Rescued from a poverty-stricken mountain life, Charity Royall lives as ward to Lawyer Royall in the small New England town of North Dormer. However, Charity is bored by her job at the local library and feels thwarted by the order that governs her society until a young man named Lucius Harney plucks her from the drabness of North Dormer life. A young architect and sophisticated man about town, Herney's good looks and refinement awaken Charity's passionate nature. Meanwhile, Charity contends with unwanted matrimonial advances from Lawyer Royall. Often compared to Ethan Frome, Summer is a heart-wrenching coming-of-age story regarded by Wharton as one of her best works.
