A deeply moving, richly detailed family saga that captures the bittersweet beauty of endings, reunions, and the quiet moments that define our lives.
 
When the Maxwell family gathers one last time at their lake house before it’s sold, they find themselves confronting old memories, simmering resentments, and the complex ties that bind them. Over one eventful week, three generations share laughter, loss, and reflection as they come to terms with the past and the uncertain shape of the future.
 
In Wish You Were Here, Stewart O’Nan delivers a masterful portrait of an American family at a crossroads. As the Maxwells pack up their beloved summer home, each member struggles with private disappointments and unspoken truths.
Through his quiet, compassionate prose, O’Nan examines the fragile bonds between parents and children, siblings and spouses, and the passage of time that changes them all. He writes with precision and warmth about the small, often overlooked moments that reveal the heart of family life—the conversations, silences, and gestures that linger long after the week has ended.
 
Tender, realistic, and full of humanity, Wish You Were Here is a meditation on family, memory, and the inevitability of change—a modern classic for readers who appreciate stories of emotional depth and everyday grace.
 
💖 Why You’ll Love It
A beautifully written, intimate portrait of family and time.
O’Nan’s prose captures the quiet truths of ordinary life.
Perfectly balances melancholy and hope.
Deeply relatable characters and realistic emotion.
Ideal for fans of literary domestic fiction and generational storytelling.
 
🌟 Perfect For
Fans of Ann Patchett, Richard Russo, and Elizabeth Strout.
Readers who enjoy slow-burning, character-driven novels.
Book clubs looking for rich, emotionally layered fiction.
Anyone who appreciates realistic portrayals of love and loss.
 
❤️ Fans Also Liked
If you enjoyed Wish You Were Here, you might also like:
Empire Falls by Richard Russo — small-town life and family introspection.
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout — subtle, powerful stories of connection and change.
Commonwealth by Ann Patchett — a multi-generational story of love and forgiveness.