By the same author as "Remains of the Day", this book is also about regret and lost opportunity and the ephemeral nature of happiness and love. From the title and the tone of the early book you might think this is a light romance or coming of age story, but it isn't really. It's dystopian fiction just as much as Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale", though you don't realize the full picture until late in the book. It would be better to read this without any advance spoilers, so I'll just say that if you enjoyed the gently wistful, regretful tone of "Remains of the Day" you'll probably enjoy this also.