Chapter 1 Summary: Meet Sadie Montgomery
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Return to the book hub if you need to step back first.
Continue to Chapter Two when you're ready to move forward.
Back to the book hub for the full table of contents.
Previous chapter (this is the first chapter, so no previous chapter exists).
Summary
The chapter opens with Sadie, a portrait artist, learning that she has been named a finalist in the North American Portrait Society's annual contest—a major career opportunity with a $10,000 grand prize. Her first instinct is to call her father, even though their relationship has been strained for eight years. Sadie's father, a doctor, had strongly opposed her decision to drop out of premed and switch to Fine Arts. He warned her she'd end up in a pauper's grave and told her she was on her own if she chose that path. Since then, Sadie has carefully hidden her struggles from him, pretending to be “thriving” whenever they talk. She calls him now, hoping to share genuine good news, but the call goes to voicemail.
She then calls her best friend Sue, who is ecstatic. Sue immediately insists on throwing an impromptu rooftop party that very night to celebrate. Sadie protests, but Sue is determined. Sue invites their art-major friends (excluding Sadie's ex-boyfriend Ezra), her own boyfriend Witt, and other acquaintances. Sadie's only job is to buy wine.
Sadie heads to a small grocery store in her late mother's pink party dress—a dress she reserves for very special occasions. While in the store, her father calls back, but he's about to board a flight to Singapore and is distracted. He dismisses her news, saying it can wait until he returns in ten days. The call ends abruptly without a goodbye, leaving Sadie feeling hurt and resigned.
As she moves through the store, a Smokey Robinson song that was her mother's favorite comes on. Sadie, alone in the aisle, begins to sing and dance, letting herself feel a moment of joy. In that moment, she remembers that her mother—also a portrait artist—had placed in this same contest the year Sadie turned fourteen. Her mother had been painting a portrait of Sadie when she died, and the portrait was never finished. Sadie wonders what happened to it, suspecting her stepmother Lucinda threw it away. The memory brings both happiness and sadness.
At the register, Sadie realizes she forgot her purse. A handsome stranger offers to pay for her items, but she refuses, insisting she can run home to get her purse. The stranger is persistent, and they have a playful, tense exchange. He compliments her dress and her singing, calling her “a joy.” Sadie remains guarded, rejecting his help. She leaves the store, planning to return with her purse.
While waiting at the crosswalk, she sees the stranger exit the store carrying a paper bag that clearly contains her wine and dog treats. He smiles unapologetically. They banter, and he eventually hands her the bag, which also contains a bouquet of white gerbera daisies—flowers he says are for her. Sadie is touched but also wary. As she steps into the crosswalk, she suddenly freezes. The chapter ends with her losing consciousness: “I don't remember anything after that.”
Key Events
-
Sadie learns she is a finalist in the North American Portrait Society contest.
-
She calls her father, but the call goes to voicemail; she then calls Sue, who plans a last-minute rooftop party.
-
Sadie goes to the grocery store in her mother's pink dress, where she sings and dances to a Smokey Robinson song.
-
She recalls that her mother had also placed in this same contest years ago, and that her mother died while painting a portrait of Sadie.
-
Sadie forgets her purse at home and refuses a stranger's offer to pay.
-
The stranger buys her items anyway and gives her a bouquet of white gerbera daisies.
-
As Sadie crosses the street, she freezes and loses consciousness.
Character Development
-
Sadie is introduced as a resilient but financially struggling artist who has spent eight years trying to prove her father wrong. She is fiercely independent, refusing help even when she needs it. Her internal conflict is evident: she longs for her father's approval but also resents his rejection. Her mother's memory is a source of both comfort and grief, and wearing her mother's dress connects her to that legacy. The chapter shows her vulnerability—she allows herself a moment of joy in the store, but also feels the weight of her losses. Her decision to call her father first, despite their history, reveals a deep, unacknowledged hope for parental pride.
-
Sue is portrayed as an energetic, optimistic extrovert who balances Sadie's introversion. She is fiercely supportive, celebrating Sadie's achievement without hesitation. Her insistence on the party shows her belief in Sadie's worth, even when Sadie doubts herself.
-
Sadie's father is depicted as dismissive and emotionally distant. He prioritizes his own schedule over his daughter's news, and his abrupt ending of the call reinforces the emotional neglect Sadie has experienced.
-
The Grocery Store Guy (unnamed) is charming and persistent, but also respectful of Sadie's boundaries in his own way. He notices her joy and compliments her genuinely. His act of buying her items and giving her flowers is both kind and slightly intrusive, which creates tension with Sadie's self-reliance.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
-
Parental approval and rejection: Sadie's call to her father and his dismissive response highlight the theme of seeking validation from a parent who withholds it. Her father's earlier warning about a “pauper's grave” echoes throughout her struggles.
-
Artistic ambition and financial hardship: Sadie's career as a portrait artist is both her passion and her source of financial instability. The contest represents a potential breakthrough, but her immediate need to buy cheap wine underscores her precarious situation.
-
Mother's legacy: The pink dress, the Smokey Robinson song, and the memory of her mother's own contest placement all tie Sadie to her mother's artistic path. The unfinished portrait symbolizes interrupted dreams and the lingering presence of her mother's influence.
-
Self-reliance and vulnerability: Sadie's refusal of help is a defining trait, but the chapter also shows her letting her guard down—singing in the store, accepting the flowers, and ultimately being struck by an unknown event. The freeze in the crosswalk suggests a sudden loss of control, contrasting with her usual self-sufficiency.
-
Chance encounter and fate: The stranger's appearance feels serendipitous, and the daisies he gives her become a symbol of unexpected kindness. The chapter's ending hints that this encounter may have larger consequences, as Sadie's memory loss suggests a pivotal moment.
-
Memory and grief: Sadie's recollection of her mother is triggered by sensory details—the song, the dress, the flowers. Her grief is still raw, and the unfinished portrait represents unresolved loss.
Why This Chapter Matters
This opening chapter establishes the central conflicts and emotional stakes of the novel. It introduces Sadie's strained relationship with her father, her artistic ambitions, and her deep connection to her late mother. The chapter also sets up the mysterious event that will likely drive the plot: Sadie's sudden freeze in the crosswalk and subsequent memory loss. The Grocery Store Guy's appearance and the gift of daisies create a romantic thread that may become significant. The chapter effectively balances humor, heartache, and suspense, drawing readers into Sadie's world and making them care about her journey.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Sadie call her father first after learning about the contest, despite their strained relationship?
Sadie calls her father because, despite years of distance and disappointment, she still carries an “inextinguishable longing” for her parents to be proud of her. The thrill of the moment overrides her usual caution, and she hopes, perhaps subconsciously, that this achievement might finally earn his approval. The fact that the call goes to voicemail allows her to avoid immediate rejection, but when he calls back, his dismissiveness reinforces the emotional gap between them.
2. What role does Sadie's mother play in this chapter, and how does her memory influence Sadie's actions?
Sadie's mother is a powerful presence even though she is deceased. Sadie wears her mother's pink dress, sings a song that was her mother's favorite, and recalls that her mother had also placed in the same contest. This connection makes Sadie feel both proud and sad, as her mother never got to finish her portrait or attend the show. The memory of her mother's unfinished work and the suspicion that her stepmother threw it away deepen Sadie's grief and motivate her to honor her mother's legacy through her own art.
3. How does the chapter use the grocery store encounter to reveal Sadie's character?
The encounter with the Grocery Store Guy highlights Sadie's fierce independence and her discomfort with receiving help. She rejects his offer multiple times, insisting she can handle things herself. This behavior stems from years of having to rely on herself after her father cut her off. However, the stranger's persistence and his genuine compliment about her singing and dress momentarily soften her. The scene also shows Sadie's observational skills as a portrait artist, as she mentally analyzes his facial features. The encounter ends with her accepting the flowers, suggesting a small crack in her self-imposed isolation. The sudden freeze in the crosswalk, however, indicates that this moment of openness may have unforeseen consequences.
Previous chapter (this is the first chapter)