The Rest of the Story

Emma Saylor, a girl who lost her mother at a young age, is sent to spend the summer with her mother's family in North Lake, a place her mother often spoke about with fondness. There, she discovers two contrasting communities: the working-class North Lake where her mother grew up and the affluent Lake North resort where her father spent summers. As Emma navigates this new world, she is torn between her identity as Emma, the girl her father knows, and Saylor, the name her mother called her. With the help of her childhood friend Roo, she uncovers family secrets and experiences the magic of North Lake. As the summer progresses, Emma finds herself drawn to Roo and the life her mother once knew. She begins to understand her family's history and the reasons behind her mother's stories. The summer becomes a journey of self-discovery, where Emma must reconcile her dual identities and decide which path to take. The novel explores themes of identity, family, and first love, set against the backdrop of a transformative summer that changes Emma's life forever.