Outstanding praise for the novels of Holly Chamberlin! SUMMER FRIENDS “A thoughtful novel.” —ShelfAwareness “A great summer read.” —Fresh Fiction “Touching.” —RT Book Reviews THE FAMILY BEACH HOUSE “Explores questions about the meaning of home, family dynamics and tolerance.” —The Bangor Daily News “A dramatic and moving portrait of several generations of a family and each person’s place within it.” —Booklist “An enjoyable summer read, but it’s more. It is a novel for all seasons that adds to the enduring excitement of Ogunquit.” —The Maine Sunday Telegram “The Family Beach House is an exploration of life in its middle stages and the wisdom that comes from truly understanding yourself. It builds to a quietly satisfying end that neatly ties up the characters’ futures. Southern Maine readers will delight in the references to local restaurants, museums and destinations woven throughout the book. Fans of Ogunquit will be particularly thrilled as the town itself provides a rich and vibrant backdrop for the McQueens’ story.” —Seacoastoline.com Books by Holly Chamberlin LIVING SINGLE THE SUMMER OF US BABYLAND BACK IN THE GAME THE FRIENDS WE KEEP TUSCAN HOLIDAY ONE WEEK IN DECEMBER THE FAMILY BEACH HOUSE SUMMER FRIENDS LAST SUMMER Published by Kensington Publishing Corp. Living Single Holly Chamberlin KENSINGTON BOOKS www.kensingtonbooks.com All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected. Table of Contents Praise Books by Holly Chamberlin Title Page Dedication ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Prologue Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-one Chapter Twenty-two Chapter Twenty-three Chapter Twenty-four Chapter Twenty-five Chapter Twenty-six Chapter Twenty-seven Chapter Twenty-eight Chapter Twenty-nine Chapter Thirty Chapter Thirty-one Chapter Thirty-two Chapter Thirty-three Chapter Thirty-four Chapter Thirty-five Chapter Thirty-six Chapter Thirty-seven Chapter Thirty-eight Chapter Thirty-nine Chapter Forty Chapter Forty-one Chapter Forty-two Chapter Forty-three Chapter Forty-four Chapter Forty-five Chapter Forty-six Chapter Forty-seven Chapter Forty-eight Chapter Forty-nine Chapter Fifty Chapter Fifty-one Chapter Fifty-two Chapter Fifty-three Chapter Fifty-four Chapter Fifty-five Chapter Fifty-six Chapter Fifty-seven Chapter Fifty-eight Chapter Fifty-nine Chapter Sixty Chapter Sixty-one Chapter Sixty-two Chapter Sixty-three Chapter Sixty-four Chapter Sixty-five Chapter Sixty-six Epilogue A READING GROUP GUIDE - LIVING SINGLE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Teaser chapter Copyright Page As always, for Stephen. And this time also for Donna. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author would like to thank the Women’s Lunch Place for its wonderful work with the homeless and poor women of Boston. She would like to honor the memory of her beloved friend, Fifi. Finally, she would like to thank her editor, John Scognamiglio, for giving her this opportunity and his endless support. Prologue This is the story of a year in the life of a thirty-two-year-old single woman. It’s my story and I’m telling it because I need to tell it. Also, because I want to. Consider it a cautionary tale. Consider it a good laugh. Consider it a little of both. My name is Erin Weston. I recently celebrated—a slightly optimistic way of putting it—my thirty-third birthday. Jesus Christ was crucified at the age of thirty-three. Not being a rabble-rouser, I’m hoping for a far less spectacularly troublesome year. After last year, I could use the rest. Anyway, I made it out alive and yes, even well. Imagine that. Overall, life’s been good to me, though on occasion its macabre sense of humor is distressing. But enough summarizing. My story begins last January, exactly a year ago to this day. I hope you like it.