Yet Maud's life seems glamorous to Lizzie, who longs for the kind of motion that sweeps her sister from city to city, realizing her art. Everyone had always assumed Lizzie would be a successful artist. But instead of fame, she had three children by three different fathers. Instead of Paris, she settled in Marengo, teaching and painting pictures for a greeting card company.

But Maud is not the only one drawn to Marengo. Jake Arboles has returned home after spending two years in Nashville trying to break into the songwriting business. He and Lizzie were balanced on the edge of commitment until their relationship ended abruptly, a loss that has haunted them both ever since.

The complex bond and unspoken resentments between sisters... the legacy of children who feel they never fulfilled their parents' expectations... the aching search for home and connection and community... the ever-changing landscape of family and those who define it... Sands Hall weaves these powerful elements into a brilliantly written novel ripe with discovery and wonder -- and the realization that holding on to someone is really about letting go.