Wake-Up Calls

by Mariah Stewart

A woman’s surprising inheritance opens the door to her family’s secrets in a moving novel about healing, forgiveness, and second chances by New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart.

Kit Porterfield is coping with the upheaval of her personal life when another shock blindsides her. Maxine Meadows, an aunt she never knew existed, has bequeathed to her a rustic campground in Maine. With it comes a long-buried family secret that Kit’s late mother took great pains to hide for her entire life.

When Kit arrives to tenuously claim her inheritance, she learns the town’s history and finds the lakeside sporting camp and its beautiful wooded acres in need of restoration to their former glory. But it’s Kit’s own history that compels her to stay, and she’s not returning home until she uncovers the secrets that tore two sisters apart so many years ago.

Kit soon discovers clues in old photographs and in the tale of a tragic and enduring love story, but the most startling revelations are yet to come. For Kit, they could be the path to understanding the mystery that defined her mother’s life—and her own.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Mystery, Contemporary, Family, Adult, Womens Fiction

392 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2026

About the author

Mariah Stewart is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of forty-one novels and three novellas and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal. She is a RITA finalist in romantic suspense and the recipient of the Award of Excellence for contemporary romance, a RIO Award for excellence in women's fiction, and a Reviewers Choice Award from Romantic Times Magazine. A three-time winner of the Golden Leaf Award presented by the New Jersey Romance Writers, Stewart was recently awarded their Lifetime Achievement Award (which placed her in their Hall of Fame along with former recipients Nora Roberts and Mary Jo Putney — very excellent company, indeed!)

After having written seven contemporary romance novels, Stewart found true happiness writing murder and mayhem. She considers herself one lucky son of a gun to have landed the best job in the world: getting paid for making up stories. At home. In sweats and J. Crew flip flops. Could life be sweeter?

Reviews

[L A · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A woman’s surprising inheritance opens the door to her family’s secrets in a moving novel about healing, forgiveness, and second chances by New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart."
I loved this book and story line. Give me an old campground and family homestead with a mystery defining the whole premise. Each character is heavily laden with burdens and disruptions in normalcy.
Kit's marriage is failing under her and she fails to see the red herrings. Her daughter's marriage is over after his infidelity, while she teeters on the edge of depression with a toddler. Kit's sister is recovering from cancer treatments while running a restaurant with employees stealing from her.
Kit grew up believing her mother was an only child and to her death bed never let on that she had a sister. Imagine the surprise when Kit receives a call from an attorney that she has inherited a house with a campground belonging to her Aunt Maxine.
Kit packs up to explore and make plans to sell the place. Her daughter, grandchild and sister all join her. The beauty of the place had weathered but very much needed restoration to its bones. They all fell in love with it. Kit wants to spend time exploring the old photos and letters to put together pieces of Maxine when she finds a beautiful love story. Meeting the town's people, their hospitality and enjoying the scenery helps to keep thoughts back home out of her head.
Several reveals and uncovering the mystery of the old home's dark secrets kept me listening to this incredible audio narrated by Andi Arndt.

[Heather Marshburn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was almost a DNF for me but I was mildly vested for the big reveal. As such, I scanned many pages - the author goes into a lot of excruciating (unnecessary IMO) detail in each of her scenes. In one example, it took her three pages to get the characters out the door for breakfast. I feel like this could have been a short story.

[Shannon Rochester · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was apparently not my first book by this author but the other one also got four stars so I must have liked it too :) This one was right up my alley. The main character is an older woman who is not so happily married anymore and her kids are all grown up. One day, she gets a call out of the blue about how she inherited a house and camp in Maine from her aunt...an aunt she didn't even know she had. So she heads out to look the place over, fully intending to sell it down the road...but instead she seems to find peace and a little bit of herself out there...I 100% wish something like this would happen to me, even if it is in Maine or anywhere else cold. Just like she did, I imagine I would "find myself" all over again. Because as you get older, life can become a little weird because you have no idea who you even are anymore sometimes.

[Sara Casey · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was so boring and predictable. The story seemed to drag on and on and so many details were repeated over and over. I really skimmed through the last third of the book just because reading each page was so tedious. I was waiting for something interesting to happen and it never really did.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maine Cabin Masters to the rescue? Just hot, hunky Brad, maybe? I can dream, can't I? No, I'm afraid that is not how this Chick-Lit plot goes. I'm kinda bummed by that. Actually, this is a coming of (middle) age book. Kit is fifty-five and her life is changing. Her husband is retiring soon, and they are not on the same page regarding their future. Her daughter's marriage is ending, and her sister is battling cancer. Into this turmoil she is notified that an aunt she never knew existed has died and left her a camp in the wilds of Maine. Change is definitely the theme of this book as is the question of what really makes a family? 3 1/2-Stars

[Tanisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually read romances with characters in their thirties or early forties, so picking up a general fiction novel centered around a woman in her mid-fifties felt like a refreshing change of pace. I ended up really loving that shift. The main character is juggling so much at once, from tensions in her marriage to everything her daughter and sister are going through, and it made her journey feel incredibly grounded and relatable.

When she suddenly inherits a property in Maine from a relative she barely knew, she decides to check it out for herself instead of doing what everyone else expects. That decision sets the tone for the entire story. Watching her explore the house and the town, settle into the slower pace, and rediscover pieces of herself was one of my favorite parts. There is also a quiet mystery woven into the family history, and even without getting into details, it added a layer of emotional depth that kept me invested.

By the end, I loved the sense of hope and possibility that the story created. My only wish is that the ending had been a little more complete, because there were a few threads of the main character’s personal journey that I wanted to see wrapped up more fully. Still, I truly enjoyed this book. It is heartfelt, reflective, and full of moments that make you think about the different ways people rebuild their lives.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately I must join the other readers who found that reading this very long book was not pleasurable.

[Jaime Honeycutt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Decent story

The storyline for this book was good. The execution not so much. The dialogue reminded me a poorly scripted after school special. There were constant contradictions in the story… like something had already been established then fast forward a few pages or chapter and then the MC or another character would wonder about or be trying to figure something out they’d already been told or figured out. The epilogue I’m pretty sure included the wrong character name mention. Just overall a disappointing read.

[Christine Hazel Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars, but I always round up on Goodreads.

The pacing in this book is so off. It takes until chapter 14 (!!!) before something relatively interesting happens. The pacing continues to drag. There are a few really interesting moments, but they drown in the boring. Each and every character sounds exactly the same. Without the narration stating who’s talking you would never be able to guess the different characters. The premise has the main character, Kit, inherit a summer camp in Maine from an aunt she never knew existed. The mystery and the New England aspects drew me to pick up the story, but many parts didn’t follow through. It was mostly disappointing, even with a few glimmers of interest.

[Atomic Pixie · Rating 2 out of 5]

It dragged on way too long.

This was not a GOOD book. It was a passable book. I didn't like most of it, but there was a mystery introduced early on that kept me waiting for answers. Everything else feel intolerably dull. I don't even know who I would recommend this to. But the writing was OK enough to finish.

[Sally Atlas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid 4 stars!

This was my Amazon Free Read for this month. I am really glad that I selected it because it was very well written. Recommend this one.

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I did predict how this would end, I still enjoyed the book. I typically read mysteries and thrillers, I needed a break and this one worked out fine for me.

[Heidi (MinxyD14) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*April 2026 Amazon Prime First Read

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mariah Stewart can always be counted on for a good read. Wake-up calls is a quiet, easy read that leaves you feeling good. Kit is in her fifties with two grown children she's proud of and a husband she no longer seems to have much in common with. When she first gets a phone call from a lawyer in Maine, she hangs up, thinking it's a scam. It takes a Fedex package full of documents to convince her an aunt she didn't even know existed has left her a "sporting camp" in the Maine woods. Wake-up Calls is a complicated family story about old secrets, old loves and unrecognized present day truths. There are a few threads toward the end that have me thinking (hoping) this may be the first book of a new series. A very satisfying read.

[Pamela(AllHoney) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kit Porterfield discovers she has inherited property from an aunt who she never knew existed. Meanwhile, her daughter's marriage is over and her husband is getting ready to retire and her sister is battling cancer. She travels to Tolerance, Maine to check things out. Kit had questions and it's up to her to get the answers.
Not going to give any more info but there are some surprises. I enjoyed this and will read more by this author.

[Cindy P Huntington · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book earned its 5⭐️s!! Might be the best book I have read in a while. This book contains a little of it all like family drama, character development, mystery, wilderness, small town & all it involves, but also such a love story! Highly recommend this book.

[Lyndi (mibookobsession) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main character in the story, Kit, is in her fifties with plenty of family drama and tension in her marriage. She finds out she inherited a rustic campground in Maine from an aunt she didn't even know existed. In rehabilitating the camp and uncovering the mystery, Kit is able to find peace in herself and hope for her future.
While overall I enjoyed the story, and the descriptions were lovely in some parts, in others it just dragged the story along and was honestly a bit dull. In my opinion, the story could have been a lot shorter.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

[Nancy Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting

I received this through KU first reads and it’s nothing like I would typically read, but I LOVED IT!! It was a mid-life story of an unknown inheritance from someone you never knew existed. It was a marriage in crises. It was an unraveling mystery. It was the roots of family and heritage. It was the price of secrets. It was a tragic love story. It was new beginnings for 3 generations. Well written, the story flowed flawlessly. Amazing, give this a read.

[Karen M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the sweetest story. I fell in love with the characters and the family history. It had just enough twists and turns to make it a mystery, but it was also filled with loving relationships and small town life. I wanted to learn more of how the story continued!

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 🌟 - This was an easy and beautiful read, with well-developed characters and a few plot twists.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It has twist and turns, it had love stories, and it had the strength of family working together and loving each other.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really nice story about generations of women and what they went through. Really enjoyed this story and loved the strength of the women to find their happiness.

[Katie Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

[Jodi Gernon · Rating 3 out of 5]

light and Fluffy

You figure out pretty quickly where the story is going but it is a nice story about a community coming together. It could have been told in half the time and it probably would have been better if Miles himself had written the story. The prose was pretty basic.

[Karilyn Ryder · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first 5 star review of 2026. So well-written that, even when the mystery became obvious halfway through, it wasn't drawn out or overdone by the time the pieces were officially revealed.

[Courtney Rabideau · Rating 4 out of 5]

mystery In Maine

Kit is a married mother of two with a grandson. Just as her daughter’s marriage hits the skids she gets what she thinks is a scam call. Her aunt died leaving her with property in Maine. The only problem with that is that she doesn’t have an aunt. Her mom was an only child or so so thought.

Turns out that it was real and Kit goes to Maine to investigate and find out why her mother and aunt didn’t talk. She makes friends with the locals and slowly uncovers the story with the help of her daughter and sister who come to help.

Found the story very good, but the mystery of the aunt was predictable. Have read several books over the last couple years that used the same type thing.

[Sheri Fields · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy of Wake up Calls by Mariah Stewart, she is an author I enjoy. I don't know how to give a synopsis of this book without giving away the twists and turns. I think you will enjoy reading about the characters and the small town that becomes involved in the main character's story line. There are complexities, heartbreaks, and new bonds made. Read the book I think you will find it interesting.

[Katie Mettner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wake-Up Calls by Mariah Stewart is a heartfelt story that reminds us how life’s most unexpected turns can become the very moments that redefine us. What begins as a surprising inheritance of a wilderness camp in Maine from an aunt whom Kit barely knew, quickly unfolds into something deeper. Her adventure to Main becomes a journey of self-discovery, uncovering the truth about her family and unraveling a life she thought she understood.

The title Wake-Up Calls couldn’t be more fitting. Throughout the novel, Kit, Beth, and Abby are confronted with emotional situations that force them to reevaluate their choices, relationships, and identities. These “wake-up calls” aren’t always gentle or heartwarming, either. They arrive in the form of secrets, heartbreak, and difficult realizations about who they thought they were and who they really are. Ms. Stewart beautifully illustrates how sometimes life has to shake us awake before we understand what’s missing or what needs to change. Because if we aren’t living our best lives, then we’re doing ourselves a disservice.

The novel’s strongest theme is the importance of family. The importance of understanding our blood family with the same acceptance we give to the family we build along the way. It’s about connection, support, and the community that shows up when it matters most. The importance of found family in this story is especially moving, offering a reminder that love and belonging can come from those who choose to be part of our lives, not because of blood ties.

Ms. Stewart’s writing always shines with warmth and authenticity as she has a gift for making readers feel as though they’re right there beside the characters as they go about their day. We walk the camp's wooded paths, share in their laughter, and feel the weight of their struggles.

Wake-Up Calls is a story about transformation and rebirth. It reminds us that surprising life events that initially feel like disruptions can actually lead us to exactly where we’re meant to be. Kit and Beth’s story reminds us that sometimes the best things in life come disguised as challenges, and that finding a new community, a new purpose, or even a new version of ourselves often begins with a single, life-altering wake-up call.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some books are loud and dramatic. This one quietly sneaks up on you emotionally instead.

I listened to the audiobook while reading along on Kindle, and I honestly think that made this story even better. The narrator had such a calming, comforting voice that fit the tone of the book perfectly. This felt like the kind of story you sink into slowly with coffee, a blanket, and maybe a small identity crisis of your own.

Kit is in her 50s, grieving her mother, questioning her marriage, dealing with family stress, and trying to figure out who she even is anymore outside of taking care of everyone else. Then she gets a phone call telling her she inherited a wilderness camp in Maine from an aunt she never knew existed because her mother claimed she was an only child her entire life.

And honestly? That emotional setup alone had me fully invested.

After losing my own mom earlier this year, a lot of the themes in this book hit differently for me. The grief, the unanswered questions, the complicated layers within families, realizing there are things you may never fully know about the people who raised you… this one got surprisingly emotional at times.

I also loved that this focused on a woman later in life trying to rediscover herself. We don’t get enough stories where women over 50 are allowed to completely reevaluate their lives and ask themselves if they’re actually happy or just comfortable.

The Maine setting was incredibly cozy too. The cabins, lake, camp atmosphere, small-town people, found-family moments, and even the slower pacing all worked together to create this comforting little escape. There were honestly moments where I wanted to pack up my life and go run a campground in the woods myself. Which is concerning because I barely want to answer emails most days.

Was it perfect? No. Some parts dragged a bit, and I figured out a few things before the reveal. But this book wasn’t really about shock value for me anyway. It was about healing, reinvention, grief, family, and realizing your life is not over just because it looks different than you imagined.

This felt like a quiet reminder that sometimes the biggest wake-up calls happen long after you thought your life was already settled.

[Linda Zagon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mariah Stewart, the Author of "Wake-Up Calls" has written an intriguing, captivating and astounding novel. In this well written novel, the genres are: Women's Domestic Life, Contemporary, Women's Fiction, Sisters, Family, Mystery and Suspense, and Romance. There are twists and turns, unexpected surprises, dark family secrets, and edgy suspense. I appreciate that the author discusses, second chances, healing and forgiveness. The author vividly describes the scenic locations, and the colorful and dramatic characters. The characters are complex, complicated, flawed, quirky, secretive and mostly likeable and relatable. Of course there is one loveable dog.

Kit Porterfield is dealing with changes in her life, when her husband Russ is about to retire. Her daughter Abby, and baby son come back home, as Abby contemplates divorce. Kit's sister Beth is trying a new cancer treatment, and Kit's son is helping out in Beth's store. Kit discovers that she had an Aunt she never knew, Maxine Meadows, and an inheritance of a camp, and land in Maine. More confusing is that her mother never revealed that she had a sister. When Kit meets the executor and laywer, he is bound by secrecy not to explain any part of the relationships. He hands her the keys, and shows her the properties, and is helpful with names of people that can fix things, and local places in the community. Kit is now playing "sleuth and detective" trying to reveal the relationships, and secrecy.

As Kit, Beth and Amy look through photographs in Maxine's house, they uncover glimpses of their family from years ago. As Kit makes new friends in the community, she has to decide whether to sell or keep the well-known camp, and beautiful grounds. I loved this memorable and thought-provoking novel, and highly recommend it! I appreciate how the author describes the importance of family, friends, community, happiness, love and hope.