When Beth Carson flees her controlling husband, a Sydney surgeon, and travels to Florence, Oregon, she is unsure what her future holds. Although her only knowledge of Florence comes from a few postcards found in her late mother’s effects, she immediately feels at home there and begins to put down roots.

But Beth’s past returns to haunt her in ways she could never have imagined. Distraught over alarming reports from Australia and bewildered by revelations from the past, Beth turns to new friends to help her.

Tom Harrison, a local lawyer, has spent the past five years coming to terms with his wife’s death, and building a solitary existence which he has come to enjoy. Adept at ignoring the overtures of local women and fending off his meddling daughter, he is intrigued by this feisty Australian and, almost against his will, finds himself drawn to her when she seeks his legal advice.

What forces are at work to bring the two together, and can Beth overcome her past and find a way forward?

Set on the beautiful Oregon Coast this is a tale of a woman who seeks to rise above the challenges life has thrown at her and establish a new life for herself.

“The writing immediately struck me as engaging and honest. The dialogue is authentic, which feeds into the characters, making them feel very realistic. In fact, there were many times I felt drawn into the small town community of Florence, feeling like I was an integral part of the town’s fabric. I loved that the main characters in this novel were mature and many women’s fiction readers will find characters such as the main protagonist Beth’s issues easy to relate to. Christensen explores themes such as love, friendship, betrayal, abuse, relocation and second chances with a solid understanding.” Mrs B’s Book Reviews

“Like Western Australian writer, Liz Byrski, Maggie also writes about mature women, their problems and their strengths to overcome and move forward.  Her characters are believable and her knowledge of and fondness for this part of the Oregon Coast is obvious in her writing.  As with all her books, here again is a strong beginning and I soon became immersed in the story and the characters.” Anne Moorhouse, Amazon