There is a vast difference between having it all and being fulfilled. In the eyes of most onlookers, Carol Burgess couldn’t ask for a more gratifying life. She’d climbed the corporate ladder and taken her swipes at the glass ceiling, leaving a few cracks along the way. When she’s finally the one in charge, she discovers change is still taboo in the elite literary industry. Faced with the choice of keeping the status quo or starting a revolution of ideas, Carol seeks out a fresh and undiscovered voice in the writing world. Rather than searching the usual universities and conferences, she broadens her pursuit to a less conventional hunting ground. Sending her charming assistant, Terrance, to entice her reluctant prospect, sets in motion a journey none of them expect.

Marta Leduc longs to remember her childhood more vividly. The urge to make sense of the chaos and trauma remains strong even after she accomplishes her lifelong goal of publishing her novel. Generations of her family followed the same trajectory of their New Hampshire town. They thrived on booming millwork and then, upon the downturn, crumbled just as the uninhabited brick buildings did. When success is at her fingertips, Marta is faced with the reality that her past is always nipping at her heels. Like the lingering ache of whiplash, she understands the misfortunes she’s endured will always be a part of her. Encouraged by Terrance, Marta begins to imagine a life she never thought possible. Carol and Marta must unite if they intend to change “what always has been” into “what could be.” When their fates intertwine, neither is safe from the forces that wish to hold them back. Will sheer determination be enough to keep them ahead of the next disaster?