The Epicenter of Forever

A Novel

By: Mara Williams

Narrated by: Jennifer Jill Araya

A moving story about family, forgiveness, and unexpected love—where the fault lines of a fractured past become the foundation for building something new.

Eden Hawthorne spent idyllic childhood summers in Grand Trees, a mountain town perched along a restless earthquake fault in the heart of California’s fire country. But her family and future were shattered there, and she vowed never to return—until news of her estranged mother’s illness forces her back twenty years later.

Still reeling from her recent divorce, Eden has to confront her mom’s found family, including single father Caleb Connell, who blames Eden for the seismic rift that drove her away. But as they move beyond a battle of wills, Eden and Caleb discover shared wounds and intertwined histories—and succumb to an attraction that feels fated.

When her mother’s condition worsens, Eden faces an impossible choice between the man she’s falling for and the mother she’s just beginning to forgive. And with time running out, Eden fears her decision will doom her to relive the aftershocks of past heartbreak.

©2026 by Mara Williams. (P)2025 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Perfect for fans of Annabel Monaghan, Mara Williams’s The Epicenter of Forever weaves together old hurts and new love. Eden is an instantly relatable protagonist, and I loved watching her navigate her divorce, her relationship with her mother, and her growing feelings for Caleb and the people of Grand Trees. Insightfully written and emotionally rewarding, I devoured every page.”—Emma Barry, author of Bad Reputation

“What a cozy, heartwarming, and searingly hopeful romance. The Epicenter of Forever took me on an enchanting ride full of emotional longing, gorgeous prose, idyllic nature, and sweeping grand gestures. With a thoughtful portrayal of fractured family dynamics and beautiful examples of how to heal—all set amid a budding yet soul-deep romance I could not get enough of—Mara Williams has to be on your radar.”—Clare Gilmore, USA Today bestselling author of Never Over

“Poignant, heart wrenching, and filled with steamy tension, The Epicenter of Forever is a lyrical, evocative portrait of reconnection, rewriting memories, and risk-taking beyond the narratives we and our families have set for ourselves. You won’t be able to set foot in Grand Trees without feeling completely enraptured by Eden and Caleb’s love story and Williams’s thoughtful prose.”—Katie Naymon, author of You Between the Lines

Such a crybaby!

The main female character is a constant whiner and a a big crybaby. The voice of Abby is so high pitched I have to fast forward. These things keep the audio at a 3+ / 4.0 instead of a 5.0!

Great story

Loved the mother daughter dynamic, so relatable. The love story was the perfect speed and amount of "enemies to lovers." Many strong female characters. I would highly recommend!

So well done

This book had so much heart. And I love the different angles of grief so well done with so many likable characters.

great story

This was a really good book! I liked this author, I'll definitely have to read more!

The FMC won’t get out of her own way!

The book was well written, and good, but I wanted to throttle the FMC at about three hours left in the book. She just never learns! If you judge a book by the emotions it makes you feel, this one was great. It ended well, and I’m glad I finished it, but I was really frustrated for about 2.5 hours!