The Lay of the Land

One fractured marriage. One final chance to heal.

Arnold
I thought the Casting would change everything. I chose Lily—the girl I’ve longed for—and dared to believe that I could finally find love. But she’s grown up with choices I’ve never had, and I don’t know how to bridge the gap between us—or give her the happiness she deserves.
I try to be what Whitecroft demands: strong, silent, in control. I enforce the General’s laws. I bury my feelings. I do what’s expected. But the more I try to hold our life together, the more it slips through my fingers.
Then everything breaks. And I don’t believe she’ll ever give me another chance.
But out here—beyond the town, in the rhythm of the woods and the work of the land—I begin to learn a different kind of strength. I’m desperate to prove my love for Lily and our daughter Stephie, but some wounds are too deep to heal.

Lily
I never wanted to be Cast. Never wanted Arnold. And when I needed him most, he let me down.
I thought I saw him clearly—cruel, controlling, unreachable. But now, as I’m finally emerging from the fog, I realise I’ve misjudged him. His heart is tender, and no one knows it except me. He’s willing to change, but I don’t know how to overcome our past.
Because healing isn’t simple. Forgiveness isn’t easy. And love—real love—asks more than either of us ever knew.

The Lay of the Land is a haunting, emotionally layered novel about fractured love, the legacy of toxic masculinity, and the fragile hope of redemption. Will Arnold and Lily find their way back to each other—or has the land between them grown too wild to cross?

“If you enjoy redemption arcs, trauma recovery, stories honoring faith, and flawed characters finding their way again, this book is for you!” @Swavy.wavy.bookworm on Instagram