Pine Bend Series

Mistletoe, merriment, and a mysterious disappearance.   Amidst the enchanting backdrop of Pine Bend, where winter magic is tangible and elk tracks crisscross the snow, Elise, a tenacious private investigator from Seattle, stumbles upon a cold case that ensnares her heart.   With each carol that floats through the crisp air and every twinkling light that illuminates the town, Elise finds herself not only drawn into the web of the town's enigmas but also to Nicholas—a captivating local with eyes that mirror the mysteries of the winter skies.   Yet as the two join forces to unravel the haunting riddle of Clara Evergreen's vanishing, they unexpectedly entangle their fates. Pine Bend, it seems, conceals more than festive merrymaking beneath its wintry cloak. Racing against the clock and their burgeoning feelings for one another, Elise and Nicholas delve deep into the town's hushed whispers, confronting the shadows of its history.   As the festive crescendo approaches, a revelation awaits—one that promises to alter the course of Elise's life and the very fabric of Pine Bend. In a town where each snowflake carries an untold tale, Elise is on the cusp of unearthing a story that chills to the bone.

In the season of light and love, uncovering the truth could shatter everything—or set it free. Private investigator Elise Harlow thought she'd seen everything by the time she'd moved to the charming town of Pine Bend. But when a family heirloom burns its new owner and strange connections to a 1917 tragedy come to light, Elise must untangle the gem's dark history before the winter solstice. With time running out, she discovers the secret of the gem's rightful lineage—and the devastating truth about its power.   In 1917, Isabella Windemere is trapped in a web of societal expectations, an unwanted engagement to a corrupt police officer, and the haunting legacy of the solstice gem—a pendant said to grant wishes but cursed to destroy the unworthy. Desperate to escape her suffocating life in Seattle, Isabella turns to Nathaniel Evergreen, her long-lost childhood friend. Together, they embark on a daring path that could lead to freedom—or tragedy.   Spanning two timelines and weaving together romance, suspense, and magical realism, Solstice Shadows is a story of legacy, love, and the choices that shape our futures.    Can the weight of the past be overcome, or will its shadows consume the present?  

What good is the truth if it can't change the past? In the untamed wilderness of Pine Bend during the winter of 1917, Isabella and Nathaniel Evergreen seek refuge from the haunting shadows of their past. Leaving behind the bustling streets of Seattle and the dark secrets of a tragic night, they envision a fresh start as owners of the Pine Haven Inn, building a life of love and purpose in their isolated new home. But new beginnings are never simple. As Christmas approaches, Isabella is tormented by the weight of the solstice gem's deadly legacy and a desperate longing for justice for her best friend Lucy. While she wrestles with whether to return to the city she left behind, the fragile peace she and Nathaniel have started to build is shattered by the arrival of a man from their past—a man whose charm hides dangerous ambitions. When life in Pine Bend is disrupted, Isabella and Nathaniel must not only fight for their future but also for their love, as haunting truths threaten to tear them apart. Together, they must decide how far they're willing to go to protect their future—and whether the truth is worth the ultimate cost. In the shadow of betrayal, facing the truth could cost Isabella and Nathaniel their home, their future—and each other.