The past is never far away.

When Cate Rivers leaves her husband in the middle of the night with their young daughter, Eliza, she has no idea what the future holds. Taking a live-in position at Hollow House on the Dorset coast, she determines to make a new life for her and Eliza.

But Cate's new boss, fossil hunter Charles Thorner, could do without the problems of a couple of runaways under his roof. He's got enough worries of his own, including a painful past which still holds him prisoner today.

As the two of them learn to work alongside each other, secrets are shared and a new closeness is found, but they soon discover that you can only hide from the past for so long.

The Way to the Sea is the latest heart-warming novel by the bestselling author of The Beauty of Broken Things and The Rose Girls .

Praise for Victoria Connelly:

'A heartwarming story with charming characters.' New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber

'I stayed up very late on two nights reading One Last Summer. I was very moved by it.' Jilly Cooper

'The Beauty of Broken Things is such a lovely, sensitively written novel which I found genuinely uplifting.' LJ Ross, #1 bestselling author

'A wistful, hopeful treasure of a book.' Fiona Valpy

'Great fun. A real page-turner.' Andrew Davies, screenwriter of Sanditon and War and Peace

'Sunshine on a rainy day. A charmingly written slice of warm-hearted escapism.' Lisa Jewell

'A lovely feel-good story.' Katie Fforde

'A magical story from the gifted pen of Victoria Connelly.' Carole Matthews

'A series of delightful reads for book lovers everywhere. With its comforting combination of family, friendships and beautiful bookshops, it warms the heart and soothes the soul.' Heidi Swain

'Bestselling British author Connelly's latest captivating book takes readers on an insightful exploration of grief, loss, forgiveness, and the ultimate healing power of love. With its exquisitely nuanced characters and quietly powerful plot, this superbly written love story will definitely please fans of Debbie Macomber and Susan Wiggs, and readers who fondly remember and miss Rosamunde Pilcher.' Booklist