Innocence - by Kathleen Tessaro (Paperback)

About the Book

The enchanting new novel from the international bestselling author of "Elegance" finds new hope for a drama instructor when she encounters a friendship from the past.

Book Synopsis

From New York Times bestselling author Kathleen Tessaro comes a poignant, funny, and unforgettable story of real life, real love, and fantasy--and the changes they put you through.

1986. Starry-eyed and ready to take the world by storm, Evie Garlick leaves her small town of Eden, Ohio, to study drama in London, intent on becoming a star of the classical stage. But when she arrives in England, it quickly becomes clear she's way out of her element--and completely unprepared for what fate has in store for her.

Luckily, her new flatmate, the larger-than-life Robbie, immediately takes the bewildered Evie under her wing. Glamorous and bohemian, Robbie's unorthodox Greenwich Village upbringing and reckless lust for life both dazzle and astonish Evie. Soon the drama offstage in their small student flat is more exciting than any Broadway play. And when Evie meets Jake, a defiantly self-assured young musician bent on two things--success and her--she finds herself suddenly in far too deep, painfully in love, out of control, and yet thrillingly alive, questioning everything about herself--and her dreams.

2001. Robbie has been dead for five years, and Evie, now a single mother, is still living in London. Resigned to earning a living by teaching drama to night students, her life bears little resemblance to the one she'd imagined for herself fifteen years ago. Her carefully ordered routine and beloved son help to keep the memories and regrets at bay--most of the time. But when the past pays Evie a visit, she's forced to confront the ambitious young woman she used to be and re-examine the choices she made...and those she couldn't--in order to claim a new future.

From the Back Cover

From Kathleen Tessaro, author of the acclaimed international bestseller Elegance, comes a poignant, funny, and utterly remarkable story of real life, real love, and fantasy--and the changes they put you through.

Following a dream can lead to unexpected places. . . .

It is 1986, and eighteen-year-old aspiring actress Evie leaves Eden, Ohio, to study theater in London, England. Almost immediately she falls in with new female chums Imogen (born-again Laura Ashley poster child, frustrated virgin) and Robbie (gorgeous wild-child bohemian, far from virginal). The world is thrilling and new, and anything is possible

. . . until love intervenes.

It is 2001, and Evie's a single mother teaching drama to night students. Robbie is dead, killed in a car accident. And Evie is doing her level best to forget the past, the lost opportunities, and the dreams that exploded

. . . until an old friendship comes back to haunt her.

Literally.

Review Quotes

"Witty...proves that confidence never goes out of fashion." - Glamour
"Through vivid descriptions, lively mishaps and devastating details, Tessaro serves up a witty, original, fast-moving debut." - USA Today
"Written with the same, cool precision as her bestseller Elegance...her take on a young girl's process of maturing through the vicissitudes of love and friendship is edgily up-to-date." - Sunday Times (London)
"A tale as heartbreaking as it is heartwarming." - Denver Rocky Mountain News
"A breath of fresh air in a wold of increasingly tired-looking chick-lit... a stylish antidote to girly fluff." - Daily Express (UK)
"Kathleen Tessaro writes beautifully and with great confidence. I was totally hooked by her unique combination of wit, irony, and darkness." - Marian Keyes
"Elegantly written and compelling." - Entertainment Weekly
"Funny and witty...devilishly fun to read." - Romantic Times, four-star review
"Fans of Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones's Diary will love this unique Pygmalion tale, an impressive debut novel." - Library Journal, starred review
"Fabulous fiction. Expect to laugh and maybe pick up some Grace Kelly -- Jackie O-esque tips." - Arizona Republic
"Transcends the [chick lit] genre with adept pacing, vivid characters, and Tessaro's knack for telling a good story." - Pittsburgh Tribune Review
"A brilliant read with fashion advice thrown in!" - New Woman