Set against the picturesque backdrop of Florences Anglo-American colony in the late 19th century, this enchanting romantic tale follows a middle-aged man as he returns to the site of his first unrequited love, two decades later. While the lives of Americans abroad were often depicted in the works of Henry James and Edith Wharton, Howells offers a unique perspective. As John Updike aptly noted, “the felicity of the writing makes us pause in admiration…. A midlife crisis has rarely been captured in fiction with such humor, gentle comedy, and a gracious acceptance of lifes irrevocability.” (Nicholas Clifford)