I am deeply grateful for the wisdom and eagle-eyes of my editor, Margaret Ferguson, who offered me the gift of her time, her critique, and her superhuman patience draft after draft. I am grateful for the positive spirit of my agent, Victoria Wells Arms, who talked me down from the ceiling when I thought I would never get it right. Thanks to my good friend Esther Ehrlich, who reminded me to find the love in every scene, and whose beautiful book, Nest, gave me the courage to keep writing. Thanks to the librarians at the J.V. Fletcher Library, who always smiled when I stayed late, and to the baristas at Pleasant Street Tea Company in Gloucester, Massachusetts, who supplied endless green-tea smoothies and the perfect funky ambiance for long summer days of writing by the sea. Finally, I owe a tremendous debt to my three gorgeous muses: Stephen, Joshua, and Benjamin Pixley, who gave me the gifts of their ears and their hearts when I read pages out loud during our beloved cross-country road trips. I could never have done it without your support. This novel is for you.