Set in West Berlin in 2001, Winger’s debut novel chronicles a turning point in the lives of two suffering souls. Hope is an American who followed her economist husband to Berlin after a tragedy at home. Walter is a German actor, famous in his youth, who now spends his days dubbing Tom Cruise’s lines in box-office hits.

After glimpsing each other around the building in which they both live, Hope and Walter officially meet when Hope, homesick and lonely, knocks on Walter’s door. As their friendship unfolds, so do their stories: Hope’s unhappiness in her marriage, her failed pregnancy, her struggles to fit in as an American in Berlin; Walter’s recent breakup with a young and successful actress, his fear of ageing, his troubled connection to his parents and his past.

Winger’s novel bravely takes on themes of remorse, regret, and responsibility, both social and personal, as the story unfolds on dreary winter streets burdened with the weight of history. Winger’s compassion for her characters makes her a writer worth watching. --Heather Dewar