Claire Rowan came home to sell an inn. She never expected to find the man she left behind holding the ladder.

Twelve years after choosing her career over Bellweather Bay, preservation architect Claire Rowan inherits her grandmother's weathered coastal inn. Her plan is simple: complete the grant-required repairs, sell the property, and return to Boston before the past can become a problem.

Then she discovers the contractor is Luke Mercer, her former fiancé, first love, and the one person who remembers exactly how their future fell apart.

With six weeks until the town's Harbor Lights Festival, Claire and Luke must work side by side to save the inn. Old feelings return with every repaired window and late-night storm. But a developer's offer and Claire's biggest career opportunity force them to confront the question they avoided years ago: can two people build a life together without asking either one to become smaller?

Set on the autumn coast of Maine, Small Town Second-Chance Romance is a warm, emotionally grounded novella about homecoming, honest choices, and a love worth rebuilding. A complete standalone romance with mature characters, forced proximity, and a hard-earned happy ending.