Francie Comes Home

Book excerpt: Francie, who has been traveling through Europe for more than five years, now finds herself resentful upon returning to her Midwest hometown Jefferson to deal with a family crisis. When she gets home, Francie confronts a crisis of her own . . . all of her old friends are married or otherwise leading what they deem as exciting lives. There may be no place like home, but compared to Europe and the liberating skills she has learned as an artist, she struggles with boredom and apathy. Restless and frustrated, she stumbles into not one, but two romantic relationships, and learns more about herself while discovering a new-found appreciation for her father. Romance deepens into love and at last, Francie has truly come home.