SALTWATER TRUTHS: A Coastal Mystery Romance — by Velora Fox

She came home for a funeral. She stayed for the truth.

SALTWATER TRUTHS is a spicy, atmospheric coastal mystery romance packed with small-town secrets, a second-chance slow burn, stormy forced proximity, and a high-stakes investigation that turns personal. If you love “it wasn’t an accident” tension, protective heroes, fierce heroines, and romance woven into suspense—this one is for you.

✅ Available formats: eBook + Audiobook
✅ Instant digital delivery: Download immediately after purchase and start reading/listening right away.

Sneak Peek from SALTWATER TRUTHS

Lena Hart swore she’d never return to Grayhaven—the small coastal town that swallowed her brother whole and called it an “accident.” But when her father dies, she comes back for the funeral… and finds something that doesn’t fit: a rusted anchor charm, a torn photo, a date that shouldn’t exist.

The kind of detail that shouldn’t matter—until it does.

Because the more Lena digs, the more the town tightens around its silence. Old friends avoid her questions. The local police dismiss her like they did when she was seventeen. And one name keeps surfacing like a corpse that won’t stay under: Graham Voss—the polished councilman pushing a marina project and smiling like he owns the future.

The only person willing to stand beside her is Ethan Cole—the boy she left behind, now a hardened man carrying his own grief and raising his niece, Maddie. Ethan knows Grayhaven’s rules: don’t ask, don’t accuse, don’t fight the tide.

But Lena is done being quiet—especially when evidence starts pointing to a boat that shouldn’t have been out that night… and a truth the sea didn’t take alone.

As storms trap them in lonely safe places, threats turn personal, and secrets burn down in literal flames, Lena and Ethan are forced to face what they’ve both been avoiding: the past didn’t just break them—it bound them. And if they want justice… they’ll have to risk everything, including each other.

Because in Grayhaven, the sea keeps its secrets.
But it never stops trying to tell the truth.

About SALTWATER TRUTHS

Lena Hart has spent years pretending Grayhaven can’t touch her anymore.

She built a life away from the docks, the rumors, and the “accident” that stole her brother and left her family shattered. She told herself she’d never return—because coming back means facing the place that taught her what silence costs.

Then her father dies.

Lena returns for the funeral expecting grief, paperwork, and one last look at a town she hates. What she doesn’t expect is evidence—small, rusted, and wrong. A charm that doesn’t belong. A torn photo that raises more questions than it answers. A date that shouldn’t exist, unless someone lied about what happened the night her brother died.

Lena knows that feeling.
That pinch of instinct that says: this isn’t right.

So she starts digging.

At first, it’s subtle. A few questions. A few names. A few old memories she wishes would stay buried. But Grayhaven isn’t a town that welcomes truth. It closes ranks. It changes the subject. It smothers the past under polite smiles and coastal charm.

Old friends avoid Lena’s eyes.
Strangers go quiet when she enters a room.
The local police dismiss her like they did when she was seventeen—like grief makes you irrational and girls should stop asking hard questions.

And one name keeps surfacing, again and again, like something the tide refuses to wash away:

Graham Voss.

Polished. Powerful. The kind of councilman who shakes hands like he owns the future. He’s pushing a marina project and promising prosperity, but every detail Lena uncovers seems to loop back to him.

Lena tells herself she can handle it alone.

Then she sees Ethan Cole.

He’s the boy she left behind—and the man she didn’t expect to become. Harder now. Quieter. Carrying his own grief and raising his niece, Maddie, with the kind of steady responsibility that changes a person. Ethan knows Grayhaven’s rules because he never left:

Don’t ask.
Don’t accuse.
Don’t fight the tide.

Ethan wants to protect Maddie. Protect his home. Protect Lena from a town that punishes people who push too hard.

But Lena isn’t here to be protected. She’s here to be heard.

When evidence begins pointing toward a boat that shouldn’t have been out that night, and a timeline that doesn’t match the official story, the investigation escalates. Threats become personal. Warnings show up where they shouldn’t. Doors lock differently. Tires look suspicious. And the ocean—beautiful and brutal—starts to feel like a witness that has been forced to keep its mouth shut.

Then the storms come.

Grayhaven gets cut off the way coastal towns do: wind, water, darkness, and nowhere safe to go except the places you’re forced to share. Forced proximity becomes more than tension—it becomes survival. A lighthouse/safe-house kind of isolation where every confession sounds louder and every touch feels like a mistake you’ve wanted for years.

Because Lena and Ethan have history.

Unfinished feelings. Old wounds. The kind of connection that never died—it just got buried under time and regret. The more they chase the truth, the more they’re forced to face what they’ve avoided:

The past didn’t just break them.
It bound them.

And if they want justice… they’ll have to risk everything.

Including each other.

Because in Grayhaven, the sea keeps its secrets.

But it never stops trying to tell the truth.

Why You’ll Love SALTWATER TRUTHS

Perfect for readers who love:

Small-town coastal mystery romance
Second-chance love (old wounds, unfinished feelings)
Returning home for a funeral / grief & healing
Corruption, secrets, and “it wasn’t an accident” tension
Protective, steady hero + fierce heroine who won’t back down
Stormy forced proximity (lighthouse/safe-house vibes)
Romance woven into a high-stakes investigation

Steam Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

What to Expect

✅ Atmospheric coastal setting (stormy, haunting, immersive)
✅ A mystery that keeps tightening the net
✅ Second-chance romance with slow-burn tension
✅ A protective hero raising his niece
✅ A heroine who refuses to accept the “official story”
✅ Threats, secrets, and escalating danger
✅ A satisfying emotional + romantic payoff

Digital Formats & Instant Access

This is a digital product. No shipping required.

eBook

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Audiobook

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✅ Instant download: You’ll receive access immediately after checkout so you can begin reading or listening right away.

What Readers Are Saying (placeholder — swap with real reviews later)

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Atmospheric, twisty, and emotional—Grayhaven felt hauntingly real.”
“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The mystery hooked me, but the slow-burn romance wrecked me (in the best way).”
“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Secrets, storms, and second chances—couldn’t put it down.”

FAQ

Is SALTWATER TRUTHS a standalone?
Yes, it can be enjoyed as a standalone coastal mystery romance.

Is it more mystery or romance?
Both—the investigation drives the stakes, and the romance builds through grief, history, and trust under pressure.

How spicy is it?
Steam level is 🌶️🌶️🌶️.

How do I get the eBook and audiobook after buying?
After checkout, you’ll get instant access to download your files and start immediately.

About the Author — Velora Fox

Velora Fox writes romantic suspense and mystery romance with sharp tension, emotional depth, and characters who fight for truth and love.

Connect with the author: https://www.instagram.com/authorvelorafox/

Ready to Return to Grayhaven?

Get SALTWATER TRUTHS now and download your eBook + audiobook instantly—then step into a coastal town where storms uncover secrets… and second chances burn as fiercely as the truth.

Saltwater Truths