CHANGING TIDES

A recently divorced woman rediscovers herself—and the possibility of love—in a charming seaside town in Mack’s debut novel.

Sophie, a marriage and family therapist, is blindsided when she catches her husband cheating—on her birthday, no less. After signing her divorce papers, she escapes to Cape May, a picturesque New Jersey town full of childhood memories where “just a huff of the sea breeze can lower your heart rate to a blissful level.” There, she meets Ellie, a free-spirited older woman with a maternal streak, and Liam, Ellie’s gruff and deeply wounded neighbor, who’s caring for his orphaned niece, Lucy. Sophie soon finds herself immersed in slow, grounding routines and grappling with the possibility that her story might not be over. Her first encounter with Liam is awkward (“She isn’t my daughter,” he snaps when Sophie assumes Lucy is his), but over time, she finds herself babysitting Lucy, spending long days with Ellie, and gradually warming to Liam’s brooding presence. For his part, Liam is drawn to Sophie’s vulnerability and quiet strength. Mack skillfully balances heartbreak and healing, crafting a cast of emotionally resonant characters. Sophie’s internal voice is sharp and vulnerable, often cutting through platitudes with striking honesty: “It’s funny, even though helping to heal people is what I do for a living, I don’t know the first thing about how to heal myself.” Liam’s quiet trauma and guarded tenderness are revealed gradually, and his interactions with baby Lucy are rich in texture and emotion. (Referring to his golden retriever, Maggie, an anchor in his lonely life, Liam reflects, “Days like today, I’m especially grateful for this dog.”) The novel shines in its evocative atmosphere and emotional nuance. Cape May is more than a setting; it’s a restorative space, where “the little house looks happy, and I feel like it’s beckoning me.” The author handles grief and second chances with tenderness, never rushing the characters’ growth.

Deeply felt and emotionally satisfying—a gentle romance about reclaiming joy.