For fans of Liane Moriarty and Maria Semple, this contemporary debut novel weaves together romance, mystery, and adventure as a woman travels to the Grand Canyon seeking answers after uncovering an old family secret.
After crashing into a devastating revelation, Cyd’s tranquil life on the Florida panhandle is further upended when she receives a letter announcing an inheritance from an estranged aunt. The inheritance contains mysterious “items of a personal nature” which Cyd must collect in person halfway across the country. In a last attempt to salvage her deteriorating marriage, Cyd agrees to travel with her husband on what he promises—and she questions—will be the trip of a lifetime.
As they set out, a hurricane threatens their hometown. Soon, fueled by the growing threat of the storm and the tension brewing between them, the couple’s long-suppressed problems erupt. Cyd digs deep for the courage to continue the journey on her own, unsure if either her home or her marriage will survive.
Once in Phoenix, Cyd learns the strange details of the inheritance and a decades-old family secret. But what was the whole truth? Clues and instinct lead Cyd to Sedona and then to the Grand Canyon. She descends into the vast chasm alone searching for answers to newly raised questions and age-old mysteries. She steps off the beaten path, literally, knowing she must make peace with her pain-filled past and her uncertain future.
2025 Best Book Awards Winner in Fiction: Women's Fiction
“The novel examines the complexity of human emotions, the strength found in vulnerability, and the power of taking control when life feels unmanageable. It captures the beauty of introspection and the courage to embrace change. . . . a contemporary drama about the human condition”—Readers’ Favorite, 5-star review
“Mills effectively examines the self-destructive thought patterns women often fall into in their quest for happiness. . . . Readers will savor Cyd’s intense journey, rooting for her to navigate her trauma and emerge on the other side, ready to become a woman who ‘believed she would find her way.’”—BookLife Reviews
“I was drawn into this delightful debut novel by the promise of secrets revealed and pulled along by Jayne Mills’s sprightly and approachable prose, vibrant characters, and satisfying plot surprises. Readers who enjoy multigenerational family secrets and stories of women triumphing over whatever life throws at them will devour this book.”—Alice C. Early, author of The Moon Always Rising
“Are you on the hunt for a read that hits that sweet spot between heartfelt and engrossing? You’ve found it.”—Los Angeles Wire, “4 Beach Reads for Your 2025”
