Marisa de los Santos

This was an amazing novel – first because of the beautiful writing. The descriptions of nature were often poetic, lyrical, and evocative – reminded me of the memorable writing in "Where the Crawdads Sing." As the publisher’s blurb says, the story is a “captivating, beautifully written drama involving family, friendship, secrets, sacrifice, courage, and true love.”

This novel is told in two timelines, the 1950s and the present day. A few weeks before she dies, elderly Edith Herron encourages Clare Hobbes to reconsider her upcoming marriage to Zach. Clare doesn’t know Edith, but her wise words give Clare the courage to follow her heart.

Then three weeks later Clare learns she has inherited Edith’s old but well-kept house on the Delaware shore. She now has “Light and space all my own. A place to breathe easy. I told (Edith) I used to carry my safe place around with me like a turtle, but then, when I got involved with Zach, I somehow stopped.”

Clare’s mother sums it up: “An almost total stranger talked you out of your engagement to the wrong man and then gave you a safe place to go. Unbelievable.”

Thus begins the adventure of Clare and her long-time friend (and former boyfriend) Dev putting together the puzzle pieces. The clues are there for the reader, and sometimes the truth is easier to figure out than other times, but when I had finished the last page I felt satisfied with the story, the characters, and the resolution.

Content warning: vivid descriptions of domestic violence

Apparently, this is the third book with the same characters from the two novels in the series titled: "Love Walked In." It easily reads as a stand-alone, though now I’ll have to go find the earlier two and return to this world and these characters.… (more)