This thoughtful novel by Maine author Holly Chamberlin (One Week in December; Tuscan Holiday) chronicles the friendship of Delphine Crandall and Maggie Weldon, who spent summers together in Ogunquit, Maine, from the time they were nine. Though they were inseparable in the summers, kept in touch during the school year and roomed together in college, they've hardly spoken since graduation--until Maggie returns to Ogunquit, seeking to reconnect with the friend who walked away from her with no explanation 20 years ago.
Chamberlin traces the women's rocky path to reconciliation, juxtaposing their present-day journey with flashbacks from each phase in their friendship. At every stage, Delphine and Maggie make an unlikely pair--from their family backgrounds to their dreams for adulthood. Predictably, they choose divergent life paths, though both end up rather dissatisfied--stylish Maggie with her barely there marriage and high-powered career, workhorse Delphine with her stale love life and her job running her family's farm. Upon meeting again, they circle each other warily, unsure if it's wise or even possible to pick up the threads of an old friendship.
As they reflect on their shared past and the choices leading them to the present, both friends are forced to ask questions that will resonate with readers. How much should you be willing to sacrifice for your family? Is living in your hometown a form of failure or can it be an act of bravery? And is it ever too late to pursue the life you once dreamed of? --KatieNoahGibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams