Harbor House

by Katie Winters

When Stella Vanberg dies, she leaves her children one final a mystery that will change everything they thought they knew about their family.


The night Candice Vanberg discovers her celebrated novelist husband has been having an affair with one of his graduate students, her world shatters.

Then the phone rings.

Her mother—elegant philanthropist Stella Vanberg, the woman who seemed larger than life—is dead.


Unable to face the wreckage of her marriage, Candice escapes to her family's beloved Harbor House on Nantucket with her siblings, Lindsey and Henry. As they gather to mourn the woman they thought they knew, Candice finds herself standing at a crossroads. Her children are nearly grown, her writing career has been dormant for years, and for the first time in decades, she has no idea what comes next.

But Stella has one final surprise waiting for them.

In her will, she leaves instructions for Harbor House to be transformed into a refuge for women facing hardship and crisis, effectively giving away the cherished family home. Shocked, Candice and her siblings struggle to understand why their mother would choose strangers over her own children.

The answer lies in a past Stella never shared.

When a chance conversation with an old high school love uncovers whispers of Stella's forgotten songwriting career, Candice begins digging through her mother's records, journals, and guarded memories. What she discovers raises an impossible

Who was Stella Vanberg before Nantucket?

As Candice follows the trail of clues, a remarkable story emerges, one of a young woman who lost everything, fled her old life, and found refuge in a seaside sanctuary. The deeper Candice ventures into her mother's hidden history, the more she realizes that Stella's greatest secrets weren't acts of deception, but acts of survival.

Rich with heart, hope, and the healing power of family, this unforgettable women's fiction novel explores the bonds between mothers and daughters, the courage it takes to reinvent yourself, and the legacy we leave behind. Set against the windswept beauty of Nantucket, it's a moving story of love, loss, redemption, and the extraordinary truth that sometimes the people we think we know best still have stories left to tell.

190 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 7, 2026

About the author

Katie writes women's fiction and clean, wholesome contemporary romance. She looks to everyday, real-life family issues to weave stories of heartfelt emotions, love and loss, and everything in between.

Come transport yourself to Martha's Vineyard: an island of vivid blue ocean, white sand, and a lively community of locals, who celebrate everything from the bright New England summers to the cold, yet cozy, snowcapped winters.

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Reviews

[Judith Levis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book opens with the death of Stella Vanberg, and what follows is her children's attempt to find out about their mother's past and uncover secrets of this unknown life. Stella's three children go to Nantucket Island and learn their mother's house there is to be transformed into a home for women in crisis needing help. Eldest child Candice and her sister Lindsey travel in search of answers about who their mother really was. The story tries to solve the mystery and moves from past to present. It's a very original plot that leaves the reader eager for the next book in the series.

[Kathleen A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harbor House is a very intriguing story by Katie Winters! I could hardly put the book down and could not wait to see what happened! However, I did not want the book to end, either! Again, some strong and determined women characters who were very nurturing! Deep secrets, however, shadowed and disrupted the life of one character and family!

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

The dark circles under my eyes tell you how much I couldn’t put this book down. It has it all; romance, betrayal, family drama and oh so many secrets. I enjoyed the characters and the determination of the siblings to find answers about their Mother. 💕💕💕

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great new series

This is a great story going from present to the past with the characters. Katie Winters does not disappoint us

[Janet Sherian Lindsay-Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Took a while for me to get into this book, but after I press on reading this book and got a hang of the story line. It was a good read. Now I'm looking for the next book.

[kathleen hanlon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this book! What a wonderful story of perseverance and courage. I can’t wait for the next book!

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harbor House book 1

I loved the book the way Katie writes is wonderful.
I would recommend this book to everyone.
I can't wait for the next book.

[Ricki N. Bickle]

while I loved the storyline, it is so discouraging that the next book is readily available because I forget the storyline and by the time the next one comes out, I have lost interest.

[Karen Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read Katie Winter's books for quite a while. Honestly, I think her books become more intriguing with each new series!!!!!

[Pamala Doughty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book!

Really good book, and hopefully good series! Now on to the next book In the series! Such a good author!

[Sheila Bisdee · Rating 5 out of 5]

heartwarming

True life at its best. I loved the characters. The stories flow just as in everyday life. You are going to love this series
The author did a very believable job