From the dark days of WWII to present-day North Carolina, this New York Times bestseller shares the lives of two couples overcoming destructive secrets—​and finding joy together. Ira Levinson is in trouble. Ninety-one years old, stranded, and injured after a car crash, he struggles to maintain consciousness—until a blurry image materializes beside him: his beloved wife, Ruth, who passed away nine years ago. Urging him to hang on, she forces him to remain alert by recounting the stories of their lifetime together—how they met, the precious paintings they collected together, the dark days of WWII, and the war's effect on their families. Ira knows Ruth can't possibly be in the car with him, but he clings to her words and his memories, reliving the sorrows and joys that defined their marriage.