Author: Charlotte Bingham
Publisher: Bantam
ISBN: 9780553819809
Category : Americans
Languages : en
Pages : 415
Book Description
American heiress Emmaline Nesbitt has always understood that, as the eldest of four daughters, she is obliged to marry. So far, however, no proposals have come her way. Until that is, at a crowded ball, she meets Julius who wastes no time in asking for her hand.Soon Emmaline finds herself on the way to England to live with her husband-to-be, her hopes as high as they have ever been. However, what greets her on arrival is a strange house, full of odd guests and eccentric servants - a far cry from the glorious home that Julius had described. Indeed, as the days go by, her fianc changes beyond recognition and Emmaline's unhappiness deepens so that she cannot see any future to their relationship. But that is before Julius's past, and the history of his house, make themselves plain to her.
The Land of Summer
Author: Charlotte Bingham
Publisher: Bantam
ISBN: 9780553819809
Category : Americans
Languages : en
Pages : 415
Book Description
American heiress Emmaline Nesbitt has always understood that, as the eldest of four daughters, she is obliged to marry. So far, however, no proposals have come her way. Until that is, at a crowded ball, she meets Julius who wastes no time in asking for her hand.Soon Emmaline finds herself on the way to England to live with her husband-to-be, her hopes as high as they have ever been. However, what greets her on arrival is a strange house, full of odd guests and eccentric servants - a far cry from the glorious home that Julius had described. Indeed, as the days go by, her fianc changes beyond recognition and Emmaline's unhappiness deepens so that she cannot see any future to their relationship. But that is before Julius's past, and the history of his house, make themselves plain to her.
Publisher: Bantam
ISBN: 9780553819809
Category : Americans
Languages : en
Pages : 415
Book Description
American heiress Emmaline Nesbitt has always understood that, as the eldest of four daughters, she is obliged to marry. So far, however, no proposals have come her way. Until that is, at a crowded ball, she meets Julius who wastes no time in asking for her hand.Soon Emmaline finds herself on the way to England to live with her husband-to-be, her hopes as high as they have ever been. However, what greets her on arrival is a strange house, full of odd guests and eccentric servants - a far cry from the glorious home that Julius had described. Indeed, as the days go by, her fianc changes beyond recognition and Emmaline's unhappiness deepens so that she cannot see any future to their relationship. But that is before Julius's past, and the history of his house, make themselves plain to her.
The Land of the Pines
Author: Summer Nilsson
Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group
ISBN: 1954401019
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 211
Book Description
“Must-Read” and “Tale for all Ages,” InStyle Magazine “Best Children’s Books of 2021 for Middle Grades,” Red Tricycle “The Purpose-Driven Book for Tweens Hitting All the Right Notes,” PaperCity “The Land of the Pines Connects Youth with Authentic Self,” Houston Style Magazine “Movie-worthy . . . a modern-day take on Charlotte’s Web,” CultureMap Houston Featured on NBC’s Texas Today and ABC’s “Kids Under Construction” "Hoo" is Grey the Kitten? What is her destiny? And why is she riding in a cup, on a DEER? In her debut novel, author Summer Nilsson takes readers on a journey of discovering identity and the gift of empathy. Lush illustrations capture the magic found in the Piney Woods of Nilsson’s East Texas hometown and bring the cast of creatures vividly to life. The Land of the Pines is a thought-provoking fantasy tale of friendship and fortitude, sure to capture imaginations of all ages. Grey the Kitten knows that she’s meant to be more than just a barn cat. As she grows up on Black Mountain Farm with her mentor Miss Jay the Bird, she can’t help but feel that her destiny lies somewhere beyond her beloved farm. But Grey isn’t the only one with ideas about her future. The Black Widow and her guiding Hourglass have big plans for the farm, and Grey could be their key to controlling the whole mountain—and all the animals who reside there. When the Widow traps Grey in a web of promises and threats, will this special kitten give up control over her destiny? Or will she become an example of what’s possible when you have the courage to forge your own path? Filled with unpredictable twists and turns, The Land of the Pines connects tweens to the transformative power of kindness and intention, all while reinforcing our universal connection to one another.
Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group
ISBN: 1954401019
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 211
Book Description
“Must-Read” and “Tale for all Ages,” InStyle Magazine “Best Children’s Books of 2021 for Middle Grades,” Red Tricycle “The Purpose-Driven Book for Tweens Hitting All the Right Notes,” PaperCity “The Land of the Pines Connects Youth with Authentic Self,” Houston Style Magazine “Movie-worthy . . . a modern-day take on Charlotte’s Web,” CultureMap Houston Featured on NBC’s Texas Today and ABC’s “Kids Under Construction” "Hoo" is Grey the Kitten? What is her destiny? And why is she riding in a cup, on a DEER? In her debut novel, author Summer Nilsson takes readers on a journey of discovering identity and the gift of empathy. Lush illustrations capture the magic found in the Piney Woods of Nilsson’s East Texas hometown and bring the cast of creatures vividly to life. The Land of the Pines is a thought-provoking fantasy tale of friendship and fortitude, sure to capture imaginations of all ages. Grey the Kitten knows that she’s meant to be more than just a barn cat. As she grows up on Black Mountain Farm with her mentor Miss Jay the Bird, she can’t help but feel that her destiny lies somewhere beyond her beloved farm. But Grey isn’t the only one with ideas about her future. The Black Widow and her guiding Hourglass have big plans for the farm, and Grey could be their key to controlling the whole mountain—and all the animals who reside there. When the Widow traps Grey in a web of promises and threats, will this special kitten give up control over her destiny? Or will she become an example of what’s possible when you have the courage to forge your own path? Filled with unpredictable twists and turns, The Land of the Pines connects tweens to the transformative power of kindness and intention, all while reinforcing our universal connection to one another.
Summerlandish
Author: Summer Land
Publisher: Hardie Grant Books
ISBN: 174358072X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 181
Book Description
Summer Land may only be twenty-five years old, but her attention-hungry discretion-free egomaniacal disposition has landed her in more hot water situations than you've had changes of underwear. This collection of outrageous stories marks the quarter-century long journey of Summer Land from babyhood in Gainesville, Florida to how in holy hell she ended up shacked-up, married-up and knocked-up in Mudgee with an Australian who spends most of his time 15km underground (even on Valentine's Day). Summerlandish is all the hard-won, scar-leaving, tattoo-regretting, butthole-tearing lessons Summer has learned over the years u summarised here in all their glamorously gory detail, so you don't have to bother with learning them yourselves. And, unsurprisingly, she seems to know quite a bit about love, life and awkward moments involving too much caffeine and/or lack of restraint.
Publisher: Hardie Grant Books
ISBN: 174358072X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 181
Book Description
Summer Land may only be twenty-five years old, but her attention-hungry discretion-free egomaniacal disposition has landed her in more hot water situations than you've had changes of underwear. This collection of outrageous stories marks the quarter-century long journey of Summer Land from babyhood in Gainesville, Florida to how in holy hell she ended up shacked-up, married-up and knocked-up in Mudgee with an Australian who spends most of his time 15km underground (even on Valentine's Day). Summerlandish is all the hard-won, scar-leaving, tattoo-regretting, butthole-tearing lessons Summer has learned over the years u summarised here in all their glamorously gory detail, so you don't have to bother with learning them yourselves. And, unsurprisingly, she seems to know quite a bit about love, life and awkward moments involving too much caffeine and/or lack of restraint.
Empire of the Summer Moon
Author: S. C. Gwynne
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1416597158
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 394
Book Description
*Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award* *A New York Times Notable Book* *Winner of the Texas Book Award and the Oklahoma Book Award* This New York Times bestseller and stunning historical account of the forty-year battle between Comanche Indians and white settlers for control of the American West “is nothing short of a revelation…will leave dust and blood on your jeans” (The New York Times Book Review). Empire of the Summer Moon spans two astonishing stories. The first traces the rise and fall of the Comanches, the most powerful Indian tribe in American history. The second entails one of the most remarkable narratives ever to come out of the Old West: the epic saga of the pioneer woman Cynthia Ann Parker and her mixed-blood son Quanah, who became the last and greatest chief of the Comanches. Although readers may be more familiar with the tribal names Apache and Sioux, it was in fact the legendary fighting ability of the Comanches that determined when the American West opened up. Comanche boys became adept bareback riders by age six; full Comanche braves were considered the best horsemen who ever rode. They were so masterful at war and so skillful with their arrows and lances that they stopped the northern drive of colonial Spain from Mexico and halted the French expansion westward from Louisiana. White settlers arriving in Texas from the eastern United States were surprised to find the frontier being rolled backward by Comanches incensed by the invasion of their tribal lands. The war with the Comanches lasted four decades, in effect holding up the development of the new American nation. Gwynne’s exhilarating account delivers a sweeping narrative that encompasses Spanish colonialism, the Civil War, the destruction of the buffalo herds, and the arrival of the railroads, and the amazing story of Cynthia Ann Parker and her son Quanah—a historical feast for anyone interested in how the United States came into being. Hailed by critics, S. C. Gwynne’s account of these events is meticulously researched, intellectually provocative, and, above all, thrillingly told. Empire of the Summer Moon announces him as a major new writer of American history.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1416597158
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 394
Book Description
*Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award* *A New York Times Notable Book* *Winner of the Texas Book Award and the Oklahoma Book Award* This New York Times bestseller and stunning historical account of the forty-year battle between Comanche Indians and white settlers for control of the American West “is nothing short of a revelation…will leave dust and blood on your jeans” (The New York Times Book Review). Empire of the Summer Moon spans two astonishing stories. The first traces the rise and fall of the Comanches, the most powerful Indian tribe in American history. The second entails one of the most remarkable narratives ever to come out of the Old West: the epic saga of the pioneer woman Cynthia Ann Parker and her mixed-blood son Quanah, who became the last and greatest chief of the Comanches. Although readers may be more familiar with the tribal names Apache and Sioux, it was in fact the legendary fighting ability of the Comanches that determined when the American West opened up. Comanche boys became adept bareback riders by age six; full Comanche braves were considered the best horsemen who ever rode. They were so masterful at war and so skillful with their arrows and lances that they stopped the northern drive of colonial Spain from Mexico and halted the French expansion westward from Louisiana. White settlers arriving in Texas from the eastern United States were surprised to find the frontier being rolled backward by Comanches incensed by the invasion of their tribal lands. The war with the Comanches lasted four decades, in effect holding up the development of the new American nation. Gwynne’s exhilarating account delivers a sweeping narrative that encompasses Spanish colonialism, the Civil War, the destruction of the buffalo herds, and the arrival of the railroads, and the amazing story of Cynthia Ann Parker and her son Quanah—a historical feast for anyone interested in how the United States came into being. Hailed by critics, S. C. Gwynne’s account of these events is meticulously researched, intellectually provocative, and, above all, thrillingly told. Empire of the Summer Moon announces him as a major new writer of American history.
Powwow Summer
Author: Nahanni Shingoose
Publisher: Lorimer
ISBN: 1459414179
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 178
Book Description
Part Ojibwe and part white, River lives with her white mother and stepfather on a farm in Ontario. Teased about her Indigenous heritage as a young girl, she feels like she doesn't belong and struggles with her identity. Now eighteen and just finished high school, River travels to Winnipeg to spend the summer with her Indigenous father and grandmother, where she sees firsthand what it means to be an "urban Indian." On her family's nearby reserve, she learns more than she expects about the lives of Indigenous people, including the presence of Indigenous gangs and the multi-generational effects of the residential school system. But River also discovers a deep respect for and connection with the land and her cultural traditions. The highlight of her summer is attending the annual powwow with her new friends. At the powwow after party, however, River drinks too much and posts photos online that anger people and she has her right to identify as an Indigenous person called into question. Can River ever begin to resolve the complexities of her identity — Indigenous and not?
Publisher: Lorimer
ISBN: 1459414179
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 178
Book Description
Part Ojibwe and part white, River lives with her white mother and stepfather on a farm in Ontario. Teased about her Indigenous heritage as a young girl, she feels like she doesn't belong and struggles with her identity. Now eighteen and just finished high school, River travels to Winnipeg to spend the summer with her Indigenous father and grandmother, where she sees firsthand what it means to be an "urban Indian." On her family's nearby reserve, she learns more than she expects about the lives of Indigenous people, including the presence of Indigenous gangs and the multi-generational effects of the residential school system. But River also discovers a deep respect for and connection with the land and her cultural traditions. The highlight of her summer is attending the annual powwow with her new friends. At the powwow after party, however, River drinks too much and posts photos online that anger people and she has her right to identify as an Indigenous person called into question. Can River ever begin to resolve the complexities of her identity — Indigenous and not?
Summer in the Land of Skin
Author: Jody Gehrman
Publisher: Harlequin
ISBN: 145924625X
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 321
Book Description
Twenty-five-year-old Anna—restless, famished and emotionally numb—is following the long-cold trail of her father, a celebrated luthier, whose death has always haunted her. She's tracked his former business partner to a sailboat on Bellingham Bay, determined to pry from the old man the secrets of their guitarmaking trade, and maybe a few answers about her father. Anna catches an echo of her musical father in Arlan, guitar player for a local band. Soon she's living on his sofa, hanging out with his girlfriend—having friends for the first time, even. And if Anna's new friends do drugs, read her journal and leave open a few too many bedroom doors, who's to say they aren't real friends? And if Anna has feelings for Arlan, who's to say where her loyalty lies? During a single summer's worth of days, gin-soaked and colored with longing, Anna rediscovers her senses, shut down since her father's death, and finds that the only way to get free of her past is to embrace it.
Publisher: Harlequin
ISBN: 145924625X
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 321
Book Description
Twenty-five-year-old Anna—restless, famished and emotionally numb—is following the long-cold trail of her father, a celebrated luthier, whose death has always haunted her. She's tracked his former business partner to a sailboat on Bellingham Bay, determined to pry from the old man the secrets of their guitarmaking trade, and maybe a few answers about her father. Anna catches an echo of her musical father in Arlan, guitar player for a local band. Soon she's living on his sofa, hanging out with his girlfriend—having friends for the first time, even. And if Anna's new friends do drugs, read her journal and leave open a few too many bedroom doors, who's to say they aren't real friends? And if Anna has feelings for Arlan, who's to say where her loyalty lies? During a single summer's worth of days, gin-soaked and colored with longing, Anna rediscovers her senses, shut down since her father's death, and finds that the only way to get free of her past is to embrace it.
The Land of the Midnight Sun
Author: Paul Belloni Du Chaillu
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Finland
Languages : en
Pages : 534
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Finland
Languages : en
Pages : 534
Book Description
The Sweetness of Water (Oprah's Book Club)
Author: Nathan Harris
Publisher: Back Bay Books
ISBN: 9780316461245
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 368
Book Description
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER / AN OPRAH'S BOOK CLUB PICK ONE OF PRESIDENT OBAMA'S FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2021 Winner of the Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize Longlisted for the 2022 Carnegie Medal for Excellence Longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize In the spirit of The Known World and The Underground Railroad, "a miraculous debut" (Washington Post) and "a towering achievement of imagination" (CBS This Morning)about the unlikely bond between two freedmen who are brothers and the Georgia farmer whose alliance will alter their lives, and his, forever--from "a storyteller with bountiful insight and assurance" (Kirkus) A Best Book of the Year: Oprah Daily, NPR, Washington Post, Time, Boston Globe, Smithsonian, Chicago Public Library, BookBrowse, and the Oregonian A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice A July Indie Next Pick In the waning days of the Civil War, brothers Prentiss and Landry--freed by the Emancipation Proclamation--seek refuge on the homestead of George Walker and his wife, Isabelle. The Walkers, wracked by the loss of their only son to the war, hire the brothers to work their farm, hoping through an unexpected friendship to stanch their grief. Prentiss and Landry, meanwhile, plan to save money for the journey north and a chance to reunite with their mother, who was sold away when they were boys. Parallel to their story runs a forbidden romance between two Confederate soldiers. The young men, recently returned from the war to the town of Old Ox, hold their trysts in the woods. But when their secret is discovered, the resulting chaos, including a murder, unleashes convulsive repercussions on the entire community. In the aftermath of so much turmoil, it is Isabelle who emerges as an unlikely leader, proffering a healing vision for the land and for the newly free citizens of Old Ox. With candor and sympathy, debut novelist Nathan Harris creates an unforgettable cast of characters, depicting Georgia in the violent crucible of Reconstruction. Equal parts beauty and terror, as gripping as it is moving, The Sweetness of Water is an epic whose grandeur locates humanity and love amid the most harrowing circumstances.
Publisher: Back Bay Books
ISBN: 9780316461245
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 368
Book Description
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER / AN OPRAH'S BOOK CLUB PICK ONE OF PRESIDENT OBAMA'S FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2021 Winner of the Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize Longlisted for the 2022 Carnegie Medal for Excellence Longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize In the spirit of The Known World and The Underground Railroad, "a miraculous debut" (Washington Post) and "a towering achievement of imagination" (CBS This Morning)about the unlikely bond between two freedmen who are brothers and the Georgia farmer whose alliance will alter their lives, and his, forever--from "a storyteller with bountiful insight and assurance" (Kirkus) A Best Book of the Year: Oprah Daily, NPR, Washington Post, Time, Boston Globe, Smithsonian, Chicago Public Library, BookBrowse, and the Oregonian A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice A July Indie Next Pick In the waning days of the Civil War, brothers Prentiss and Landry--freed by the Emancipation Proclamation--seek refuge on the homestead of George Walker and his wife, Isabelle. The Walkers, wracked by the loss of their only son to the war, hire the brothers to work their farm, hoping through an unexpected friendship to stanch their grief. Prentiss and Landry, meanwhile, plan to save money for the journey north and a chance to reunite with their mother, who was sold away when they were boys. Parallel to their story runs a forbidden romance between two Confederate soldiers. The young men, recently returned from the war to the town of Old Ox, hold their trysts in the woods. But when their secret is discovered, the resulting chaos, including a murder, unleashes convulsive repercussions on the entire community. In the aftermath of so much turmoil, it is Isabelle who emerges as an unlikely leader, proffering a healing vision for the land and for the newly free citizens of Old Ox. With candor and sympathy, debut novelist Nathan Harris creates an unforgettable cast of characters, depicting Georgia in the violent crucible of Reconstruction. Equal parts beauty and terror, as gripping as it is moving, The Sweetness of Water is an epic whose grandeur locates humanity and love amid the most harrowing circumstances.
Summer in the Land of Anne
Author: Elizabeth Rollins Epperly
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781773660059
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Six-year-old Elspeth's mother has a surprise in store for her daughters. She's taking Elspeth and her eleven-year-old sister on a surprise vacation. When she starts reading Anne of Green Gables aloud to the girls, they catch on--they're going to Prince Edward Island! Elspeth proudly dons her Anne hat on the ferry, ready to explore the Land of Anne. Although she knows she's really visiting Lucy Maud Montgomery's house, she feels like she recognizes everything from the books and is thoroughly enchanted. At first devastated that Montgomery's first house was torn down by Montgomery's uncle, Elspeth sees signs of life--chipmunks living in the old cellar. Elspeth's imagination is ignited. No longer satisfied with pretending to be Anne, Elspeth is instead inspired to become more like Montgomery: famous writer Elspeth of Cavendish, writing about the world she loves. Summer in the Land of Anne is a celebration of the books we love and all the ways they inspire us.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781773660059
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Six-year-old Elspeth's mother has a surprise in store for her daughters. She's taking Elspeth and her eleven-year-old sister on a surprise vacation. When she starts reading Anne of Green Gables aloud to the girls, they catch on--they're going to Prince Edward Island! Elspeth proudly dons her Anne hat on the ferry, ready to explore the Land of Anne. Although she knows she's really visiting Lucy Maud Montgomery's house, she feels like she recognizes everything from the books and is thoroughly enchanted. At first devastated that Montgomery's first house was torn down by Montgomery's uncle, Elspeth sees signs of life--chipmunks living in the old cellar. Elspeth's imagination is ignited. No longer satisfied with pretending to be Anne, Elspeth is instead inspired to become more like Montgomery: famous writer Elspeth of Cavendish, writing about the world she loves. Summer in the Land of Anne is a celebration of the books we love and all the ways they inspire us.
Summer on the Bluffs
Author: Sunny Hostin
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 0062994190
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 354
Book Description
New York Times Bestseller! The View cohost and New York Times bestselling author Sunny Hostin dazzles with this brilliant novel about a life-changing summer along the beaches of Martha's Vineyard. Welcome to Oak Bluffs, the most exclusive Black beach community in the country. Known for its gingerbread Victorian-style houses and modern architectural marvels, this picturesque town hugging the sea is a mecca for the crème de la crème of Black society—where Michelle and Barack Obama vacation and Meghan Markle has shopped for a house for her mom. Black people have lived in this pretty slip of the Vineyard since the 1600s and began buying property in the 1800s, making this posh town the embodiment of “old money.” Thirty years ago, Amelia Vaux Tanner and her husband built a house high on the bluffs, a cottage they named Chateau Laveau. For decades, “Ama” played host to American presidents, Wall Street titans, and cultural icons. But her favorite guests have always been her three “goddaughters:” Esperanza “Perry” Soto, a beautiful, talented Afro-Latina lawyer with Ama’s strong, yet guarded personality; Olivia Jones, a gifted Wall Street analyst with Ama’s brilliant, logical mind; and Billie Hayden, a gifted marine biologist and rule-breaker with Ama’s courageous free spirit. Growing up, these three goddaughters from different backgrounds came together each summer at Chateau Laveau. As adults, the cottage is a place this trio of successful yet very different women go to escape, to slow down from their hectic lives, share private time with Ama, and enjoy the gorgeous weather, cool water, and stunning views Oak Bluffs offers. This summer on the Bluffs, however, will be different. An era is ending: Ama, now nearing seventy-one, is moving to the south of France to reunite with her college sweetheart. She has invited Perry, Olivia, and Billie to spend one last golden summer together with her the way they did when they were kids. And when fall comes, she is going to give the house to one of them. Each of the women wants the house desperately. Each is grappling with a secret she fears will hurt her and her chances. By the end of summer, old ties will fray, new bonds will be created, and these three found sisters will discover they aren’t the only ones with something to hide. Ama has a few secrets of her own. What she has to give them is far more than property. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, she will tell these surrogate daughters she fiercely loves and protects everything they never knew they needed to know.
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 0062994190
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 354
Book Description
New York Times Bestseller! The View cohost and New York Times bestselling author Sunny Hostin dazzles with this brilliant novel about a life-changing summer along the beaches of Martha's Vineyard. Welcome to Oak Bluffs, the most exclusive Black beach community in the country. Known for its gingerbread Victorian-style houses and modern architectural marvels, this picturesque town hugging the sea is a mecca for the crème de la crème of Black society—where Michelle and Barack Obama vacation and Meghan Markle has shopped for a house for her mom. Black people have lived in this pretty slip of the Vineyard since the 1600s and began buying property in the 1800s, making this posh town the embodiment of “old money.” Thirty years ago, Amelia Vaux Tanner and her husband built a house high on the bluffs, a cottage they named Chateau Laveau. For decades, “Ama” played host to American presidents, Wall Street titans, and cultural icons. But her favorite guests have always been her three “goddaughters:” Esperanza “Perry” Soto, a beautiful, talented Afro-Latina lawyer with Ama’s strong, yet guarded personality; Olivia Jones, a gifted Wall Street analyst with Ama’s brilliant, logical mind; and Billie Hayden, a gifted marine biologist and rule-breaker with Ama’s courageous free spirit. Growing up, these three goddaughters from different backgrounds came together each summer at Chateau Laveau. As adults, the cottage is a place this trio of successful yet very different women go to escape, to slow down from their hectic lives, share private time with Ama, and enjoy the gorgeous weather, cool water, and stunning views Oak Bluffs offers. This summer on the Bluffs, however, will be different. An era is ending: Ama, now nearing seventy-one, is moving to the south of France to reunite with her college sweetheart. She has invited Perry, Olivia, and Billie to spend one last golden summer together with her the way they did when they were kids. And when fall comes, she is going to give the house to one of them. Each of the women wants the house desperately. Each is grappling with a secret she fears will hurt her and her chances. By the end of summer, old ties will fray, new bonds will be created, and these three found sisters will discover they aren’t the only ones with something to hide. Ama has a few secrets of her own. What she has to give them is far more than property. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, she will tell these surrogate daughters she fiercely loves and protects everything they never knew they needed to know.