Chapter Seven: Mallory – Summary and Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Mallory accompanies her sister Paige and Paige’s children (Sam, Ollie, Ida, Maisie) to a playdate on Winthrop Island, hosted by Lola Peabody, a Yale friend of Paige. During the golf-cart tour, Mallory reveals she spent a summer nannying for the Adams family. Lola mentions that Monk Adams—now a famous musician—is engaged to Lennox Lassiter and that his family’s estate is nearby. The group later drinks at the Mohegan Inn, where the bartender Mike recalls Mallory and Monk’s past closeness and reveals Monk will play a surprise set the next day. Mallory feels sick upon hearing the term “missus-to-be.” She encounters Sedge Peabody in the kitchen, then takes a solitary walk to the bluff and down to the beach. There she sees a man rise from the surf: Monk Adams, who recognizes her and says, “Holy shit, Pinks?”

Key Events

Mallory, Paige, and the kids arrive at Little Bay marina and meet Lola Peabody.
Lola drives them to her family’s estate, Summerly, passing landmarks that trigger Mallory’s memories of summer 2008.
Mallory explains she nannied for the Adams family; Lola knows the Hell Twins (Chippy and Blue).
Lola reveals Monk Adams is getting married to Lennox Lassiter and that Monk’s family place is two houses down.
At the Mohegan Inn, Mallory, Paige, and Lola drink cosmos; Mallory deflects questions about her history with Monk.
Bartender Mike recognizes Mallory and mentions she and Monk were “a real cute couple.”
Mike discloses that Monk is sailing in tomorrow to play a surprise set for his fiancée.
Mallory reacts viscerally to the phrase “missus-to-be,” comparing Lennox’s polished appearance to her own rough-draft self.
Mallory meets Sedge Peabody (Lola’s brother-in-law) in the kitchen; they share a brief, warm exchange.
Lola and Paige encourage Mallory to take a walk; she follows a remembered path to the bluff above Seagrapes.
Mallory descends to the beach and encounters Monk emerging from the water, shocked to see her.

Character Development

Mallory Dunne: The chapter reveals Mallory’s emotional vulnerability when confronted with her past with Monk. Her physical reaction—nausea, dizziness—shows deep unresolved feelings. She avoids discussing the relationship and struggles with Lennox’s perfection. Her memory of Mr. Adams’s death (learned via tabloid) indicates lingering grief and connection to Monk’s family.
Lola Peabody: Curious, gossipy, and observant. She picks up on Mallory’s discomfort and presses for details, but also respects boundaries when Paige intervenes. Her description of Monk as “pure” and not a “hooker-upper” shapes reader perception.
Paige: Supportive and protective of Mallory, she deflects Lola’s questions and encourages Mallory to take a solitary walk. Paige’s drinking and carefree attitude contrast with Mallory’s tension.
Monk Adams (mentioned/revealed): Presented through memory and others’ comments as a faithful partner, a talented musician, and someone who once shared a deep connection with Mallory. His immediate recognition of her (“Pinks?”) suggests the bond endures.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Memory and Place: Winthrop Island functions as a landscape of memory. Specific locations—the Mohegan Inn, the stone wall, the bluff—trigger vivid recollections of Mallory’s summer with Monk. The unchanging physical environment underscores how the past remains present.
Class and Belonging: Lola’s tour of the island, the Peabody estate (“Summerly”), and the casual dropping of surnames highlight the insular, old-money world Mallory briefly inhabited. Mallory’s recollection of being a nanny reinforces her outsider status then and now.
The Bracelet: Mallory’s mother’s bracelet—a cobra with twinkling eyes—appears twice. It connects her to Ireland, to maternal heritage, and to a sense of identity separate from her relationship with Monk.
The “Missus-to-be”: Lennox Lassiter symbolizes the polished, unattainable version of Mallory that she fears she can never become. Mallory’s thought that she is a “rough draft” underscores themes of insecurity and comparison.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter bridges Mallory’s present-day life with the formative summer of 2008. It establishes the emotional stakes of Monk’s impending wedding and Mallory’s unresolved feelings. The cliffhanger ending—Monk’s surprise appearance—sets up the central reunion that likely drives the rest of the narrative. It also deepens the theme of memory vs. reality: Mallory’s idyllic recollections clash with the painful present of Monk being engaged to someone else.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Mallory have a strong physical reaction to the news that Monk is getting married? Her nausea and dizziness indicate unresolved emotional attachment. She has avoided thinking about Monk for years, and the confirmation of his engagement (especially to Lennox, who resembles an enhanced version of herself) forces her to confront painful feelings of loss, inadequacy, and regret.

2. What does the bracelet Mallory wears symbolize, and why does it appear during her walk? The bracelet was given to her mother by her Irish grandmother, then passed to Mallory. It represents maternal lineage, heritage, and a sense of identity unconnected to Monk. As she walks alone, touching the bracelet grounds her and connects her to a broader family history, contrasting with the intense personal memories of Monk.

3. How does Lola Peabody’s description of Monk (“kind of pure”) affect Mallory’s perception of him? Lola’s characterization reinforces Mallory’s memory of Monk as sincere and not a casual hook-up. It complicates Mallory’s feelings because it suggests their past relationship was meaningful and unique, making his impending marriage to another woman even more painful. It also supports the chapter’s implication that Monk, too, may still carry feelings for Mallory.