Sarah and Warren were young lovers who split when Sarah objected to Warren's adventurous plans for their future. Decades later, a chance encounter at the opera brings them together. Sarah is long divorced, Warren is married to a woman he tolerates, but does not love. They quickly fall in love again, and begin to plan a future together.

Superficially, this novel purports to be about the relationship between Sarah and Warren, but in reality it brilliantly illuminates the fierce, tangled, complicated relationships between people in late middle age and their adult children. It is on those relationships that the novel turns.

Leaving is most impressive in uncannily illuminating a complete personality in just a few short scenes. Warren's daughter Katrina and Sarah's daughter Meg are fully realized characters despite their relatively brief appearances in the book.

Sarah’s very young grandchildren are beautifully rendered in their individuality. Not just generic toddlers and pre-schoolers, but little people we get to know and care about. In fact, even Sarah's beloved dog, Bella, isn't just a generic dog, but a fully realized individual with an endearing and tender love for Sarah.

This would be a great selection for a book club, a deep dive into questions of what we owe ourselves, our beloved family members, and the relationships we have created and cherish.