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$12.59The Story
"This is a beautiful, hopeful, and exhilarating gem about second chapters, second chances, and fresh beginnings." --Lily King, acclaimed author of Read with Jenna pick Writers & Lovers and Heart the Lover
With the tenacious spirit of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand and the long-lived verve of Thursday Murder Club comes a heartwarming story of a curmudgeon and a newcomer who strike up an unlikely friendship over cutthroat Scrabble at their retirement home, outrageously starting something new in their golden eras.
As a new resident of Golden Grove, an independent living community for active seniors, Sally wants to do everything in her power to start off on the right foot. But between navigating unspoken social rules of the community and leaving two struggling adult children back at home, fitting in becomes harder than she expected. So when she sees flyers advertising the Scrabble Club, she thinks she might as well give it a try. She quickly realizes her faux pas when she walks into the library to find just one man, Walter Kretzer, who has a reputation for being "a bit intense."
Walter has taken his Scrabble club a pinch too seriously in the past, but when he meets Sally, with her golden-flecked eyes and sensible style, and discovers she is something of a prodigy at the game, he can't help but feel his fate is about to change. As he draws Sally into the world of high-stakes Scrabble tournaments, his feelings for her grow and inspire him to take a hard look at his life. When the truth about Sally's reasons for moving to Golden Grove are suddenly exposed, Walter finds himself with the gumption to make his last chapter in life the best yet.
Author: Cammie McGovern
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Published: 04/07/2026
Pages: 384
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.79lbs
Size: 8.25h x 5.50w x 0.96d
ISBN: 9781464246425
Review Citation(s):
Shelf Awareness 01/01/0001
Library Journal 11/14/2025 pg. 1
Booklist 12/01/2025
About the Author
McGovern, Cammie: -
Cammie McGovern is the author of three books for young adults, SAY WHAT YOU WILL, A STEP TOWARD FALLING, and JUST BREATHE, and three books for middle-grade readers, JUST MY LUCK, CHESTER AND GUS, and FRANKIE AND AMELIA, all featuring characters with disabilities. She is also the author of EYE CONTACT, a mystery, and HARD LANDINGS, a memoir about her oldest son, Ethan, who has autism, and his transition into adult services.
Description
"This is a beautiful, hopeful, and exhilarating gem about second chapters, second chances, and fresh beginnings." --Lily King, acclaimed author of Read with Jenna pick Writers & Lovers and Heart the Lover
With the tenacious spirit of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand and the long-lived verve of Thursday Murder Club comes a heartwarming story of a curmudgeon and a newcomer who strike up an unlikely friendship over cutthroat Scrabble at their retirement home, outrageously starting something new in their golden eras.
As a new resident of Golden Grove, an independent living community for active seniors, Sally wants to do everything in her power to start off on the right foot. But between navigating unspoken social rules of the community and leaving two struggling adult children back at home, fitting in becomes harder than she expected. So when she sees flyers advertising the Scrabble Club, she thinks she might as well give it a try. She quickly realizes her faux pas when she walks into the library to find just one man, Walter Kretzer, who has a reputation for being "a bit intense."
Walter has taken his Scrabble club a pinch too seriously in the past, but when he meets Sally, with her golden-flecked eyes and sensible style, and discovers she is something of a prodigy at the game, he can't help but feel his fate is about to change. As he draws Sally into the world of high-stakes Scrabble tournaments, his feelings for her grow and inspire him to take a hard look at his life. When the truth about Sally's reasons for moving to Golden Grove are suddenly exposed, Walter finds himself with the gumption to make his last chapter in life the best yet.
Author: Cammie McGovern
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Published: 04/07/2026
Pages: 384
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.79lbs
Size: 8.25h x 5.50w x 0.96d
ISBN: 9781464246425
Review Citation(s):
Shelf Awareness 01/01/0001
Library Journal 11/14/2025 pg. 1
Booklist 12/01/2025
About the Author
McGovern, Cammie: -
Cammie McGovern is the author of three books for young adults, SAY WHAT YOU WILL, A STEP TOWARD FALLING, and JUST BREATHE, and three books for middle-grade readers, JUST MY LUCK, CHESTER AND GUS, and FRANKIE AND AMELIA, all featuring characters with disabilities. She is also the author of EYE CONTACT, a mystery, and HARD LANDINGS, a memoir about her oldest son, Ethan, who has autism, and his transition into adult services.
