Walt Farnham has never been one to finish things, not even a divorce. The closest he’s come to a steady anything is as caretaker for Hardwick, the grand old family home of the once wealthy and always proper Miss June Bonwell Creighton.
Bonded by a routine of affectionate banter and soft chiding, neither character is prepared to acknowledge their reluctance to fully embrace the present — the underachieving Walt through systematically refusing to complete anything, and Miss June by residing in memories of lost love and lost life.
Poignant, funny, and at times madcap, The Heart of June examines how we express our love — in all of the messy, misguided, and redemptive ways that we can.
Praise
“Walt Farnham, the handyman hero of The Heart of June, is a good man whose life is in serious need of repair but knows it’s sometimes better to enjoy what we have than mourn what’s lost. Mason Radkoff’s debut is sweet and funny and wise, besides being a deeply-felt love-letter to Pittsburgh, past and present.” Stewart O’Nan, author of Snow Angels and Emily, Alone
“Mason Radkoff’s moving debut novel, The Heart of June, is a literary masterpiece. Radkoff renders his flawed yet bighearted characters with such warmth, compassion and charm that I’m still thinking about them, long after turning the last page.” Amy Greene, author of Bloodroot
“The Heart of June carefully illuminates the lives we craft for ourselves and the implications of things left unfinished, plans cut short. With gorgeously crafted prose and the rich history of Pittsburgh as its backdrop, Mason Radkoff weaves a generous tale that had me spellbound from the start.” Eugene Cross, author of Fires of Our Choosing
Buy the book
