Contents
Chapter 1
Overview
In sweltering NYC, Nora and her pregnant sister Libby reveal growing distance as they process Nora’s latest breakup and pass a display of Nora’s client Dusty’s hit book. Libby, exhausted and desperate to reconnect, proposes an August getaway to Sunshine Falls. Nora agrees, and Libby reveals she already bought the tickets.
Summary
Two years after earlier publishing clashes, Nora walks through a sweltering New York with her five-months-pregnant sister, Libby. They joke about Nora’s pattern of being left for small-town life and discuss her recent breakup with Aaron, who’s moving to Prince Edward Island. Nora notices how tired and withdrawn Libby seems.
They pause outside Freeman Books, where a display of Dusty Fielding’s Once in a Lifetime—now a blockbuster—prompts pride and banter, including Nora’s lingering “take that” to editor Charlie Lastra. The sisters tease each other about dating woes and fetishes, but Libby’s fatigue grows more apparent.
After resting, Libby admits she’s overwhelmed and asks Nora to take an August trip, arguing publishing slows then and they need to reconnect before the new baby arrives. Nora senses deeper, unnamed strain in Libby and recalls their closeness after their mother died, recognizing this as a critical moment to show up.
Nora agrees to go. Libby triumphantly produces plane tickets to Asheville, the nearest airport to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina, pitching it as a once-in-a-lifetime getaway where Nora might even meet a “lumberjack.” Their decision sets the stage for leaving the city to repair their bond.
Who Appears
- Nora StephensNarrator and NYC literary agent; recently dumped again; wary yet agrees to Libby’s plan to reconnect on a trip.
- LibbyNora’s pregnant younger sister; exhausted and distant, she initiates an August getaway to Sunshine Falls.
- Charlie LastraEditor and past adversary; briefly referenced as Nora notes Dusty’s book success near his new imprint.
- Dusty FieldingNora’s star author; her hit novel’s display sparks pride and momentum during the sisters’ walk.
- BrendanLibby’s husband; off-page support, his parents will help with the kids during the trip.