End of August

Praise for End of August:“A strong debut … with compelling prose and complex characters that readers will wish the best for despite their flaws. Perfect for fans of Anne Brashares’ The Last Summer (of You and Me) or Jessica Anya Blau’s Mary Jane.”—Booklist, starred review“A tenderly drawn, redemptive family saga centered on what divides and unites three generations of strong, independent Midwestern women.”—Shelf Awareness“A bittersweet coming-of-age story that heats to bursting like a sweltering summer day, hauntingly familiar for anyone from a small town. Tender, moody, and exquisitely told, End of August reads like the novel version of a favorite song.”—Susan Donovan Bernhard, author of Winter Loon“Filled with complex characters, a lovingly rendered coming-of-age story, and a tight-knit community that pulls you into its familiar customs and lore, End of August is a remarkable depiction of young love, flawed mother-daughter relationships, and the fight for a place to call home in a small town where summer days feel like a lifetime, and it’s never too late to chase the joys of adolescence. This is a beautiful debut novel with an unforgettable protagonist who I wanted a happy ending for, just as much as she wanted it for herself.” —Kai Harris, author of What the Fireflies Knew“This debut novel deftly pulls you into the world of Aurora Taylor, a teenage girl whose dysfunctional family often places her at the precipice of danger with nothing but her own instincts to keep her safe. And yet, although they don’t always make the best choices, Aurora’s mother and grandmother clearly love her as best they can, messy and imperfect as love sometimes is. And as each family member faces their demons – sometimes winning those battles and sometimes not – this family shows us that sometimes we don’t get a fairytale ending, but there is always hope in a new beginning.” —Bobi Conn, author of Someplace Like Home

Paige Dinneny was born and raised in Southern California. She earned her MFA in creative writing from Cal State Long Beach where she began drafting her debut novel. She now lives in Spring Hill, Tennessee, working as a store manager by day, writer by night. Her stories often explore the complexities of family dynamics-specifically, the relationships between mothers and daughters. When she’s not working or writing, she’s drinking way too much coffee and spending time with her two cats, Ernest and Marilynne.