Rachel feels trapped in her small town life. Having grown up in the same place, she's restless now. She lives with her mom who is aging rapidly and demands much care. In her thirties, Rachel feels compelled to move away. She desperately wants to be free of her own reputation around town and of the shady, disappointing men in town.
When she meets Nick, Rachel falls in love. He embodies everything which she desires. He's a stranger with a relish for life and a restlessness which keeps him on the move. Immediately the two begin a summer flung. Their relationship is turbulent but passionate. They share so much emotionally, but at the core of their beings they are wildly different people. Nick resents the attachment which Rachel forms to him and eventually leaves.
On her own once more, Rachel is even more convinced that she must leave. She watches her mom grow sicker and sicker. She becomes paranoid about her own health and aging. Above all, she doesn't want to die in this town. By the end of the book she resolutely decides to accept the risk of leaving and to welcome whatever the unknown future holds for her away from home.
