Marilyn Brant transports readers across the pond on a whimsical journey of self-awakening amidst the classic architecture and stunning vistas of Europe.

On her thirtieth birthday, Gwendolyn Reese receives an unexpected present from her widowed Aunt Bea: a grand tour of Europe in the company of Bea's eccentric Sudoku and Mah-jongg Club. To Gwen, the prospect of spending a month abroad with this unconventional elderly crew isn't entirely appealing. But when the gift she's been long expecting—an engagement ring from her boyfriend—doesn't materialize, she decides to go.

At first, Gwen approaches the trip as if it's the math homework she assigns her students, diligently checking monuments off her must-see list. But surrounded by the bougainvillea and breathtaking scenery of southern Italy, something changes. Gwen begins to live in the moment—skipping down stone staircases in Capri, running her fingers over a glacier in view of the Matterhorn, racing through the Louvre, and taste-testing pastries at a Marseilles café. Reveling in every new experience, especially her attraction to a charismatic British physics professor, Gwen discovers that the ancient wonders around her are nothing compared to the renaissance unfolding within...

A SUMMER IN EUROPE: It's not where you go. It's what you take back with you.