Description

When idealistic librarian Eliza Merrick returns to her hometown of Oak Hollow, she's on a mission: to preserve the town's fading history by restoring its long-forgotten archives. But one essential collection—a set of private documents tied to the town's founding families—is locked away on the estate of Dean Thatcher, her best friend's reclusive older brother. Dean, gruff and grief-worn from past losses, wants nothing to do with the town—or with the bright-eyed woman determined to stir up both his memories and his heart.

What begins as a battle of wills quickly deepens into something neither expects. As Eliza breaks through Dean's defenses, she uncovers not only long-buried town secrets but also the truth of her own family's legacy. Together, they navigate clashing priorities, local gossip, the return of unresolved pain, and the looming threat of developers who want to erase the town's past for profit.

As they work side-by-side to build a new community archive and expose the injustices hidden in Oak Hollow's foundation, Eliza and Dean rediscover hope, healing—and a love that's been quietly waiting to bloom.