Content Warning: The section of the guide includes discussions of infertility, pregnancy loss, and suicide.

A third-person limited narrator introduces the novel’s leading protagonist, Phoebe Stone, as she arrives at the fictional Cornwall Inn in Newport, Rhode Island. Traveling from her home in St. Louis, Phoebe’s decision to take this vacation is impulsive and long overdue. Phoebe’s husband initiated a divorce one year prior, an event from which she has not yet recovered emotionally. The divorce occurred after several unsuccessful attempts to conceive a pregnancy via in vitro fertilization (IVF). The COVID-19 pandemic, which began simultaneously with the end of Phoebe’s marriage, paused Phoebe’s life amidst grief and confusion. Unable to face her daily responsibilities as a Victorian literature professor, Phoebe spontaneously purchases an airline ticket and room at Cornwall; she leaves for her vacation without her typical pre-trip preparations or even packing a suitcase.

Phoebe’s elegant emerald green dress contrasts sharply with the casual attire of the other hotel-goers, who (Phoebe soon learns) are wedding guests for the week-long nuptials of Lila Rossi-Winthrop and Gary. Phoebe waits in line behind two bridesmaids who lament their difficult flights and reminisce about the bride in high school, both commenting on her flawless beauty.