Wish You Were Here (Book)

Wish You Were Here by Stewart O'Nan is a sweeping, deeply emotional masterpiece that captures the enduring power of love and memory. Critically acclaimed as one of the most accomplished novelists writing today, O'Nan delivers his finest, most beautifully romantic novel yet, exploring how the human heart heals, remembers, and begins anew. A year after the loss of her beloved husband, Henry, Emily Maxwell gathers her family at their lakeside cottage in western New York for one final, bittersweet summer. Emily's sister-in-law quietly mourns the impending sale of the sanctuary while unexpectedly crossing paths with a long-lost love. Emily's firebrand daughter arrives from Detroit, bringing her children and a heart bruised by a recent separation, seeking solace by the water. Emily's artist son arrives with his own family, having risked his entire financial future to pursue his creative passion. As the sun sets over Lake Chautauqua, old rivalries flare, deeply buried memories resurface, and ancient sparks are gently coaxed back to life. In this timeless dance of daily life, love is beautifully rekindled and born anew against the backdrop of a unforgettable summer.