The Lost Melody of Summer
Eleanor Vance, a reluctant cellist, receives an email informing her of her estranged grandmother Edith Vance's death and an inheritance: Edith's seaside cottage in Seabrook, Maine. Eleanor, who stopped playing the cello after her parents' death a decade ago, feels a peculiar ache, not quite grief, but an echo of a forgotten note. The cottage, a grand Victorian, is filled with Edith's musical history, including a grand piano and a cello case.
Eleanor discovers a hidden compartment containing a leather-bound journal and a musical score titled "The Summer Sonata". The journal entries speak of a "clandestine affair" and a profound love for someone identified only as "M.". The sonata itself is raw, passionate, and unfinished.
Soon after, Eleanor is surprised by a visit from Jasper Croft, her childhood friend and first crush, who is doing structural work on the cottage. As they reconnect, Eleanor learns that Jasper's grandfather, Elias Croft, was a fisherman who loved music and was "good friends" with Edith. Jasper hums a melody his grandfather used to sing, which Eleanor recognizes as a theme from "The Summer Sonata," leading her to suspect Elias is "M.".
Driven by this revelation, Eleanor confronts Arthur Finch, Edith's lawyer, who initially appears evasive but eventually admits to being Edith's confidante. Finch reveals that Edith's powerful family threatened Elias and Edith if they continued their relationship, forcing Edith to choose her career over her love and leading to her sudden departure from Seabrook. He also reveals that Edith was pregnant with Elias's child and secretly gave the baby up for adoption. Finch then gives Eleanor an envelope containing a faded photograph of a baby and a newspaper clipping about her own parents' tragic car accident, revealing that Eleanor is Edith and Elias's daughter, adopted by the couple she believed were her parents.
The truth brings Eleanor both devastation and liberation. She shares the monumental news with Jasper, confirming that his grandfather is her biological father, intertwining their family histories. With this new understanding, Eleanor is finally able to complete "The Summer Sonata," transforming it into a collaboration across time and a healing process. She decides to perform the sonata for the people of Seabrook, sharing the hidden love story and legacy of Edith and Elias. Eleanor chooses to stay in Seabrook, teaching cello lessons and embracing her rediscovered passion for music, her life now a harmonious melody.
Customer Reviews
ThriftBooks® and the ThriftBooks® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC
