When I read Laura Dave’s The First Husband (Viking, May), I saw myself in Annie, the protagonist, and was reminded of the many times I looked in foreign lands for what could only be found by looking within myself. Reading this novel was like talking with a very wise person who is willing to share with you the struggles, disappointments, and wrong turns that brought them to their wisdom. Annie travels the world as a journalist, returning periodically to the home she shares with her boyfriend—who one day unexpectedly leaves her. In the midst of her grief and confusion, she meets a chef with a kind heart but considerable complexity in his own life. When the repentant ex-boyfriend returns, Annie must make difficult decisions about love and work. Dave presents an inspiring account of a woman who ceases her external travels to become her own compass. I have more insight into my own life after reading this book, and I thank Laura Dave for that gift.