Ahn Love

What happens when memories of a long-ago summer reveal the secrets that have shaped an entire family? In Ahn Love, Frances Park presents an emotionally layered novel about love, loss, family relationships, and the passage of time. The story follows Margaret Ahn as she visits her widowed father, Sam, for his ninetieth birthday. His loneliness and memories of his late wife lead Margaret back to the summer of 1969, when the Ahn family embarked on a seven-day cruise across the Pacific. During that journey, Margaret, then a lovesick teenager nicknamed Monkey, experiences the excitement of first romance while witnessing the complicated relationships within her family. Her uncle Bong's betrayal, her mother's unexpected encounter with a Brazilian playboy, and her developing relationship with Adam Kang gradually reveal the tensions and emotional experiences that influence the family's future. Moving between past and present, the novel explores how personal memories can preserve both beautiful moments and painful truths. It considers the connections between parents and children, the consequences of family secrets, the complexities of romantic relationships, and the lasting impact of grief. Readers can expect a story combining family drama, romantic experiences, nostalgia, and Korean American cultural perspectives. Frances Park uses the family's history to examine how love can survive disappointment, separation, and the passing of decades. Ahn Love is suitable for readers who enjoy literary fiction, multigenerational family stories, Asian American literature, historical settings, and character-driven novels that explore identity, relationships, and emotional healing.