At 26, idealistic baker Mia West has her entire life planned out: a Craftsman cottage in Seattle, baking at The Butter Emporium, and the love of her life, her boyfriend Ethan, by her side. But when Ethan breaks up with her instead of proposing on their sixth dating anniversary (with the Tiffany blue box in his pocket), Mia's carefully planned future crumbles.

Adrift and devastated, she determines to find new meaning in her life by helping those in need. Guided by recurring dreams about honeybees that seem to be leading her toward this new path in life, Mia joins her vivacious housemate Rosie on an around-the-world humanitarian trip funded by the reclusive billionaire, Lars Lindstrom.

Along with a famous grunge rock star, an Ethiopian immigrant, and an unsettlingly attractive Hawaiian urban farmer named Kai, Mia and Rosie embark on the trip of a lifetime. From the slums of Mumbai to a Hungarian border camp during the refugee crisis, Mia's eyes are opened and her idealistic vision is challenged as she experiences the euphoria, disillusionment, and heartbreaking reality of humanitarian work abroad.

As Mia grapples with how to make a difference in an overwhelmingly difficult world, circumstances force her to choose between the life she thought she wanted and the unexpected life she has built.

Author Rachel Linden returns with a new contemporary women’s fiction novel about the bond between sisters and finding the courage to fight for the people you love.

Sisters Waverly Ross and Charlie Talbot have spent all of their adult lives on separate continents pursuing their very different dreams and dealing with life's hurdles independent of each other. But when the aunt who raised them passes away, they come together again only to realize how desperately they need each other.

Celebrity chef Waverly Ross has built a successful career with her home entertaining show Simply Perfect, but she and her husband have never been able to realize the true desire of Waverly's heart: to become a mother. In the midst of grief over losing their Aunt Mae, Waverly opens up to Charlie about her inability to have children and is caught off guard when her twin sister offers the selfless gift of surrogacy.

Charlie Talbot is an international aid worker living in Budapest, Hungary, away from what little family she has left, until her aunt's death brings her back to the small town of Watley, Ohio. After years spent in an occupation helping others, she realizes she's done little to build a life of her own and is struck by the intense desire to mend the brokenness between herself and her sister.

When a pregnant Charlie returns to Budapest, she finds that circumstances at work have shifted, and she is in danger of losing her job. She's forced to try to hide her pregnancy from her boss and an unsettlingly attractive colleague, Dr. Johan Kruger. Meanwhile Waverly discovers that Simply Perfect is in danger of cancellation unless she can find a way to boost ratings.

"Winsome kids and family friends add depth and warmth to the well-developed cast of characters. Readers will eagerly await future offerings from this promising new author."--Publishers Weekly, STARRED review "Linden's debut novel is a bittersweet tale of enduring friendship, family ties, and the complexities of love that will engage readers of thoughtful women's fiction."--Library Journal, STARRED review, Debut of the Month When globetrotting photographer Magdalena Henry loses the only man she's ever loved, she risks her stellar career to care for his widow and young children on a remote island in the Pacific Northwest. Free-spirited and fiercely independent, Maggie adores her life of travel and adventure. But she has a secret. She can't let go of her first and only love, renowned architect Marco Firelli, now married to her best friend Lena. When Marco drowns in a kayaking accident, Maggie rushes to the Firelli family's summer home on San Juan Island. Once there she discovers that Marco was hiding something that could destroy his family. As fragile, perfectionistic Lena slowly falls apart, Maggie tries to provide stability for Marco and Lena's three young children. When Maggie is offered a once-in-a-lifetime chance to compete in the world's most prestigious photography competition, she thinks she's found the answer to their problems. Then Lena makes a choice with unexpected and devastating consequences, forcing Maggie to grapple with an agonizing decision. Does she sacrifice the golden opportunity of her career or abandon the Firellis just when they need her the most? Gradually the island begins to work its magic. A century-old ritual to beckon loved ones home offers hope in the midst of sorrow. And a guilt-ridden yet compelling stranger hiding on the island may offer Maggie a second chance at love, but only if she can relinquish the past and move forward to find joy in unexpected places.