Secrets and Second Chances at Saffron Bay

Saffron Bay #1

by L.K. Wilde, Eve Feiler (Narrator)

Listening Length: 9 hours and 59 minutes

When Alice Loveday inherits a tumble-down seaside cottage from the father she never knew, she leaves behind city life and heads for the picturesque Cornish village of Saffron Bay. But the tight-knit community isn't as welcoming as she'd hoped, and the Loveday name still carries the shadow of a scandal no one wants to speak of.

Determined to make a fresh start, Alice throws herself into restoring the cottage, and into village life. But the more she learns about her father's past, the more she realises that some secrets in Saffron Bay run deep. And when she crosses paths with Luke Richards, the kind local builder with a complicated history of his own, Alice must decide whether to guard her heart or risk opening it to love, and the possibility of belonging.

As winter storms roll across the coast and old wounds are laid bare, Alice discovers that second chances can come from the most unexpected places... and that sometimes, coming home is the bravest thing of all.

A heart-warming, emotional story of family, forgiveness and finding home.

Genres: Audiobook, Romance, Contemporary, Amazon, Fiction, Chick Lit, Adult

10 pages, Audible Audio

First published January 22, 2026

About the author

Author and musician LK Wilde was born in Norwich, but spent her teenage years living on a Northumbrian island. She left the island to study Music, and after a few years of wandering settled in Cornwall, where she raises her two crazy, delightful boys.

Her exquisite debut novel Silver Darlings captures the glory days of the herring industry, when coastal towns were prosperous, and women had independence like never before.

She juggles writing with motherhood, teaching and work as a musician, but still finds time to explore the beautiful countryside of her adoptive home, Cornwall.

Reviews

[Hayden Glander · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good but everything resolved itself very quickly considering how long it took to find out the truth and learn about all of the grudges.

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice genre palette change. I Will always love a Cornwall Seaside setting with Family secrets hidden over decades. Alice the MFC is sort of an enigma to me as she is completely unselfish. I like her a lot but the amount of responsibility with her younger sister she takes on because of her deadbeat Mom Tilly/Matilda is staggering. She is a good one but needs a little bit of at least one selfish bone. Her younger Sister is not terrible and suffering from the Mom’s neglect, teenage angst and a move so understandable. I love the MMC who is a good reliable person who deserves a family and love. There are several protagonists in this one but balanced out with some nice Village folks who do not know everything that caused her Father’s family to be an outcast. I enjoyed the plot and the Bay. I depise the Mom and wish she got some serious retribution.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75⭐
Overall I enjoyed the book, however some of the plot twists were easily guessed. Lots of likeable characters, lovely setting, and heartwarming ending.

[Nikelle Hollender · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lovely audio book. It has nice beachy details, a bit of mystery, cozy vibes, a fun read overall!

[Teri Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun book to read. I love books about a village. Can’t wait to start the second one in the series.

[Ginny Mullins · Rating 4 out of 5]

An audible book for me.

A lovely easy ready, romance and a bit of a twist.

[Holland Memmer · Rating 1 out of 5]

No one is shocked

[Christina Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just what I needed. A sweet summer read.

[Cara Isabella · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Alice Loveday inherits a tumble-down seaside cottage from the father she never knew, she leaves behind city life and heads for the picturesque Cornish village of Saffron Bay. But the tight-knit community isn’t as welcoming as she’d hoped, and the Loveday name still carries the shadow of a scandal no one wants to speak of.

Determined to make a fresh start, Alice throws herself into restoring the cottage, and into village life. But the more she learns about her father’s past, the more she realises that some secrets in Saffron Bay run deep. And when she crosses paths with Luke Richards, the kind local builder with a complicated history of his own, Alice must decide whether to guard her heart or risk opening it to love, and the possibility of belonging.

As storms roll across the coast and old wounds are laid bare, Alice discovers that second chances can come from the most unexpected places... and that sometimes, coming home is the bravest thing of all.

[Sandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

To be honest I got a bit bored before 50% was up.
Couldn't quite reconcile the fact that the village resented Alice's Dad despite the fact that apparently most of them knew nothing about what had happened with him.
All the nastier characters turned over a new leaf by the end of the book, wasn't that just spiffy.
BTW your sister is apparently being held against her will by some bloke and you DON'T automatically call the police? Seems legit.

[Sonia Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I tried some audiobooks in the romance genre before but DNF any. This was the first I could listen to the end and I LOVED IT. It was such a heartwarming story, so cute and sweet, it touched my heart and it was a pleasure to listen to.
The narrator was excellent.

[Renier · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 starts rounded up.
This was a very cute book, about a 25year old woman who inherits a cottage. Very "cozy" story in a small town with mystery.
Very predictable like many books in this genre. Was hoping for a bit more funny moments.
All in all still an enjoyable story.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

so wholesome and sweet

[Natward1 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn’t finish after chapter 5. This is kind of random and doesn’t really affect the review but in just 14 pages, 3 separate people appear out of nowhere and say “hello” to Alice, startling her half to death. Why do the exact same thing so many times? It feels repetitive and unbelievable after the first two haha.

But mostly this book just feels like too many other romance novels I’ve read.

I don’t like when the characters are instantly saying things like ‘wow this girl is so different’, or ‘I’ve never felt like this before’. It isn’t interesting and doesn’t give anywhere to build on in my opinion.

Luke is already overly interested in Alice. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s just the way it’s written that feels a bit corny and overly cliche.

Also I don’t love Alice. I mean, she may be fine and I get that we are seeing her at a vulnerable, unhappy time, but she just seems like kind of a dud.

It may be fine, nothing was horrible or anything. I just read a lot and I’ve read too many like this one already so if I don’t just really love the characters and they don’t stand out or feel different, I don’t care to read.

[Alena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let's be honest about what this book is and what it isn't. It isn't trying to reinvent the wheel. Small village, complicated family ties, a protagonist piecing together her past, you know the format. And if you have picked up a book like this, you know exactly how it ends. Happy. Obviously happy. How else.
And that is perfectly fine.
Secrets and Second Chances at Saffron Bay delivers exactly what it promises, a warm, enjoyable ride with some unexpected twists along the way that keep things from feeling entirely predictable. You are not here to be challenged. You are here to have a nice time.
My one gripe: certain characters perform dramatic personality U-turns with minimal convincing buildup. One moment difficult, next moment apologetic and reformed. People don't quite work like that in real life, but then again, neither do perfect small seaside villages.
Solid, enjoyable summer read.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice and her younger half sister move to Saffron Bay after their mother leaves them to go on an adventure in Asia. With no income, but a ramshackle cottage left to Alice by her father whom she has never met, the girls do the best they can. Alice's father seems to have done something that alienated the whole town. Some of that is aimed at the girls, though they have no idea what he did.
Help comes from Luke, a contractor, who helps with cleaning up the cottage and fixing some of the worst problems.

[Mrs A R Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

What's the big secret?

A really good book, I was hooked from the start. A great storyline which keeps the reader wondering and wanting to read more to discover why the locals feel as they do about the newcomer. The characters and descriptions are superb , giving enough information for the reader to build up a picture in their head , but not much that they get bored by endless description. The blurb says it's uplifting and heart warming and that description fits it perfectly .

[Ari Imi02 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved listening to this, so cute and emotionally tantalising. The yearning, the inner warmth emitted by the voice actors was exquisite. The clichè plot was overridden by the ease of character development and relatability. This was a great and naturally satisfying experience, especially as a listener. I loved how inspiring Alice was, stepping up to be a wonderfully positive influence on everyone she meets.

[Jessica Sazama · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. The characters, and their personal development, was really well done.

Alice unexpectedly inherits a house when she turns 25. This is given to her by her father- who she has never met. Once people find out who she is, they avoid her. She needs to investigate the history! She ends up being the guardian for her sister; while her mom again leaves.

Luke helps her renovate her house. Together they find stability and friendship.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really enjoyable listen. It had everything I look for in an easy, relaxing audiobook – likeable characters, a lovely setting, and a story that kept me wanting to find out how it was going to turn out.

I enjoyed it enough that I’ve gone straight into the follow-up, An Unexpected Arrival at Saffron Bay, which continueswith the same characters and a few new one thrown in so far. Even better, both books are included free with my Audible membership.

[Mina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this book on Audible as I came across it amongst the books included in my subscription. The book was enjoyable and the plot (including the twists) interesting enough to keep my attention. I liked most of the characters and thought it was well written. I'll likely check out the sequel which is also included on Audible.

[Mary Kate Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet feel-good novel set in beautiful Cornwall. I really enjoyed the romance but also loved that it was primarily a book about family relationships - sometimes rather messy but full of love and a desire for restoration in the end. It was a simple story and I figured out all the plot twists kind of early but it gets an extra star because it is a closed door, no spice book.

[Starlight Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️

This one was quite different to what I was expecting.

I did enjoy the found family and that Alice starts to grow into herself.

However, I really slumped with this book at times. I’m not sure if it was a pacing issue or because this read more like a cosy romance read.

Whilst it was enjoyable to a point, I sadly don’t think I’ll be back to book 2.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice has arrived in Safron Bay at the cottage her father left her when she turned 25. She was the unofficial guardian of her 15 year old sister since their mother left the country chasing a dream job.

But she didn't find acceptance or smiles. Instead she was met with frowns, anger, and secrets.
Nice read

[Kav · Rating 4 out of 5]

A closed door romance featuring themes of family dysfunction and found family as well as a classic mean girl trope that kept me on edge. Loved the Cornwall setting and the village full of secrets that cast a shadow over Alice's inheritance. Lots of angst, some funny moments and sweet romance.

[B. Fergen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The family you make

Alice moves to Saffron Bay to take possession of a rundown cottage the father she never knew left to her. She makes a home for her teenage sister, makes new friends, and finds her family. This is a feel-good story.

[Cara (Deputy LEM at HMP Low Newton) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice and simple piece of literary fiction. I enjoyed the characters and the setting sounds gorgeous, I wouldn't mind visiting Saffron Bay myself! The author built a village which I bought into, and I want to read the second instalment of this series.

[MaKaylasJoys]

Wow!
Um, so many unlikeable characters!
May, get your rotten, thankless, whinny baby, you-deserve-all-the-punishments self together!
Luke, grow a pair!
Mom, STRAIGHT TO JAIL

Im happy everything worked out in the end, but hot damn! That was messy.

[Husniya Jangirova · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a nice companion while commuting to work. Nothing serious, but just ordinary people going about their daily lives. Clean. Wholesome. Heartwarming. Tight-knit community. Family, forgiveness, and finding home. The story is set in Cornwell, an English village.

[laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO GOOD!

The character. The development. The history not only of the main characters but also their family members AND the people of Saffron Bay.

The growth, forgiveness, and bonds between these community members is everything.