by Amy Matthews
First published 2026
Zoe Copeland needs a fresh start for herself and eleven-year-old daughter Florence. When she finds an affordable cottage in Maine, she jumps at the chance despite one major problem: the house comes packed with decades of accumulated belongings from the previous owner. Florence loves exploring the rooms filled with cat figurines and forgotten treasures, but Zoe feels overwhelmed by the cleanup ahead. Their neighbor Jake thinks she's made a terrible mistake, though he keeps showing up to help with repairs. As autumn arrives, Zoe becomes curious about Marly, the woman who once called this house home. The more she learns about Marly's life, the more Zoe sees uncomfortable similarities to her own situation. While she renovates room by room, her feelings for Jake grow complicated. But when secrets from Zoe's past surface unexpectedly, her carefully planned new beginning threatens to fall apart completely.
Genres: literary-fiction, domestic-fiction, contemporary, adult, adult-fiction, contemporary-romance
Vibes: atmospheric, contemplative, emotional, hopeful, intimate, introspective
Tropes: forced-proximity, found-family, second-chance-romance, slow-burn
Setting: Maine, cottage
Period: autumn
400 pages · Paperback · Dell