The Cottage

A fresh start in a quiet coastal town. A book club built on friendship. A neighbor no one talks about.

Beth Lang didn't come to Pelican Beach looking for anything more than a place to catch her breath. But this town has a way of drawing people in—and the women there have been showing up for each other for decades.

When Beth receives an invitation to join their book club, she steps into more than a monthly gathering. She finds a circle of ladies bound by years of shared history, laughter, and unwavering support—the kind of friends that don't let you disappear, even when you want to.

But not everything in Pelican Beach is as warm as it seems.

Her nearest neighbor is a man the town keeps at arm's length. No one explains why. The more Beth notices, the harder it becomes to ignore the quiet distance surrounding him.

When Tony, a local contractor, asks her out, Beth finds herself pulling back. She isn't ready… and she doesn't know if she ever will be.

As friendships deepen and long-buried truths begin to surface, Beth must decide what she's willing to stand up for… and what she's finally ready to leave behind.

Because in Pelican Beach, the porchlight is always on… but not everyone is invited inside.

If you enjoy cozy women's fiction with later-in-life characters still finding their way—filled with second chances, heartfelt support, and a happily ever after—you'll feel right at home in Pelican Beach.

The Cottage is the first book in the Carolina Book Club trilogy and is best read in order.