A Talisman of Home

When quiet Mackenzie Brown lost everyone, her mother, her husband, even the pregnancy she desperately wanted, she mustered the courage of desperation and leapt into the unknown. Her discovery that her biological father probably didn't even know she existed gave her hope. Maybe she could find him and belong to someone again. She escaped Boston for a house-sitting gig in a tiny fishing village on the Bay of Fundy, following the clues from her mother's past. The locals welcomed her into Stella Mara, even trying to set her up with the handsome English teacher, though she kept her real mission a secret. Despite her fears, finding Eric, her unsuspecting father, was easy.

But did she really want him as a father? Once she met him, that became a lot less clear. To complicate matters, there were other people involved. Uncovering this secret could have far-reaching consequences.

While Mackenzie struggled, a disaster struck the community, affecting everyone she met and grew to care for. During the resulting crisis, Mackenzie had to decide whether to run back to Boston to her safe and lonely life, or risk trusting herself and her new connections. Had she really changed or was she still her mother's quiet daughter?