The Mermaid Chair, by Sue Monk Kidd

As Jaime rushes to untangle the confusing behavior of her mother, she's confronted with a setting that stirs a lot of unhealed pain concerning her father's death. An unplanned encounter with a monastery monk has her second-guessing the life she's left behind, and she's tempted to surrender to this new awakening. The safety of over twenty years of marriage become less and less appealing, and lines begin to blur along the intoxicating shoreline. A mermaid chair stirs more questions for Jaime than answers. She searches for reasons, and ends up finding her own heart. 

Sue Monk Kidd creates a delightful playground for a woman who might be dangling on the edge of an empty nest. With vivid detail and sentimentality, Kidd weaves a story of sweetness mixed with tragedy that brings the truest part of love to the surface. Back story is revealed in delicious layers and the whole story comes together in a rushing wave of crescendo.

I would highly recommend this novel for its interesting setting, unmatched prose and deep characterization. The ending left me with a deeper appreciation of middle age, and its potential for growth and new beginnings.