“Jamie has been not-so-subtly hinting that I come to the dining room to greet the guests, but I’ve shrugged him off. Because as soon as I go out there, it’s official.

Mom is gone.

And I am here.

Back at the resort—the last place I planned to end up.”

This quote introduces The Link Between Grief and Tenderness as Fern grapples with the overwhelming emotions that come with taking her mother’s place at the resort after Maggie’s death. Here, Fortune introduces a major source of the novel’s tension: Fern hadn’t planned to end up at the resort, yet she is suddenly left in charge of it because of the tragedy.

“‘Whenever I’m home, I have the chance to get to know the city all over again.’

‘How romantic,’ I said deadpan. But his words hit my bloodstream like an espresso shot.”

In this quote, Fern describes the first time Will’s words made an impact on her, igniting her interest. She uses a simile, where something is compared to something else using “like” or “as.” In this case, she compares her reaction to Will to being “hit” with “an espresso shot,” suggesting its intensity. This sets up how, throughout the novel, coffee or its absence is a barometer for Fern and Will’s relationship.

“I made ferns for my favorite people. I hadn’t realized I was making one for Will until I’d finished pouring the milk.”

As Fern makes a latte for Will, she subconsciously draws him a fern for his latte art—a gesture reserved for special people or special occasions. This indicates her budding attraction to Will and foreshadows his importance in her life. This moment also explores how good coffee represents positivity in the novel.