Where the Heart Meets the Sea
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Product Details
Publisher: Bleecker Street Books
Release Date: January 20, 2026
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook, Audiobook
ISBN: HC: 979-8-9993544-3-3; PB: 979-8-9993544-0-2; EB: 979-8-9993544-1-9; AUD: 979-8-9993544-2-6
Trim: 5.5 x 8.5
Page Count: 320
A Novel
Kimbra Drake
An emotionally rich love story with themes of lost and found family in a stunning Norwegian island setting.
Twenty-nine-year-old Ella Nilsen has never known her parents—or even how her mother died. Raised by her emotionally distant Norwegian grandmother, Hilda, Ella has long accepted that the topic of her parents is off-limits. When Hilda passes away, Ella is shocked to find that her inheritance includes a summer cottage perched above the sea in a place called Lyngør, a remote island in Norway. To sell it, she’ll have to visit the cottage and take stock of what’s there—and maybe Lyngør holds the key to her mother’s mysterious passing, if she can get the locals to talk.
For as long as he can remember, Leif Arnesen, a thirty-four-year-old boatbuilder in Lyngør, has carried grief and shame from his father’s death, an accident that upended their small community. When Ella breezes into Lyngør looking for answers, her very presence stirs up old ghosts and earns her the villagers’ suspicions. As sparks begin to fly between Leif and Ella and their relationship blossoms quickly, everything Leif knows to be true threatens to capsize.
Perfect for fans of Jennifer Probst’s Our Italian Summer and set amid the rough and wild beauty of the Norwegian archipelagoes, Kimbra Drake’s Where the Heart Meets the Sea asks what happens when we’re forced to rewrite the stories that have defined our lives—and what we do with the next chapters.
About the Author
Kimbra Drake is a fiction writer who is also a certified book coach and developmental editor. She lives and writes in Virginia and Ireland. When not crafting stories, some of her passions include traveling, hiking in nature, photography, and attending gigs and readings at indie bookstores. Where the Heart Meets the Sea is inspired by her time living in Lyngør, Norway.
Visit the author’s website at kimbradrake.com
Reviews
“Drake conjures a deep sense of belonging to tell an emotional and heartwarming story of the search for family and the need to connect with the past in order to build a future.” —Jayne Ann Krentz, New York Times bestselling author
“Where the Heart Meets the Sea is a rich, emotional story that sweeps readers to the beauty of Norway, is full of family drama and romance, and has a heroine readers will cheer for.” —Jennifer Probst, New York Times bestselling author
“A richly atmospheric and emotionally layered novel, Where the Heart Meets the Sea sweeps you away to Norway’s wild coast, where love and mystery intertwine. With graceful prose and haunting depth, it’s a story about courage, renewal, and the secrets that can set us free.” —Julianne MacLean, bestselling author of These Tangled Vines
“Kimbra Drake’s When the Heart Meets the Sea is a delightful novel filled with everything I love: secrets, a found home, a plucky heroine, a gorgeous backdrop of sea and sky, and some romantic twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. I’m ready to move to Norway after reading this beautiful book of second chances.” —Maddie Dawson, bestselling author of Matchmaking for Beginners
“Where the Heart Meets the Sea is a beautifully atmospheric story that captures the captivating charm of Norway’s coastal landscapes. A lovely and reflective read set against a stunning and unforgettable backdrop.” —Jennifer Moorman, USA TODAY bestselling author of The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds
“Kimbra Drake has woven a beautifully atmospheric story of family secrets, romance, and self-discovery that will delight armchair travelers everywhere.”
—Kerry Anne King, bestselling author of Improbably Yours
“Where the Heart Meets the Sea is the memorable journey to Norway I always wanted to take.” —Marilyn Simon Rothstein, author of Who Loves You Best
“Kimbra Drake’s Where the Heart Meets the Sea is a deeply moving exploration of identity, legacy, and the ways love can both wound and heal across generations. Ultimately, Drake delivers a story that lingers long after the last page.” —Los Angeles Book Review
“Where the Heart Meets the Sea is a haunting, evocative tale of secrets, loss, and the journey home.” —Patricia Sands, bestselling author of the Love in Provence series
“A heartfelt love story about finding belonging, healing old wounds, and opening oneself to the possibility of new love.” —Suzanne Simonetti, USA Today bestselling author of The Sound of Wings
“Flott jobb (‘great job’ in Norwegian)! Where the Heart Meets the Sea is the memorable journey to Norway I have always wanted to take.” —Marilyn Simon Rothstein, author of Who Loves You Best
“An evocative romance novel set on a picturesque island in Norway. . . Readers will enjoy the novel’s absorbing setting, authentic characters, and heartfelt scenes.”
—BlueInk Review
“A little romance, a little mystery, a little island community in Norway—all are enticing elements in Kimbra Drake’s delightful novel.” —Jane Doucet, author of Lost & Found in Lunenburg
“Flavored with Norse mythology, this entertaining story is full of mystery and romance, danger and adventure, with characters so real you feel like you know them. An excellent read.” —Kathleen M. Rodgers, author The Llano County Mermaid Club
“Libraries seeking a powerful story of heritage will find Where the Heart Meets the Sea compelling [and] heartfelt.” —Midwest Book Review