who speaks and comprehends the way this child did. Authors, if you want to use children, make their speech age appropriate. The book was not worth the money I paid for it.
The book was a bit hard getting started to read, but once in it, the characters became alive and it ended up being a wonderful story.
A very entertaining and realistic take on the sad dementia condition.
Enchanting book, great read.
This was a ok book, wouldn’t read it again, sort of slow.
This book spans three unexpected generations living under one roof. It is realistic, heartwarming, funny, thought-provoking and tear producing. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
It was a good read. The characters were ordinary people with believable interaction. The book was very thought provoking.
Great book!
I just genuinely liked this one. It’s probably a little far-fetched, but the characters couldn’t be more likable. It’s fun to read!
Great book well done
Lots of adapting, patience, , by the characters of three generations living together. The humor and sadness of have a loved one facing Alzheimer’s. Very relatable to the characters because of first hand knowledge of a loved one having this disease.
The characters were great and the story is what is really happening in todays’ world with the tragic oncoming of a dreadful disease.
engaging story
Edith didn’t seem realistic
I loved everything about this book. It was absolutely charming.
When I read the description about this book it sounded very good. I was let down while reading. I did not find the characters very enduring a bit flat. I do not thing enough time was put in to their development. When it finished I found myself wondering why it ended with so many loose ends.
This is a sad and poignant book that deals with topics some people may be uncomfortable with. The issues of alzheimer’s and suicide don’t seem to lend themselves towards a love story but, that is what this book is about. Love in all the different shapes and sizes that it comes in and forgiveness. This is a book to sit and read if you’ve ever lost someone mentally or physically. It is a book about healing and will leave you feeling better in the end that there is always time for the people who matter to us and that we need to make use of it.
Best book I’ve read this year. I’ve recommended it to everyone I have talked to. Every character could be any one of us and is someone we know.