When We Were Bright and Beautiful

More about the book

The acclaimed author of This Could Hurt returns with her boldest novel yet, an electrifying family drama set on Manhattan's Upper East Side that delves into the dark side of love, loyalty, and the cost of truth. Cassie Quinn, at just twenty-three, understands that while money can't buy happiness, it certainly helps. Family is everything, and she firmly believes her younger brother Billy is innocent of the charges against him. When Billy, a Princeton junior, is arrested for assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Cassie rushes home to join her brother Nate and their parents, Lawrence and Eleanor. The Quinns scramble to secure top legal representation, but Billy fits the troubling profile of a privileged young man that often sways public opinion and juries. As Cassie grapples with the motivations behind Diana's accusations, she reflects on her own painful experiences with love, having recently emerged from a destructive affair with a powerful man. With reporters camped outside their home, the Quinns brace for a media frenzy surrounding the trial, and Cassie resolves to do whatever it takes to protect Billy—even if it means confronting her own darkest secrets.