The Notebook meets Love & Gelato in this heart-wrenching novel
"full of deep romance and searing tragedy" (Kirkus Reviews) about a
teen girl who travels to her late mother's majestic summertime home to
learn of the romance--and the tragedy--that changed her life forever.
Seventeen-year-old Lexi has always wanted to know more about the mother
who passed away when she was only a child. But her dad will barely talk
about her. He says he'd rather live in the present with Lexi, her
stepmom, and her half-brother. Lexi loves her family, too, but is it so
wrong to want to learn about the mom she never got to know?
When Lexi's grandma dies and secretly leaves her a worn blue chest that
belonged to Lexi's mother, Lexi is ecstatic to find a treasure trove of
keepsakes. Her mom held onto letters, pamphlets, flyers, and news
articles all from the same beautiful summertime getaway: Mackinac
Island--plus a cryptic postcard that hints at a forbidden romance. If
Lexi wants answers, this island is where she needs to go.
Without telling her dad, Lexi goes to the gorgeous Mackinac Island in
Lake Huron, reachable only by ferry. Cars are forbidden and bikes are
the number one mode of transportation along the quaint cobblestone
streets, and the magical hotel that rests alongside cozy cafés and
bookshops. While following her mother's footsteps, Lexi befriends an
elderly former Broadway star and a charming young hotel worker while
quickly falling in love with her surroundings.
But though the island may be beautiful, it's hiding unfortunate
secrets--some with her mother at the center. Could some questions be
best left buried beneath the blue waters?
