It has been a long time since I have truly enjoyed and admired a character as much as I did with Augusta. I have liked other characters and enjoyed their adventures, but Augusta's character made me wish I knew her in real life. Even as a young woman, she's intelligent and is full of spirit. As an 80-year-old woman, Augusta still has all of that and more. 

Augusta likes to stay busy, and because of that, she's still working at nearly 80 years old. Her job thinks she's barely 70 since she and her niece did some careful edits to her paperwork, but when the HR department asks her when she plans to retire, she knows she's busted. So she reluctantly retires and moves from Brooklyn, New York to Florida, and her new retirement community of Rallentando Springs. She hasn't fully moved in when she runs into Irving Rifkin, the first boy she ever dated. 

This story has a dual timeline of Brooklyn in the 1920s and Rallentando Springs in the 80s. First, I enjoyed seeing both timelines. The author does an excellent job at bringing both places to life and it was easy for me to see everything in my mind, and this book would make a great movie. The visuals that were invoked were that good. 

You could technically call this story a second-chance romance, but it's so much more than that. This story explores grief, and heartbreak, and makes you question what you thought you already knew all along. It was also interesting to see how even a minor miscommunication can alter the course of a relationship, whether it be platonic or romantic. This one made me do a lot of thinking, and would likely be great for a book club discussion. 

I can confidently say this book is one of the best I've read all year. The writing is beautiful and the story is even better. If you enjoy second chances in life and in love, you'll love this one.