Sea Glass hidden in Plain Sight

by Stacey Wilk

Maren Russo knows better than anyone that sometimes life knocks your crown right off your head. Her event planning business crumbled to pieces like rotted driftwood thanks to a bridezilla extraordinaire. Without an income, she can’t keep her home or her daughter in college. She doesn’t want to strain her recently renewed relationship with her sisters and ask for a loan. That leaves one option. Consider the most outrageous idea she’s ever heard.

Shane Sutherland finds himself in desperate need of changing his bad image. If he doesn’t, he will miss out on the opportunity to manage his dream baseball team. When his car crashes near Serenity by the Sea, he thinks he’s found the answer to his problems. Too bad Maren thinks he’s lost his mind.

Maren and Shane find themselves in a secret arrangement that drags up their unresolved past like nets on the ocean’s floor. Telling lies to the people they love risks what they’re working to save. Or will a few hidden facts get them everything they want—except true love and the truth?

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 30, 2025

About the author

From an early age, Stacey Wilk told tales as a way to escape. At six she wrote short stories in composition notebooks, at twelve she wrote a novel on a typewriter, in high school biology she wrote rock star romances in her binder instead of paying attention.

But it wasn’t until many years later, inspired by her children and a looming birthday, that she finally took her story-telling seriously. And published her first novel in 2013. Since then, she’s gone on to publish fourteen more so women everywhere could fall in love and find an escape of their own.

She isn’t done telling stories. Not by a long shot. If you want to read her emotional and honest books about family, romance, and second chances, visit her at www.staceywilk.com

To see what she writes next, follow her Facebook group for her amazing readers – Stacey’s Novel Family https://bit.ly/2FK8Lae
Or join her newsletter - https://bit.ly/2A0jEFk

Reviews

[Sahar's Honest Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Life Gives You a Second Chance
Shane and Maren loved each other back in college, but life—and Shane’s temper—drove them apart. Years later, fate gives them another shot. After Shane loses his job and crashes his car near Serenity by the Sea, he finds himself back in Maren’s small town, face-to-face with the woman he never forgot.
Maren has her own struggles: her event planning business collapsed after a disastrous wedding, and finances are tight. When Shane proposes a fake engagement to repair his image, Maren hesitates—but can she afford to refuse?
This heartwarming story blends love, redemption, and second chances in a charming small-town setting. Readers who enjoy second-chance romance may find themselves drawn into Shane and Maren’s story.

[Sue Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 in the Serenity Series and Maren is the second of the Russo sisters to find her HEA.
This is a second chance at love, now much older and wiser, and life's not going in the right direction, Shane and Maren agree on a fake engagement to help each other out.
Shane needs help to clean up his image, and Maren is having a few cash flow problems!!
Wonderful storyline with great characters and loved the HEA.
I received an ARC copy of this book via Bookfunnel, and I'm willingly leaving an honest review.

[Bamidele Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartfelt, witty, and brimming with second chances, this novel dives deep into love, family, and redemption. Maren Russo’s fall from grace and Shane Sutherland’s quest for a clean slate make for a compelling opposites-attract romance with emotional depth and charm. Their secret arrangement sparks tension, humor, and unexpected vulnerability, all set against the picturesque backdrop of Serenity by the Sea. A perfect blend of humor, heartache, and hope, this story proves that sometimes, the most unexpected detours lead to exactly where we belong.

[Katrina Lampkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet and edgy

I've met the author and she is as genuine as her writing. This book has second chances and well deserved for those characters. I really wanted to see Shane open up more in the end. I look forward to the next book in the series.

[Joanne Gelderblom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Mariah MacIntosh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good beach read! I wish there was a little more character development/resolution but it was good! Can’t wait to finish the series with the next book!