"A compelling, multi-generational story of a love affair so passionate that all who come into contact with Margot and Sid bear the scars. Drawn together in their youth, the couple reunites for one night with their daughters, each one burdened with anger, resentment, and sorrow--but also profound love. Fireworks ensue. A must-read for those who enjoy family drama and late-in-life romance." - Libby Buck, author of Port Anna

A sweeping women’s fiction novel of first love, fractured family bonds, motherhood, marriage and finding yourself again.

Margot Denniston fell in love with a rock star at sixteen, and thirty years later she is still coming to terms with that beautiful mistake.

Thirty years on, Margot has built a life at the edge of the forest she has always loved — a rambling Nottinghamshire farmhouse, five fierce daughters, and one published novel. But one violent night shattered the family she had spent years holding together, leaving wounds that never truly healed. Her marriage is over. Her writing has stopped. And Margot has never forgiven Sid for what happened.

But a family birthday is bringing everyone home. One daughter is fresh from Hollywood and wrestling with her father's long shadow. Another fled years ago and left her wounds behind her. Another has never left and is keeping a secret that is about to unravel. And Sid—older, rougher at the edges, and carrying news that will change everything.

As the Shepherd women gather beneath the Nottinghamshire sky, long-buried grief, old mistakes, and unexpected grace begin to surface. Margot has always known how to love. She is only now learning to love herself.

A sweeping, generous novel about first love, the impossible devotion of motherhood, and the women who hold families together—long after anyone thinks to thank them. Perfect for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid, Catherine Newman, and Imogen Clark.