Miramar Bay

When Connor Larkin boards a late night bus in downtown L.A., he's not sure where he's going or what he's looking for. Putting his acting career-and his fiancée-on hold, he's searching for a part of himself he lost on the road to success. Now, with his wedding day approaching, Connor finds himself stepping into the sleepy seaside town of Miramar Bay-where one remarkable woman inspires him to rethink all of his choices . . . Unlike the pretentious starlets back in Hollywood, Sylvie Cassick has had to work hard for everything she has. When Connor hears familiar music drifting out of her restaurant, he can't escape a feeling of finally coming home. Sylvie isn't sure what to think when this impossibly handsome stranger applies for a waiter's job. Yet once he serenades her customers-and slowly works his way into her heart-she realizes there's more to him than he's letting on. But as the world outside Miramar begins to threaten their fragile bond, Connor will have to risk losing everything to gain the life he longs for-and become the man Sylvie deserves.

I have this, Lucius thought to himself. I have today. Since the age of seven, Lucius Quarterfield has known he is dying. Doctors told him he had a "bad ticker" and might not live to see his next birthday. But somehow, the frail yet determined boy managed to hang on and surprise everyone. Lucius not only survived to adulthood, he thrived, turning a small car dealership into a successful chain. But now, at twenty-eight, his time is finally running out. So he's returning to the one place he ever felt happy, near the only woman he ever truly wanted-the California seaside town of Miramar Bay . . . Was it so much to ask, a healthy tomorrow shared with a woman he loved? Jessica was the only daughter of the only dentist in town. An ardent reader and fan of Jane Austen, she was able to follow in her father's footsteps, as he desired. But Jessica preferred the simple things in life-a trait that captivated Lucius from the moment he arrived in town. Her quick wit and carefree approach to life were a breath of fresh air to a man who devoted all his time to work. Soon they were falling head over heels-until Lucius pulled away, to spare her the pain of his inevitable fate. Now, after all this time, he's going to make each moment count. Because he knows that everything is about to change . . . he just can't know exactly how.

What to do with a life where everything he's worked for is shattered? A top executive in the family business, Buddy Helms lives and works under the thumb of his powerful father. He's proved himself time and again to the manipulative patriarch-even saving the company from financial ruin. Yet for six years Buddy's waited to hear that he's worthy of his father's love and respect. Now, after another cold dismissal, Buddy's slamming the door on everything he's strived for. When his church counselor recommends a soothing tonic for his disillusionment, frustration, and rage, he goes for it: the solitude of Moondust Lake, a retreat just outside Miramar Bay, is just what he needs. Believing in others comes easily-it's believing in herself that's a risk . . . Kimberly Sturgiss is a professional psychotherapist whose tragic past has granted her a rare ability to gently release her patients from their self-made prisons. She's well acquainted with the Helms family and the dark burdens that come with them. But the most intriguing challenge of all is Buddy. He and Kimberly share more than she's prepared to admit-the same emotional cage, the guarded heart, and the broken trusts that come with being alive. Maybe it's finally time that Kimberly finds herself, too-by reaching out to the man who's reaching out to her.

From the internationally bestselling author of Moondust Lake comes an emotional and enriching novel of family, forgiveness, self-acceptance, and self-discovery . . . When the darkness seems too hard to bear, there's only one thing left to do. Six years ago, Daniel was a Los Angeles financial analyst who was too handsome for his own good. Too smart for his anchor job on the nightly news. And too enamored with the heady addictions of the high life. That man died in a tragic accident with his fiancée. With grief and guilt battling for control, Daniel moved to the quiet California seaside town of Miramar Bay with his best friend-a rescue Labradoodle who still sees him through rough times. Daniel's a different man now. Clean, sober, and taking things one day at a time with no commitments to anyone except himself. And just as his solitude begins to chafe, two souls in need of fresh starts unexpectedly enter Daniel's life . . . Realize that it's time to wake up. Daniel's self-centered sister has dissolved several longtime relationships. Theirs included. The latest? Her restless teenage daughter, Nicole, whom she's dropped off in Miramar Bay without a backward glance. For Nicole, who's never felt at home in the world, it only confirms the disconnect she's always had with her mother. Now, left with an uncle she barely knows, Nicole is more adrift than ever. Yet to Daniel's surprise, playing surrogate father is forging a bond that he needs, too. More difficult for Daniel is the possibility of romance with lovely and fragile Stella Dalley. Struggling with a trauma of her own, the single mother is as cautious about love as Daniel is-no matter how healing it could be. But for Daniel, Stella, and Nicole there's still hope for a tomorrow they can call their own. All they have do is to learn to trust in each other, and in themselves. A powerful novel of new beginnings, chances taken, and hearts lost and found, Tranquility Falls is a timeless love story to treasure.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Tranquility Falls comes a heart-stirring novel of secrets, starting over, and a love that could be one man's road to redemption . . . Sometimes life flips the script . . . Billy Walker is a North Carolina boy whose Hollywood star is beginning to shine. His rough past is in the rear view. Now seeing the world from the back seat of a limousine, Billy has no regrets about what he had to do, and the choices he made, to get there. But all it takes is one death-defying moment for Billy's world to shift. When an on-set accident leaves him shaken, plagued by haunting dreams, he's in desperate need of a rest cure. Given keys to a getaway cottage on Lighthouse Lane in Miramar Bay, he'll regroup, relax, and recover. Yet as Billy's dreams grow darker and more fearful, his only promise for light is in a stunning, mysterious, and uniquely gifted stranger . . . And your next act is rewritten . . . Mimi has never forgotten her tragic childhood in eastern Ukraine. Violence, a vanished family, abandonment, and a hard-won struggle to escape. Miramar Bay couldn't be a more beautiful or unexpected refuge. In yoga and dance, and imbued with a talent to read the unrestful visions of others, Mimi has a seemingly divine ability to comfort. She may be everything Billy desires, but Mimi knows what Billy needs. He must confront his troubling past-and not just in his dreams. As their connection deepens, Billy finds himself falling in love, and waking up to something he's never felt before. But when the real world comes calling again, how can he say goodbye to a woman who's changing his life one illuminating sunrise at a time? Poignant, powerful, and surprising, The Cottage on Lighhouse Bay is a love story for every wounded heart that hoped for a second chance.

A breathtaking new novel about letting go, taking chances, and embracing the healing power of love-from the international bestselling author of Tranquility Falls. Just when he thought he'd buried his past and was moving on... Four years after his wife's death, art history teacher Derek Gaines.has finally made a kind of peace with himself. He tries his best to stave off memories. His days are ones of familiar routine. Guarded against further pain, he keeps relationships at a safe distance. It's all part of his necessary transition to surviving alone. If anything is truly responsible for Derek making it back from the brink it's his edifying work as a consultant for auction houses-and indulging a consuming sideline job: tracking stolen art. But Derek's latest hunt will lead him toward challenges both professional and personal-that he's not prepared to face... He discovered the art of falling in love again... Joining Derek on his quest is Kelly Reid, the new junior vice president of gallery operations at Christies Los Angeles. She is driven, ambitious, fiercely passionate about her work-and a fellow wounded kindred spirit. Bitterly immune to men's promises, she's never letting herself be vulnerable again. Yet even as trust and affection remain frightening territory, a tenuous start to her partnership with Derek slowly builds toward something more. And soon, both will be tested beyond anything they could have imagined—in the deepening mystery of a lost painting, and in matters of the heart, which can be the greatest mystery of all. With love comes risk in The Emerald Tide, a powerful and emotional novel about daring to take a second chance.

Set during the Christmas season in the breathtaking coastal California town of Miramar Bay, this uplifting novella from international and New York Times bestselling author Davis Bunn celebrates the challenges and blessings of the holidays, and the natural world, as a community and two brave, resilient people have a meeting of hearts and minds in the face of adversity. For fans of Nicholas Sparks and Karen Kingsbury. Ryan Eames is a policewoman and single mother dedicated most of all to her lonely, uniquely gifted son. Stretched thin by double shifts and grappling with an out-of-season coastal wildfire, Christmas cheer feels as far away as a distant carol on a winter night. Until duty draws her into the life of a stranger. Ethan Lange is alive because Ryan reached his canyon home before the blaze. Christmas is only days away, and Ethan has lost everything. A man reckoning with a painful past, it's not the first time he's been forced to start over. At least now it's in the redeeming embrace of Miramar Bay. Forging an animal rescue operation, Ryan and Ethan first unite by their cause and the rally of a close-knit community. But it's Ryan's extraordinary child who draws them into something deeper and surprising. Something to be thankful for. Now with every beat of their hearts, Christmas in Miramar Bay looks to be a season of love, healing, and sweet mercies that will be remembered for a lifetime.

Hearts, dreams. and creative spirits are stirred in this beautiful novel about fate and second chances, from the international bestselling author of the California-set Miramar Bay novels. Running from the ghosts of yesterday . . . There was a time when classical guitarist Ian Hart was on top of the world. Awards. International acclaim. Adoring fans. And the belief that it was forever. Now, under the shadow of a scandal and betrayal that destroyed his career, Ian wonders what the next day will bring. In the midst of a life in turnaround, Ian's Aunt Amelia-his closest friend and greatest supporter-passes away, leaving him her home in Miramar. It's just the quietude he needs to reflect and to try and move forward. But what awaits Ian in the tranquil seaside town is more than he ever expected. Toward a hopeful tomorrow . . . Kari Langham is a stranger in her own family-misunderstood, dismissed, and underestimated. They strive for wealth, status, and fame while Kari finds personal fulfillment in painting. Wanting nothing more than to escape the soul-crushing sheen of a Hollywood life, Kari does the only thing that makes sense. She flees to Miramar. Renovating an old barn into her home and atelier, Kari finds anonymous sanctuary. But the openhearted town, and the world at large, has something else in mind-for Kari and for another newcomer to Miramar. Ian and Kari are finding themselves in a haven by the sea, and it's just the beginning. They're ready for whatever the future brings, and to embrace with all their hearts what matters most.

Set in the breathtaking coastal California town of Miramar Bay, this uplifting new novel from internationally bestselling author Davis Bunn celebrates the challenges and triumphs of new beginnings, faith in the future, and the power of dreams that just won't let go. For fans of Nicholas Sparks and Karen Kingsbury. A man adrift . . . Noah Hearst is leaving a life he's spent twelve years building. Professionally, a losing battle for his job after a hostile takeover. Personally, signing away his marriage in a split that was a long time coming. Now, the difficult part: deciding who he is, what he wants, and where to go next. Maybe it's time to realize a dream that's carried him through hard times: owning a boat. Traveling the ocean, exploring new ports, embracing the endless horizon. Blissful. Impractical. Impossible? For now, the dream alone gives Noah the strength to move forward . . . An unexpected lifeline . . . Jenna Greaves is an end-of-life nurse, devoted till her charges' final breath. She's been called a confidante, a surrogate daughter, and a best friend. She is all those to Dino Vicenza, a secretive millionaire who refuses to even speak with his greedy and impatient family. Gradually Jenna becomes Dino's only confidant, and something far more out of the ordinary; she shares the old man's passion for sailing the open seas. With his passing comes an unexpected bequest: a luxury yacht that invites Jenna to break free of old chains, if only she might find someone to help steer her toward new horizons. One twist of fate and Noah and Jenna are brought together in the most unexpected way to navigate their future-and discover more about life, each other, and themselves than they ever imagined.

Set in the breathtaking coastal California town of Miramar Bay, this uplifting new novel from internationally bestselling author Davis Bunn celebrates the challenges and triumphs of new beginnings, second chances, romance and redemption, and faith in the future. For fans of Nicholas Sparks and Karen Kingsbury. When life is in turmoil . . . Pushing through his troubled childhood, Dillon Farrow was seventeen when he said goodbye to Miramar and did himself proud, thriving as a successful investment counselor. But a betrayal by a trusted friend has brought everything crashing down. Dillon's only recourse-return to Miramar, penniless and feeling defeated-more so when a winter flood sweeps away all roads to town. Now he and his fellow stranded travelers are destined to spend Christmas at the only available accommodations-the local jail. Yet it's in this makeshift inn that Dillon sees her. His first love. The girl he left behind. There's always hope if you wait out the storm . . . After an emotionally and financially devastating divorce, Olivia Greer has no choice but to come back to her hometown of Miramar. Less a retreat than a surrender, it's the first time in years-since Olivia's mother, her best friend for life, passed away. In the interim, their hillside cottage has remained empty, as forlorn as Olivia herself. The flood only seems like fate testing her resilience one more time. But providence comes in myriad forms: Dillon Farrow, the sweet boy who once had dreams of better things. Just like Olivia. The future can hold dreams as well. Crossing paths is a Christmas blessing Dillon and Olivia never expected-a reunion with the potential to impact other lives too. And for both of them, perhaps in the cottage on the hill, Miramar could finally start feeling like home again.