An Ocean of Stars

Boston, 1879. Phoebe Van Bergen has poured everything into the Van Bergen Women’s Hospital—her inheritance, her defiance, her desperate need to be more than society’s gilded ornament. Within its cramped wards, she matters.

Here, she is not the obedient fiancée of a man whose charm masks something darker. Here, she can breathe.

Then Dr. Douglas McLennan arrives from Scotland—brilliant, abrasive, and haunted by a loss so devastating he’s vowed never to love again. He dismisses Phoebe as a privileged do-gooder. She thinks him insufferably arrogant. Neither expects their clashes to become the most honest conversations of their lives.

But Phoebe is keeping secrets that could destroy her. And when Douglas becomes the one person who knows the truth—the shame she carries, the violence she’s survived—she knows he’s seen her at her most broken, and she might lose him forever.

When Phoebe finally breaks free of her engagement and travels to Scotland for a medical symposium, she never expects Douglas to be on the same journey—or for a catastrophic disaster on the Tay Bridge to strip away everything but what matters most. Faced with death, they must finally confront the question they’ve been running Is the risk of heartbreak worth the chance at being truly known?

A sweeping tale of passion, redemption, and the power of second chances, perfect for fans of Olivia Hawker, Amy Harmon and Kristin Hannah.

What readers say about An Ocean of Stars:

“I inhaled this book, genuinely struggling to put it down, but becoming panicked when I hit the 80% mark because I really didn't want it to end... there is a moment of such jeopardy, I genuinely thought I might stop breathing as I read... An absolute must-read. I could not love it more.” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Oh my goodness, Imogen Martin has done it again, with a love story that swept me across continents and left me wrung out as a wet rag... The pull between them was as real as the reasons which kept them apart; believable, human and heart-rending. The words 'sweeping love story' could have been invented for this emotionally accomplished novel.” Eva Glynn, author of The Olive Grove, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“A glorious Gilded Age romance with fascinating, complex, superbly crafted central characters whose chemistry sparkles in every encounter... I resented every moment I had to stop reading to do other things. This is a love story to relish.” Luisa A. Jones, author of The Gilded Cage, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Historical romance at its most immersive—thoughtful, moving, and beautifully detailed... I was completely absorbed from start to finish and closed the book feeling both heartbroken and hopeful.” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Has it all!... I felt I was there experiencing every moment with Phoebe and Douglas on both sides of the Atlantic. Storytelling at its best — I loved it!” Jan Baynham, author of The Secret Sister, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I was swept away into this captivating and emotional historical romance... The author did a fantastic job of slowly unveiling the scars and painful pasts as the story unfolded.