Floating Home, Sausalito

Hannah and Owen live in a community of 400 floating homes in Sausalito on the San Francisco Bay. As Hannah describes it, “[their] sidewalk is a dock, [their] hallway is a living room” (6). While the Sausalito community is close to San Francisco, Hannah sees it as a “world away from city life…Quiet, charming. Sleepy” (9). By the time the events of the novel take place, Owen and Bailey have lived in this floating home for more than ten years. When Hannah moved in, she tried not to disturb the “balance” of the place, only redecorating the bedroom she shared with Owen and their porch, which she lined “with potted plants, rustic tea tables” (47). She also “built a bench to put by the front door,” which was “shingled in white oak, striped pillows for comfort” (47). On weekends, Hannah and Owen would sit on the bench together, drinking their...