A Novel Love Story

As Elsy continues to think about her broken relationships and her want to escape, she remembers that there is an auto mechanic in town named Frank who may be able to get her car started again. However, when she gets to the auto shop, Frank is not there. Elsy is panicking about the situation when she is spotted by Junie Bray, the protagonist of Daffodil Daydreams. Elsy thinks about how Junie and her book were there for her at her lowest times and tries to act normal around her. Junie knows from the town gossip that Elsy must be the one who slapped Anders, but Elsy is even more surprised when Junie asks her if she is okay. Junie tells her that Frank won’t be back for a few days and offers Elsy a room in the bed and breakfast that she’s renovating.

Elsy and Junie talk about Eloraton and how the town’s famous grumpy possum—after which Ruby and Jake’s cafe is named—hasn’t been seen in months. Elsy sees how buildings and locations aside from the main businesses in the novels are blurred out, much like the menu at the cafe. Elsy tells Junie about her book club retreat and how she’s going alone, and at the bar, they learn from Gail that many people in town think that Elsy and Anders got into a fistfight.