Book One
Meredith Out of the Darkness
Meredith Beck is living the perfect life. She has a thriving career she loves and an apartment in New York City with the man of her dreams. But when she is devastated by tragedy, Meredith must rebuild her life in what she discovers is a shockingly less-than-perfect world.
In Book One, Meredith Out of the Darkness, Meredith stumbles through her day-to-day responsibilities without passion or hope. Her mundane routine is pleasantly interrupted when her brother introduces her to Nick Kelly, a quiet painter from a small town in Maine. Meredith is drawn to Nick’s love of nature and is comforted by his purity of heart. They begin a whirlwind romance, and as they plan their future together, she is delighted to have found peace once again, this time in a simple life far removed from the fast-paced life she’s known. But they are haunted by the past, competing with ghosts and desperate to meet unreachable expectations.
Full of colorful characters and leading the reader on an emotional journey from Philadelphia to Maine, Meredith Out of the Darkness is about two people’s awakening to a world of possibilities. But when their different visions of perfection come between them, the question remains: what is true perfection?
Book Two
Meredith Against the Wind
In Meredith Out of the Darkness, Meredith discovered the beauty of a simple life in which all her choices were her own. In Book Two, Meredith Against the Wind, Meredith moves forward in her quest for perfection, only her vision of perfection has been forever changed.
In a Washington, DC suburb of Virginia, Meredith meets Wes Bickhart, a charismatic attorney recovering from a divorce. Wes sweeps her off her feet with his wit, charm, and chivalry, and together they enjoy a passion for intellectual banter and for each other. Meredith feels safe with Wes, who having been burned himself, is also seeking the perfect love and wants nothing more than to give her a future of comfort and security. She is tempted by the seemingly perfect life Wes offers her. But in the back of her mind, she wonders if this is what she wants anymore. And the longer she takes to decide, the more she realizes that this life might require her to sacrifice more of herself than she is willing.
In Meredith Against the Wind, Meredith is put to the test as she is forced to stand up for herself, even as she redefines who she really is. Harder now but stronger, and with new perspective, she becomes embroiled in a power struggle as she determines how much is worth surrendering for love.
Book Three
Meredith Into the Fire
Ever optimistic, Meredith has never given up hope that she’d find what she’s been looking for. However, experience has taught her how easily her world can fall apart. Having endured enough losses, in Book Three, Meredith Into the Fire, she resolves that it will never happen again.
They’ve been crossing paths for over a year. Now fate seems to throw Meredith together with Shane Thayer, an aspiring celebrity chef with an odd sense of humor and a volatile temper. Struggling to make a name for himself and to satisfy the ambitions of his overbearing parents, Shane seems a far cry from the security for which Meredith yearns. But she is tired of following the same path, and she is anxious for her search to be over. Against the advice of her friends and family, to whom it is obvious that Shane is all wrong for her, Meredith sprints toward what she convinces herself is stability. Unfortunately, her attempt to take control of her life only brings her more chaos.
With tension at her job mounting and her unstable relationship rushing toward an unknown conclusion, Meredith makes a desperate grasp for control as her life crumbles around her. As her journey culminates in a dramatic explosion, will she settle for Shane or will she find what she is truly looking for?
Book Four
Meredith With the Waves
Meredith’s journey has brought her far from the buoyant, idealistic person she was before. But she has grown wiser and more courageous with each experience—even if she doesn’t know it. In Book Four, Meredith With the Waves, she comes to be at peace with the world and with herself as she finds that life’s imperfections are what make perfection after all.
In this poetic final installment of the Meredith series, Meredith faces intense love, intense sacrifice, intense sadness, and intense joy. It is a story of birth and death, life and family, and the ways they teach us what is truly important. A tale of reconciliation and the putting to rest of personal demons, it is a truly satisfying conclusion.
Strawberry and Sage
Gabriel Kelly is a hard-working young carpenter carrying the weight of responsibility on his back. With his father injured on the job and his brother fighting in Vietnam, Gabriel struggles to stay positive. And with the possibility of being drafted looming over him, he can focus only on things that matter, like visiting the mountain, where he regains clarity, and cherishing his time with Abigail, the childhood friend with whom he’s always been in love.
Abigail Wheeler is a bright, ambitious college student who just knows she can change the world. Determined to make good use of opportunities her mother never had, she spends her time campaigning for women’s rights and planning for her future. Her own experiences have taught her that the world is full of promise. So when Gabriel confesses his heart, she is torn, unsure whether they’d be compatible even though she secretly loves him too.
In a tumultuous time when change is the only constant, Gabriel and Abigail long to find meaning and to find themselves. As their friendship is tested by wars both inside and out, they discover that the differences that had kept them apart are actually why they need each other most.
Book One
Meredith Out of the Darkness
She's created the perfect life. But when it doesn’t turn out as planned, can she take what she’s learned and find her way in the darkness?
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Meredith Beck had it all: the love of her life, a thriving career, and an apartment in the excitement of New York City. Then tragedy strikes, leaving her adrift in a world that’s suddenly lost its luster. Optimistic by nature, she desperately attempts to rebuild. But no matter how hard she tries, she just can’t muster her former strength.
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Then a light appears in the darkness: Nick Kelly, a quiet painter from a small town in Maine. Thoughtful and kind, and utterly without pretension, Nick is unlike anyone Meredith has ever known. She is drawn to his love of nature and is comforted by his purity of heart. Through his eyes, the world seems to hold limitless possibility, and as their romance blossoms, she’s delighted to find herself on the road toward a simpler life, with a partner who reminds her of the beauty in every moment.
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But it isn’t as simple as it seems. As Nick’s own demons surface, the life they’re building threatens to unravel. Human fallibilities once again complicate best-laid plans. And it becomes clear that before they can embrace the future, they must confront the lingering ghosts of their pasts.
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A story of love, loss and the power of second chances, Meredith Out of the Darkness is first in a slow-burn series of cliffhangers ending with a warm and satisfying happily-ever-after.
Book Two
Meredith Against the Wind
Loss and heartache brought strength and self-discovery. Now she must stay true to herself as she’s pulled back toward the past she’s left behind.
Seeking a fresh start, Meredith travels to a Washington, DC suburb of Virginia, where she meets Wes Bickhart, a charismatic attorney recovering from a divorce. Wes sweeps her off her feet with his wit, charm, and amiability, and together they enjoy a passion for intellectual banter and for each other. Meredith feels safe with Wes, who having been burned himself, wants nothing more than to give her a future of comfort and security. She is tempted by the seemingly perfect life Wes offers her. But a change in priorities has her wondering if this is what she wants anymore. And the longer she takes to decide, the more she realizes that this life might require her to sacrifice more of herself than she is willing.
In Meredith Against the Wind, Meredith is put to the test as she is forced to stand up for herself, even as she redefines who she really is. Harder now but stronger, and with new perspective, she becomes embroiled in a power struggle as she determines how much is worth surrendering for love.
Book Three
Meredith Into the Fire
She’s clung to hope, but dreams always shatter. She won’t be burned again…
They’ve been crossing paths for over a year. Now fate seems to throw Meredith together with Shane Thayer, an aspiring celebrity chef with an odd sense of humor and a volatile temper. Struggling to make a name for himself and to satisfy the ambitions of his overbearing parents, Shane seems a far cry from the safe haven Meredith yearns for. But she’s tired of following the same path, certain it holds only heartache. Against the advice of her friends and family, to whom it is obvious that Shane is all wrong for her, Meredith sprints toward what she convinces herself is stability. Unfortunately, her attempt to take charge of her life only brings her more chaos.
With tension at her job mounting and her unstable relationship rushing toward an unknown conclusion, Meredith makes a desperate grasp for control as the walls crumble around her. As her journey culminates in a dramatic explosion, will she settle for Shane or will she find what she is truly looking for?
Book Four
Meredith With the Waves
Having pushed herself up after heartache and loss, Meredith can hardly believe how fortunate she is to finally have the perfect life she dreamed of. Nestled into a peaceful existence with the love of her life, she looks forward to a future full of meaning and purpose. She easily finds the strength to meet fresh challenges—building a new career, caring for her ailing father-in-law, and longing for her husband, whose work takes him far from home.
But life has a way of testing even the strongest resolve. Increasing tension with her demanding parents, the emotional toll of a high-risk pregnancy, and the challenges of new motherhood all force her to face the full weight of her past insecurities. And sudden upheaval in her husband’s job makes true partnership and understanding that much more urgent.
Each hurdle forces her to confront her deepest fears and to finally grapple with the lessons life’s been trying to teach her, pushing her to embrace the imperfections in her family, her life, herself.
Meredith With the Waves is a poignant exploration of resilience, acceptance, and the complexities of human relationships. The final installment of the Meredith series is about the power of facing obstacles with courage and grace—and about how life's uncertainties hold the key to unlocking our inner strength and to understanding the true essence of happiness.
Strawberry and Sage
Abigail Wheeler is a bright, ambitious college student who just knows she can change the world. Determined to make good use of opportunities her mother never had, she spends her time campaigning for women’s rights and planning for her future. She knows exactly what she wants out of life—until she receives a surprise marriage proposal from her best friend, Gabriel Kelly.
Abigail has always harbored feelings for Gabriel, but uncertainty over whether he’s reciprocated her affection has made her reluctant to confess her heart. Then there’s her fear of committing to traditional life in her small town. And most importantly, if their romance fails, their friendship could be damaged for good.
But turning him down could mean forsaking a promising future with the one person who loves her for who she is. And when world events catch up with them, she realizes that if she waits too long, she may lose the chance forever.
An emotional tale drawn from the women’s rights movement to the Vietnam War, Strawberry and Sage is a novella about love, friendship, and standing strong in our convictions.
Love in the Lavender
Andrew Quinn has always loved city life. A stockbroker from New York, he enjoys running in Central Park and grabbing drinks with friends. After suffering a personal tragedy, however, he can't help feeling that his life lacks meaning.
Then he picks up an obscure novel from a secondhand bookstore. The book speaks to him and pulls him from the darkness, making him feel hopeful once again. He'd like to thank the author, but the author seems to have vanished.
On a hunch, Andrew packs his bags and heads to a mountain in the Adirondacks to search for him. Instead, he finds Mary, a mysterious woman who has isolated herself in a beautiful garden of lavender. She teaches him the wonders of the mountain, and Andrew feels more and more at peace. But as he finds himself falling for her and her idyllic life, so many questions remain unanswered. Where is the author of his book? What is the sadness he sees in Mary's eyes? And what is he truly searching for?
Sweet Lavvy
On a blustery Maine winter’s morning, facing a monumental decision, Nick seeks solace by visiting his father’s grave, expecting to find the snow-covered cemetery deserted like every other day. Instead, he meets an old man who tells him the tale of Lavinia and Theodore, a passionate, peculiar romance between a shy young seamstress and her star-obsessed husband. After Theodore was lost at sea in 1857, Lavinia insisted he returned to her in ghostly form, and she lived out her days as if nothing had changed. The townspeople thought she was mad with grief, and they embraced her as the eccentric town widow. But when strange things began happening, things that couldn’t be explained, those closest to her wondered if she was telling the truth after all.
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The encounter with this mysterious stranger leaves Nick questioning the wisdom of the decision he’s about to make. Though Lavinia is long gone, can her story help guide him in his own life?
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Sweet Lavvy is a soulful story of the sea, the stars, and the solstice. Quiet and romantic, and full of wandering ghosts, it’s about holding each other dear and love that never dies.
Catherine and the Wind
Catherine Sheering is perfectly content with her quiet, predictable life. A successful chocolate maker, she enjoys living alone and keeping her own company—until she’s swept off her feet by rising political star Wes Bickhart. The problem is, she suspects Wes may have a lingering affection for his seemingly perfect ex, Meredith Kelly, who remains an important part of his life. Now she’s torn whether to simply enjoy the most satisfying love she’s known or to avoid the risk of being hurt again.
After years of personal struggles of her own, Meredith Kelly thought her life was finally perfect, with a wonderful husband and a growing family. But when her dying father, a famously irascible journalist and political kingmaker, requests her help drafting his memoir, she must reckon with their difficult relationship and with their family’s haunted past. It’s a task she can’t accomplish alone—and the one person who can help her is her politically ambitious ex, Wes Bickhart.
Now both women are put to the test as they balance their seemingly idyllic lives with their mutual uncertainty about where Wes’s heart really lies, leading them to surprising revelations about each other and themselves.
Easily read as a standalone novel or as an extension of Amanda Gale’s Meredith series, Catherine and the Wind is a tale of human frailty and fear, of growth and redemption—and of the sacrifices we make for the people we love most.
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Gwyneth in the Garden
Gwyneth O’Shaughnessy lives a quiet existence in a sleepy Maine town. Outside her work at the local historical society, she confines herself to her cozy Victorian home, convincing herself she's more satisfied that way. But when Liam Baxter moves into the house next door, Gwyneth’s interest is piqued. From the safety of her window, she watches as he performs strange rituals in his winter garden, planting unusual flowers and reciting poetry during midnight snowfalls.
After a chance meeting, their friendship blossoms, and Liam invites her to share the secrets of his garden. They bond over mythology and magic, and Gwyneth feels more special than she has in decades. The more time they spend together, the more deeply she feels for the man who’s helped her bloom again.
But Gwyneth has more secrets than those in Liam’s garden. Long ago, Gwyneth made a mistake that she’s been hiding ever since, one that now threatens to rip open the fabric of her life. Hanging in the balance is the promise of newfound happiness with Liam—not to mention her relationship with her carefree adult daughter. As her past rises from its ashes, her dreams slip from her grasp—unless she comes to terms with her failings and heartaches, the deepest secrets of all.
Maeve in the Morning
Maeve Sheering is living fabulously. Fiercely independent, wickedly sharp, and infallibly stylish, she’s the communications director for a lawmaker passing a promising water safety bill. She adores her job, which perfectly suits a crusader driven to make the world a better place. It’s intellectual and rewarding, and she’s exceptionally good at it.
Then she’s visited by a shadow from her past: Kyle Langahan, a bright but arrogant scientist intent on taking down a local chemical company poisoning the town’s water. Back in high school, Maeve and Kyle argued about everything from politics to sexism. And when their rivalry triggered events that led to the worst night of her life, she made a point of burying the memory forever.
Now Kyle is partnering with Maeve’s boss, forcing them into a reluctant collaboration that could threaten the bill’s future. Maeve, usually cool and competent, is increasingly frustrated by his tactics, which undermine her own efforts to accomplish the same goal. But more disconcerting still is that the more she gets to know him, the more she realizes that their differences could be the very qualities that bind them together. The discovery requires letting go of her defenses and facing her vulnerabilities—something she may not be prepared to do.
Easily read as a standalone novel or as the sequel to Catherine and the Wind, Maeve in the Morning is a story about facing demons and learning to trust others—and about how coming together for a shared purpose can lead to surprising self-discovery.
