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Description edit
New York Times bestselling author Barbara Delinsky has written her most complex and emotionally rewarding novel yet: a story of two women, a generation apart, each of whose dream becomes bound with the other's. To her family, Natalie Seebring is a woman who prizes appearances: exquisitely... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Characters edit
- Olivia Jones: 35 year old dreamer, living vicariously through the old photographs she restores. Single mother of dyslexic 10 year old daughter Tess
- Natalie Seebring: exquisitely mannered, supportive wife, and 76 year old head of a successful wine-producing enterprise. Mother of Brad, Susanne and greg. The Asquonset Vineyard has been her life since she was a small child. Her father had been a banker before the Crash of 1930. Had an older brother Brad who died in WW II
- Simon Burke: Now vineyard manager after his father's retirement. Son of Carl and Ana Burke. A solomn, reclusive man dedicated to the vines as was his father.
- Carl Burke: Former vineyard manager. Has admired and loved Natalie for 70 years
- Susanne Seebring Malloy: 56 year old daughter of Natalie and Alexander. A phenomenal wife, mother and cook. Married to investor Mark Malloy. Restless now that their grown children have flown the coop and Mark has staff to help him....
- Jill Seebring: Intelligent, independent woman married to Greg Seebring. No children yet.
- Greg Seebring: 40 year old son of Natalie and Alexander Seebring. Married to Jill. A political lobbyist on the road three weeks out of four. Never home.
- Alexander Seebring: Married Natalie before going off to WW II where he worked in Intelligence. Family owned successful shoe factories. A real talent with people, ideal promoter of the Vineyard
- Tess Jones: Olivia's daughter - bright eleven year old with dyslexia. Talented artist, but academically frustrated and friendless in school
- Brad Seebring: Natalie's oldest son born while all the men were overseas in WW II.
- Otis Thurman: Photograph restorer for whom Olivia works in Cambridge, MA
- Mark Malloy: Husband of Suzanne Seebring. Even tempered, investment advisor, and good husband. Wants his wife's happiness. They live in NYC. Their daughter Melissa is a lawyer, son Brad is a business consultant
- Sandy Adelson: Head of a special needs program at Braemont day school in Providence RI and summer tutor for Tess at Asquonset
- Asquonset: The Seebring Vineyard - where Natalie has lived on the family farm since she was five years old
- Carol Jones: mother of Olivia - by a drunken New Year's Eve one night stand when she was 17. Never had money or decent jobs to support them
- Ted: Nerdy, self-centered, exercise freak, would-be suitor, who bugs Olivia, and won't take no for an answer
- Anne Marie: receptionist in the business office. Newly divorced and marrying her high school sweetheart.
- Laura: Simon's wife
- Jeremiah: Carl's father, an Irish immigrant who grew vegetables on the farm. Brida was his wife.
- Liana: Simon's daughter
- Chloe: Hurricaine
- Madalena: Cook at Asquonset, married to Joaquin the groundskeeper - leaving...
- Buck: Fat Maine Coon Cat that follows Simon all over
- Achmed: Imperious Persian cat that alone occupies Natalie's third floor loft/study - an aloof and defiant loner
- Jared Stark: father of Tess, a brilliant but out of touch scientist, who sent child support for nine years before his death
- Joaquin: groundskeeper married to Magdalena, the cook. Leaving...
- Thomas Hope: man from Chicago who delivers Carol Jones belongings to Olivia
- Seth: Sandy's grandson, deaf
- Mr. Arnold Civetti: curator of a small NYC museum with a large photo collection
- Henry and Natalie McEnroe: NYC restaurant owners
- Fiona: Add a description of this character.
- Marie and Paolo: House keeper/maid at Asquonset for 35 years and her husband the farm mechanic - both leaving to help sick family members
- Donna: Simon's assistant vineyard manager
- Jillian Rhodes: law student subletting Olivia's Cambridge MA apt.
First Sentence edit
ON WHAT HAD BEGUN as just another June day in Manhattan, Susanne Seebring Malloy returned to her Upper East Side brownstone after lunch with friends to find a saffron yellow envelope in the mail.
Authors & Contributors edit
- Barbara Delinsky (Author)
First Edition edit
Original Language: English
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Country: USA
Publication Date: June 6, 2000
ISBN: 978-0684864846
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Country: USA
Publication Date: June 6, 2000
ISBN: 978-0684864846
Page Count: 368
Classification edit
- Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
- Dewey: 813.54
Subjects edit
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Links to Supplemental Material edit
- Barbara Delinsky: Author's website
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