Shadows of the Past

Echoes of Camano Island #4

by Kimberly Thomas

In the serene coastal town of Camano Island, Blake seeks a fresh start, far from the shadows of a tumultuous past that haunts her every step. Once a veterinarian filled with promise, life has reduced her to survival mode. Working as a prep cook in the renowned Lot 28 and starting up a new friendship with Trish, the owner of The Nestled Inn, she begins to heal and rediscover her passion for veterinary medicine. But as she inches toward normalcy, the ghost of her past re-emerges, threatening the sanctuary she’s painstakingly built for herself and her daughter. Amidst all this, she finds herself having unexpected feelings for a certain chef who wants to be her knight in shining armor.


Meanwhile, Sarah is grappling with her own set of challenges. Removed from the hospital ward and the young leukemia patient she cherishes because of her high-risk pregnancy, Sarah finds herself navigating the quiet of home and contending with her fiancé Aaron's mysterious behaviors that shake the very foundations of their future together. When her nightmares materialize, Sarah must delve deep within herself to rise above self-pity and despair, summoning the strength to fight for everything she holds dear.


Blake’s journey of reclaiming her strength is interlaced with the threat lurking in the shadows, while Sarah’s story weaves through the heartache of love and loss, the fragility of life, and the unwavering hope that underpins her every action.

219 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 20, 2025

About the author

Kimberly Thomas has a passion for writing heartfelt stories that resonate with her readers. With two adult children and a loving husband, she understands the complexities of family dynamics and uses this knowledge to create relatable characters. When she's not writing, she loves to travel and explore new cultures. She finds inspiration in the people she meets and the places she visits, and often incorporates her experiences into her stories.

Kimberly specializes in feel-good women's fiction, clean and wholesome contemporary romance. Her stories focus on love, loss, and the everyday situations that families face. Her writing style is engaging and relatable, and she has a talent for drawing readers in and keeping them hooked until the very end.

Reviews

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book four in this series has two main plot that brings together all of the old characters as well as Blake and her daughter, who are new characters.

Blake was in an abusive marriage and trying to survive and hide from her abusive husband. Despite the fact that she's a veterinarian, she's working in a restaurant. When she finds out that her husband has gotten out of jail, she fears for her life and moves to Camano Island to rent a home somewhere that she thinks he'll never find her. She takes a job as a prep cook and begins a friendship with Trish from the Inn. Her teenage daughter is not happy to leave her friends behind and gives her mom even more to worry about. Blake is reluctant to make friends because she wants to keep herself hidden. As she begins to feel safer, she makes more friends and becomes friends with the chef at the restaurant who wants to be more than friends.

Sarah is pregnant and living with her boyfriend Aaron. She has been told to stay at home and rest but her heart is still at the hospital with a young leukemia patient. When she rushes to the hospital to visit the young, girl, she puts her life and the life of her unborn child into danger. When the baby is born prematurely, she can't forgive herself for endangering her baby's life.

Blake is working to reclaim her strength while she feels threatened by her past. Sarah is being faced with life decisions and leaning to forgive herself as she goes through a difficult pregnancy. Both women are stronger than they think and have to learn to use that strength to make better lives for themselves and their families.

[Pam Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of emotions run through this book. Two main Plot lines, with the inclusion of familiar characters. First Sarah and Aaron are facing a difficult pregnancy. Sarah’s dad Paul is on his honeymoon with Nikki

Meanwhile Blake and daughter Ivy come to Camino island to escape her abusive policeman husband Dominic who has recently been paroled. While anxious to escape, Blake is constantly checking the shadows. Her daughter Ivy is very resistant to the love. Blake meets chef Ken, but is reluctant to try to move forward and look for love.

Is Blake going to be safe? Can Dominic find her? What happens when Sarah becomes stressed?

Thank you to the author for this ARC. Thos review is my honest opinion.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blake needs to leave to hide. Her abusive ex-husband is about to be out of jail. Grabbing her daughter, they head to Camano Island. She ends up at Trish's inn and quickly is adopted by the community.

Meanwhile, Sarah is on rest for the rest of her pregnancy. She's struggling as she misses work and her patients, including a sick little girl.

Will Blake be safe in Camano? Has she finally found a commyto settle in?

Sarah and Aaron are awaiting a baby girl and upcoming wedding. What can go wrong?

Two different women but great read to see how they converge and the community comes together

[Jennie Fortna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shadows of the Past is book 4 in the Echoes of Camano Island series by Kimberly Thomas. 4.5 stars

This book has two stories filled with heartbreaking drama, dealing with abuse, drama, dealing with life issues and decisions, trying for a fresh beginning, seeing others from prior books and more…

I voluntarily read a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I do love this series by Kimberly Thomas. This introduced Blake and her daughter and brought up the theme of abuse and survival. It still included the characters we know - Sarah and Aaron - who are struggling with her bed rest during the pregnancy. Blake deals with safety and trying to settle into a community away from her ex. The way the stories were written together was so good. 2 different stories but told together.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick book that I read in one day.
It’s book four in this series so we see some of the previous characters in this book.
This book deals with several life issues and will touch your heart.
It’s another good one by this author

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good chapter in this series. Onto to the final book.