A family gathers at their vacation cottage for the last time: “Riveting…the perfect summer-by-the-lake read. ”—Chicago Tribune

A New York Times Notable Book

A Chicago Tribune Favorite Book of the Year

A year after the death of her husband, Emily Maxwell gathers her family by Lake Chautauqua in western New York for what will be a last vacation at their summer cottage. Joining is her sister-in-law, who silently mourns the sale of the lake house, and a long-lost love. Emily's firebrand daughter, a recovering alcoholic recently separated from her husband, brings her children from Detroit. Emily's son, who has quit his job and mortgaged his future to pursue his art, comes accompanied by his children and his wife, who is secretly heartened to be visiting the house for the last time. Memories of past summers resurface, old rivalries flare up, and love is rekindled and born anew, resulting in a timeless novel drawn, as the best writing often is, from the ebbs and flow of daily life.

“A sprawling, generously written saga that imparts exceptional insights into the human heart. ”—Charlotte Observer

“Brilliantly mesmerizing. ”—Los Angeles Times

“Succeeds beautifully…showcases some of the finest character studies a contemporary reader could ask for. ”—The Boston Globe