“It would be an honor, Ms. Sharpe,” John replied, planting a brief kiss on her lips, which prompted another cheer from the party around the table.

Mari was sitting at the head of the table, flanked by Greg and Alex, the three of them engaged in a lively discussion about Buddy Holly, whom Mari had seen live in 1958. Peter and Celeste were sat opposite one another deep in conversation, the sparks between them practically fizzing. Annie went around the table filling everyone’s glass with champagne while plates were passed along to be piled with succulent slices of meat.

The conversation was lively and loud. Annie took a sip of her champagne. Outside, the sun was setting, a giant orange orb disappearing into the ocean, and the sky was cloudless, a sure sign of more freezing weather to come. The lights on the little Christmas tree in the corner twinkled, and beneath the sounds of laughter, carols were playing, and logs popped and crackled in the wood stove.

Annie glanced around the table at her favorite people in all the world and felt a deep sense of contentment, and not just from the champagne she’d been drinking since midday. She was happy, happy to her very bones. And when John caught her eye and took her hand, lacing his fingers with hers, Annie knew there was no place in the world she would rather be than at Saltwater Nook.

Acknowledgments

This book was far harder to write than my first because it came with a host of added worries that weighed on me like the sandbags in Mari’s cellar: Was I just a one-hit-wonder? Would everyone be disappointed by my second offering?

Luckily, I have the most amazing supportive agent and editorial team around me, who reassured and guided me through all my wobbles and made me feel empowered to push on through. People often use the phrase “it takes a village,” but I can assure you that to transform my initial story idea, with all my arm-waving and overly excited descriptions followed by my truly gigantic first draft, to the point where it becomes an actual book, it really does take a village!

Firstly, thank you to Hayley Steed, my agent at the Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency, maker of dreams come true, who champions my work with the strength of a goddess.

To Kate Dresser and Jayne Osborne, my editors, and to Patricja Okuniewska, your enthusiasm, kindness, and faith in my work means the world to me; thank you for your unwavering support and guidance. And Jayne, thank you for not running for the hills when I initially presented you with a manuscript the size of War and Peace!

Thanks to Nishtha Patel, Elora Weil, and Nicole Biton for helping me navigate the tricky world of marketing, promotion, and social media, at which I am an absolute nincompoop, and for being patient and reassuring with me when I send you slightly bananas emails of panic.