Product Description NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “Hannah examines whether love and commitment are enough to sustain a marriage when two people who have put their individual dreams on ice get a chance to defrost them . . . in fast-moving prose punctuated by snappy asides.”-PeopleElizabeth and Jackson Shore married young, raised two daughters, and weathered the storms of youth as they built a family. From a distance, their lives look picture perfect. But after the girls leave home, Jack and Elizabeth quietly drift apart. When Jack accepts a wonderful new job, Elizabeth puts her own needs aside to follow him across the country. Then tragedy turns Elizabeth’s world upside down. In the aftermath, she questions everything about her life-her choices, her marriage, even her long-forgotten dreams. In a daring move that shocks her husband, friends, and daughters, she lets go of the woman she has become-and reaches out for the woman she wants to be. Review “There are real-life lessons here told with truth, humor, and courage. You will love this story.”-Adriana Trigiani, author of Brava, Valentine“In fast-moving prose punctuated by snappy asides, [Kristin] Hannah examines whether love and commitment are enough to sustain a marriage when two people who have put their individual dreams on ice get a chance to defrost them. . . . Bottom Line: Shore bet.”-People“Tender and moving, Distant Shores will have you smiling one minute and reaching for the Kleenex the next.”-Eileen Goudge, author of Once in a Blue Moon“Certain to strike a chord . . . winning characterizations . . . and a few surprises.”-The Seattle Times “A compelling tale of true love . . . full of honest emotion.”-The Florida Times-Union About the Author Kristin Hannah is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many acclaimed novels, including The Great Alone, The Nightingale, and Magic Hour. She and her husband live in the Pacific Northwest. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Seattle, WashingtonIt all started with a second martini.“Come on,” Meghann said, “have another drink.”“No way.” Elizabeth didn’t handle alcohol well; God knew that had been proven conclusively back in 1976 when she’d been at the University of Washington.“You can’t refuse to drink at my forty-second birthday party. Remember how drunk I got last spring when you turned forty-five?”What a debacle that had been.Meghann sensed hesitation, and like any good attorney, she pounced on it. “I’ll have Johnny pick us up.” “Are you sure Johnny’s old enough to drive?”“Now, that hurts. All of my boyfriends have their driver’s licenses.”“And I thought you had no standards.”“I keep them as low as possible.” Meghann raised her hand and flagged down the waitress, who hurried over. “We’ll take two more martinis. And bring us a plate of nachos-heavy on the refried beans.”Elizabeth couldn’t help smiling. “This is going to be ugly.”The waitress returned, set two elegant glasses down on the table, and picked up the empties.“Here’s to me,” Meghann said, clinking her glass against Elizabeth’s.For the next hour, their conversation drifted down old roads and around old times. They’d been friends for more than twenty years. In the two decades since college, their lives had gone in opposite directions-Elizabeth had put all her energies into wife-and-motherhood; Meghann had become a first-rate divorce attorney-but their friendship had never wavered. For years, as Elizabeth and her family had moved from town to town, they’d kept in touch via e-mail and phone calls. Now, finally, they lived close enough to see each other on special occasions. It was one of the things Elizabeth loved most about living in Oregon.By the time the third round was delivered, Meghann was laughing uproariously about the sound the cash register made.“D’ya see tha hunk o’ burning love in the corner over there?” Meg glanced slyly at a college-age boy sitting by the window. “He looks lonely.”“And look-no brace