With the publication of his second novel, Reservation Road, John Burnham Schwartz established himself as a superb storyteller as well as a writer of extraordinary grace and stunning perception. The novel was hailed by Rosellen Brown as a "shattering book, imagined with startling emotional precision and generosity." And the New York Times Book Review called it "a triumph of form, pacing and power." Now, with Claire Marvel, Schwartz brings readers into a world so real and beautifully drawn that one does not want the story to end.

A chance meeting in a rainstorm becomes a defining moment of transforming emotion for graduate students Claire Marvel and Julian Rose, two people whose hearts have long been protected behind walls of wit, intelligence, and innate caution. Neither could imagine what lies in store for them: the unexpected unfolding over a dozen years of a great and difficult love.

Moving between Cambridge, Massachusetts, New York City, and the hushed, timeless countryside of France, John Burnham Schwartz explores the many aspects of emotional commitment and the fear of giving oneself to another -- in father-son relationships, in marriage, and in the ecstasy and elation of an elusive but compelling passion. Here is a novel that plumbs with wisdom and compassion the hidden regrets, enduring hopes, and guiding mysteries of a bond stronger than reason. Masterfully written, Claire Marvel is a love story for our time, and a brilliant achievement.