In Jean Stone's third Vineyard Novel, a visit from her biological mother threatens to upend bestselling novelist and island transplant Annie Sutton's new life on Martha's Vineyard. Life is usually quiet during the off-season on Martha's Vineyard, but not for island newbie and bestselling novelist Annie Sutton... Finally settled into her adopted island home, Annie is looking forward to writing her next mystery, making soap for her new business, and starting renovations on the Inn she plans to open by the summer. She's also enjoying spending more time with local police sergeant John Lyons, the man she's only just gotten comfortable calling her boyfriend. She's even starting to relish her relationship with John's teenage daughter, Lucy. It's probably not the best moment for a visit from the biological mother Annie only recently met. Still, it's high time she got to know the mysterious Donna MacNeish... But Donna's visit isn't merely a social call--she's come to share some devastating news. Seeking solace in an outing with Lucy, Annie and the teen stumble upon skeletal remains on the Inn's property, a finding that calls a halt to all construction while the police investigate. Desperate for answers, Annie starts asking questions of her own. But when secrets about her own past bring shattering revelations, suddenly everything Annie understands about love and loyalty is tested--and she wonders if the ties that bind her to her beloved community will reach a breaking point...

Life is usually quiet during the off-season on Martha’s Vineyard. But not for island newbie and bestselling novelist Annie Sutton . . . Finally settled into her adopted island home, Annie is looking forward to writing her next mystery, making soap for her new business, and starting renovations on the Inn she plans to open by the summer. She’s also enjoying spending more time with local police sergeant John Lyons, the man she’s only just gotten comfortable calling her boyfriend. She’s even starting to relish her relationship with John’s teenaged daughter, Lucy. It’s probably not the best moment for a visit from the biological mother Annie only recently met. Still, it’s high time she got to know the mysterious Donna MacNeish . . . But Donna’s visit isn’t merely a social call—she’s come to share some devastating news. Seeking solace in an outing with Lucy, Annie and the teen stumble upon skeletal remains on the Inn’s property, a finding that calls a halt to all construction while the police investigate. Desperate for answers, Annie starts asking questions of her own. But when secrets about her own past bring shattering revelations, suddenly everything Annie understands about love and loyalty is tested—and she wonders if the ties that bind her to her beloved community will reach a breaking point . . . Praise for Jean Stone’s Vineyard Novels “Filled with heart. . . . Perfect for long summer days. For fans of Debbie Macomber or Elin Hilderbrand.” —Booklist “Lie down on the couch, put a pillow under your head and enjoy the ride.” —The Vineyard Gazette

Martha’s Vineyard may be picturesque and peaceful, but even there, happily-ever-after has its dark side . . . Annie Sutton is not only a bestselling mystery author, she’s the proprietor of the newly opened Vineyard Inn. Recently engaged to local police sergeant John Lyons, instead of making wedding plans, Annie’s fighting with him about his older daughter, a troubled teen who has moved home—bringing chaos in her wake. With Annie’s beloved brother away on a troublesome journey of his own, Annie needs a friend. She begins to confide in one of the Inn’s guests, a mysterious stranger named Mary Beth Mullen. Her mix of kindness and vulnerability makes Annie trust her—until Mary Beth shares a secret that leaves Annie torn between family loyalty and a promise she made. When a handsome, internationally acclaimed journalist checks into the Inn, he too unpacks a boatload of trouble for Annie, triggered by a provocative photo, covertly snapped—and posted on the internet. Intrigued, as tensions mount between her and John, Annie decides to eschew the police and get involved herself—enlisting Mary Beth’s help. But Annie is soon questioning whether anyone on the Vineyard this season is who they seem—and realizing that any chance of happiness rests in finding out just who her real friends are . . . Praise for Jean Stone’s Vineyard Novels “Filled with heart. . . . Perfect for long summer days. For fans of Debbie Macomber or Elin Hilderbrand.” —Booklist “Lie down on the couch, put a pillow under your head and enjoy the ride.” —The Vineyard Gazette

A woman's first Christmas on Martha's Vineyard comes with a mysterious surprise gift in a heartfelt novel that “brims with holiday cheer” (Library Journal). In her cozy rented cottage on Chappaquiddick, novelist Annie Sutton is finally following her dream of living on Martha's Vineyard. As she settles in for her first Vineyard winter, a fierce nor'easter brings high winds and deep snow. But the blizzard also brings something unexpected to Annie's front porch: a baby girl in a basket. The note reads: “I named her Bella, after my grandmother. Please help her, because I can't.” Annie has always been grateful for her adoptive parents who raised her as their own. Yet she now hopes to spare little Bella the feelings of abandonment that still haunt her. Rather than take the baby to the police, Annie tries to find the birth mother, giving her a chance to change her mind. But it's not easy keeping a secret in a close-knit island community, especially amid the bustle of Christmas. Before the holiday ends, there will be revelations, rekindled hope, and proof that families—the ones we are born into and the ones we claim for ourselves—are the gifts that truly matter.

Home. . . . That’s what Martha’s Vineyard is to Annie Sutton now. After a winter spent writing her latest novel, Annie looks forward to a summer with friends who have become like the family she never had. But then her landlord announces that his grandson will be moving into her cozy Chappaquiddick cottage—and she’ll be moving out. Year-round island housing is tough to find at any time; in summer, it’s nearly impossible. Shaken by the thought of being forced to leave the people and the community she’s grown to love, Annie seeks distraction in the July 4th celebrations—and stumbles upon a young woman who’s unconscious on her front lawn . . . and barely alive . . . Summer on the Vineyard brings not only tourists, but also wealthy families with summer homes—like Fiona Littleton’s—and tensions between them and the tight-knit island community often ignite. But when Annie’s quick thinking saves Fiona’s life, she’s surprised to learn that like her, Fiona has no one to lean on. And when Fiona fears that someone wants her dead, Annie cannot walk away. With depleting resources and no home on the horizon, Annie is certain of only one thing: each of them will have to rise to one of life’s greatest challenges: feeling at home within themselves . . .

Life is usually quiet during the off-season on Martha's Vineyard, but not for island newbie and bestselling novelist Annie Sutton. Finally settled into her adopted island home, Annie is looking forward to writing her next mystery, making soap for her new business, and starting renovations on the Inn she plans to open by the summer. She's also enjoying spending more time with local police sergeant John Lyons, the man she's only just gotten comfortable calling her boyfriend. She's even starting to relish her relationship with John's teenage daughter, Lucy. It's probably not the best moment for a visit from the biological mother Annie only recently met. Still, it's high time she got to know the mysterious Donna MacNeish. But Donna's visit isn't merely a social call-- she's come to share some devastating news. Seeking solace in an outing with Lucy, Annie and the teen stumble upon skeletal remains on the Inn's property, a finding that calls a halt to all construction while the police investigate. Desperate for answers, Annie starts asking questions of her own. But when secrets about her own past bring shattering revelations, suddenly everything Annie understands about love and loyalty is tested--and she wonders if the ties that bind her to her beloved community will reach a breaking point...

"Here, rich in detail and lush with the photographs of Alison Shaw, is the story of how the farm came to exist, the family that makes it happen, and the food that excites ..."--Page 4 of cover