Three generations of women confront their pasts and discover it's never too late for new beginnings in this heartwarming novel of second chances and unconditional love—from the bestselling author of The Shell Collector. Nina is overwhelmed by single motherhood. Her teenage daughter, Kendra, is spiraling, and Nina's tightly controlled life is slipping through her fingers. Desperate to pull her daughter back from the edge, Nina makes a last-ditch decision—pack up and head to Whelk's Island to stay the summer with her mother, Rosemary, in hopes that the quiet coastal town of Whelk's Island will be the reset they need.

But change doesn't come easy. Kendra's reckless choices follow them to the island, leading to a chance encounter with Fisher, a steady presence with a complicated past. When he steps in to help Kendra during a risky moment, he begins to unlock something long-buried in Nina: hope.

As three generations of women navigate new rhythms under one roof, old wounds begin to heal, and new love takes root in the most unexpected ways. But when Kendra tests her mother's loyalty and a painful secret resurfaces, Nina must choose whether to cling to control or lean into faith, and love.

In the end, Whelk's Island may not hold all the answers, but it offers something better: the reminder that sometimes, there are no rules for moving forward… just the courage to begin.