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.
“In Home No Matter Where we travel to beautiful Whelk’s Island, where a close-knit community puts us right at home. Along the way we meet compelling characters caught in realistic storms and learn faith-filled lessons about weathering them.” —Denise Hunter, bestselling author of More Than Friends
Nina is at her wit's end with her teenage daughter, Kendra. Still dealing with her own wounds of divorce, Nina hopes a change of scenery will help. She and Kendra head to the serene coastal town of Whelk's Island to spend a restorative summer with Nina’s mother, Rosemary—bringing three generations under one roof for the first time in years. Amid the island's charm, old wounds begin to heal, and as new friendships bloom—especially with the steady and enigmatic Fisher—light begins to break through the cracks of Nina’s tightly controlled life.
Kendra's reckless behavior continues but Fisher’s intervention during a critical moment for Kendra sparks a sense of hope in Nina that she thought was lost. Still, change is never easy.
As the women navigate the tides of forgiveness, growing up, and letting go, healing begins and new love brings surprises. While Whelk’s Island may not hold all the answers, it has a way of reminding people that moving forward doesn't follow a set path—it requires the bravery to start anew.
Release date:
May 5, 2026
Publisher:
WaterBrook
Print pages:
336
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Nina hadn’t even reached the bridge to Whelk’s Island and was already questioning everything. This trip to Mom’s beach house wasn’t a vacation; it felt like a surrender. A last-ditch effort to fix what she had no idea how to repair: her daughter Kendra, herself, and everything that had gone unspoken since the divorce. She prayed this time away was the right answer—that the ocean breeze would carry away their hurts and the waves would wash the slate clean. A break. A fresh start. If only finding home was as simple as leaving one behind.
The steady hum of the engine filled the silence between mother and daughter on their drive from Pennsylvania to North Carolina, broken only by the pounding bass thumping from Kendra’s earbuds. Nina tightened her grip on the steering wheel, resisting the urge to tell her daughter to turn the music down.
Be patient. Nina rolled her shoulders to shake out the tension that had settled in hours ago. Her fingers ached, but she wasn’t sure if it was from driving or the weight of everything she’d been carrying lately. The wall Kendra was building between them was becoming impossible to penetrate, and Nina felt like she would break if she had to face one more problem.
Calling Mom—Rosemary Palakiko—had been Nina’s last hope. She’d hated to do it. Admitting that she couldn’t handle her own daughter revealed an even bigger failure than the divorce. Slipping grades, missed curfews, and a sassy attitude were becoming Kendra’s norm. But if anyone could help, it was her mother. Wise, warm, and never afraid to say what needed saying, Rosemary had a way of bringing clarity to chaos, even from four hundred miles away.
Kendra slouched in the seat, arms folded, chin jutting out—her fourteen-year-old armor against the world and an attitude that took up all the space in the car.
Nina’s beautiful girl made her heart ache with both pride and sorrow, caught somewhere between the little one who used to snuggle close, her I-love-yous floating like butterflies, and the stranger now riding shotgun. “You okay?” Nina asked, loud enough for Kendra to hear when her daughter caught her gaze.
Kendra’s hazel eyes flickered in annoyance. They were impossible to read, shifting with the light: green when she was mischievous, gold when she was angry. Was it just the afternoon sun glinting off them right now, or had she mustered up more anger in the hours of silence on the drive?
Her daughter had barely said a word since they left. No complaints, no conversation, just silence except for the occasional exaggerated sigh that made Nina’s skin prickle.
Nina drew in a long breath, counting to five, the kind of breath meant to steady oneself.
This trip needed to be a fresh start. Whelk’s Island—Mom’s house, the ocean breeze, sunshine, vitamin D, and space to heal. It had all sounded so perfect in her head. But now, with Kendra beside her practically radiating misery, she wondered if she was fooling herself.
Could any place really fix what felt so broken? They’d been through a lot this past year, and they needed to find some peace.
Her and David’s divorce had taken way too long, and it was already ugly before he’d met the new girlfriend and stopped spending time with Kendra. In an attempt to reduce the disappointments David could inflict on her daughter with the every-other-week handovers, or lack of them, she’d fought for and gotten full custody. David was a good man, but he was dropping the ball on being a part of his daughter’s daily life, so having Kendra in one home seemed best for her emotional well-being. And, frankly, Nina’s own.
The divorce was tough on Kendra, but the anxiety of being a teenager added to the situation. Without two parents to keep her constantly on track, she was losing interest in sports and was left grappling for outlets that weren’t to Nina’s liking: reckless friends and getting into trouble. Kendra didn’t understand that Nina’s fight for custody had been to protect her, not punish her, and that hurt had fueled her anger.
Nina and David had balanced all their responsibilities like champs. Despite being workaholics, they’d somehow always found a way to compromise and handle everything together, making it work. Until it didn’t.
When David announced he was moving out, she was completely blindsided. That’s when the conversations became less civil and his participation in their daughter’s activities became a passing priority. Then Dad died and she and David agreed to hold off on the divorce for a while. That pause lasted longer than planned, and the dissolution was only finalized last year.
The ink on their papers had barely dried before David announced his engagement to a woman closer to Kendra’s age than hers, all glossy hair and acrylic nails, who could make him her entire focus.
Nina took a deep breath to clear her mind of all that had gone wrong. Please, God, let us find a new healthy and happy normal on Whelk’s Island. Is this too much to hope for?
At the very least, she’d be thankful for a good night’s sleep, and she was sort of guaranteed that by staying at Mom’s beach house. Nina needed a break from hearing her daughter sigh dramatically every five minutes. There were worse ways to spend the summer. She’d still have to work, but walking on the beach and watching the waves crash on the shore sure sounded good.
Kendra let out an exasperated grunt. “Mom, are we ever going to get there?”
Nina’s jaw clenched. She recognized that tone in her daughter’s voice. It said, I don’t really care. I’m just letting you know how much I hate this.
“Think of it as a family vacation.” Nina tried to keep her tone upbeat, though the strain in her voice felt like a frayed edge she could barely smooth.
“I’m already going on a vacation with Dad the second week of August.” Kendra crossed her arms, her gaze locked on the road ahead as if willing it to speed up. “I’m counting down the days.”
“This will be just as fun,” Nina offered, knowing even as she said it that Kendra wouldn’t believe her.
“As fun as an epic national park tour?” Kendra’s snort added the extra twist. “Dad has it all planned out. Yellowstone, and we’re renting this cool camper van, hiking waterfalls, and going to see real cave dwellings built into the side of a mountain. We’ll probably see buffalo in the wild.” Her voice softened as she drifted into this fantasy of her vacation, her fingers flicking across the screen of her phone. “Look, Mom. Hikes, a train ride, and even a dude-ranch cookout. Just me and Dad. It’ll be the best time of my life.”
Nina looked over, taking in the momentary delight that replaced the scowl on her daughter’s face. If only I believed that trip was going to be all about you. But she forced a smile to mask her concern. “It does sound amazing. I’m glad you have something special to look forward to.”
However, Nina knew her ex well enough to know it wasn’t really “all about Kendra” as her daughter was imagining. But that was for her to find out. Maybe by some miracle, David would surprise her. She swallowed hard. “Maybe both trips will be wonderful. You’re lucky to have two cool things on your summer calendar.”
Kendra’s voice turned sharp again. “This trip? This is just a free ride to see Grandma. It’s not the same.”
Nina drew in a slow breath, working to steady her words. “Kendra, it’s not about how far you go or how much you spend that makes a trip worthwhile. You know that.”
Kendra slumped against the door, staring out at the endless stretch of highway. “It’s going to be boring,” she muttered, but the fight had drained from her voice, leaving behind a trace of something Nina recognized all too well: disappointment, plain and raw.
“Your grandmother will spoil you. It’ll be great.” And me? I’m going to try with all my heart to let her.
“I don’t want to be spoiled.” Kendra turned further toward the window and retreated once again to silence.
Nina swallowed her frustration over the silent treatment, the heavy sighs, the eye rolls. But, she reminded herself, this trip wasn’t just for Kendra. It was for both of them.
The hours stretched on, exhaustion settling in, when finally the road signs started looking familiar. Now all she wanted was to cross that bridge and breathe in the salt air, if her daughter would let her enjoy even that.
She stole another glance at Kendra, who was still staring out the window, now with her lip caught between her teeth, a sign she was trying not to cry. The tough shell cracked for just a breath, and Nina could almost see her little girl again—the one who used to reach for her hand on long drives. Nina’s heart ached for her.
“Kendra,” she said quietly, “I know you don’t want to be here, but I’m asking you to give it a chance. Please.”
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