Perfectly Undone

Yes is such a little word...

Dr. Dylan Michels has worked hard for a perfect life, so when her longtime boyfriend, Cooper, gets down on one knee, it should be the most perfect moment of all. Then why does she say no?

For too many years, Dylan’s been living for her sister, who never got the chance to grow up. But her attempts to be the perfect daughter, perfect partner and perfect doctor haven’t been enough to silence the haunting guilt Dylan feels over her sister’s death—and the role no one knows she played in it.

Now Dylan must face her past if she and Cooper stand a chance at a future together. But when Cooper makes a startling confession of his own, can Dylan find the courage to define her own happiness, before her life becomes perfectly undone?

Set among the breezy days of a sultry Portland summer, Perfectly Undone is a deeply moving novel of family secrets, forgiveness and finding yourself in the most surprising of places.

JAMIE RAINTREE is a voracious student of life, which is why she became a writer, where she could put all that acquired information to good use. She is a mother of two, a wife, a businesswoman, a nature lover and a wannabe yogi. She also teaches writers about business and productivity. Since the setting is always an important part of her books, she is happy to call the Rocky Mountains of Northern Colorado her home and inspiration. Visit her at www.jamieraintree.com.

Perfectly Undone

Jamie Raintree

Copyright

An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

First published in Great Britain by HQ in 2018

Copyright © Jamie Raintree 2017

Jamie Raintree asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

Ebook Edition © January 2018 ISBN: 9781474083614

Version: 2018-01-05

Praise for Jamie Raintree’s Perfectly Undone

“From page one, Perfectly Undone is a lush and emotional journey through grief, guilt, forgiveness, and healing. Jamie Raintree portrays the struggle of a life coming undone with empathy and honesty, gently guiding us through the labyrinth of desire and love; a beautiful debut from a vivid voice in women’s fiction.”

—Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author

“A touching story of resilience, hope and, above all, forgiveness. It’s one woman’s journey back to the origin of her passions, the haunting events that shaped her dreams and the people who left the most indelible marks on her heart.”

—Marilyn Brant, New York Times bestselling author

“Many women have walked the line between career and love, family and self. Raintree handles the balance with grace and wisdom. Her writing is clear and crisp, the emotion raw and without melodrama. From family secrets to heartbreaking lost love, the characters felt like old friends by the end. Highly recommended.”

—Kate Moretti, New York Times bestselling author

“Smoothly written with palpable emotion, Jamie Raintree’s debut, Perfectly Undone, is a thought-provoking tale where one woman must come to terms with the secrets, expectations, and choices that will shape her life. Raintree is a fresh new voice not to be missed.”

—Laura Spinella, bestselling author of Ghost Gifts and Unstrung

“In her debut novel, Jamie Raintree renders a touching family drama that reminds us of the simultaneous fragility and strength of relationships. With a kind touch, Raintree taps into our deepest fears, yet in the end left me full of hope.”

—Amy Sue Nathan, author of The Glass Wives and The Good Neighbor

“One lush word at a time, Jamie Raintree draws us deep inside the protections of a broken heart, giving fresh perspective to the thin lines between caring and nurturing, ambition and distraction, the flash of desire and the permanence of love. These characters will live on within me. A must-read.”

—Kathryn Craft, author of The Art of Falling and The Far End of Happy

“Perfectly Undone is a wise and thoughtful novel about the ways the people who love us can hurt us, and the journey to forgiveness both for others and for ourselves.”

—Bethany Chase, bestselling author of Results May Vary and The One That Got Away

“At once a cautionary tale about the ways in which we try to hide from grief, and a love story about family and the healing power of forgiveness, Perfectly Undone is an emotionally complex tale of unresolved grief and the secrets we keep, both from those who love us and from ourselves.”