Hospital Room Confessions

In the sterile quiet of a hospital room in 1997, seventeen-year-old Tess Murphy faces the aftermath of a devastating summer. Her mother tries to comfort her, but Tess is inconsolable, mourning a love that changed her life and a loss that left her feeling irreparably broken. The pain is raw, her sense of self fractured, and she clings to memories of a boy who became everything in just a few months. Tess's grief is compounded by guilt and the knowledge that some secrets, no matter how deeply buried, shape the course of a life. This moment of vulnerability sets the tone for a story about the enduring scars of first love, the weight of regret, and the struggle to move forward when the past refuses to let go.

Rivals on the Front Page

In 2021, Tess is now a rising political star, running for governor of Virginia. Her life is meticulously managed, her marriage to Dean steady but strained by ambition and public scrutiny. The campaign heats up when her opponent is revealed: Grant Alexander, the man who once shattered her heart. Their faces appear side by side in the newspaper, igniting a storm of memories and unresolved feelings. Tess must navigate the treacherous waters of public life while concealing the truth of their shared past. The tension between her public persona and private pain grows, as she wonders if she can truly outrun the choices of her youth—or if the past will catch up with her on the biggest stage of her life.

Arrival at the Estate

Flashing back to the summer of 1996, Tess and her mother arrive at the grand estate where her mother has been hired as house manager. The opulence is overwhelming, a stark contrast to their modest life. Tess feels out of place among the manicured gardens and imposing architecture, but she's determined to help her mother succeed. She meets Kay Alexander, the charismatic neighbor, and is offered a job in Kay's gardens. The estate becomes a crucible for Tess's coming-of-age, exposing her to new possibilities, social hierarchies, and the intoxicating allure of a world she's never known. The stage is set for a summer that will test her boundaries, her loyalties, and her heart.

Summer of Firsts

Tess's days are filled with hard work in Kay's gardens and awkward encounters with Grant, Kay's son. Their initial interactions are laced with nervous humor and mutual curiosity. As they spend more time together, a tentative friendship blossoms into a heady, all-consuming first love. Tess experiences the thrill of being truly seen and valued, while Grant finds solace from his fractured family in Tess's authenticity. The estate's social events, the camaraderie of the staff, and the freedom of summer nights create a backdrop for Tess's transformation. She learns to negotiate her place in a world that both welcomes and excludes her, and she begins to dream of a future beyond the limitations of her upbringing.

Bonfire and Broken Rules

The estate's staff hosts a raucous bonfire, drawing Tess and Grant into a night of teenage recklessness. Amid the chaos—alcohol, music, and the thrill of breaking rules—Tess and Grant's connection deepens. When the police arrive, the party erupts into panic. Grant grabs Tess's hand and they run, escaping arrest but not the consequences. Their shared adrenaline and relief culminate in their first kiss, a moment electric with possibility. Yet, the aftermath is sobering: some kids are arrested, and the incident exposes the stark differences in privilege and consequence. Tess is forced to confront the fragility of her future and the reality that one mistake can change everything.

Secrets in the Garden

As summer progresses, Tess and Grant's relationship intensifies, but so do the pressures around them. Kay's marriage unravels under the weight of Richard Alexander's abuse and infidelity, casting a shadow over the estate. Tess witnesses the pain and powerlessness of women trapped by circumstance, and she fears repeating her mother's mistakes. Grant confides in Tess about his father's cruelty and his mother's decline, deepening their bond but also burdening them with secrets too heavy for their age. The garden, once a place of beauty and growth, becomes a sanctuary for confessions and a witness to the cracks forming beneath the surface of their idyllic summer.

Debate Night Tensions

In the present, Tess and Grant face off in a televised debate. The tension is palpable, not just from political rivalry but from the unresolved history between them. Their exchanges are sharp, layered with personal subtext that only they understand. When the topic of juvenile justice arises, Tess challenges Grant's privilege and the ease with which he's escaped consequences. The debate becomes a battleground for their past, exposing the deep divides in their values and the pain of choices made long ago. The public sees only political sparring, but for Tess and Grant, it's a reckoning with the ghosts that haunt them both.

Past and Present Collide

An anonymous photograph of Tess and Grant as teenagers surfaces, threatening to expose their hidden past. Both campaigns are thrown into crisis mode as Tess and Grant scramble to contain the fallout. Old wounds are reopened as they meet in secret, forced to confront the truth of what happened that summer. The photograph becomes a symbol of the secrets they've kept from their spouses, their teams, and themselves. As the pressure mounts, Tess is forced to choose between honesty and self-preservation, while Grant grapples with the legacy of his family's power and the cost of silence.

The Price of Choices

The narrative returns to the pivotal moment when Tess discovers she's pregnant. Grant wants to keep the baby, imagining a future together, but Tess is terrified of repeating her mother's struggles. Richard Alexander intervenes, offering Tess money to have an abortion and disappear from Grant's life. The offer is both a lifeline and a curse, forcing Tess to weigh her dreams against her dignity. She takes the money, believing it's her only way out, and tells Grant she's ending the pregnancy. The betrayal is shattering, and their love story ends in heartbreak and anger, each believing the other has chosen self-interest over love.

Shattered Trust

Tess's decision reverberates through both their lives. Grant, devastated by what he sees as Tess's betrayal, cuts off contact and spirals into guilt and loneliness after his mother's death. Tess, left to navigate pregnancy alone, ultimately chooses adoption but loses the baby to a medical emergency. The trauma leaves her unable to have children, a secret she carries into adulthood and her marriage with Dean. Both Tess and Grant are marked by the pain of what might have been, their futures shaped by a summer of impossible choices and the enduring consequences of secrets kept.

The Photograph Resurfaces

In the present, the resurfaced photograph forces Tess and Grant to confront their spouses with the truth. Dean, hurt by Tess's secrecy, demands answers she struggles to give. Cecilia, Grant's wife, is devastated by the revelation of his past with Tess and the emotional hold she still has over him. Both marriages fracture under the weight of old wounds and unspoken regrets. Tess and Grant, drawn together by shared pain, finally have the conversation they avoided for decades, laying bare the full story of their love, loss, and the choices that defined them.

Unraveling the Lie

Tess and Grant return to the estate, searching for closure. They discover evidence of Richard's affair and Kay's suffering, reframing the narrative of their own pain. Tess confesses the truth about the pregnancy, the adoption, and the loss of the baby. Grant is devastated but finally understands the depth of Tess's struggle and the impossibility of the choices she faced. Both are forced to reckon with the ways they hurt each other and themselves, and to consider whether forgiveness—and a future together—is possible after so much pain.

The Truth About Love

As the election approaches, Tess's past is leaked to the press, threatening to destroy her campaign. Grant takes responsibility, making a public apology that costs him the race but preserves a measure of integrity. Tess wins the election but at great personal cost: her marriage to Dean ends, and she is left to face the future alone. In the aftermath, Tess and Grant exchange letters, finally able to speak honestly about their past and the love that shaped them. They acknowledge that while their story is one of heartbreak, it is also one of survival, growth, and the enduring hope for something better.

Election Day Reckoning

On election night, Tess stands alone as she is declared the first female governor of Virginia. The triumph is bittersweet, shadowed by the losses she's endured and the relationships she's sacrificed. She delivers a speech that is both an apology and a promise, vowing to lead with humility and to learn from her mistakes. The celebration is muted by the knowledge that the cost of ambition can be steep, and that true fulfillment comes not from victory, but from the courage to face the truth and to keep moving forward.

Inauguration and New Beginnings

Months later, Tess settles into her role as governor, reflecting on the journey that brought her here. She is alone, but not defeated. Letters from Grant offer a tentative hope for reconciliation, and a bouquet of goldenrod—a symbol of resilience and new beginnings—arrives on her desk. Tess embraces the uncertainty of the future, determined to lead with honesty and compassion. The story ends not with a fairy-tale reunion, but with the promise that healing is possible, and that the past, while never forgotten, need not define the rest of her life.

Characters

Tess Murphy

Tess is the heart of the story—a woman shaped by poverty, her mother's sacrifices, and the wounds of first love. As a teenager, she is smart, outspoken, and yearning for a life beyond her circumstances. Her summer at the estate exposes her to privilege and possibility, but also to the pain of exclusion and the dangers of vulnerability. Tess's relationship with Grant is transformative but ultimately devastating, leaving her with scars that shape her adulthood. As an adult, Tess channels her ambition into politics, determined to create change but always wary of the cost. Her marriage to Dean is loving but strained by secrets and the shadow of her past. Tess's journey is one of self-discovery, as she learns to forgive herself, accept her imperfections, and find strength in honesty. Her resilience is both her armor and her burden, and her story is a testament to the power of survival and the hope for redemption.

Grant Alexander

Grant is Tess's first love and greatest heartbreak. Raised in wealth but emotionally neglected, he is drawn to Tess's authenticity and strength. His relationship with his parents—an abusive, controlling father and a fragile, suffering mother—leaves him desperate for love and acceptance. Grant's summer with Tess offers a glimpse of happiness, but his inability to break free from his father's influence and his own fear of vulnerability lead to betrayal and loss. As an adult, Grant is successful but unfulfilled, his marriage to Cecilia strained by emotional distance and unresolved pain. Running against Tess in the governor's race forces him to confront the choices that defined his life. Grant's arc is one of reckoning—with his family, his past, and his own capacity for love and forgiveness. He is both victim and perpetrator, and his journey is a search for meaning, connection, and the courage to change.

Dean

Dean is Tess's husband—a history teacher, a man of principle, and a source of stability in Tess's tumultuous life. He loves Tess deeply, supporting her ambitions and weathering the storms of public life. However, Dean is wounded by Tess's secrecy and her inability to fully trust him with her past. His desire for a family and his frustration with Tess's evasions create a rift that widens as the truth comes to light. Dean's pain is palpable, and his decision to end the marriage is both a consequence of Tess's choices and a reflection of his own need for honesty and respect. Dean represents the cost of secrets and the importance of trust in love.

Kay Alexander

Kay is Grant's mother and Tess's employer—a woman of privilege whose life is marred by an abusive marriage and unfulfilled dreams. She becomes a mentor to Tess, offering wisdom, encouragement, and a glimpse of a different kind of life. Kay's gardens are a sanctuary, a place of beauty and solace amid chaos. Her decline over the summer, driven by her husband's cruelty and her best friend's betrayal, is a tragic counterpoint to Tess's coming-of-age. Kay's death is a turning point, leaving Grant and Tess to grapple with grief, guilt, and the legacy of secrets.

Richard Alexander

Richard is the antagonist—a man who wields his wealth and influence to control those around him. His abuse of Kay, his emotional neglect of Grant, and his willingness to buy Tess's silence make him a destructive force in the story. Richard's actions set in motion the events that lead to heartbreak and loss, and his legacy is one of pain and division. He represents the dangers of unchecked power and the corrosive effects of privilege without empathy.

Cecilia

Cecilia is Grant's wife—a woman who embodies the ideal of the political spouse but struggles with the emotional distance in her marriage. She is supportive, organized, and outwardly perfect, but her relationship with Grant is hollowed out by secrets and unspoken pain. Cecilia's eventual decision to leave Grant is an act of self-preservation, a refusal to be defined by someone else's unfinished business. She is a reminder that even the most carefully constructed lives can be undone by the truth.

Mara

Mara is Tess's campaign manager—a woman of unyielding focus, sharp wit, and unwavering loyalty. She is the voice of reason and strategy, pushing Tess to confront uncomfortable truths and make hard choices. Mara's friendship is hard-won but invaluable, and her presence is a stabilizing force amid chaos. She represents the importance of having someone who will tell you the truth, even when it hurts.

Tess's Mother (Genie Murphy)

Genie is Tess's anchor—a single mother who works tirelessly to provide for her daughter and instill in her the values of hard work and resilience. Her own history of loss and disappointment shapes her relationship with Tess, and her support during Tess's pregnancy is both fierce and compassionate. Genie's death is a profound loss for Tess, but her legacy endures in the strength and determination Tess carries forward.

Stuart

Stuart is Grant's longtime friend and political strategist, driven by a desire for success and recognition. He is pragmatic to a fault, willing to bend rules and exploit weaknesses to win. Stuart's involvement in the opposition research that exposes Tess's past is a catalyst for the final reckoning, and his relationship with Grant is a study in the complexities of loyalty and ambition.

The Baby

Though never named, the baby Tess carries is the emotional center of the story—a symbol of innocence, possibility, and the devastating consequences of impossible choices. The loss of the baby shapes Tess's and Grant's lives in profound ways, leaving them both to grapple with grief, guilt, and the enduring question of what could have been.

Plot Devices

Dual Timeline Structure

The novel employs a dual timeline, alternating between Tess's teenage summer in 1996 and her adult life in 2021. This structure allows the reader to experience the formative events of Tess and Grant's relationship alongside the unfolding political drama of the present. The gradual revelation of secrets, mirrored in both timelines, creates suspense and emotional resonance. The past informs the present, and the consequences of youthful choices are felt in every adult decision. This device deepens the reader's understanding of character motivation and the enduring impact of trauma and regret.

The Photograph

The resurfaced photograph of Tess and Grant as teenagers is a central plot device, serving as both a literal and metaphorical trigger for the story's climax. It represents the inescapability of the past, the fragility of secrets, and the power of a single moment to change everything. The photograph's journey—from Kay's camera to Tess's mother's cookbook to Dean's hands—mirrors the way hidden truths eventually come to light, no matter how carefully they are concealed.

Money as Motive and Weapon

Richard Alexander's offer of money to Tess is a pivotal plot device, forcing her to confront the intersection of need, dignity, and agency. The money is both a lifeline and a shackle, enabling Tess to pursue her dreams but at the cost of her self-respect and her relationship with Grant. The transaction exposes the ways in which power is wielded to control women's bodies and choices, and it reverberates through the narrative as a source of guilt, resentment, and unresolved tension.

Political Rivalry as Emotional Battleground

The governor's race between Tess and Grant is more than a political contest—it is a stage for their unresolved personal history. Debates, campaign events, and media scrutiny become arenas for the reenactment of old wounds and the testing of new boundaries. The public stakes heighten the emotional drama, and the collision of personal and professional lives forces both characters to confront the truth about themselves and each other.

Letters and Confessions

In the aftermath of the election, Tess and Grant exchange letters, finally able to articulate the feelings and regrets they could never voice in person. This device allows for reflection, healing, and the possibility of forgiveness. The act of writing becomes a means of reclaiming agency and rewriting the narrative of their lives, offering hope for a future unburdened by the weight of the past.

Analysis

Audrey Ingram's The Summer We Ran is a poignant exploration of the ways in which our earliest loves and deepest wounds shape the trajectory of our lives. Through a deftly woven dual timeline, the novel examines the intersection of personal and political, the cost of ambition, and the enduring power of secrets. At its core, the story is about agency—who gets to choose, who pays the price, and how we live with the consequences of our decisions. Tess's journey from a vulnerable, ambitious teenager to a powerful but haunted woman is both inspiring and heartbreaking, a testament to the resilience required to survive in a world that is often unforgiving to those who dare to want more. The novel interrogates the dynamics of privilege, gender, and power, exposing the ways in which women's bodies and choices are policed and commodified. Yet, it also offers hope: that healing is possible, that honesty can be redemptive, and that even the most broken hearts can find the courage to begin again. Ingram's narrative is a reminder that the past is never truly past, but it need not define the future—and that the most important victories are those we win within ourselves.

Last updated: December 16, 2025