The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller

Condition: great. Some wear 

Mel recommends - The Paper Palace is one of those love-it-or-hate-it books, and I was completely hooked. Told across different timelines, it unravels family secrets, betrayals, and an impossible choice at the heart of Elle’s life. The writing is stunning, the emotions raw, and the ending? Let’s just say it sparked a lot of debate. If you love complex, beautifully written stories this one’s for you. But fair warning—check the trigger warnings first!

On a perfect August morning, Elle Bishop heads out for a swim in the pond below 'The Paper Palace - her family's holiday home in Cape Cod. As she dives beneath the water she relives the passionate encounter she had the night before, against the side of the house that knows all her darkest secrets, while her husband and mother chatted to their guests inside ...

So begins a story that unfolds over twenty-four hours and fifty years, as Elle's shocking betrayal leads her to a decision that will change her life for ever.