August 28, 2026 – My Sanctuary

The Perfect Gift By Sarah Bennett

Sometimes you have to run away to find where you belong…

When Ed Penrose returns to Halfmoon Quay unannounced after months working in the Caribbean, he’s just looking forward to sleeping in his own bed. But unbeknown to him, his picturesque cottage by the sea has been rented out to Frankie Webber, the fiercely guarded star of a hit TV show. Frankie fled to Cornwall to escape from the public spotlight so Ed’s arrival at her door is both untimely and unwelcome.

Their friendship doesn’t get off to the smoothest start, but as Ed helps Frankie discover the magic of a Cornish Christmas, something begins to change. Ed is only home for a few weeks and Frankie’s career is waiting in London but as she is swept up in the welcoming warmth of the boisterous Penrose clan, Frankie feels her defences lowering.

Can a man trying to outgrow his reputation as the family liability and a woman afraid of trusting anyone be a match? Or will their chance of a festive romance fade when the new year begins?

It only takes a little Cornish magic to discover the true meaning of Christmas…

It’s never too late for a comeback!

Single mum Jules lives next to a tennis club, but has no plans to play. Especially when her old school crush, handsome doctor Sam Delaney, returns thirty years after he left and is now displaying a killer forehand in direct view of her bedroom window.

But when she’s hit by an unprecedented wave of anxiety – brought on by her 19-year-old daughter’s solo trip around the world – she’s in urgent need of a distraction and rashly agrees to join an amateur women’s tennis team. They are desperate for players. The fact that she doesn’t really play doesn’t seem to matter . . .

As rallies are hit and friendships are formed, Jules is astonished to find herself in the grip of a passionate, all-consuming relationship . . . and not only with the tennis. But will these sexy encounters she keeps stumbling into with Sam put her on course to a devastating double fault?

About The Author

My Review

This book is about rediscovering joy, confidence, and romance in midlife after years of putting family first. This book delivers a witty, uplifting story that celebrates second chances and the excitement of starting over.

Jules has spent years focused on raising her daughter after the heartbreaking loss of her husband. Now, as she faces the daunting reality of becoming an empty nester, she finds herself unsure of who she is without the role that has defined her for so long. Joining a local tennis club on a whim becomes the catalyst for change—especially when a childhood crush unexpectedly reappears and stirs feelings she never expected to revisit.

Costello excels at portraying the messy, funny, and deeply human side of midlife reinvention. Jules’s insecurities, hopes, and small victories feel authentic and relatable, while the humor keeps the story light and engaging. The tennis backdrop adds playful energy and a sense of momentum that mirrors Jules’s emotional growth.

Warm, charming, and full of heart, this novel proves that love stories don’t have an expiration date—they simply evolve with experience.

Second-Chance Romance

Childhood Crush

Midlife Reinvention

Empty-Nest New Beginning

My Rating