Cottage by the Sea: A Novel

Annie Marlow travels to Oceanside in the Pacific Northwest, a place from her teenage years, to recover from tragedy. There, she rents a cottage by the sea and begins to rebuild her life. She meets several locals who help her along the way: Keaton, a painter who assists with repairs to her cottage; Mellie, her reclusive landlord whom Annie hopes to befriend; and Britt, a teenager carrying a difficult secret. Annie finds herself drawn to Keaton, whose calm presence provides comfort as she processes her grief. As Annie settles into her new life, an unexpected opportunity for success emerges, forcing her to choose between pursuing this new direction and staying in the safe, secure life she has built—and the relationship she has developed. Through her journey, Annie discovers that helping others heal from their own pain becomes central to mending what is broken within herself.