The Takeaway

Ruby Hudson has avoided reading the words of her late husband, President Jack Hudson--until now...

For most of his life, Jack kept meticulous and well-written journals and diaries about his life. After his death, everything was boxed up and put into storage, but now, nearly two years after his passing, Ruby is ready to start unpacking her past and making sense of her husband's choices.

With the month of August to herself on Shipwreck Key, Ruby brings out the boxes of journals dating back to the 70s, and she tries to unravel the mystery of her marriage: where did it go wrong? What had she missed? How could Jack have loved both her and Etienne? But as she reads, her anger grows. Understanding how Jack could rationalize his love affair with Etienne Boucher while still being married to her is maddening for Ruby, and when she invites Dexter North to join her, Jack's words become not just a messy puzzle for Ruby to put together, but a stumbling block for Dexter as he tries to write about the late president truthfully. Is it possible to fall in love with a woman while reading her husband's diaries, or will the details of their intimate family life be too much for Dexter to handle?

Ruby wants nothing more from reading the diaries than to understand, forgive, and move on, but is that even possible? When the man you loved and trusted takes his own life and leaves behind nothing but words, can you ever really forgive him?