Brookstone: Secrets of the Past
About
Some returns are more than just coming home—they’re a reckoning.
When Chandler Harris moves back to the small Southern town of Brookstone with his young daughter, he’s hoping for a fresh start. After the loss of his partner and his mother, and with his grandmother Vera’s health fading, Chandler needs peace—but Brookstone may not be ready to offer it.
Old houses creak with more than just age, and Chandler quickly senses that the town he left behind holds secrets—some whispered, some buried, and some still watching.
As Chandler reconnects with Spence, a childhood classmate-turned-kindergarten teacher, a new kind of spark begins to flicker. Their chemistry is undeniable, but so are the complications. Spence is Jennifer’s teacher, Chandler is a grieving single dad, and both men carry the scars of love lost and lives interrupted.
But Brookstone isn’t just a quiet town. It’s a place where the past clings tightly and secrets don’t stay buried for long.
With themes of healing, family, identity, and rediscovery, Secrets of the Past is a heartfelt story about rebuilding a life after loss—and maybe, finding love where you least expect it.
Praise for this book
When I saw that this book was 500+ pages, I thought wow, very ambitious! I’ve read books that should be cut in half. But not this one. Every page has something important that enriches the story. Chandler has lost his best friend/wife Shonda, and his mother. He moved himself and his daughter Jenifer back to his hometown Brookstone to take care of his 91 year old grandmother who is showing signs of dementia. The house has gone into neglect, so a lot of work has to be done, and Jenifer has to start at a new school. Enter Spence, grade school teacher whom remembers a 6 year old version of Chandler, but also is attracted to the man he’s become. Chandler feels the attraction too. He’s also Jen’s teacher. As they get to know each other the town becomes a dark place when skeletal remains are found in the local scrap yard. Chandler finds a chest full of secret letters, an old photograph, and a locket in the house. His grandmother starts mentioning things from her past that causes more questions than answers. This book is full of a slow burn between Chandler and Spence. It’s a small town with a history of the old south where interracial couples were frowned upon. There’s mystery, suspense, love- it’s really an intricate story with great secondary and some shady characters. The descriptions of people, the town and homes becoming almost like living things adds to the mood as you read. Excellent,excellent book!