never a cloud is a big old-fashioned, contemporary, social novel narrated by violet grey, an eccentric, out-of-the-ordinary loner, living on the coast of maine. the deeply emotional love story of a complicated family in an enchanted place. a winter gathering at margot reid's family home, otyrburn, but this year is different, her oldest friend owen and she will restore the walled garden. the party is interrupted by the unexpected arrival of the mysterious ava kerouac, violet's daughter and margot's half-sister-whom margot has never met. violet's voice-contemplative, melancholy, and occasionally sardonic-introduces each chapter, as the novel skips between scotland, new york city, and venice, and margot's husband, george lowell, a director at the metropolitan museum is embroiled in an art world scandal. within a web of secret loyalties and undeclared truths, three women redefine success on their own terms, and figure out who they really want to be.