Evvie Drake Starts Over: A Read with Jenna Pick: A Novel

A debut novel about two people finding unexpected connection in a small Maine coastal town. Evvie Drake, recently widowed after her husband's death in a car crash, has largely isolated herself in her large house nearly a year later. Dean Tenney, a former Major League pitcher and childhood friend of Evvie's best friend Andy, is struggling with the "yips"—an inability to throw straight that has derailed his career and drawn media attention. When Dean accepts an invitation to stay in Maine, he rents an apartment at the back of Evvie's house. The two establish a boundary: Dean won't ask about Evvie's late husband, and Evvie won't ask about Dean's baseball career. Their initial friendship gradually develops into something deeper as they begin to confront their pasts, including damaged friendships and kept secrets. The novel explores how both characters work toward moving forward with their lives.