AudioBook information:
Author: Ethan Joella
Narrated by: Ryan Do, Mia Hutchinson-Shaw
Release date: June 30, 2026
Audiobook Duration: 8 h 10 min
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Summary: A heartbreaking, life-affirming new novel by Ethan Joella—author of the Read with Jenna Bonus Pick A Little Hope—about a young woman searching for answers about her brother’s last days.
June 1975. Maggie Bishop has just graduated high school, the future hers to embrace—but she’s still reeling from the death of her older brother, Chip. A devastating diagnosis the summer before prompted Chip to leave home for a few months, never revealing where he went. Maggie’s search for clues leads her to The Red Maple Inn, a mountaintop resort in the Poconos.
At the Red Maple, Maggie is welcomed into a tight-knit community. As she unravels secrets about her brother’s final days, she begins to connect with the people he loved, and whose lives he touched. Through the warmth of strangers, Maggie begins to heal and is able to help others cope with loss.
Set in a nostalgic resort town over two transformative summers, this dual-narrative novel explores sibling relationships, coming of age, and the quiet power of human connection. Perfect for fans of emotional storytelling and small-town summer books, The Top of the World is a timeless story about memory, grief, second chances, and hope.
Reviews:
Praise for The Top of the World
“Dirty Dancing meets The Fault in Our Stars in this tender novel about sibling bonds, found family, and the kindness of strangers.” —The Boston Globe
“[Written] with grace and insight… characters are exceedingly likable and devoted to each other… the preponderance of touching moments allow the story to soar… A captivating and tragic tale about living to the fullest before a young life is extinguished.” —Kirkus (starred review)
“In addition to evocative scenes of languid days and warm nights lit by fireflies, Joella has created appealing characters who easily evoke empathy.” —BookPage
“I loved following the moving story of Maggie and Chip, two characters I won’t be forgetting anytime soon. The Top of the World is a pleasure to read from start to finish.” —Liz Moore, author of The God of the Woods
“An immensely affecting novel about living with zeal and approaching life’s end on one’s own terms, The Top of the World gifted me both courage and comfort.” —Megha Majumdar, author of A Guardian and a Thief and A Burning
“Wise, kind-hearted, and propulsive, this elegiac novel is exactly what I want in a book right now. The Top of the World is Ethan Joella at the top of his game.” —J. Ryan Stradal, author of Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club
“The Top of the World is a deeply moving novel of loss and legacy. Set in the picturesque landscape of a Poconos resort, Ethan Joella gives us a heartfelt story about what it truly means to live life to the fullest, the healing connection of found family, and the power of being remembered.” —Allison Larkin, author of The People We Keep and Home of the American Circus
About the Author:
Ethan Joella teaches English and psychology at the University of Delaware. He is the author of A Little Hope, which was a Read with Jenna Bonus Selection; A Quiet Life; The Same Bright Stars; and The Top of the World. He lives in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, with his wife and two daughters.