After inheriting a house on Martha's Vineyard and finding herself alone there with three young children, Annie Tucker must confront her past when an unresolved love tests whether she has the courage to resist the pull of seduction and reclaim her true self. Both poignant and funny, this novel is about forgiveness, acceptance, and the power of love and family.
From Publishers Weekly
In 1997, forty-year-old Annie Tucker, wife and mother of three, inherits a house on Martha's Vineyard from her beloved and recently deceased Aunt Faye. She decides to spend the summer there with her young children. Gordon, Annie's ambitious husband, plans to come out on weekends from their home in Maryland, but a business crisis forces him back overseas, leaving Annie and the children on the island without him for most of the summer. Annie must deal with grieving her aunt, inheriting a dog, being a single parent, and the reappearance of Chase, her first love, while her romantic notions of the Vineyard--and people--are tested ... Eger's prose is smooth and polished, and story highlights include pivotal ocean scenes that pull the reader into the tumultuous water alongside Annie.
From Kirkus Reviews
In this debut novel, a married woman confronts her might-have-beens and searches for her true self. An intelligent, sensitive storyteller with a strong sense of place, vividly evoking Martha's Vineyard's residents, landmarks, shops, and atmosphere, Eger writes dialogue, creates characters, and develops her tale with great skill .... This well-written work benefits from the heroine's admirable willingness to examine herself honestly.
From Amazon Readers
"Thoroughly enjoyed this charming and satisfying novel, hard to put down. The setting is beautifully rendered, the dialogue spot-on." "Left me with a good feeling about commitment and dedication to marriage and family." "Loved watching Annie's growth as an individual and as a partner in her own marriage ... Recommended!" "Refreshing to find a book that is easy to read without being a typical romance novel ... Annie's romance with the island is as fascinating as her romance with her family and husband. Both are challenged and tested throughout the story, and the journey involves the reader both in her life and in her very being. This is the kind of book you want to curl up with on the couch for the weekend." "I am very happy I read this book. At times I wanted to yell, holler and scream; at other times I wanted to, and did, cry." "Sexy, suspenseful, witty and bittersweet, all told through a totally adorable character." "The book compelled me, and I found myself coming back to it as often as I could ... I entered the summer place of Middle Road and felt the heat and humidity, the wind, and the smell of the ocean. When the pages of a book turn easily, it is because the writer has fine craftsmanship." "Skillfully written novel that drew me in right to the last page. I did not want it to end. Friendships, acceptance, much more. Highly recommend!" "I loved it! Always wanted to visit Martha's Vineyard; now I feel I have. A great story, beautiful writing, and I instantly related to Annie." "I could not put it down. This is the perfect summer read." "Such a beautifully written book ...The main character's love for Martha's Vineyard and the eloquence in her descriptions make you want to jump on the first plane or ferry and go there yourself." "Fluid prose and strong sense of character make it difficult to put this book down. An endearing and layered exploration of family and self-discovery." "I loved SPLIT ROCK ... loved the setting and descriptions of Martha's Vineyard ... found myself reading it waiting for my kids, wanting them to be late." "This novel defies stereotypes: a strong theme is romantic love, but it is not a standard romance. It is a beautifully paced coming-of-age story, but the protagonist is a woman in early middle-age." "I was so sorry to see it end." "I miss the characters already!"
