What a pleasant surprise! I went into this with low expectations as this is my first Allen Raine novel. I was immediately swept up in the gorgeous imagery of the coastal town and the daily life of its inhabitants. The first half of the book was lovely, and I enjoyed the ride. The second half ramped up in drama. Was it a bit overdramatic at times? Yes. Was it hyperbolic? Yes. Did that take away from my enjoyment? Absolutely not. The second half tackled some heavy topics and really connected me with the characters and their struggles. I flew through the last chunk of the book because I had to know what happened. So good!

TW: child loss, mental illness