Strangers : a novel
(Book)

Wishing to avoid the complications of turning down his cousin's widow's Christmas invitation, reclusive retiree Paul Sturgis sets off from the quietude of his London flat for a holiday in Venice. There he meets Mrs. Vicky Gardner, an intriguing and lovely woman in the midst of a divorce and at a crossroads in her life. Although he is avoiding new acquaintances, who might shake up his rather monotonous existence, Paul is surprised to find himself warming to the woman. Then, upon his return to England, his former girlfriend Sarah reintroduces herself into Paul's life. The two women spark a transformation within him. Paul's steady and preferred isolation now conflicts with the stark realization of his aloneness and his need for companionship.