From the international bestselling author of Hello from the Gillespies and The House of Memories comes the warm, funny story of a woman who defies her family’s expectations on a journey to redefine herself.
For years, Sylvie Devereaux, the one member of her famous family of artists and designers who has no artistic talent at all, has been the “go to” person for their every practical need, and all of it has gone largely unappreciated. But her sister’s second wedding provides a moment of truth. During the reception, Great-Aunt Millicent publicly offers to hire Sylvie as her companion, so that they can be old maids together.
Is that how people really think of her? Is that what she wants? Only her brother Sebastian seems to see Sylvie as a warm-hearted, talented woman who deserves a life of her own. With his encouragement, Sylvie begins to step out of her family’s shadow, but creating a future for herself isn’t as straightforward or predictable a process as she expects. And where she ends up surprises everyone, Sylvie most of all.
Praise for Monica McInerney and her novels:
“McInerney brings humor and insight into issues of sibling rivalry, family secrecy, and romantic betrayal.”—The Boston Globe
“You’ll be laughing out loud one minute and crying the next.”—Cosmopolitan
“Monica McInerney isn’t just one of my favorite writers from down under, but from anywhere.”—Sally Koslow, author of The Widow Waltz
“[McInerney] brings Maeve Binchy readily to mind.”—The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, Australia)
International bestselling writer Monica McInerney is the award-winning author of ten previous novels including Hello From the Gillespies and The House of Memories, one short-story collection, and numerous stories and articles. She grew up in Australia, one of seven children, and has split her time between Australia and Ireland for twenty years. Monica and her Irish husband currently live in Dublin, Ireland.