At the age of twenty-three, Stephen Dunne falls in love, for the first time in his life, with Veronica Reynolds - a daydreaming pre-med student who climbs trees in the middle of thunderstorms, and likes to have picnics at the cemetery; who loves the truth because of its simplicity, and enjoys singing Mozart’s Requiem.

The only problem is - by the time this happens - Stephen has already been married for two years to Tracy Ross (a beautiful and ambitious, yet fragile, architect who has already cheated on him once and whose infidelity he blames himself for.)

At first Stephen believes that what he feels for Veronica is only an infatuation which will fade over time. But though their interactions are brief and infrequent, he finds himself falling more and more deeply in love with her and is tormented by the fact that he can never act on it.

One obstacle after another keeps them apart (Tracy’s pregnancy, Veronica’s fiancé, and Stephen’s own realization that Tracy needs him more than he could ever have imagined.) And so, he commits himself to her again and attempts to put Veronica out of his mind and into his past.

This is a book you will want to read many times over the years and stands out because of its beautiful prose, compelling characters, and the writer’s ability to bring their heartbreak to life.