One day you will understand that the heart is only as fragile as the choices we make. I tell you this now - we all make surprising decisions for love - ones that can tear our heart out and leave us begging for answers. The most painful choice I’ve ever made, my dearest, was to say good-bye to you. 

When Julie’s mother falls ill, she has no choice but to return to her parents’ Wisconsin resort, Wood Violet, for the summer. Away from the pressures of their corporate jobs in the city, Julie hopes she and husband, Tristan, can start to heal after another failed pregnancy. 

But, on arriving home, Julie discovers resort life is anything but peaceful. She has to focus more on saving the business than her marriage, and the appearance of childhood sweetheart Chase throws her into disarray. 

Then Julie stumbles upon an 18-year-old girl hiding out in an abandoned cabin. The girl, Margaret, seems lost in the world, and Julie takes her under her wing. But Margaret has her own reasons for coming to Wood Violet, which threaten to expose a long-buried secret that could tear Julie’s family apart. 

As the summer draws to the close, Julie must make a choice: Will she return to Chicago with the man she married, or stay and fight for her family with the man she once loved? 

Lose yourself in a life-affirming tale about love, betrayal, and finding your true home, from the best-selling author of The Lighthouse Keeper. Fans of Mary Ellen Taylor, Barbara O’Neal, and This Is Not How It Ends will adore Cynthia Ellingsen’s captivating novel.