Review by Booklist Review
Joseph and Evelyn, inseparable since their earliest memories, have shared a lifetime of companionship. They went from childhood playmates to devoted spouses, and they've weathered life's storms together in the quaint seaside town of Stoneybrook, Connecticut. Their love story has unfolded within the walls of the Oyster Shell Inn, a place Joseph inherited from his parents and where they've cherished countless moments. Now, in their twilight years, a fatal diagnosis has their love story ending. But not without a final hurrah and a plan: one final year together. They've decided to end their lives after a final year to savor their life and loved ones before illness and grief can claim them. Their children, taken aback by this decision, grapple with how to honor their parents' wishes while urging them to reconsider. As the story weaves between the past and the present, the reader witnesses the heartaches and triumphs of their long, intertwined lives. This bittersweet tale, both heartbreaking and heartfelt, will leave even the most stoic reader with tears in their eyes.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Neff debuts with a moving story of love and mortality centered on an octogenarian couple's decision to end their lives. Evelyn and Joseph have spent decades running a bed-and-breakfast in the Connecticut beach town where they fell in love back in the 1940s. Now it's summer 2001, and they've invited their three children home to share upsetting news: Evelyn has been diagnosed with Parkinson's, and the couple plan to die by suicide together one year from now, before the disease overtakes her. The children object, preferring to have more time with their parents, and emotions run high during the visit. Old wounds open for Jane, the oldest, who ran away as a teen in the '70s after a misunderstanding with her mother (the complex and twisty subplot involves a love triangle with a college-age employee at the bed-and-breakfast). Thomas, the middle child, has been facing fertility issues with his wife, and worries his parents will never have a chance to see his family grow; while Violet, who's remained close to her parents and lives nearby, immediately begins to mourn them. Poignant revelations and dramatic turns ensue as the narrative alternates between the couple's attempt to celebrate their lives over their last year and the story of their love's origins during WWII, when Joseph served with Evelyn's brother, who died in combat. Fans of The Notebook will gobble this up. (Aug.)
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