Water Finds a Way a Novel

Can coming home be a redemption? Or at least a place to hide out? Released from prison, Blake returns to the only place she ever felt safe, the now derelict Maine town she harbored in as a teen. Determined to keep her secrets and the losses to herself, Blake can't help being dragged into others' lives when she walks on as an apprentice lobsterman to Leland, who has problems of his own.

Nearly broke and trying to support himself and 9-year-old Quinnie, Leland's questionable reputation and inability to pay the going wage make it impossible find lobstermen for his crew. Blake is distant and silent, but competent, more than competent. Soon Leland and those around Blake are surprised and jarred by how much they have come to rely on her. As more eyes turn her way, Blake feels forced to run again, only to discover her old life is seldom more than a couple steps behind her. Blake finds herself on a collision path with her own past in her quest to find home.

Can coming home bring redemption? Or at least a measure of peace? Recently released from prison, Blake Alvares returns to the only place she ever felt safe, the now derelict Maine town in which she harbored as a teen. Determined to conceal her secrets and losses, she soon finds herself dragged into others' lives when she takes a job on a boat owned by a notorious young lobsterman.

Leland Savard is nearly broke, trying to support himself and 9-year-old Quinnie as he wrestles with a dangerous family legacy. Though his choice to hire Blake raises local eyebrows, Leland and those around Blake are quickly surprised and jarred by how much they come to rely on her. At the same time, Blake stumbles into love from unexpected places. When Leland's rash actions place her and Quinnie in peril, Blake feels forced to run again-only to discover the past is never more than a few steps behind her. On her quest for home, Blake must confront a daunting question: where does she belong?

This is a book for readers who enjoy the believable eccentricity a small town offers. And for those who believe in the redemption of the sea and hard work.