Room on the Sea

Have you ever had the sense that maybe all lives are nothing more than the chronicle of countless stinging might-have-beens that continue to haunt us?

In the scorching New York heat, a hundred people wait to be selected as jurors. Paul is reading a newspaper. Catherine is reading a novel. So begins a whirlwind flirtation: over cappuccinos in Manhattan and gallery trips to Chelsea, Paul and Catherine escape into the illusion of an Italian getaway. Their feelings quickly evolve into something deeper, something - as mature adults with lives of their own - Paul and Catherine must carry on in secret, with the understanding that anything more than a casual crush is out of the question.

But as the sultry summer week draws to a close, the end of their rendezvous comes into focus, and Paul and Catherine are forced to decide whether to act on their feelings or leave the fantasy of what could have been to the annals of the past.

Review

A top-notch beach read. ― Daily Mail

Aciman's absorbing novella delicately explores the habit of marriage, the longing for what might have been, and the urge to make one final attempt at happiness. ― Mail on Sunday

A contemporary fairy tale. ― Financial Times

Wistful love, lapping waves - if you can't engineer your own holiday romance, you'll find a good substitute here. ― GQ

The perfect book to while away a sleepy Sunday; curl up in an armchair and read this charming story in one sitting . . . A tender 'what if' tale. ― Prima

The perfect escapist read. ― iNews

About the Author

André Aciman is the New York Times bestselling author of Call Me By Your Name, and various works of fiction and non fiction. He's the editor of The Proust Project and teaches comparative literature at the Graduate Center in New York. He lives with his wife in Manhattan.