When a mysterious package arrives bearing the name she left behind, Tess Holcomb is drawn into a decades-old mystery—and back toward a past she thought she’d escaped. As she follows a trail of clues and reconnects with the one person she never expected to see again, Tess must decide whether she’s willing to risk the safety she’s built for the chance to uncover where she truly belongs.
Award-winning author Amanda Cox crafts a cross-continental journey of connection, healing, and belonging.
Tess has built a new life in Alabama, repairing timepieces and avoiding her troubled past as she restores her customers’ family heirlooms–treasures she never had herself. When a mysterious package arrives addressed to Teresa Baker, the name she abandoned, Tess finds herself drawn into a puzzle that threatens her delicate peace.
Then Elliot Sullivan appears at her door after eighteen years, and Tess knows he’s after more than just forgiveness. She doesn’t trust his motives, but it becomes apparent that he could be the key to uncovering the origin of the mystery package and its cryptic contents.
Tess has found safety in her simple life, but reuniting this lost heirloom to its rightful recipient requires her to come out of hiding. Each clue leads to a different place around the world, and each story reveals hidden truths. The question is whether she’s brave enough to face what she might find–and whether the man beside her can be trusted with what matters most.
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Things We Cannot Keep Book Club Kit
Is your book club reading Things We Cannot Keep? Visit the book club page to get your free book club kit. The kit contains a note from Amanda Cox, a discussion guide, recipe, and additional snack suggestions.
Check out the BBC television series that inspired Tess’s heirloom restoration workshop: The Repair Shop