Chuck Ayers can’t decide if he should make the trip to Hilton Head this winter without his wife, Cat. Cat died in the spring, and though he cannot bear another moment of being alone in their home, the thought of making the familiar journey without her—not stopping at their favorite lunch spot or listening to her beloved Broadway tunes on the way, not sitting on the beach or playing cards once there—is unimaginable.

Ella Burke delivers newspapers and works at a bridal shop to pass the time while she waits for news—any piece of information—about her missing daughter. She adjusts to life in a new apartment and answers every call on her phone, thinking her daughter will reach out one day.

Kirsten Bonato works at an animal rescue shelter and thinks daily about her father who was killed in a convenience store robbery. Once on track to become a veterinarian, Kirsten now feels lost and unmoored. But her complicated feelings for two of her colleagues are a distraction from her pain.

The lives of these three individuals intersect in unforeseen ways, as each character bravely presses onward, trying to recover something they have lost. Tender, emotionally powerful, and infused with hope, A Quiet Life explores how grief shapes our choices and shows that no matter how dark the most difficult moments in life can be, our humanity and capacity for forgiveness shine through.

Praise for A Quiet Life

"Heartwarming, character-driven charm. Empathetic without becoming saccharine, A Quiet Life highlights the power of closure and the importance of a connected, compassionate community.”

—Booklist

"A Quiet Life is filled with people I’d like to meet. Ethan Joella’s latest novel reminds us that life is made of journeys, not only destinations. Read this one slowly; you’ll want to savor the details."

—Charmaine Wilkerson, author of Black Cake

"A Quiet Life shines with the courage and heart of its characters. Through elegant prose, this powerful book reminds us that in grief and loss we stand united in the love, resilience, and connection that define our humanity. Readers will emerge from these intersecting stories transformed, hopeful, and inspired."

—Qian Julie Wang, author of Beautiful Country

“I adored A Quiet Life. Soft as silk, powerful as a punch, Ethan Joella doesn't shirk from the trauma of grief but delivers real hope in our capacity to survive. A beautifully written page-turner like this one is hard to find."

—Nikki May, author of Wahala

"A Quiet Life is about the transformative power of connection if we are willing to risk opening our hearts. Joella’s characters help each other shoulder the burden of grief and unearth the shards of beauty to be found in the wreckage of loss. There is magic at the intersection of these stories, a rare and addicting alchemy of ordinary moments and choices that add up to whole, brave, flawed, joyful lives. This novel insists on our essential strength, resilience, and empathy in an age of isolation."

—Katie Runde, author of The Shore