From the author of Wildflower Hill, this breathtaking novel travels more than a century between two love stories set in the Australian seaside town of Lighthouse Bay.FROM THE AUTHOR OF WILDFLOWER HILL, THIS BREATHTAKING NOVEL TRAVELS MORE THAN A CENTURY BETWEEN TWO LOVE STORIES SET IN THE AUSTRALIAN SEASIDE TOWN OF LIGHTHOUSE BAY. In 1901, a ship sinks off the coast of Lighthouse Bay in Australia. The only survivor is Isabella Winterbourne—escaping her loveless marriage and the devastating loss of her son—who clutches a priceless gift meant for the Australian Parliament. Suddenly, this gift could be her ticket to a new life, free from the bonds of her husband and his overbearing family. One hundred years later, Libby Slater leaves her life in Paris to return to her hometown of Lighthouse Bay. Living in the cottage that was purchased by her recently passed lover, she hopes to heal her broken heart and reconcile with her sister,...

1874: Only days before she is to leave the foundling home where she grew up, Agnes Resolute discovers that, as a baby, she had been abandoned with a small token of her mother: a unicorn button. Agnes always believed her mother had been too poor to keep her, but after working as a laundress in the home she recognises the button as belonging to Genevieve Breckby, the beautiful and headstrong daughter of a local noble family. Agnes had seen Genevieve once, in the local village, and had never forgotten her. Despite having no money, Agnes will risk everything in a quest that will take her from the bleak moors of northern England to the harsh streets of London, then on to Paris and Ceylon. As Agnes follows her mother's trail, she makes choices that could cost her dearly. Finally, in Australia, she tracks Genevieve down. But is Genevieve capable of being the mother Agnes hopes she will be? An enthralling story about love, motherhood and choosing who you belong to in the world by the bestselling author of LIGHTHOUSE BAY and EMBER ISLAND. Praise for Kimberley Freeman's writing: WILDFLOWER HILL 'Utterly engaging.' THE COURIER-MAIL LIGHTHOUSE BAY 'an enchanting love story' MiNDFOOD EVERGREEN FALLS 'Eerie and fascinating ... the plot is brilliant in both time zones.' NEWCASTLE HERALD **

From internationally bestselling author Kimberley Freeman comes a captivating new novel about a scandalous attraction, a long-forgotten secret, and a place where two women’s lives are changed forever.It’s 1926 and Violet Armstrong is a waitress at the grand Evergreen Spa Hotel, where Australia’s glitterati are spending a winter vacation. Among the guests who remain are Sam and Flora Honeychurch-Blacks, a wealthy brother and sister ensconced in the hotel for an extended stay. Violet and Sam have an attraction that is as passionate as it is forbidden as the hotel closes down for the winter season. When a snowstorm moves in, trapping them all, no one could have imagined what would unfold. The group must let their secrets be buried by the snow, but all snow melts, exposing the truth beneath… Eighty-eight years later, Lauren Beck takes a job at a café in the Blue Mountains, built as the first stage of the Evergreen Spa Hotel’s return to...

In 1891, Tilly Kirkland is reeling with shock and guilt after her tempestuous marriage ends in horrific circumstances. Fleeing to the farthest place she knows, Tilly takes a job on Ember Island in Moreton Bay, Australia, where she becomes the governess to the prison superintendent’s precocious young daughter, Nell. Tilly knows she must keep the past hidden in order to start a new life, but she doesn’t know that Nell is watching her every move and writing it all down, hiding tiny journals all over their rambling manor home. More than one hundred years later, bestselling novelist Nina Jones is struggling to complete her next book. A reporter asking questions about her great-grandmother sends Nina retreating to her family’s home on Ember Island, where she hopes to find her lost inspiration somewhere in the crumbling walls. Though they are separated by years, both Tilly and Nina must learn that some secrets never stay buried, but what matters most is learning to trust your heart.From BooklistTwo women, separated by more than a century, are connected by the secrets they carry with them to Ember Island. After her marriage to a deceitful opportunist is exposed as a sham, Tilly Kirkland accidently starts a fire that kills her unfaithful husband and his lover. Fleeing to a remote island off the coast of Australia, she assumes an alias and accepts a position as governess to Nell Holt, the precocious daughter of the local prison superintendent. Fast-forward more than 100 years and best-selling author Nina Jones, Nell’s great-granddaughter, takes refuge on Ember Island, nursing a broken heart and guarding an emotionally and professionally paralyzing secret. As Tilly and Nina are both drawn tentatively into new beginnings, their alternating stories are linked by their relationships with Nell. Romance, history, and a touch of windblown gothic mystery will appeal to a broad cross section of readers. --Margaret Flanagan Review"Freeman skillfully unites the stories of two women who live a century apart but both face the challenge of overcoming difficult pasts, and both under the lighthouse’s watchful presence. . . . Freeman’s moving tale gives her two heroines the unique chance to make a fresh start in life." (Publishers Weekly) "The author’s description of the beautiful Australian coastline will linger with readers long after they finish the book." (Kirkus Reviews) “Freeman weaves the two time periods together so seamlessly." (Booklist) "What a perfect beach read. A sunken ship, buried treasure, a home on the beach by the lighthouse, sister relationships, adventure, and romance. Lighthouse Bay packs a lot into its two-pronged story." (atravelerslibrary.com) "The novel's strength instead lies in Freeman's complex characters—capable of love and hate, shame and redemption. Both Beattie and Emma find themselves having to start over, and it is for these two women that readers cheer and sympathize." (Publishers Weekly) "By the last satisfying scene, you may find yourself reluctantly parting with old friends who will live on once the cover has closed. Highly recommended." (Historical Novels Review) "[Freeman] made her characters come to life, the scenery visible through her words, and the story was believable and made me want to read more." (Book Nook Club) "The complexities of character and female relationships make this novel very rich and emotional." (Examiner.com) "A gorgeous story of family and secrets and the redemptive power of love." (Kate Morton, author of The Distant Hours and The Forgotten Garden)