John Allen returns to his home town after the death of his alcoholic, abusive father. He has been gone nearly 20 years and has become a successful writer, but with major addiction problems of his own. Now he struggles to make amends with his careworn sister and alcoholic younger brother - and, perhaps, to pick up the pieces of his teenage love affair with Jesse. But Jessie tired of waiting for letters that ceased to come, and has been married for six years. At what cost might their love be rekindled? In searching for a love long abandoned, they discover redemptive healing. An exquisitely written, passionate and thoughtful novel, a classic love story framing deeper themes of mortality and passing time, the true nature of faith, and the delicate balance of human relationships.