Merilee “Tallie” Talbot Dunlap

Merilee “Tallie” Talbot Dunlap is the main character and one of the characters of focus in the novel. She is the mother of Lily and Colin, and the ex-wife of Michael Dunlap. After her divorce, she rents a cottage from Sugar Prescott. Even though Sugar had not intended to befriend Merilee, she realizes how much the younger woman is like her.

One of the ways in which Merilee and Sugar are most alike is because they both have experienced a tragedy they have done their best to keep secret. Merilee’s secret tragedy is the drowning death of her first husband, John Cottswold, on their honeymoon. John and Merilee had been high school sweethearts. His death had devastated her. It had been even worse because Merilee had been accused of killing John and was even arrested for his murder. Even though she was cleared of...