The Half of It: A Novel

by Juliette Fay

Overview

"Witty, tender, beautifully written, I loved being immersed in this powerful story of loss and forgiveness."   —Emily Giffin, #1 New York Times bestselling author

One perfect night. Forty years of buried hurt. One chance to make it right. Can the past ever be fixed? With humor, heart, and grace, USA Today bestselling author Juliette Fay delivers a poignant, propulsive novel about settling the past, rekindling lost friendships, and discovering love when you least expect it.            

 “I’m wondering if we can be friends again.”

When 58-year-old Helen Spencer reviews her life, what she sees are the mistakes. Over the years, things seemed to go sideways incrementally, one little wrong decision at a time. She can even pinpoint where it all started to go awry: a wonderous, romantic night in the woods her senior year of high school with a boy named Cal Crosby. A night she would soon work hard to forget.

Forty years, one marriage, three children, and one grandbaby later, suddenly there he is—Cal Crosby!—right in front of her with grandchildren of his own in tow. The chance to finally get some answers and sort out what happened is within reach. But Helen would much prefer to keep that night and all the fury, hurt, and sorrow that followed tightly locked away where she doesn’t have to face it.

 Cal Crosby, however, is ready to talk. He has no idea of the can of worms he’s about to open. In fact, he doesn’t know the half of it.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063235960
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	04/11/2023
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	342,019
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Juliette Fay is the bestselling author of seven novels, including THE HALF OF IT, CATCH US WHEN WE FALL, CITY OF FLICKERING LIGHT and THE TUMBLING TURNER SISTERS, a USA Today bestseller and Costco Pennie’s Book Club Pick. Previous novels include THE SHORTEST WAY HOME, one of Library Journal’s Top 5 Best Books of 2012: Women’s Fiction; DEEP DOWN TRUE, short-listed for the 2011 Women’s Fiction award by the American Library Association; and SHELTER ME, a 2009 Massachusetts Book Award “Must-Read Book” and an Indie Next pick.

Juliette is a graduate of Boston College and Harvard University, and lives in Massachusetts with her family. Visit her at www.juliettefay.com, Facebook: Juliette Fay author, Twitter: @juliettefay, and Instagram: Juliette_Fay.

Editorial Reviews

01/30/2023

A woman finds closure 40 years after being betrayed by her first love in this lukewarm tale of forgiveness and redemption from Fay (Catch Us When We Fall). In 1981, 18-year-old Helen Spencer had what she believed to be a romantic first time with Cal Crosby, only for Cal to return to his girlfriend, leaving Helen with a ruined reputation and chlamydia. Cal has spent decades regretting his actions, and when he sees Helen again, he’s desperate to make amends. Now a widow, Helen is ready to let go of the past, and even musters empathy for Cal who, having made work his priority over the years, has reluctantly agreed to an open marriage with his wife. Through alternating timelines, readers learn Helen and Cal’s unsurprising history: they were simply too young to understand the possible consequences of their actions. Unfortunately, Fay’s handling of sexually transmitted infections feels overwrought and somewhat stigmatizing. Much better done is the present timeline, in which the duo embarks on a friendship as fellow grandparents, often meeting up for playdates and thereby raising concerns with their adult children who spot their lingering love. This tepid second-chance romance has a shaky foundation, but the deep connection between the protagonists rings true. Agent: Stéphanie Abou, Massie & McQuilkin. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"Witty, tender, beautifully written, I loved being immersed in this powerful story of loss and forgiveness." — Emily Giffin, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"Fay’s characters come to life in all their flawed glory as they explore the road not taken and a second chance at righting the past. Once again, Fay delivers a highly satisfying read." — Lee Woodruff, New York Times bestselling author of In An Instant

"The Half of It is a warm and unconventional love story that considers what comes after marriages in which neither happily nor ever are quite in evidence. Instead, Juliette Fay gives us a heartfelt novel where hard-earned wisdom and long-awaited grace provide their own romance, passion, heartbreak, and, ultimately, hope." — Laurie Frankel, New York Times bestselling author

“Imbued with her trademark warmth and wit, The Half of It by Juliette Fay is a gorgeously written stunner of a novel about family, love, grief, and ultimately, second chances. Fay is a master of creating characters who feel so real, their stories so emotionally resonant—I know that Helen and Cal and their families will linger in my heart long after I turned the last page.” — Jillian Cantor, USA Today bestselling author of Beautiful Little Fools

“This is a heartfelt and funny second-chance romance story that has a great big heart and a complex and interesting protagonist. Love in this book comes in so many shapes, ages and sizes, leading up to a surprising ending that had me in my feelings. You think it’s too late to find love? Well, you don’t know The Half of It." — Catherine McKenzie, USA Today bestselling author of Forgotten and Hidden

“With humor, hope, and wisdom, Fay navigates the layers of family and friendship, the great loves we lose, the imperfect marriages we manage with grace, and the unexpected miracles that will astonish us.” — Randy Susan Meyers, international bestselling author of Waisted

“The Half of It is, simply put, a dose of beauty. Fay invites you into a story where you feel so at home, you don't want it to end. I'm a longtime fan of Fay's work, and it's no exaggeration to say I enjoyed every word of The Half of It.” — Jessica Strawser, bestselling author of the The Next Thing You Know

“What a sweet, tender, thought-provoking story about the messy layers of love, friendship, and family that entwine when two childhood friends with unfinished business reconnect as young grandparents… a unique twist on the theme of second chances.” — Barbara Claypole White, bestselling author

"Best-seller Fay (Catch Us When We Fall) presents a touching story of friendship, love, and forgiveness with relatable characters managing the emotional challenges of daily life. Fans of Anna Quindlen who enjoy expressive stories of human connection will enjoy this novel." — Library Journal

"This tender novel explores regret, loss, and hope with humor and plenty of heart. Recommended for fans of heartwarming and moving relationship fiction and authors such as Kristan Higgins, Katherine Heiny, and Amy Poeppel." — Booklist

From the Publisher

03/01/2023

Newly widowed and recently relocated, Helen Spencer sits with her sleeping granddaughter in the picturesque New England woods counting her many regrets. While ruminating on the wasted years spent living away from her parents and not salvaging her relationship with her best friend Francie, a toddler bursts into her path followed by his grandfather. Helen is shocked to realize that the little boy's grandfather is her childhood friend Cal Crosby. Decades ago, a disastrous night split their friendship and wiped out any vestiges of young love, setting them on different courses and destroying their bright hopes for the future. Faced with the prospect of rekindling their feelings for each other, Helen and Cal must overcome their own fears, self-doubt, and family complications or be alone without each other again. VERDICT Best-seller Fay (Catch Us When We Fall) presents a touching story of friendship, love, and forgiveness with relatable characters managing the emotional challenges of daily life. Fans of Anna Quindlen who enjoy expressive stories of human connection will enjoy this novel.—Joy Gunn

Library Journal

A warm and unconventional love story that considers what comes after marriages in which neither happily nor ever are quite in evidence…a heartfelt novel where hard-earned wisdom and long-awaited grace provide their own romance, passion, heartbreak, and, ultimately, hope.”

New York Times bestselling author Laurie Frankel