Phillipa Nefri Clark has once again crafted an immersive and emotional tale that draws readers deep into the heart of a small coastal town and the secrets it harbors. The Secrets of Willow Bay, the fourth book in the Temple River series, delivers a beautifully written story of love, betrayal, and redemption, set against the vivid backdrop of Australia’s stunning limestone coast.

The narrative follows Joanna Johnson, who fled her hometown of Rivers End 25 years ago, burdened by heartbreak and a mysterious tragedy. A letter from her estranged best friend, Roslyn, pulls her back to confront the ghosts of her past and unravel the truth behind the long-lost wreck of a yacht that has suddenly resurfaced. Phillipa’s evocative descriptions bring the town and its surroundings to life, making it easy to picture every scene, even if you've never visited Australia.

The plot is masterfully constructed, blending past and present timelines to peel back layers of secrets and misunderstandings. As Joanna reconnects with old friends, her first love Lucas, and her former dreams of designing and creating, the reader is taken on an emotional journey filled with twists, danger, and revelations. The mystery surrounding the yacht and its owner is gripping, with well-paced developments that keep you turning pages late into the night.

Clark excels at portraying complex relationships and deeply human emotions. Joanna’s struggle to reconcile her past and find forgiveness is relatable, though her habit of jumping to conclusions and holding onto assumptions for decades might test the patience of some readers. Lucas, as the steadfast love interest, is charming, though their initial connection felt tenuous, making the depth of Joanna’s enduring feelings a bit puzzling at times.

The exploration of themes like forgiveness, second chances, and personal growth adds depth to the story, making it more than just a mystery. The resolution is satisfying, with justice served and relationships restored in a way that feels both hopeful and earned. Fans of the Temple River series will appreciate how this installment ties into the overarching themes of the series while still standing alone as a compelling story.

Overall, The Secrets of Willow Bay is an engaging and atmospheric read, perfect for fans of romantic mysteries with richly drawn characters and a touch of suspense. Phillipa Nefri Clark continues to prove her talent for weaving heartfelt stories that resonate long after the final page.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Any book by Phillipa Nefri Clark can be relied upon to provide an immersive and intriguing read. This one was no exception. It’s beautifully written and even though I’ve never been to Australia I could easily visualise each location thanks to the evocative and well-chosen details.
The story was based on an interesting premise and I was soon keen to understand why Joanna left Willow Bay and what was driving her to return when ostensibly her former best friend had betrayed her.
I was able to guess at some aspects of the mystery, but not all. The plot was well thought through and the characters were distinct and interesting. I know nothing about sailing or tides but the book felt well researched and easy to understand.
My reason for giving 4 stars instead of 5 is that Joanna irritated me in some respects. I was frustrated by her habit of jumping to conclusions, and her inability to communicate. Twenty years of her life was driven by assumptions and yet she was able to forgive and move on relatively easily once she returned to her childhood town. Lucas was lovely, but I struggled to see why she’d carried a torch for him for so long, based on so tenuous a start. This may be down to my cynicism rather than any weakness on the author’s part, and I still enjoyed the book overall.

after a horrible accident one night as a teenager and betrayed by her best friend- all Joanna can do is run. when parts of an old shipwreck start turning up her best friend reaches out to her because they both know who the ship could belong to- Joanna is forced to return to willow bay to get the truth. after the lies, secrets and betrayal can there be forgiveness? i had a little bit of a hard time at the beginning to get into it but after that i couldn't put it down.

thank you to the publishers and netgalley for the ARC!

This was my first visit to Temple River. I hope to read more about this place and its inhabitants. The Secrets of Willow Bay is a second-chance romantic suspense story. Lots of issues with friends and family involved. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Joanna Johnson has carved out a comfortable life for herself on the Gold Coast. She has an exciting job working as the buyer, amongst many other things for a reputable firm. She likes her boss and is well paid but is she truly valued!
When she receives an unexpected letter calling her back to Rivers End where she grew up little does she realise the secrets that will unravel!

Personally I found this book slow to get going and it was curiosity that kept me going.
I did enjoy the mixed messages running through the story. My favourite character was Lucas, least favourite was Ray.

All I can say is she's done it again. :) Ms. Clark grabbed my attention from the beginning and I stayed up way too late reading, not wanting to leave the story in a 'tight spot' but I had to since I've been working most days this week around Christmas. I loved it. Especially as Joanna becomes more aware of herself and the role she's (unknowingly) played in the division of her relationships. Very well written and difficult topics are addressed with compassion.

I've enjoyed each book in this series, each time thinking, "This is the best one!" but then I get to read the next book and have to readjust my evaluation. Honestly, that's a very nice problem to have, in my opinion!

I received an ARC from Storm Publishing; this is my honest review.

Phillipa Nefri Clark has woven together the perfect mix of mystery, friendship, love, and self-discovery. Joanna has been away from her hometown of Rivers End for 25 years and for more than one reason. She was betrayed by her best friend and her boyfriend and was possibly involved in a murder/sunken yacht. She finally returns to try and solve the mystery after pieces of the yacht begin to wash ashore.
In between playing detective and figuring out her career; Joanna is forced to face the skeletons of her past and discovers that who she is and who she wants to be may be completely different.
Highly recommend this book!

A very enjoyable read. Focussing on the enduring power of old friendships the story draws the reader in. The story is an emotional roller coaster. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this

Jo returns to Willow Bay when her former best friend sends her a note to come back.

Jo is need of a break, so she returns to Willow Bay to where the wreckage of a boat is washing ashore. She knows which boat it is, it feels like it’s her fault.

But when her former best friend Roslyn asks to have their friendship resume, the memories of the night when Jo was on the boat starts to come back. And so does the little incidents that occur around Jo.

This books delves into memories, mistakes, finding friendships and restarting of lives.

A letter from her Aunt Beryl throws Joanna’s live in turmoil. First she is at a crossroads with her job. Does she try and buy the company she works for or does she go back to Willow Bay and patch things up with her best friend Rosalyn who she hasn’t seen in over 25 years.
Joanna goes back to Willow Bay to see her aunt . Little did she know that her aunt had a letter for her. As Aunt Beryl makes plans to visit Joanna’s mother her sister Joanna stays in the house she so loved as aypung girl. While Joanna is rediscovering the area a memory of a horrific night comes back to haunt her. The night that she lost the man of her dreams and her friendship with Roslyn. Wreckage from a yacht that Joanna was on over twenty years ago has been turning up. Memories from that night are coming back to Joanna. What is she to do. Especially now that Rosalyn is trying to get back into Joanna’s life. Can Joanna forgive Rosalyn from what she did to her all those years ago? Can she forgive Lucas the man of her dreams for being part of that horrible night? So many questions need to be answered especially when Joanna finds out that she still has dreams of working with Rosalyn and come back to the place she loves .
This is a story of love, friendship and trying to find out answers% Joanna is so determined in finding the answers she needs so she can move on. Yet is someone else out there that wants to prevent Joanna from finding out the truth. Is her life in danger.? Read this book I highly recommend it. It has a good story good characters and it’s a quick read.
Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC, I truly enjoyed this book

Thank you for allowing me to review this book. I have enjoyed all the books by Phillipa Nefri Clark that I've read and this is no exception. Joanna returns to Rivers End where she grew up after receiving a letter from her ex-best friend. The letter reawakened memories from the past that she'd tried to bury. After a surprise announcement by her boss, she decides to take time out and return to her old hometown.
The story is a an excellent read looking at old friendships and why they went wrong. Who's at fault? Who's kept quiet, when questions should be asked? Can secrets be unearthed.? The story is told in the present as a memory. This doesn't affect the flow of the story.. As the truth comes to light, who comes out better or worse off.
Family, friendships, relationships, shared memories are all important to this story

Joanna Johnson left her hometown of Rivers End, leaving behind her dear friends and a dark secret. Twenty-five years later, she received a mysterious letter, and suddenly, she had to return to face everything she had hoped to leave behind her.
As she once again walked its streets, her memories of life in the beautiful coastal town were clouded by a stormy night at sea that changed her life forever. As pieces of a shipwreck began to wash ashore, her memories of the things she desperately needed to forget began to return. When she runs into her long-lost love in town, Lucas, she hopes she can rely on him to help her face her past and the truth surrounding her sudden escape from town years before. Or will she have to run once again, putting aside her dreams of remaining in the town she loved to start a new life?

Really enjoyed this book, it’s the 4th book of the Temple River series and is about friendship, misunderstanding, finding and a little bit of mystery thrown in. The story is about Joanna and her friendship with Roslyn. Joanna has been away from Willow Bay for years when she receives a letter that draws her back there where she begins to try and solve the mystery that made her leave, she meets her first love again and comes face to face with her friend Roslyn who was also the other part of the reason she left. Will the mystery be solved ? And can lost friendship and love be reunited ?
Lovely read and as always my thanks to NetGalley and publisher Storm Publishing

The book weaves the past from 20 years ago with the present in an absolutely beautiful way. Two best friends and a summer that went terribly wrong and somehow the future ran away from a whole group of people.. there is a mystery at the heart of this book and whilst Joanna central to what is happening now and also to what happened then, the book is more about friendship and betrayal than a disappearance or murder. The details of life by the sea is well described and the salty as well as the damp sand becomes almost real.. A book to read in one go it is that good.

The Secrets of Willow Bay is an interesting book one that’s full of intriguing details of someone’s life journey. I loved that the opening scene is about how a young woman escapes and moves forward believing she destroyed a life, lost a man who could have been her beloved and her very best friend all in one night. I can understand Joanne’s flight with getting her heart broken in many ways and needed time to recover and reflect. Twenty five years later everything comes frightening back to her.

I’ve really enjoyed this entire series. I thought this was a good addition to it. The story moves kinda slow but really ends with a bang. Some old secrets come out and the mystery will keep you guessing.

Another excellent read from Phillipa Nefri Clark. Joanna left Rivers End 25 years ago after a series of events that she felt left her no choice but to leave. In the present, she receives a note via her Aunt, from her ex-best friend, begging Joanna to return. She does return, only to be faced with all the secrets, lies and misunderstandings that caused her to leave in the first place. But, as is often the case, getting to the bottom of all those issues from 25 years ago leads to better friendships and a stronger, better way forward. A fantastic story!
Thanks to Netgalley, Storm Publishing, and Phillipa Nefri Clark for the free ARC. All opinions are my own.

The fourth of a series by one of my favorite authors. (This book can be read out of sequence).. A womean returns to her home town in Australia to face a mystery that has haunted her for years. What happened to an encounter with a person who boat pieces wash up on shore years later? What happened to him? Was she responsible? Also, a misunderstanding between she and her best friend has led to years of estrangement between the two. Misunderstandings and reunions all lead to quick satisfying read, I look forward to reading more from this author..

Another wonderful read from Phillipa. A real page turner about friendship, trust and love which can last through all sorts of turmoil The story about the shipwreck was a real page turner. It was a heartwarming story and at times heartbreaking. Great characters each with a story to tell.

THE SECRETS OF WILLOW BAY is the fourth novel in the Temple River series by PHILLIPA NEFRI CLARK. I have not read the first three books, and this one can easily stand alone. The story is exciting and suspenseful, with murder, mystery, and even some romance in the mix. It takes place in Australia, which is interesting.
When Joanna Johnson is called back to Rivers End by her ex best friend, Roslyn, who literally stole her future and her boyfriend twenty five years ago, she is afraid she is going to have to face the music about itinerant surfer Trent’s disappearance, when wreckage of his yacht are washed up. Was she the last person to see him alive, and did she push him too hard?…….
The characters are interesting and their emotions are well portrayed. It is altogether an enjoyable read.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Storm Publishing. The opinions in this review are completely my own.