Burdened by a secret, Frank hasn’t spoken to his wife in 6 months. 182.5 days of screaming silence.
When Maggie relieves her desperation with a bottle of sleeping pills, she’s placed in an induced coma while doctors consider her fate. Guilt-ridden, Frank labors at her bedside, reminiscing and terrified at the possibilities.
He returns home to find the diary his wife left for him and discovers that she, too, has been withholding.
Their secret is the same, but different.
And it isn’t the one you’re thinking.
This is a story of a 40-year marriage that began on shaky ground and found its footing before getting slammed by a freight train. It’s a tale of hanging on when parenthood jumps track. Of resignation, inner turmoil and the “how did we get here?” spectacle of a flawed family dynamic.
If your life has ever burned to the ground and you’re trying to repurpose the charred remains without burning your hands, you understand. I heavy-sighed all the way through the audiobook. It’s emotional, painful and glorious.
A magnificent debut effort. Her second novel is in my TBR pile.