How Deep is the Ocean (Grief and Growth)

Sloan Stevens has it all. Or at least, she thought she did.

When her husband of thirteen years drops a bomb on her, she has no choice but to leave him. The trouble is, her husband has taken not only her trust, but her unrelenting belief in love and her dream of being a mother. Fleeing reality, she escapes to Sunshine Shores, North Carolina, hoping it will prepare her for the road to divorce.

Leo Hayes is done with casual flings.

As an Olympian turned surf school instructor, he knows he fulfills a certain fantasy for a lot of vacationers in Sunshine Shores. But his heart yearns for something more. Something real. After encouragement from his friends, he commits to the idea. No more tourists. Until a familiar face shows up in town.

This isn’t the first time Sloan and Leo have crossed paths, but with Sloan now unattached, Leo can’t resist her. Even if it means one last fling. Even if she regrets it the next morning. Preparing for heartbreak, Leo resolves to give Sloan the space she needs. Until they’re pulled back together by the last thing they expected: a positive pregnancy test.

Sloan’s dreams of motherhood are coming true in the least convenient way, but all Leo sees is a silver lining. Sloan has a reason to stay in Sunshine Shores, and maybe—just maybe—with Leo too.