A Dorset Girl

Coastal Echoes

When Lorna Stokes returns to her childhood home in the rugged cliffs of Dorset, she expects nothing more than a quiet summer restoring her late grandmother’s weatherworn cottage. Yet from the moment she steps onto the golden sands of Lyme Bay, memories of childhood adventures and whispered family secrets surge back to life. Armed with a box of faded postcards and a battered leather diary, Lorna begins to piece together the hidden history of the Stokes family—stories of smuggling voyages by moonlight, forbidden romances on the moors, and the mysterious disappearance of her great-uncle Thomas. As the salty breeze carries voices from the past, Lorna realizes this summer will change her forever.

Whispers on the Wind

In the neighbouring village of Bere Regis, gossip travels faster than the tide. Locals murmur about land developers eyeing the cliffs, and the fiercely proud harbourmaster, Patrick Hale, who’s determined to protect the shoreline from modern intruders. When Lorna crosses paths with Tom Ashford, a travelling landscape photographer drawn to Dorset’s wild beauty, sparks fly—both between their cameras and their hearts. Together, they follow a trail of cryptic diary entries that lead to hidden coves and ancient stone markers. As the stakes rise, Lorna must decide whether to reveal the truth she uncovers or safeguard the delicate balance of a community teetering on the brink of change.

Resurgence and Renewal

As summer wanes and the harvest festival approaches, Lorna’s discoveries culminate in a breathtaking revelation beneath moonlit arches of the old pier. Faced with betrayal by someone she once trusted, she must summon courage to reclaim her family’s legacy—and her own sense of belonging. With Tom’s unwavering support, Lorna orchestrates a daring plan to preserve the cottage and honour her grandmother’s final wish: that the Stokes home become a haven of artistic retreats and storytelling by the hearth. In a poignant finale of lantern-lit processions and laughter echoing across the cliffs, Dorset’s timeless spirit is reborn.

. Author’s Description: In A Dorset Girl, Janet Woods invites you on an evocative journey through windswept shores and hidden legacies. Rich with romance, local colour, and the unbreakable bonds of family, this novel reminds us that home is where the heart unmasks its truest story.