“I had come to love the space, and I could see why Lady Anna had too. The orchids were positively glorious. She'd tagged each flower with its proper botanical name, but I favored the pet names she'd given each bloom. For instance, a stunning pink 'Cattleya' was named "Lady Catalina." And a yellow 'Oncidium,' which to me looked like a… — Sarah Jio Copy Share
“I drape my arm around his shoulder. We sit together like that for a moment, until something bright floating in the lake… — Sarah Jio Copy Share Image
“The old woman paid no attention to the camellia until that morning, when a fleck of pink caught her eye. The single… — Sarah Jio Copy Share Image
“Past their normal blooming season, the trees had shed many of their blossoms, but the ones that remained were vibrant and showy,… — Sarah Jio Copy Share Image
“I looked up at the moon and stars through the glass roof above and gasped at the stunning sight, like a mural… — Sarah Jio Copy Share Image
“I took a cautious step inside, marveling at the sight before me. A vast conservatory awaited, or what 'once' was a conservatory.… — Sarah Jio Copy Share Image
“I was making scrambled eggs smothered in Tabasco, his favorite, when he told me about Stephanie. The way she made him laugh. The way she understood him. The way they connected. I pictured the image of two Lego pieces fusing together, and I shuddered. It’s funny; when I think back to that morning, I can actually smell burned eggs and… — Sarah Jio Copy Share
“Just before six, Bee pulled three wineglasses out of the cabinet and uncorked the bottle of white that Greg had selected for us. "Light the candles, dear, will you please?" I reached for the matches and thought about the dinners at Bee's house during my childhood. Bee never served a meal without candles. "A proper supper requires candlelight," she'd told… — Sarah Jio Copy Share
“I'm not an atheist," he says suddenly. "Oh?" He nods. "Because on the night of my fifth birthday, I prayed for an angel to… — Sarah Jio Copy Share Image
“I may not have had closure, but I have tasted wisdom. Anyone who has had their heart broken or even just bruised, has learned… — Sarah Jio Copy Share Image
“You're rare, you know," he says. I worry he's just trying to flatter me, so I shake my head. "Go on." "No, really," he says. "Not many women would dream a life on the seas the way you just described." "I don't see why not." He shakes his head. "No, so many women want the safe, comfortable life." I think… — Sarah Jio Copy Share
People are much like those stars up there. Some burn faintly for millions of years, barely visible to us on earth. They're there, but you'd hardly know it. They blend in, like a speck on a canvas. But others blaze with such intensity, they light up the sky. You can't help but notice them, marvel at them. Those are the… — Sarah Jio Copy Share
“The beauty of the island [Bora Bora} wasn't limited to its turquoise waters or green hills. That was mere surface beauty. The real awe of the place was evident in its stories. There was one waiting beyond every curve of the shore.” — Sarah Jio Copy Share
“He left. And I've realized that when someone wants to leave, you let him go.” — Sarah Jio Copy Share Image
“The truth of the matter is that we know the right thing to do. The hard part is doing it.” — Sarah Jio Copy Share Image
“It's just old black-and-whites,' she had said, flicking her wrist in the way one might dismiss a pile of junk mail. 'Relatives nobody remembers.' 'No,' I said, running to the box. 'Don't throw them out. I'll keep them.' I may not have known the names of the majority of the ancestors pictured inside, but it felt like a betrayal to… — Sarah Jio Copy Share
“I never intended on kissing Elliot. Married women don’t behave like that, at least not married women like me. It wasn’t proper. But the tide was high, and there was a cold breeze blowing, and Elliot’s arms were draped around my body like a warm shawl, caressing me in places where he shouldn’t have been, and I could scarcely think… — Sarah Jio Copy Share
The definition of a true friend is not someone who swoops in when you're going through a rough patch. True friendship is when someone… — Sarah Jio Copy Share Image
