Book Title: THE SANDY PAGE BOOKSHOP
Character Name: Leah Powell, proprietor of The Sandy Page Bookshop
How would you describe your family or your childhood?
I grew up in Chatham, Cape Cod, on the coast, so my childhood was pretty idyllic. Summers were spent at the beach. My first job was at Buffy’s Ice Cream parlor. My first kiss was on Harding’s Beach. My family is very close, but sadly it is smaller now; we lost my mother to cancer five years ago, and my family has moved out of the area. At thirty-five, I’m the only one who returned to the Cape. It’s the first time I’ve returned since her passing.
What was your greatest talent?
Reading. Books are my greatest joy. It’s why I went into publishing career in Boston, which unfortunately didn’t turn out so well. But it’s also what drove me to renovate the old captain’s house in town and open The Sandy Page Bookshop. It’s been a labor of love and tears, and this summer will tell if it makes it or not!
Significant other?
Spoiler alert. My fiancé Greg and I parted ways, another reason I’m back home on the Cape. But there is someone new. Someone from the past, actually, whom I had all but forgotten about- though now he’s pretty unforgettable. Summer will tell.
Biggest challenge in relationships?
Balancing my own career and wishes with someone else’s. Calling off my wedding was one of the hardest things I ever did. You need to find someone who supports your dreams, even if they don’t share the same ones. Someone who lets you be you and loves you for all messy ingredients you’re made of. I’m learning that now that I’m back home and Luke Nickerson has returned to my life.
Where do you live?
I used to live in Boston in a tony Back Bay brownstone. I traded it for my old family cottage
on Cape Cod, and it has turned out to be the best thing that’s happened to me.
Do you have any enemies?
Only the villains in the books in my shop! Did I tell you we have some great new thrillers that just came in? Be sure to check out the front table by the porch for new releases! And help yourself to a saltwater taffy while you peruse.
How do you feel about the place where you are now? Is there something you are particularly attached to, or particularly repelled by, in this place?
It’s the last place I wanted to be, but I am back home where I started. It was hard at first, coming home to a family house that was empty. Restoring the old captain’s house in town and turning it into a book shop is a dream realized. I had no idea the people this little shop would invite into my life: people so unlike me and yet now so important to me. We’ve made our own little community here, at The Sandy Page Bookshop, and the people who fill the aisles are as important as the people I call my family. Books really do bring people together.
Do you have children, pets, both, or neither?
I used to be afraid of dogs, but Luke and Eudora took care of that! Now I have two bookstore dogs. Children…well, we shall see what the future holds!
What do you do for a living?
My job in publishing blew up after a scandal, but I’m now the proud owner of The Sandy Page Bookshop on Main Street by the lighthouse.
Greatest disappointment?
Losing my mother five years ago.
Greatest source of joy?
I would have said the books on my shop shelves, but now I would say the people who
come through the shop door.
What do you do to entertain yourself or have fun?
A long walk on Hardings Beach after work. A lobster roll in the dunes at sunset. And reading…I never leave home or the shop without a book.
What is your greatest personal failing, in your view?
I should have vetted my debut author more carefully, back at my editorial job at Morgan Press in Boston. Her manuscript seemed so good, so fresh- I just didn’t dig deeply enough.
What keeps you awake at night?
The thought of losing The Sandy Page. The success of that store is no longer for myself; it’s a community hub and a safe haven for so many in this small town. We depend on it, just like we depend on one another.
What is the most pressing problem you have at the moment?
I wonder what the future holds for Luke and me. There are so many memories from our past. Will we make more for the future?
Is there something that you need or want that you don’t have? For yourself or for someone important to you?
I want the Sandy Page to survive its first year. Starting up a small business is a leap of faith. So is opening your heart to someone. I don’t want to spoil any surprises, but let’s just say I want that to survive, too.
Why don’t you have it? What is in the way?
The Sandy Page is looking hopeful– it’s a fledgling but it seems to be finding its wings, thanks to Chatham and all the wonderful people and neighbors who’ve come to love it and support it. As for my heart, stubborn independence and fear of starting over have stood in the way up ‘til now. What happens after this summer remains to be seen: but it’s my next chapter to write!
The return of a prodigal daughter to her sleepy Cape Cod town brings the community together in this heartwarming all-new beach read from the acclaimed author of the “absolute treasure of a novel” (Kristy Woodson Harvey, New York Times bestselling author) The Darlings.
After her publishing career and engagement fell apart in Boston, Leah Powell has no choice but to return to her sleepy coastal hometown on Cape Cod. Feeling lost and discouraged, she stumbles upon a once prominent historic sea captain’s home that now looks as dilapidated as she feels. Suddenly inspired, Leah decides to transform it into a bookstore and café she will call The Sandy Page.
Luke Nicholson, a life-long local and contractor, remembers Leah even if she doesn’t remember him. Intrigued by her return and her project, he agrees to help her bring the old captain’s house back to life. As they work together, The Sandy Page slowly becomes the town’s go-to gathering spot for locals, tourists, and anyone who is feeling adrift during this long, sweet summer. It’s a home for second chances. But will it be enough for Leah and Luke?
Literature and Fiction Literary | Women's Fiction [Atria/Emily Bestler Books, On Sale: July 22, 2025, Trade Paperback / e-Book , ISBN: 9781668025215 / eISBN: 9781668025222]
Hannah McKinnon is the author of The Lake Season, Mystic Summer, The Summer House, Sailing Lessons, and The View from Here. She graduated from Connecticut College and the University of South Australia. She lives in Connecticut, with her family, a flock of chickens, and two rescue dogs.
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