What We Could Have Been

2024 STORYTRADE WOMEN'S FICTION AWARD WINNER
2023 READERS' CHOICE BOOK AWARD FINALIST
In this richly imagined novel, perfect for fans of Kristin Hannah and Taylor Jenkins Reid, a terrible betrayal triggers a feud that casts its shadow over the fates of two families in a small Florida fishing community. When a hunt for the truth rekindles a forbidden alliance, these families must choose to unearth more deception or finally claim redemption.

Bluebelle Shea and Enzo Castellari are hardly more than children when they fall in love, despite the objections of their families, who have been at war for years. They don’t know the reason for the brutal rift, but nothing matters except the way they feel. Their hopeful plan for the future is shattered the night Blue’s mother drowns—and her father is arrested for murder.

Ten years later, fleeing a disastrous marriage, Blue returns to Bliss with her young son, Murphy. As she settles into the community once more, chance throws her together with Enzo, and she is startled by the rekindled attraction he stirs inside her.

Drawn together time and again, Blue and Enzo try to untangle years of conflicting emotions and bittersweet memories. When a frightening crisis strikes, Enzo doesn’t hesitate to come to Blue’s aid. Resolved to put the past behind them, they fight to learn not only what really happened the night Blue’s mother died, but the truth behind the destructive clash between their families.

At its heart, What We Could Have Been explores the bonds between families, friends, and lovers, and poignantly illustrates the ways we can heal after betrayal. Suffused with detail and sentiment, this is a novel that will resonate with anyone who has ever fought for their own happy ending. View Less