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An unforgettable story about an unlikely friendship and about healing the wounds of a broken past from the million-copy bestselling author of Fresh Water for Flowers
Justine is 21 years old and has lived with her grandparents and her cousin Jules since the death of her parents. As a nursing assistant at a retirement home, she spends much of her days listening to her residents’ stories.
After bonding with Hélène, an almost 100-year-old resident, the two women slowly reveal their stories to one another. Whilst Justine helps Hélène to relive her memories of love and war, Hélène encourages Justine to confront the secrets of her own past, and the loss she keeps buried deep within.
One day, a mysterious phone detailing a shocking revelation shakes the retirement home to its core. At once humorous and melancholic, Valérie Perrin’s novel depicts the consequences of undeclared love and, in her inimitable way, portrays once again how the past is never really past.
★ “Perrin’s signature gift of transmuting quotidian circumstances into transcendent truths is everywhere apparent.”—Foreword Reviews (Starred Review)
★ “The many admirers of Perrin’s previous novel, Fresh Water for Flowers, will be equally charmed by this beguiling tale. All other readers might be doubly rewarded.”—Library Journal
“Evokes something of the heartwarming whimsy of the 2001 movie, Amélie . . . Forgotten on Sunday is a pain au chocolat of a book—flaky but buttery, with a sweet center. . . [a] sentimental soul-soother.”—Heller McAlpin, NPRBooks
“A deeply emotional, intergenerational saga about family secrets and the enduring power of love.... An engrossing work about love and loss; ideal for fans of Jojo Moyes and Kate Morton.”—Booklist
“An endearing and original heroine, a surprising setting, and a talented author.”—ELLE
“Beautiful.”—L’Express
Praise for Fresh Water for Flowers
“A beautiful, intensely atmospheric bittersweet dream of a book.”―Matt Haig
“Melancholic and yet ebullient… An appealing indulgence in nature, food and drink, and, above all, friendships.”—The Guardian
“It’s very healing... I haven’t read a more beautifully written book for a long time.”—Sarah Harden, CEO of Hello Sunshine, in the Wall Street Journal
“Full of contentment and hope... Fans of Elizabeth Berg will enjoy this thoughtful take on the inner life of an unforgettable woman.”—Booklist
“A glorious read. Touching, thought provoking, taut: a tribute to our power to heal. Another must read.”—OCinsite.com
★ “Exuberant.”—ForeWord Reviews (Starred Review)
“Colorful and highly enjoyable.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Enchanting.”—Publishers Weekly
“Romantic, yes; light, yes; meaningless, no.”—Bethanne Patrick, Literary Hub
“Fresh Water for Flowers entranced me with its quiet joy.”—Kathi Kirby, Powell’s Books, Portland, OR
“Fresh Water For Flowers goes to show how debuts can be great works. Perrin plumbs the depths of motherhood, life on the streets, and regret in her story […] It is an extremely well-written book that was frankly difficult to put down.”—San Francisco Book Review