Connie stared out at the quiet Cornish sea as the hazy early morning light bathed the horizon in a beautiful golden glow. She inhaled the salty, cleansing ocean air, looked down at the handwritten note and wiped away the lone tear that had started to fall...

Connie hasn’t been back to Magpie Cove – a seaside fishing village nestled between the cliffs – for years. When she thinks of the cove’s cobbled streets and cheerful cottages, she has to fight to push down memories she’d rather keep buried in the past.

When her mother unexpectedly calls with news that makes her heart sink, Connie is torn. The tiny museum that’s been in her family for generations will have to close if they can’t find a way to save it. The sepia photographs and smuggling memorabilia are precious to the village, and determined to preserve their shared history, she knows it is finally time to go home.

The dusty old museum, tucked away down a narrow, twisting lane, needs more than a coat of paint to bring the tourists back in. Soon Connie is in her element, creating charming new exhibits on local legends. She’s even thinking of offering boat tours around the beautiful caves along the shore.

A chance encounter with handsome entrepreneur Alex Gordon leaves Connie breathless. With his dark eyes and broad chest, he is not at all who she expected to meet. And Alex’s offer to help Connie with the museum only brings them closer. Perhaps embracing a new start in her old home isn’t the worst idea she’s ever had...

But just as Connie starts to feel like she could have a future in Magpie Cove, the one person she has tried to forget resurfaces, putting the museum’s safety and her happiness at risk. What happened all those years ago has always stopped her from opening her heart. Can Connie finally find the strength to move on with Alex, or will she be forced to run again, this time for good?

From USA Today bestselling author Kennedy Kerr comes a heartfelt, emotional read, set on the beautiful coast of Cornwall. Fans of Sheila O’Flanagan, Mary Alice Monroe and Pamela Kelley will adore it.

Readers love the Magpie Cove series:

‘Delightful... Lots of lovely characters, gorgeous setting... There are plenty of laugh-out-loud scenarios, a few heartbreaking revelations and lots of love, too, making this a marvellous read to escape into... Highly recommend!’ Splashes into Books

‘All the feels, this was a wonderful escape and a charming read... I absolutely loved this... The characters felt like old friends, while the plot twists and turns kept me completely engrossed.’ Page Turners Blog

‘What a delight. I was totally transported to the wind-swept shores of Cornwall... Full of fabulous surprises, I cannot praise it enough.’ Goodreads Reviewer.

Kennedy Kerr has written and published poetry, children's and adult books. She lives in London and is originally from the West Country, which gave her accent a subtle (yet noticeable) pirate twang as well as a love of cream teas and all things mystical. She is the proud owner of a cuddly black cat called Twinkle, who evidently believes she is a princess. Kennedy also loves cooking and baking all types of food, which is almost as much fun as eating it.

© 2022 SAGA Egmont (Audiobook): 9788728277706

Release date

Audiobook: 18 August 2022