The Lighthouse Keeper's Promise (The Seaside Vow #1)

Marine biologist Clara Doyle returns to Blue Harbor, Maine after fifteen years to save her late father's lighthouse from demolition, only to find her first love Eli Cross, the harbor master whose betrayal drove her away, is the only one who can help her succeed. As they work together to protect a rare puffin colony and restore the lighthouse, old wounds resurface alongside new Eli has been quietly funding the town's preservation efforts for years, carrying guilt like stones in his pockets. Through storm-battered nights and salt-stained confessions, Clara must choose between the safety of her data-driven world and the terrifying vulnerability of forgiveness, learning that some lights are meant to guide you home, even through the darkest waters.