The Map of Longing - by Alice Kellen (Paperback)

About the Book

"Grace Peterson always knew that the purpose of her life was to save her sister Lucy. When she was just a baby, a donation of her stem cells briefly put Lucy's leukemia into remission. But it wasn't enough. Lucy died, and Grace's life no longer has any meaning. Feeling trapped in her grief, her family destroyed by the pain of loss, she's never felt more invisible or purposeless. But then her grandfather brings Grace a game that her sister, who played endless board games during her long stays in the hospital, left behind for her: The Map of Longing. Grace can't play it by herself. The instructions are clear: She has to contact Will Tucker, an enigmatic stranger, a gloomy bookaholic whose relationship with Lucy remains a mystery. Deciding to honor her sister's last wish, Grace goes out to meet the man who will be her companion during the greatest adventure she's ever known. The Map of Longing becomes the key for Grace, who's spent twenty-three years without leaving her little hometown in Nebraska, to dare to finally take the reins of her life and discover herself. The path is full of obstacles, but together with Will, Grace embarks on a journey through the heart - full of vulnerabilities, forgotten dreams, longings, and unexpected desires"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

Her late sister's game begins with one unmistakable clue.

But who is Will Tucker?

Grace Peterson was born for a purpose: to save her older sister Lucy. Her blood cells were to cure her sister's leukemia, and for awhile, they did. But when Lucy dies, Greta's reason for existing vanishes. She's always felt invisible anyway, burying herself in her writing. She never left Nebraska, and now there's nowhere to go.

Then one day, Greta finds a box Lucy left behind--a game so cunning, so personal, it feels like a last whisper. Lucy's map sends Grace on a quest to find a man she's never heard of, Will Tucker. The rules are simple: follow the clues. But the journey? That will turn into something far more.

As Greta and Will navigate Lucy's challenges, they begin to unearth not just secrets--but the raw edges of themselves: grief and guilt, longing and redemption, dreams buried and hope reclaimed. Lucy's map was meant to guide Greta and Will to the real discovery that they might find in each other.