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Sunlight Finds You: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 4 Aug 26A forbidden love blows open the world of a teenage girl, altering the trajectory of her life – from the author of the New York Times bestseller The Chaperone
"A cancel-your-plans, hold-your-breath, call-your-best-friend kind of book." —Amy Jo Burns
"Illuminates the beguiling power of first love through characters whose teenage choices precipitate lifelong consequences." —Sarah McCoy
It’s 1949, early in the Cold War, but St. Petersburg, Florida, is warm and lush. For seventeen-year-old Nora, it’s paradise, especially after she meets and wins over Leonard, the shy, brilliant son of transplanted New Yorkers. Nora and Leonard are soon spending balmy days and evenings together, and in her adoring company, he grows more confident, even as he remains tender and caring. Leonard’s mother is welcoming, but his father is more suspicious of Nora and her lower class family. When forced to cut contact, Nora takes a chance that changes her exiling her from the family she loves, and setting off a chain of secrets and betrayals that will follow her into adulthood.
A layered and propulsive love story set in the past, but with much to say about our present, Sunlight Finds You is ultimately about extending forgiveness—for ourselves, and for others—and about refusing to settle for a life that is less than full.
"A cancel-your-plans, hold-your-breath, call-your-best-friend kind of book." —Amy Jo Burns
"Illuminates the beguiling power of first love through characters whose teenage choices precipitate lifelong consequences." —Sarah McCoy
It’s 1949, early in the Cold War, but St. Petersburg, Florida, is warm and lush. For seventeen-year-old Nora, it’s paradise, especially after she meets and wins over Leonard, the shy, brilliant son of transplanted New Yorkers. Nora and Leonard are soon spending balmy days and evenings together, and in her adoring company, he grows more confident, even as he remains tender and caring. Leonard’s mother is welcoming, but his father is more suspicious of Nora and her lower class family. When forced to cut contact, Nora takes a chance that changes her exiling her from the family she loves, and setting off a chain of secrets and betrayals that will follow her into adulthood.
A layered and propulsive love story set in the past, but with much to say about our present, Sunlight Finds You is ultimately about extending forgiveness—for ourselves, and for others—and about refusing to settle for a life that is less than full.
456 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication August 4, 2026
About the author
Laura Moriarty
15 books955 followersLaura Moriarty earned a degree is social work before returning for her M.A. in Creative Writing at the University of Kansas. She was the recipient of the George Bennett Fellowship for Creative Writing at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. She lives in Lawrence, Kansas. http://www.lauramoriarty.net/bio.htm)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
May 23, 2026
I do not think I can put into words how special this story is. Watching Nora and Leonard’s love grow, change, evolve, disappear, and return over the course of about 15 years was a true pleasure. Moriarty weaves themes of loss, self-acceptance, and forgiveness in ways that shed true light on how interconnected we are with our pasts and with one another. I truthfully could not put this book down, and I credit Moriarty’s ability to make you feel so immersed in the story for that. I feel this will be a great hit when it hits the shelves in August, and I cannot wait to see what others interpret this novel as. Thank you NetGalley for an e-arc, and Riverhead for a physical copy!
June 28, 2026
This was not the summery beach read romance I was expecting. To be fair, the back does mention “secrets and betrayals” so maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised. It was a bit of an emotional roller coaster and the author skillfully lead me to fall in love with her characters (or despise them, depending on her intent). There was a lot of depth, sadness and beauty and I’ve continued thinking about it since finishing it yesterday.
Want to Read
June 6, 2026This book is calling my name. The cover, the synopsis and the rave reviews have me so intrigued. Thank you Riverhead for sending a copy my way!
July 3, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
I’m not entirely sure how I feel about this one. It was not at all what I was expecting. There were some parts that were very engrossing and then I felt like some things were kind of glossed over. I think we missed out on some details but I can see where this could’ve gotten very long with those added. I would have liked to have seen their love develop more and have more content with them together but, overall this was pretty good. I did like how it was placed in the late 40’s-50’s and the way in which life was very different then.
I’m not entirely sure how I feel about this one. It was not at all what I was expecting. There were some parts that were very engrossing and then I felt like some things were kind of glossed over. I think we missed out on some details but I can see where this could’ve gotten very long with those added. I would have liked to have seen their love develop more and have more content with them together but, overall this was pretty good. I did like how it was placed in the late 40’s-50’s and the way in which life was very different then.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
There’s something about Sunlight Finds You that sneaks up on you emotionally. I went into this expecting more of a nostalgic historical romance, but it ended up feeling much heavier and more layered than that. It’s really a story about timing, class differences, family control, regret, and how one decision can ripple through an entire lifetime.
And maybe because I’m a Florida girl and have spent time in St. Petersburg, the setting worked extra well for me. Laura Moriarty captured that old Florida feeling so vividly—the beaches, the humidity, the postwar optimism, the little pockets of glamour mixed with underlying tension. It almost feels sun-soaked on the surface while something sad is quietly unfolding underneath it the entire time.
Nora felt incredibly real to me. Young, hopeful, stubborn, emotional… and trying to navigate a world where women were expected to quietly accept whatever life handed them. Leonard frustrated me more than once, but honestly, the adults around them made me the maddest. So many lives in this story are shaped by pride, control, appearances, and people deciding they know what’s best for everyone else.
What I appreciated most was that Laura Moriarty doesn’t write characters like perfect versions of themselves. Everyone feels flawed and human. Conversations feel natural. The emotions feel messy. And even when characters make choices you don’t agree with, you still understand why they made them.
This also isn’t one of those historical fiction books where “history” just sits in the background like wallpaper. You really feel the pressure of the 1950s and early 1960s—the expectations placed on women, the social hierarchy, the shame surrounding certain situations, the fear of stepping outside what was considered acceptable. It gave the story weight beyond just the romance.
Honestly, this book made me a little emotional in that quiet way where you just sit there afterward thinking about how differently lives could’ve turned out with a little more honesty and a little less interference.
For me, this feels like a solid ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ 4.5 star read (rounded to 5).
If you love character-driven historical fiction with emotional depth, complicated relationships, and strong sense of place, this one absolutely delivers.
And maybe because I’m a Florida girl and have spent time in St. Petersburg, the setting worked extra well for me. Laura Moriarty captured that old Florida feeling so vividly—the beaches, the humidity, the postwar optimism, the little pockets of glamour mixed with underlying tension. It almost feels sun-soaked on the surface while something sad is quietly unfolding underneath it the entire time.
Nora felt incredibly real to me. Young, hopeful, stubborn, emotional… and trying to navigate a world where women were expected to quietly accept whatever life handed them. Leonard frustrated me more than once, but honestly, the adults around them made me the maddest. So many lives in this story are shaped by pride, control, appearances, and people deciding they know what’s best for everyone else.
What I appreciated most was that Laura Moriarty doesn’t write characters like perfect versions of themselves. Everyone feels flawed and human. Conversations feel natural. The emotions feel messy. And even when characters make choices you don’t agree with, you still understand why they made them.
This also isn’t one of those historical fiction books where “history” just sits in the background like wallpaper. You really feel the pressure of the 1950s and early 1960s—the expectations placed on women, the social hierarchy, the shame surrounding certain situations, the fear of stepping outside what was considered acceptable. It gave the story weight beyond just the romance.
Honestly, this book made me a little emotional in that quiet way where you just sit there afterward thinking about how differently lives could’ve turned out with a little more honesty and a little less interference.
For me, this feels like a solid ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ 4.5 star read (rounded to 5).
If you love character-driven historical fiction with emotional depth, complicated relationships, and strong sense of place, this one absolutely delivers.
May 30, 2026
Thank you @Riverheadbooks for this gifted ARC.
This book initially caught my attention because it is set in St. Petersburg, Florida, also known as the Sunshine City. As a Florida native from nearby Sarasota, St. Pete holds a special place in my heart. It is where my parents met, and where I spent time visiting my grandmother as a child. It felt only natural to pick up a story set in a place filled with so many memories.
What I did not expect was to find a storyline that would resonate so deeply with my own life.
The story follows Eleanor, known as Nora, whose name means “shining light” in Greek. We meet Nora as a young girl facing the loss of her mother and follow her through her teenage years as she finds herself in an unexpected situation during her senior year of high school, one that changes the course of her life forever.
Without revealing spoilers, there were moments when I felt as though I was reading pieces of my own story. While my circumstances differed from Nora’s, I too experienced an unplanned pregnancy as a teenager. The emotions portrayed throughout this novel felt strikingly authentic. The isolation. The fear. The feeling that life has suddenly divided into a before and an after.
What affected me most was how accurately the story captured the lasting emotional weight of those experiences. The feelings of alienation, believing you are somehow damaged, and realizing certain moments shape you forever. These are emotions difficult to fully understand unless you have lived them yourself.
There was even a moment that stopped me in my tracks when I realized the child’s birthday in the story was the same as my son’s. More than once, I found tears quietly slipping down my cheeks as I turned the pages.
This story will stay with me long after the final page. Not only because of Nora’s journey, but because it reminded me how one decision leads to the next, shaping the people we ultimately become. As Nora so beautifully says, “you assemble your life, action by action.”
I give this 5⭐️
This book initially caught my attention because it is set in St. Petersburg, Florida, also known as the Sunshine City. As a Florida native from nearby Sarasota, St. Pete holds a special place in my heart. It is where my parents met, and where I spent time visiting my grandmother as a child. It felt only natural to pick up a story set in a place filled with so many memories.
What I did not expect was to find a storyline that would resonate so deeply with my own life.
The story follows Eleanor, known as Nora, whose name means “shining light” in Greek. We meet Nora as a young girl facing the loss of her mother and follow her through her teenage years as she finds herself in an unexpected situation during her senior year of high school, one that changes the course of her life forever.
Without revealing spoilers, there were moments when I felt as though I was reading pieces of my own story. While my circumstances differed from Nora’s, I too experienced an unplanned pregnancy as a teenager. The emotions portrayed throughout this novel felt strikingly authentic. The isolation. The fear. The feeling that life has suddenly divided into a before and an after.
What affected me most was how accurately the story captured the lasting emotional weight of those experiences. The feelings of alienation, believing you are somehow damaged, and realizing certain moments shape you forever. These are emotions difficult to fully understand unless you have lived them yourself.
There was even a moment that stopped me in my tracks when I realized the child’s birthday in the story was the same as my son’s. More than once, I found tears quietly slipping down my cheeks as I turned the pages.
This story will stay with me long after the final page. Not only because of Nora’s journey, but because it reminded me how one decision leads to the next, shaping the people we ultimately become. As Nora so beautifully says, “you assemble your life, action by action.”
I give this 5⭐️
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Rarely does a book come around that leaves you so highly wondering and anticipating what will happen next; so much so that you must devour this book in a day. This novel has it all, angst, wonder, sadness, bewilderment and love. Set in the 50's when children were supposed to "be seen but not heard," and "parents are always right," two unlikely teenagers fall in love, deeply and madly. Both are great kids with loving families but a series of events occur that divide these two kids and time moves on.
I love how Laura Moriarty lets the reader see one thing at a time - one story line that you think you know what is happening or going to happen and she lets it happen and then chapters later you find out another side of what happened. I love how she lets the reader sit in uncomfortable silence as the story plays out around you, wondering who you can trust and who cannot be believed.
This is a well written novel filled with emotional pulls from start to finish. Publishes August 4, 2026 but pre-order now because you'll want to read it the day it comes out. Thank you to NetGalley, Laura Moriarty and Riverhead Books for the e-ARC and for a day well spent reading this beautiful book.
I love how Laura Moriarty lets the reader see one thing at a time - one story line that you think you know what is happening or going to happen and she lets it happen and then chapters later you find out another side of what happened. I love how she lets the reader sit in uncomfortable silence as the story plays out around you, wondering who you can trust and who cannot be believed.
This is a well written novel filled with emotional pulls from start to finish. Publishes August 4, 2026 but pre-order now because you'll want to read it the day it comes out. Thank you to NetGalley, Laura Moriarty and Riverhead Books for the e-ARC and for a day well spent reading this beautiful book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Nora moves with her father and new stepmother to St. Petersburg, Florida, in the years following World War II. There, she falls for Leonard, though his parents have very different ideas about the future they want for their son. The two are eventually separated, but years later Leonard returns to find Nora married and living a very different life. The question becomes whether the two can somehow find their way back to each other after everything that has happened between them.
This was a well-written and compelling read that felt far more character-driven than plot-driven, which really worked for me. The author does an excellent job of giving the characters emotional depth, and I found myself genuinely invested in Nora and everything she endured throughout the novel. In many ways, this feels as much like historical fiction as it does a love story, as the setting and postwar atmosphere are brought vividly to life. Fans of sweeping, emotional stories about love, timing, and second chances will likely enjoy this one.
Thanks for the author, publisher and Net Galley for a chance to review
"Sunlight Finds You."
This was a well-written and compelling read that felt far more character-driven than plot-driven, which really worked for me. The author does an excellent job of giving the characters emotional depth, and I found myself genuinely invested in Nora and everything she endured throughout the novel. In many ways, this feels as much like historical fiction as it does a love story, as the setting and postwar atmosphere are brought vividly to life. Fans of sweeping, emotional stories about love, timing, and second chances will likely enjoy this one.
Thanks for the author, publisher and Net Galley for a chance to review
"Sunlight Finds You."
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I came across Sunlight Finds You in Buzz Books’ Spring/Summer preview, and I think it’s this year’s Finding Grace — a breakout hit with a vague synopsis. Be careful whose reviews you read, as I’ve seen several with spoilers, and unfortunately read one before I started this book. The blurb gives you enough to determine whether you want to read it, so I won’t re-summarize.
Laura Moriarty’s writing is compulsively readable, drawing you in right away. I definitely didn’t see where the story was headed, and it was tough to put down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next.
What the protagonist, Nora, endures is tough to read about in parts — and a sign of the times. I kept thinking everyone around her was crazy and empathized with how she felt. Also, this is a long read at 464 pages, but it didn’t feel that way and I blew through it really quickly.
Toward the end, there were a few too many convenient conveniences and some parts with more telling than showing, but overall, this was incredibly well-written and I think will be a hit when it’s released. Sunlight Finds You comes out August 4, 2026. Thank you to Riverhead Books and Netgalley for an advance copy.
Laura Moriarty’s writing is compulsively readable, drawing you in right away. I definitely didn’t see where the story was headed, and it was tough to put down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next.
What the protagonist, Nora, endures is tough to read about in parts — and a sign of the times. I kept thinking everyone around her was crazy and empathized with how she felt. Also, this is a long read at 464 pages, but it didn’t feel that way and I blew through it really quickly.
Toward the end, there were a few too many convenient conveniences and some parts with more telling than showing, but overall, this was incredibly well-written and I think will be a hit when it’s released. Sunlight Finds You comes out August 4, 2026. Thank you to Riverhead Books and Netgalley for an advance copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Sunlight Finds You is a reminder of what midcentury life was really like.
Nora is a teenager enjoying life in St. Petersburg, Florida: trips to the beach, school dances, spending time with her boyfriend, Leonard.
Leonard's parents are wealthy, and his father doesn't trust lower-middle-class Nora. He thinks she might derail the plans he has for his son, including an Ivy League education.
The pair is forced to stop seeing each other, and soon both make decisions that will reverberate for the rest of their lives.
Laura Moriarty has captured what it was like for young women of that era, who faced limited opportunities and unrelenting social pressure. There's a nostalgia now for the 1950s, when the economy was roaring and every year seemed to bring exciting progress. It also was an era of conformity, racism, and shame.
Nora is a teenager enjoying life in St. Petersburg, Florida: trips to the beach, school dances, spending time with her boyfriend, Leonard.
Leonard's parents are wealthy, and his father doesn't trust lower-middle-class Nora. He thinks she might derail the plans he has for his son, including an Ivy League education.
The pair is forced to stop seeing each other, and soon both make decisions that will reverberate for the rest of their lives.
Laura Moriarty has captured what it was like for young women of that era, who faced limited opportunities and unrelenting social pressure. There's a nostalgia now for the 1950s, when the economy was roaring and every year seemed to bring exciting progress. It also was an era of conformity, racism, and shame.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I just read my favorite book of 2026! Laura Moriarty's writing pulled me into Nora's life in 1949 and kept me there to the last sentence.
Nora sees Leonard from across the field at their high school in St. Petersburg, Florida. Leonard is reading, not socializing like his classmates. Nora's friends tell her that he is not a guy she wants to know. He is rude and stuck-up. Nora has a different feeling about him, even though she has never met him.
I can't say more about the novel's plot or characters as that would spoil the book for everyone who should read it! I will just say that I read this incredible novel with anticipation for every page. I was right there with Nora all the way. I felt like I lived her story with her. That is not a common reaction I have for most novels. This was an amazing book I will not soon forget.
Thank you to the author, Riverhead, and NetGalley for this digital ARC. The book will be published on August 4, 2026.
Nora sees Leonard from across the field at their high school in St. Petersburg, Florida. Leonard is reading, not socializing like his classmates. Nora's friends tell her that he is not a guy she wants to know. He is rude and stuck-up. Nora has a different feeling about him, even though she has never met him.
I can't say more about the novel's plot or characters as that would spoil the book for everyone who should read it! I will just say that I read this incredible novel with anticipation for every page. I was right there with Nora all the way. I felt like I lived her story with her. That is not a common reaction I have for most novels. This was an amazing book I will not soon forget.
Thank you to the author, Riverhead, and NetGalley for this digital ARC. The book will be published on August 4, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Oh gosh I loved this book so much! I did not want it to end, I would have happily stayed with these characters for so much longer.
I read Laura Moriarty's The Chaperone many years ago and was so excited when I heard about her new one.
I could not put this book down. I love the writing so much, there was so much suspense and I was so attached to the characters.
I loved Nora, I felt for her so deeply and felt so tender towards the ups and downs of her life. I loved her family too, with all their flaws and complex family dynamics. And I really loved Leonard, and their sweet teenage relationship. It was depicted so well.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes rich character development, engaging plot lines, and literary fiction. I cannot wait to read more by Laura Moriarty!
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!
I read Laura Moriarty's The Chaperone many years ago and was so excited when I heard about her new one.
I could not put this book down. I love the writing so much, there was so much suspense and I was so attached to the characters.
I loved Nora, I felt for her so deeply and felt so tender towards the ups and downs of her life. I loved her family too, with all their flaws and complex family dynamics. And I really loved Leonard, and their sweet teenage relationship. It was depicted so well.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes rich character development, engaging plot lines, and literary fiction. I cannot wait to read more by Laura Moriarty!
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!
May 15, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, Riverhead Books, and Laura Moriarty for this incredible ARC! This novel is a time capsule of not only historical fiction but also grief, a mother‘s love, and learning to be who you were meant to become no matter the circumstances. Every character in this book is one that you can almost feel and know in real life. Nora, the MC, is someone I would love to be friends with! Moriarty uses the backdrop of young love, the Korean War, and all of the cultural norms of society during this time to weave a story of beautiful love, deception, and complicated family relationship relationships. It is refreshing to have a story with such a mix of topics that flows so well. I will be recommending this book to everyone!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3 1/2 stars. Nora is a young girl who falls head over heels in love with Leonard in the 1950’s. One thing leads to another and soon his father is very much against their relationship and declares it over. Feelings don’t die so easily though and they find a way to be together one night, with dire consequences. It was a different time, with much different ways of dealing with situations, communicating, and so many things. An unexpected pregnancy, lies, decisions made, broken hearts, war, and betrayal ensues. This was an interesting look back at a time and place and circumstances that aren’t around anymore. I was interested throughout although I did question Nora’s judgment at times.
Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher and author for this arc!
I thought the author did a great job of making the characters pain so visceral. You really felt like you were in their emotions with them all through out the book. This book was HEARTBREAKING for about 80% of it. I wish there had been more to the story of their life at the end. Especially with relationships with her parents and his parents, I would have like more exploration on that at the end. I don’t feel like there was enough closer after such a heartbreaking story for me. If you need to get in your feels and don’t mind a really solid cry, definitely recommend as it was still a beautiful story of overcoming hardship and finding joy.
I thought the author did a great job of making the characters pain so visceral. You really felt like you were in their emotions with them all through out the book. This book was HEARTBREAKING for about 80% of it. I wish there had been more to the story of their life at the end. Especially with relationships with her parents and his parents, I would have like more exploration on that at the end. I don’t feel like there was enough closer after such a heartbreaking story for me. If you need to get in your feels and don’t mind a really solid cry, definitely recommend as it was still a beautiful story of overcoming hardship and finding joy.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I loved this book! Nora, the protagonist, is a young woman who I really cared about and wanted the best for. She comes from a loving family which was very refreshing, considering how many books are about troubled families, estrangement and abuse. This story wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, of course. The relationship between Nora and Leonard started out as lovely high school first love but things happened along the way and things got complicated. I couldn’t put this book down because I was so invested in what would happen. I was happy, frustrated, sad…all the feels. Such an excellent story with so much love, compassion, forgiveness and goodness. I also appreciated the historical backdrop of the Korean War, something I really knew nothing about.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Laura Moriarty’s superpower is the way she both gets inside the head of women, regardless of age, and creates dialogue that reflects their maturity, personality, responses to adversity, etc. She does it again here-another long-awaited home run. A long time coming and worth the wait, the book is set largely in Florida, during the early 50’s and 60’s. The Korean War is the event that propels major plot elements, but the plot itself contains universal themes of love, forgiveness, shame, reconciliation. This book, I believe, is her first since The Chaperone. Worth the wait!
June 17, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. Thanks to Sarah’s Bookshelves podcast for the recommendation.
A coming of age novel with characters you can sympathize with while they move through huge life changes in the backdrop of the Korean War. Character driven and exploratory, this novel’s theme can be seen as cliche, but the character development, time period, and the dialogue of the main character throughout the book was so raw and real, that the theme was not cliche for this reader.
A coming of age novel with characters you can sympathize with while they move through huge life changes in the backdrop of the Korean War. Character driven and exploratory, this novel’s theme can be seen as cliche, but the character development, time period, and the dialogue of the main character throughout the book was so raw and real, that the theme was not cliche for this reader.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Rounded up to 4.5 ⭐️. Thank you NetGalley and Riverhead books for this ARC. Starting in the post war 1940s, Nora and Leonard meet in high school and quickly fall deeply in love. After being forbidden from seeing each other by overprotective parents, he drops out of school and leaves home to join the army, ending up in war-time Korea. Home on a leave he sees Nora and what follows is tragic. Their parents continue to lie to them both to keep them apart, but their betrayal will have life long consequences for Nora and Leonard. A beautifully written story about the choice to forgive… or not.
Read
February 5, 2026The following book reviews have been shared by Text Publishing, publisher of Sunlight Finds You.
‘Sunlight Finds You is a riveting story of young love and battered hope. It’s the kind of book that makes you lean closer, then hold your breath as the beauty and betrayal unfold. I couldn’t stop reading. I couldn’t stop hoping. What an extraordinary novel!’
Ariel Lawhon, New York Times bestselling author of The Frozen River
‘Sunlight Finds You is a riveting story of young love and battered hope. It’s the kind of book that makes you lean closer, then hold your breath as the beauty and betrayal unfold. I couldn’t stop reading. I couldn’t stop hoping. What an extraordinary novel!’
Ariel Lawhon, New York Times bestselling author of The Frozen River
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Well written and compelling. very much a character driven tale and the author is skilled at giving her characters true depth. I truly cared about Nora and all that she went through. In many ways, its historical fiction and not just a love story as the time and the place are brought to life. To that end, the cover conveys more of light chick lit and falls short of giving the book the weight it deserves. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.3 I really liked this story that follows Nora from childhood to adulthood. In high school , she is drawn to Leonard and her relationship with him sets the stage for this novel. Relationships, the Korean war, and plenty of literary references drive the story as Nora experiences various obstacles.. The characters are well rounded and you will find yourself rooting for Nora to make it. An above average read that I couldn't put down.
Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley
Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Obsessed with this story. Loved how it took place in the 50s and started out somewhat as a coming of age into adulthood. Then a pregnancy, war, adoption, family drama and lies throws even more drama into the mix. I couldn’t put this book down because I was so eager to see what would end up happening in the end. I loved Nora’s character so much and I really loved the ending.
June 27, 2026
**Won a free Kindle copy via Goodreads Giveaways**
Fantastic historical fiction novel exploring a wide range of life experiences and emotions-grief, family dynamics, motherhood, betrayal. I was locked in and engaged through the entire novel. Laura Moriarty is a spectacular story teller and this did not disappoint.
Fantastic historical fiction novel exploring a wide range of life experiences and emotions-grief, family dynamics, motherhood, betrayal. I was locked in and engaged through the entire novel. Laura Moriarty is a spectacular story teller and this did not disappoint.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Loved this book.. times were different during the time before the Korean War.. Leonard is there and held captive.. his high school girlfriend is pregnant & has to give birth in New Jersey so the local people in Florida do not find out.. but Leonard’s mom lies and misses out of meeting her granddaughter.. at least the ending is a happy one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
I really enjoyed this book! I was super invested in Nora and Leonard’s love story. Their relationship was emotional and compelling with some tragedy mixed in.
There were a few parts that felt a little slow for me but overall I still really enjoyed the book and really liked how it ended.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
I really enjoyed this book! I was super invested in Nora and Leonard’s love story. Their relationship was emotional and compelling with some tragedy mixed in.
There were a few parts that felt a little slow for me but overall I still really enjoyed the book and really liked how it ended.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
absolutely tore through this. the writing is riveting and the whole time I wanted to know what was going to happen next. someone turn this into a movie!!!
Review of advance copy
Well drawn characters and good writing propelled me through this historic novel set in mid 20th century Florida.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This novel will be one of the best books of the summer. It's incredible from beginning to end and I can't recommend it enough.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
*well-written and easy to read
*strong character development
*kept my interest from cover to cover
*highly recommend
*strong character development
*kept my interest from cover to cover
*highly recommend
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews