Coming Up for Air - by Patti Callahan Henry (Paperback)

About the Book

Struggling with the disintegration of her marriage at the same time her controlling mother passes away, Ellie is perplexed when she learns that her ex-boyfriend, Hutch, is creating a documentary about her mother.

Book Synopsis

Patti Callahan Henry's Coming Up For Air is "a beautiful exploration of the deepest mysteries of the human heart." (Susan Wiggs, New York Times bestselling author)

Ellie Calvin is caught in a dying marriage, and she knows this. With her beloved daughter away at college and a growing gap between her and her husband, she doesn't quite seem to fit into her own life. But everything changes when her controlling mother, Lillian, passes away. Ellie sees her ex-boyfriend, Hutch, at the funeral, and learns that he is in charge of a documentary that involved Lillian before her death - and he wants answers to questions that Ellie's not sure she can face.

As Ellie and Hutch start digging into Lillian's history, and speaking for the first time in years, Ellie's closed heart slowly begins to open. Using both a hidden diary that Ellie found in her mother's things, and a trip to the Summer House, a mysterious and seductive bayside home, they gamble that they can work together and not fall in love again. But in piecing together a decades-old unrequited-love story, they just might uncover the secrets in their own hearts...

Review Quotes

"A beautiful, emotionally engrossing story about marriage and motherhood, loss and longing. Patti Callahan Henry has done it again, capturing all the complexity of relationships with insight, compassion and a lyrical, unforgettable voice." --Emily Giffin, New York Times bestselling author of Something Borrowed

"An affecting Southern tale about second chances and banishing the ghosts of regret...Romantic storytelling at its simple best." --Kirkus (starred review)

"Elevated by Henry's subtle, sometimes excellent characterization...Ellie's earnest quest for true happiness will resonate with many readers, especially fans of Kristin Hannah and Susan Wiggs." --Booklist

"Lyrical and moving...Patti Henry's luminous story-telling shines through once again." --Mary Kay Andrews, New York Times bestselling author of Summer Rental

"Coming Up For Air is a beautiful exploration of the deepest mysteries of the human heart." --Susan Wiggs, New York Times bestselling author of the Lakeshore Chronicles series

"A southern woman's journey into truth. A emotionally intense, beautiful and unforgettable novel. I loved it." --Robyn Carr, New York Times bestselling author of the Virgin River novels

"A buoyant journey of self-discovery from an author who understands the human heart...With the complexity of a sultry southern breeze, Coming Up for Air reveals the link between a mother's secret past and a daughter's hope for a new future." --Sherryl Woods, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Honeysuckle Summer

"Coming up for Air is heartwarming with a touch of magic. Patti Callahan Henry's elegant writing takes you on an emotional journey you won't soon forget...nor will you want to." --Diane Chamberlain, New York Times bestselling author of The Midwife's Confession

"A richly textured story of love, loss and redemption reminiscent of some of the best southern storytellers." --Donna Ball, author of A Year on Ladybug Farm

About the Author

PATTI CALLAHAN HENRY is a full-time writer, wife and mother and the New York Times bestselling author whose novels include Between the Tides, Driftwood Summer and The Perfect Love Song: A Holiday Story. She lives with her husband and three children in Mountain Brook, Alabama, where she is working on her next novel.