The Heirloom

The Heirloom

AN INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER The answer to the biggest question of her life lies in someone else’s past. Shea Anderson’s beloved Nonna had endless rules for a happy, healthy life: avoid owls, never put a hat on a bed, and never, ever accept a marriage proposal that comes with an heirloom ring. Happily ever after is hard enough without bad karma in the mix. Naturally, panic sets in when Shea’s boyfriend, John, proposes with an heirloom ring. Yes is her answer, but Nonna’s warning sets Shea on a mission to ensure the ring contains forever energy: She will find its previous owners wherever they may be. With the help of her long-suffering big sister and a nosy journalist eager for a big story, Shea embarks on a journey that takes her from Los Angeles and New York to Italy and Portugal. Sophisticated, cinematic, and full of lively observations, The Heirloom is a diamond-sharp read for everyone who’s ever tried to make their own good luck. Featured on Zibby Owen’s Summer Reading List One of The Knot ’s Best BookTok Books to Read on Your Honeymoon   "Dazzling. . . With a colorful cast of characters and vivid imagery that'll take you on a mental vacation, you'll fall in love with Shea as she investigates the truth about her ring. . . . The Heirloom explores themes of family dynamics, friendship, and self-love, and it's the most appropriate book to bring with you on a European holiday." — The Knot "[M]arvelous. . . The Heirloom is an impressive debut with a gorgeous, heartfelt ending." — Shelf Awareness "An earnest exploration of the trauma that can follow the children of divorce into adulthood. . . that emphasizes female autonomy and independence." — Kirkus Reviews "Snappy and compelling." — Library Journal "Rosen's captivating debut features strong family ties, tons of superstition, and romance. Rebecca Serle fans will enjoy this novel." — Booklist "Heartfelt and beautifully told, The Heirloom is mystery wrapped in a love story that calls into question the very subjective meaning we attach to family stories. Five stars for sure." — Annabel Monaghan, author of Nora Goes Off Script and Same Time Next Summer "A sparkling globe-trotting adventure that is both heartfelt and hilarious. This novel is a must-read for anyone who has ever dared to shape their own destiny." — Jo Piazza, author of The Sicilian Inheritance "Jessie Rosen has created a charming and propulsive international trip, with wanderlust balanced by a grounded truth: there’s no place like the home we find in ourselves and with the people we love.” — Avery Carpenter Forrey, author of Social Engagement Jessie Rosen got her start with the award-winning blog 20-Nothings and has sold original television projects to ABC, CBS, Warner Bros., and Netflix. Her live storytelling show Sunday Night Sex Talks was featured on The Bachelorette . She lives in Los Angeles. One Up until the moment John proposed, I didn't know the human body was capable of feeling two opposite emotions in the exact same second. The tips of my fingers tingled with elation, and yet my legs felt like newly hardened cement. I was squarely inside pure joy and somehow watching it all unfold from above, so tense I felt dizzy. On one knee before me was the man I loved, asking a question I'd hoped was coming for months. He'd picked the perfect spot-the quietest corner of the High Line, my favorite five square feet in all of Manhattan. He'd somehow found a way to get us here from Los Angeles without me suspecting a thing. And the universe delivered him a pink-skied July where the city air was still somehow crisp. But more than all that, John was choosing me as the one person in the world he wanted to commit to for the rest of our lives. Tears clouded my eyes. Yes was what I should have been screaming as I leapt into his arms. But instead I was staring at the only bad part of the surprise, the one in his hands. "Shea . . . you haven't answered me," John said, words absolutely no man wants to say after Will you marry me? He held the ring box up to my still-frozen face. Inside its silk-lined top were the three words that had triggered my panic: Hudson Vintage Collectors. They sat above what should have been the more important item inside: a gleaming emerald-cut engagement ring. But it was not shiny with brand-newness, according to the vintage in the jewelry store's name. It was an heirloom passed down from another woman-from another marriage. A stranger's marriage, because I knew there wasn't any jewelry being passed down from John's family. That made this a deeply meaningful piece of jewelry with a completely unknown origin. An object filled with a lifetime of karma that I was now expected to wear into my own hopefully happily-ever-after. And most important, my personal proposal nightmare. Two This was not supposed to be happening this way. In fact, I'd done my part to prevent it since the day John and I met. "There are four, and only four,