Violet Hour

A pitch-perfect, emotionally riveting novel about the fracturing of a marriage and a family: A gripping debut (People) from an award-winning young writer with superb storytelling instincts.Life hasnt always been perfect for Abe and Cassandra Green, but an afternoon on the San Francisco Bay might be as good as it gets. Abe is a rheumatologist, piloting his coveted new boat. Cassandra is a sculptor, finally gaining modest attention for her art. Their beautiful daughter Elizabeth is heading to Harvard in the fall. Somehow, theyve made things work. But then, tensions overflow, and they plunge into a terrible fight. In a fit of fury, Abe throws himself off the boat. A bittersweet tale of breakup and forgiveness (O, The Oprah Magazine), The Violet Hour follows a modern family through past and present. As Cassandra, Abe, and Elizabeth navigate the passage of timethe expectations of youth, the concessions of middle age, the headiness of desire, the bitterness of lossthey must come to terms with the fragility of their intimacy, the strange legacies they inherit from their parents, and the kind of people they want to be. Exquisitely written, The Violet Hour is a rewarding family saga reminiscent of Anne Tylers novels...Hills story unfurls from the kind of sensational marital spat that makes you feel better about your own imperfect unionwonderfully witty and assured (The Washington Post Book World).