Hamptons

In The Hampton House, the first book of an enthralling new women's fiction series, Mandie Kelton, Alicia Halverson, and Suzette Paxman are drawn together by the allure of forgotten elegance and the shadows of the past. They'll have to learn to get along if they have any hope of keeping their jobs, and as they restore an abandoned mansion in The Hamptons, they'll also discover the lost and hidden parts of themselves that make them into the women they're meant to be. Working for a prestigious New York City historical building restoration and conservation firm, Mandie, Alicia, and Suzette embark on a journey to breathe new life into abandoned mansions along the Eastern Seaboard. Their latest project, an enigmatic mansion in The Hamptons, promises more than just a restoration challenge; it offers a journey of self-discovery and an unfolding mystery that will bind them in ways they never anticipated. Mandie Kelton, with her keen eye for architectural beauty and a deep-seated belief in the stories walls can tell, is the heart of the team. She hasn't had a field assignment for months, and after being encouraged by her husband and then her best friend, Mandie volunteers in a meeting where people have been fired for less. Alicia Halverson is the accounting genius on the team, and she also brings her unparalleled restoration skills, ensuring no detail is overlooked. She's recently divorced and caring for two small children alone, so she also needs a local project. She and Mandie have always gotten along well despite their age differences, and Lish is thrilled to be working with her best friend in The Hamptons. However, after their third team member, a "bulldozer" who goes into the dirtiest of places inside the abandoned mansions the firm carefully restores, suffers a fall, Suzette Paxman is assigned to Mandie and Lish's team. Suzie is a whirlwind of innovation and energy, whose initial friction with Mandie and Alicia masks her deep-seated fear of not belonging. She knows she's not well-liked, and she's always lived up to her role as a bulldozer. But as she, Mandie, and Lish peel back the layers of the Hampton House, they uncover a tapestry of secrets that challenge their perceptions of history, love, and friendship. The sixteen-thousand-square-foot mansion, with its grandeur and mystery, becomes a character in its own right, as every abandoned mansion Mandie's ever entered has its own story to tell. Who lived there? Why did they leave it? Why didn't they take anything with them? The Hampton House reveals clues to a bygone era and a forgotten love story that mirrors each woman's own evolving bonds. Mandie, Lish, and Suzie navigate through hidden passages, decode ancient letters, and restore long-lost beauty, all while grappling with personal demons and professional rivalries. As the walls of the Hampton House come alive with tales of yesteryears, Mandie, Lish, and Suzie find themselves facing truths about their own lives. They learn that real strength lies in vulnerability, true friendship is forged in adversity, and the most enduring love stories are those that survive the test of time. The Hampton House is not just a journey through the corridors of a forgotten mansion; it is a voyage into the heart of friendship, resilience, and the enduring power of love. Join these three women as they discover that restoring a house is akin to mending one's soul, and in the process, uncover a mystery that will forever link their destinies to the Hampton House–and each other.

Fresh off their triumph at the Hampton House, Mandie Kelton, Alicia Halverson, and Suzette Paxman are ready for their next challenge, but life at PastForward is about to get a whole lot more complicated. With their Flatiron office slated to close, the women are forced to take on a new project restoring a historic yacht club and the abandoned yacht docked there a vessel as storied as the mansion they just left behind. As they delve into the yacht's rich history, the team will find themselves facing a sea of new challenges, both at work and in their personal lives.Mandie Kelton thought the hardest part of her year was behind her after the successful restoration of the Hampton House, but when her boss, Candace Ewing, reveals their next project, she realizes the past still holds plenty of surprises. The team at PastForward is tasked with restoring The Amaranth, a once-glorious yacht owned by reclusive shipping magnate Bradley Short.For Mandie, the project is more than just restoring a vesselit's about proving herself once again in the high-stakes world of historical preservation. But with her marriage to Charlie entering a new chapter, she struggles to balance her intense career ambitions with the life she and her husband are trying to build together.Alicia, the team's meticulous accountant and the new Assistant Director at PastForward, must navigate her own complex relationships, balancing co-parenting responsibilities with her ex-husband and her growing feelings for Henry. As the stakes on the yacht and at the yacht club rise, Alicia finds herself at a crossroads, torn between loyalty to her friends, doing a good job at work, and balancing her personal life.Suzie is tasked as the team lead on The Amaranth restoration, a job she's never done before. But as Suzie delves deeper into the yacht's restoration, she discovers hidden compartments and unearths the history of the Short family that makes her feel connected to the vessel in a whole new way. At the same time, Suzie's personal life takes an unexpected turn as she meets a sweet man who loves history as much as she does...and the sparks are instant and hot.And Candace, the enigmatic director of PastForward, has a personal connection to The Amaranth she hasn't disclosed to anyone. While she tells her team the project is just another opportunity to cement the company's reputation, her real motivations are far more personal. The restoration dredges up memories Candace has buried for decades, forcing her to confront the ghosts of her pastmost notably through the sudden appearance of a twenty-one-year-old woman who claims to be her biological daughter.As the team works to restore they yacht club and The Amaranth to their former glory, they realize they're not just restoring a piece of historythey're piecing together fragments of their own lives, hearts, and identities. The Amaranth becomes more than a projectit's a mirror, reflecting their deepest fears and highest hopes, and it challenges them to ask whether they have the courage to face what's been hidden in their own lives...The Yacht Club is a sweeping tale of history, friendship, and redemption, where the restoration of a legendary vessel becomes a catalyst for personal growth, buried truths, and the transformative power of healing.

As summer unfolds in Five Island Cove, Mandie Kelton, Alicia Halverson, and Suzette Paxman dive into another ambitious restoration project. After the whirlwind of wedding season, the three best friends are eager to take on the enigmatic Cove Cottage, a historic seaside home steeped in secrets.Mandie's research into the cottage's past reveals startling ties to her own family, forcing her to question everything she thought she knew. As she juggles personal ambition and her longing for a family, she faces unexpected choices that could reshape her future.Fresh from her wedding, Alicia grapples with long-distance co-parenting and feelings of inadequacy as she tries to blend her life with Henry's. Discovering hidden artifacts during the restoration reignites her passion for history...and forces her to reexamine the decisions from her first marriage.Now engaged to Daniel, Suzie is caught between planning her future and facing the uncertainty of her past. Her bulldozer approach creates tension that could derail the wedding. With pressure mounting, Suzie must learn to temper her fierce drive with the give-and-take love requires, or risk losing everything she's built in the past couple of years.As the women restore the Cove Cottage, they begin to realize the project is about more than bricks and mortar. It's a journey of healing, self-discovery, and the enduring strength of friendship.With long-buried truths waiting to surface, will they have the courage to face the past-and embrace what's next?