WILMINGTON, NC, October 07, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Can fiction inspire actions in real life? Does art imitate life, or does life imitate art? Best-selling author Mara Purl puts it this way. "Fiction mirrors real life," she declared. "I've been researching life in small coastal towns for many years, noticing trends as they begin to gather momentum. Right now I'm seeing a trend toward healing. People are tired of feeling divided and are looking not for common ground but for higher ground. That's where reconciliation can happen."

When Mara Purl wrote the final book in her series, she knew several romantic storylines would finally achieve HEA, or "Happily Ever After," a key component of the Romance genre. What she didn't know was that the deep personal hurts that are shown to be healed in the tale would inspire a healing within her fictional town as well.

Mara Purl's new When Hearts Heal is an engrossing and uplifting story with a fresh romance set against the background of some of California's most iconically beautiful locations. The couple's paths cross in their teen years, then ignite in adulthood, sending shockwaves through their families and their business communities. To escape scrutiny they begin to plan romantic getaways in a romantic Avila Beach condo, their relationship heating up and then becoming serious. But when a prior relationship rears its head a devastating argument separates them. She travels to Esalen to meditate and recover; he invites her to Post Ranch Inn to reconcile, and in Big Sur their deeper understanding opens the door to authentic love.

Meanwhile another reconciliation is taking place between two long-standing enemies in the small town of Milford-Haven between two strong leaders. Their respective build versus no-build stances have divided the entire town until the sense of community is nearly lost. That is, until a shocking personal revelation begins to lead to a shared challenge and the possibility of compromise that heals them and their beloved town.

Book Five of her pentalogy makes its debut in print, and on Amazon Kindle, with her new E-book free for three days, October 9, 10, and 11th. The ebook will also be in Kindle Unlimited, a free read for members.

On October 12, Purl and her long-time friends and colleagues will perform scenes from their latest works at Coalesce Bookstore in Morro Bay, California, part of the region where many of their novels are set. "It's become an annual event that all our readers and followers enjoy so much," she explained. "The value of writing series is that readers always want the next installment. It adds to the fun"

Colleagues included at the event are Anne R. Allen, a well-known national blogger and author of mystery-comedies; Rolynn Anderson who writes women's fiction adventures; and Tony Piazza, author of old-time Hollywood mysteries. They'll be joined by two accomplished professional actors who will also take roles in the performed scenes, Ilona Stone and Chester Perryess.

Purl's novel series has won more than 75 book awards. When Hearts Heal is part of Purl's best-selling saga, Milford-Haven, which began as a hit BBC radio drama with 4.5 million listeners in the U.K., and became a multi-award winning book series with 17 million followers in the U.S. The saga is set in California's scenic Central Coast, where Purl regularly researches her stories and is a frequent speaker.

Trade Reviews:

When Hearts Heal sweeps us back into Milford-Haven, a small coastal town brimming with secrets, passions, and the quiet hope of second chances. I enjoyed how lived-in this world feels. The writing carries a warmth that makes Milford-Haven less like a backdrop and more like a character itself. I found myself pulled into the streets and cafés, listening in on conversations, feeling the salt air press in from the Pacific. What I loved most were the relationships. They're messy, often painful, yet also full of grace. There is a tangled web of characters and that's exactly what gives the book its richness. Life isn't tidy, and neither are these lives. When Hearts Heal left me with the sense of having visited old friends and walked away with a little more compassion for how complicated and beautiful people can be. I'd recommend this book to readers who enjoy stories steeped in community, where character and setting matter as much as plot. It's for anyone who wants to sink into a small-town saga that doesn't shy away from heartache but ultimately points toward hope.– Literary Titan

Reviews

"I found this continuation of Mara Purl's Milford-Haven series to be every bit as captivating and revealing as all the others. The way Purl composes her novels, this series could go on for a long, long time. And true to form, the last chapter is another bit from Samantha Hugo's journal. Purl uses this journal to tie the story all together and it works well. Another wonderful read."
– Linda Thompson, Host of The Authors Show

Reader comments:

"Mara's Milford-Haven series goes deep into the life of artist Miranda Jones—her family, her agent, her friends and neighbors in San Francisco and the fictional town of Milford-Haven situated on the Central Coast of California. Intrigue, murder, and betrayal; musicians, murals, and shells; hummingbirds, whales, sea otters; … and an astronomer who shows Miranda how to reach for the stars in life and love." – Derra Moyers

"I'm immensely enjoying the balance between depicting harmonious home life vs. the pacing of mystery/intrigue and crime elements/hints of danger! I can't help but notice the through line of kindness and community - not to mention the descriptions of romantic passion stated with such elegance! You've managed to approach so many of our modern quandaries of toxic masculinity and male entitlement with an amazingly deft touch! BRAVA! I'm ready to move to Milford-Haven this instant!! – Marilyn Harris

About the Author
For her Milford-Haven Novels, Mara was named an Author Laureate by the American Book Fest, as well as Top Female Author for Fiction by the Authors Show. To date, her book series has won more than 75 book awards, and has topped multiple best-seller lists on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Her novels, novellas and novelettes with their gorgeous watercolor book covers and engaging mix of romance and mystery are sought after by her mostly female readers, where Mara has become a trail blazer for both Women's Fiction and Small Town fiction.

Mara, who has appeared on stage and on-camera since childhood, played the recurring character "Darla Cook" on NBC's Days of Our Lives. She then founded a production company and created Milford-Haven U.S.A.,a serial drama loosely based upon Cambria. The show, co-starring a well-known L.A. based cast including Erin Gray, Linda Purl, Ed Begley, Jr., Michael Horse, and several others, became the first American radio drama to air on BBC radio, where it enjoyed a following of 4.5 million listeners. Purl's story later came to the attention of New York publishers, who began publishing her novel series in hardcover in 2011. Since then, her books have become national best-sellers.

Mara is a frequent guest on radio and television talk shows, Her most recent appearance was on KTNV La Vegas Morning Blend kicking off October as National Book Month. She also speaks for the American Heart Association, for women's organizations, for writers' conferences and for colleges and universities. Mara and her books have a large following nationally and particularly in California. Along with her work as an author, speaker and performer, she consults for other authors at her well-known company Haven Books.

This contant was orignally distributed by 24-7 Press Release. Blockchain Registration, Verification & Enhancement provided by NewsRamp™. The source URL for this press release is Can Hearts Create That Healing Feeling? Couples' Reconciliations Inspire Healing of Town's Long-Standing Rift.