I loved this character driven, debut novel by Libby Buck. It reads as an authentic story of life, as Buck explores the past of Gwen’s life and how it has impacted her ‘now.’ It’s not easy to come home, especially when life hasn’t been sweet, but Gwen has more on her plate than most. An ancestral home with a few snarky ghosts, a previous boyfriend whose husband now becomes a friend as well, a passionate handsome artist in town, a slimy real estate developer, and Gwen’s own search for answers to her sister’s death. I was completely engrossed with this book, unable to put it down. Fabulous beginning for a new author - I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

This debut novel takes us to Port Anna in Maine(fictional location) where Gwen Gilmore has returned to her family’s cottage, Periwinkle. Gwen is struggling to make ends meet and her family cottage is haunted by two ghosts who she calls the misses. She falls back into the support of her high school friends who had grown and changed, some not for the better, at the same time she is trying to support someone else who needs her help. There were touches of romance, magical realism, sadness, and betrayal in this moody story that really touched on so many heavy topics.

4.5/5

Gwen is dealing with the loss of her mother, her job and her long term almost fiancée. Feeling adrift she returns to the Maine summer cottage she recently inherited. Not all happy memories are here as her younger sister drowned here one summer, but Gwen has no where else to go.
I thought this was going to be a mystery, but it seemed more like a series of happenings all parceled into one book. I would have liked if one or two of the story lines would have been chosen and written in more detail. There were just too many plots to follow. The book was okay…just not great. This review is my opinion only. 3.5 Stars
Thank you Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the early copy.

3.5 stars

I was intrigued by the premise of this book and really wanted to love it. While there is plenty that is enjoyable, I found it to have quite a crowded plot with so much going on that it was a distraction. I did enjoy the setting and overall found it to be an entertaining read though not a favorite.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Port Anna is a moody, atmospheric novel that blends grief, small-town nostalgia, light romance, and a dash of ghostly charm into a heartfelt story of starting over when everything feels lost. Gwen’s return to her family cottage in coastal Maine is filled with the kind of emotional heaviness you’d expect after a string of personal disasters — but the story doesn’t wallow. It unfolds gently, balancing sadness with sparks of hope and moments of genuine beauty.

The setting is a standout here. Libby Buck paints the town of Port Anna and the beloved (if crumbling) cottage with such detail that you can almost smell the salty air and hear the floorboards creak under ghostly footsteps. The Misses — the friendly spirits haunting Gwen’s home — add a whimsical, otherworldly layer that I honestly wish had been explored just a bit more. There’s also a lot happening plot-wise: grief, romance, a missing girl, gentrification, and a haunted house. At times it felt a bit crowded, and I occasionally found myself wanting the story to dig deeper rather than wider.

Still, Gwen is a relatable character, and her slow rediscovery of joy, love, and purpose made the journey worthwhile. The romance with Leandro was charming (even if a little underdeveloped), and I appreciated how the book captured the feeling of being caught between letting go of the past and stepping into the unknown.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. This is a lovely read for fans of character-driven fiction with a hint of the supernatural — especially those who enjoy a quiet, introspective coastal setting.

I wanted Port Anna to be much more than it ended up being. Is this a rebirth story? Is this a missing person story? Is this a gentrification story?

Well, it's a bit of everything. And sometimes, when you throw everything in the pot, things are just mush. Gwen is a fairly cliche character who is recently single, reconnects with her high school boyfriends, relearns how to long where she came from....

It's all been done again and again.

Eh?

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This atmospheric debut novel is a love letter to coastal Maine. I adore this story of starting over, found family and coming to terms with grief. It is beautifully told from start to finish.

After a job loss and the end of a long term relationship Gwen heads to her family’s summer cottage in fictional Port Anna, Maine. There she encounters friends both old and new, including the two ghosts who have always inhabited her cottage. I love the touches of magical realism and the author’s obvious love of nature. I feel as if I’ve actually spent some time in this captivating village.

Highly recommend.

Although other readers will probably focus on other aspects, my fav part of this well written, simple but reflective novel was remembering Molly, the importance of these memories, Shanaia and Gwen. Great detail at the end between them..

I received a free DRC of this book through Netgalley. It was a bit quiet at first kind of like Gwen's life after leaving the hustle of a bigger city for her childhood cottage in Port Anna, Maine. The ghosts that live in her cottage, a growing attraction that she doesn't want to give into, a girl with big needs, and severe financial problems all grow together into a story that was hard to put down. Gwen has been gone for 23 years and seemed to think her friend group would be the same as when she left. We see her breakdowns and bad decisions as she struggles to process the past along with today's new problems. A beautiful-worded ending that brings a sense of peace after the chaos of most of the book

After a family tragedy sends Gwen away from the summer cottage in Maine her family owned, she didn't return for 24 years. Now, with both parents gone and her professional life in shreds she returns to try to start a new life in a place that held her best and worst memories. Will she be able to come to terms with all the bad that happened and be strong enough to move forward, facing some pretty insurmountable odds to hang on to the family home? With just a touch of magical realism this book was a pleasure to read.

Atmospheric and charming, PORT ANNA should appeal to fans of women's fiction. Gwen is returning to Periwinkle, her family’s summer cottage, after her life explodes. This book has a lot going on -- some of it fairly predictable -- and the pacing drags a little, but I enjoyed the reading experience nonetheless. The author reminds us of the good in the world as Gwen navigates her way. Ultimately uplifting, this one will fit nicely in your beach bag.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-galley; all opinions in my review are 100% my own.

Gwen returns to her family's cottage on the coast in Maine. Defeated by so many life events, she now has to deal with the crumbling cottage and her lack of funds. However, she reunites with old friends from school - some good, some with ulterior motives. Then there's the matter of the secrets held by the ocean. The living history of Periwinkle cottage is a story all its own. Well done Ms. Buck!

4 stars ⭐️

Thank you Simon Books for this gorgeous ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was SUCH a pleasant surprise from a debut author! I have to admit I expressed interest in this book simply because of the cover but once I got into the pages I knew instantly I would enjoy it. This book was so many things at one time - but in the best way. A story about grief, coming home, finding your way through tough times, mending and creating families and you know what else? Magic. Magic and fairy tales.

⭐️ What I liked:
- This writing is simple but elegant. Extremely descriptive and moody. It felt like walking on the beach during a chilly fall day the entire book. This was probably my favorite part (I likened this to an Adrienne Young novel in the way that the atmosphere and slight magical elements power the story)
- The story was just enough. I loved that things weren’t overcomplicated, I loved that it didn’t try hard to be something bigger than it was. A simple story is good for the heart and that was this.
- The small pieces of magic and fairy tale like elements aided the story. This was a fun twist on a story that would have other wise been categorized as a simple women’s fiction / suspense novel.
- I enjoyed the feeling of facing grief/ coming home / found family / finding your place in life vibes. I love a character down on their luck and being able to watch their journey through hard times.
- The back stories were very compelling, nostalgic and emotional. It made me feel for the characters in a deeper way. It also gave the story some stormy sky feelings which I really loved.

⭐️ What kept this from a full five?
- I wanted more Leandro. Plain and simple. I loved every thing he was a part of and I wish he was in it a little more than he was. I didn’t go into this expecting a romance but because Leandro was so brilliant, it left a chill when he wasn’t around.
- I found that the interactions between characters were choppy throughout the book. I just didn’t love the dialogue and couldn’t fully sink into a scene or conversation before it was ripped away too quickly. The richest parts of the writing were when main character Gwen was on her own, interestingly enough. I would have loved some longer lasting dialogues or to be able to stay in a moment for a little longer.

⭐️ Overall, this was such a refreshing read. I tore through this. I recommend this for a rainy week during the summer. For a time when you want to relax and read something simple but also don’t want fluffy and light.


*Will post reviews to Instagram and TikTok in June*

I had delayed reading this ARC for months after receiving it, and I’m glad I did.

I should have read the description more closely. Then, I would have realized that I didn’t need to read another book about a “damsel in distress who returns to her hometown, interacts with high school boyfriends, and so on. We’ve all read this trope before, and this one is just as predictable and forgetful.

I never really connected with the main character and found myself skimming through most of the book.

This novel was compared to Sandwich, which is far superior.

What a wonderful debut! Can’t wait to read more from Libby Buck. Beautifully laid out with fantastic characters. I was drawn in from the very beginning. Great storytelling!
Thank you NetGalley, Libby Buck and Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to read and review this book.

When Gwen loses her teaching position and finances are an issue, she returns to the family cottage in Port Anna.
While she finds solace in the cottage, the memory of her sister's death is ever present in her mind. Reconnecting with
old friends ,allows her to reconnect with her love of writing. As she adapts to life in Port Anna, the discovery of a
missing girl will change her life.
#PortAnna #Simon&Schuster #NetGalley

Pack this one in your beach bag, because Port Anna is a must add to any summer reading list. The perfect vacation read, or read for those in need of a vacation, Libby Buck’s debut transports you to the perilously beautiful Maine coast. Part history, part mystery, and altogether captivating, Port Anna tells the story of Gwen Gilmore who, through a series of unfortunate events and questionable decisions is dangerously close to losing her family home. But with a little magic and a lot of help, she just might be able to save the thing she holds so dear.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced reader copy!

I have never visited Maine, let alone lived there over the course of dramatic turns in the seasons, but Libby Buck brings it to life with the fictional coastal town of Port Anna, with her tourist packed summer ideal, and the raging winter nor’easters. Gwen, and what she’s going through I can relate a little more closely to. She is returning to Periwinkle, her family’s summer cottage, after her life blows up in North Carolina. And in true blow up fashion, everything is falling apart around her: her job, a romantic relationship, the house, herself. She’s lucky to have good friends looking out for her, but also is unknowingly dealing with a former friend who isn’t. The reader will likely pick up on it, but in a place of desperation, Gwen is trying to grab on to any lifeline she can, even if it turns out not to be one. When she comes back to Periwinkle she also has to face the loss of her younger sister Molly, and try to figure out the best way to handle a runaway teenage girl who is relying on Gwen’s generosity for survival. Through this all she’s also exploring an unconventional relationship, but one that might be exactly what she needs. It seems like a lot, and it is, but when it rains, it pours. And it shows that while there are awful people in the world, there are also good people that get through hard times while giving and accepting help. I wish Buck had explored more what happened with Gwen’s parents after the death of Molly. In the book it certainly seems like they’re both gone, her mother after suffering from Alzheimer’s, but it doesn’t really go into how it changed their family dynamics. Beyond that it’s hard to find complaints about the story. Some people might have trouble reading it because Gwen goes through a lot of hard things, but it’s also inspiring and uplifting with an ending that’s very satisfying without being too unrealistic. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ ½
Genre: Contemporary Fiction

This debut novel follows the story of Gwen, a woman in her forties who is returning to her family’s cottage, located in the fictional coastal town of Port Anna, after many setbacks in her life, like a failed relationship and career loss.

This aging seaside cottage was owned by her family for generations. She goes there again for solace and some rethinking of where she stands. Going back there awakens many memories and secrets. What surprises Gwen is that this time she is drawn to the community that she once fled from. It will be like an opportunity to rekindle old friendships and explore what used to be her home once again.

The story is not fully contemporary fiction and has some magical realism elements in it due to the presence of ghosts. At times, the plot felt overcrowded with events, making it seem unnecessarily stuffed. There are parts of the story that will appeal to many readers, but the ghost part might not be among them.

In my opinion, the overall atmosphere of the coastal town is what makes this story appealing. That atmosphere reminded me of the movie Safe Haven. Although the two stories are different, they both take place in a coastal town and have ghosts! If you loved the atmosphere of the movie, you might also love the atmosphere of this book, which I think can be an excellent beach read choice.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC!

3.5 rounded up. A great book to read in the fall while cuddles under a blanket. Really enjoyed the Maine setting. Maine was in fact my favorite character. I didn’t even mind the house ghosts and thought they added to the book’s charm. Definitely pick up this book if you are looking for a “quiet read.”