Port Anna

Port Anna is the debut novel by Libby Buck. First, let me say that I adored this novel and didn’t want it to end. Gwen Gilmore has recently lost everything of value to her, so she heads north to her family’s cottage on the coast of Maine. Her mother has recently passed away, leaving the cottage to her, but when Gwen arrives she finds the cottage in a sad state of disrepair. The ghosts of the cottage (The Misses) are still there, making noises, moans, and slamming doors and cabinets. Much about the town is the same, the fog still rolls in, but there are huge changes such as the new real estate built and the strange, strained relationships between her old friends. Gwen hopes to find a job, settle into the cottage, and live a quiet life. She has sad memories from Port Anna including the death of her sister at a young age and she wants to be left alone. However, life has other plans for her if she can find the courage to change. She reconnects with old friends, meets a charming artist named Leandro, and becomes a friend to an unlikely companion along the way.

The pacing of this novel felt just right. I was never bored. The novel was interesting and I was heavily invested in Gwen and her story. There is also a historical fiction slant to the novel that I loved. The descriptions of the trees and the sea were beautiful. I can tell the author loves Maine and I can’t believe this is her first novel. I will be recommending this book to everyone. Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

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