Evvie was ripe for the picking— left by her mom as a young child, loved by her dad but often left alone while he worked his lobster boat, then plucked from obscurity by the overly self-important Tim Drake. She subjugated her ambitions, desires, whims, and tastes to Tim, beginning with intentionally getting one grade lower to not tie for number one in their high school class, and not contest his triumphal valedictory cred. His star shown, and she supported his ambitions, no matter how small or large. Of course, since she didn’t value herself, he failed to do so either, treating her with disregard and at times, contempt. We all have met someone like Tim— inconsiderate of others, cannot ever be wrong, a benevolent dictator.

When the day comes that Evvie cannot deny her own life any longer, and prepares to leave him that very day, he selfishly dies in a car accident, denying her yet again the opportunity to proactively decide her own life. Swept up in the small Maine town’s ritual of funeral, again meeting everyone’s expectations for the role of grieving widow, Evvie has the greatest difficulty choosing her own path and commiting to action on her own behalf. Even best friend Andy unwittingly holds her to that role, kindly going above and beyond in every form of supportiveness.

When Andy’s old friend Dean Tenney comes to town with his own emotional baggage, Andy’s brilliant idea of recommending Dean to Evvie as a tenant in the apartment within her spacious house sets off a relationship between Dean and Evvie that will challenge both of their assumptions about control, choice, responsibility, and making a life. Dean is experiencing a yip, when as a successful MLB pitcher for the Yankees, Dean can no longer control his pitching, his fabulous career is humiliatingly ended. He comes to Maine to escape the public eye, and find a new path in life.

Linda Holmes, a pop culture reporter for NPR, puts together a fairly effective first novel, an enjoyable read. Evvie’s relationships with her father, Andy, and Tim, and the needed course corrections are explored to a sufficient degree. Evvie’s relationship with her mother feels like an add-on, and isn’t given a chance to fully develop in its significance in Evvie’s life. Dean is an emotionally healthy guy, not self-absorbed, appropriately giving without losing himself, and brings a good dimension to Evvie’s life. He has the difficult task of finding a new vocation, when so much of his life has been devoted to a single-minded goal of athletic success. I can see how Dean could inspire Evvie to take personal risks to explore her path, and not fall back into her co-dependent groove. This was a humourous, quick read. If you liked “Where’d You Go, Bernadette” or “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine”, then add this book as your next funny, neurotic heroine read.