The First Warm Evening of the Year: A Novel
Saul weaves a tale of loss and love in this story of New Yorker Geoffrey Tremont, whose sophisticated and urbane life is unexpectedly altered when he receives a letter naming him as executor of the estate of his college friend Laura Wells, after her early death from cancer. Although Geoffrey has not talked with Laura in nearly two decades, he honors the wishes of his old friend and travels to Laura&#x2019;s hometown of Shady Grove. Upon his arrival, Geoffrey meets Laura&#x2019;s friend Marian Ballantine and is immediately drawn to this reserved young widow. A profound tragedy has caused Marian to retreat into a safe but passionless life. Geoffrey&#x2019;s sudden appearance and Laura&#x2019;s early death causes Marian to reconsider whether it is possible to love again after so great a loss. The pacing of the novel is slow, and at times Geoffrey&#x2019;s continued ruminations about love can become tedious. Still, fans of gentle reads will enjoy the strong focus on relationships and the slow build between Marian and Geoffrey. --Eve Gaus