The Memory of You Sanctuary Sound Series Book 1
$0.99
When Steffi Lockwood returns to Sanctuary Sound to start over, she has no idea she’ll also get a second chance with her first love.
Steffi Lockwood has survived more than most. Recovering from an assault, she returns to her coastal Connecticut hometown to rebuild her life the best way she knows how: with her hands. But starting a remodeling business with one longtime friend puts her in the middle of a rift with another. Worse, being hired by her ex-boyfriend’s mother forces her to confront old regrets.
Public defender Ryan Quinn wasn’t shocked when his wife left him, but he was floored when she abandoned their daughter. With his finances up in the air, the newly single dad returns to his childhood home in Sanctuary Sound. The last person he expects, or wants, to see working on his family house is Steffi Lockwood – his first love who shattered his heart.
Although Steffi and Ryan are different people now, dormant feelings rekindle. But when Steffi’s secrets begins to surface, will it bring them together…or tear them apart for good?
Price: $0.99
(as of Nov 12, 2025 06:01:20 UTC – Details)
When Steffi Lockwood returns to Sanctuary Sound to start over, she has no idea she’ll also get a second chance with her first love.
Steffi Lockwood has survived more than most. Recovering from an assault, she returns to her coastal Connecticut hometown to rebuild her life the best way she knows how: with her hands. But starting a remodeling business with one longtime friend puts her in the middle of a rift with another. Worse, being hired by her ex-boyfriend’s mother forces her to confront old regrets.
Public defender Ryan Quinn wasn’t shocked when his wife left him, but he was floored when she abandoned their daughter. With his finances up in the air, the newly single dad returns to his childhood home in Sanctuary Sound. The last person he expects, or wants, to see working on his family house is Steffi Lockwood – his first love who shattered his heart.
Although Steffi and Ryan are different people now, dormant feelings rekindle. But when Steffi’s secrets begins to surface, will it bring them together…or tear them apart for good?
Customers say
Customers find this book to be a perfect summer read with a lovely story that wraps around real-life problems, and they appreciate how the characters are very believable. Moreover, the book is heartwarming, with one customer noting its intriguing approach to trauma and love, while others highlight its insight into how trauma affects life and the strength to overcome adversity. Additionally, the writing style receives positive feedback, with one customer noting it’s written by a scientifically informed author. However, several customers mention that the first half of the book is slow-paced.
by michele harper
great book
Enjoyed this book. Made me cry. Really like the characters in this book. Hope to read the rest of this series.
by RoloPoloBookBlog
Book #1: Sanctuary Sound
The Memory of You by Jamie BeckBook #1: Sanctuary Sound SeriesSource: PurchaseRating: 4/5 starsRyan Quinn never saw himself living life as a single dad or caught in the middle of contentious divorce following his wife’s affair and abandonment of their daughter. With nothing left to do but go home, Ryan and Emmy return to Ryan’s hometown of Sanctuary Sound, move in with his folks, and attempt to build a life neither ever expected to be living. With a new job, a sullen child, and a precarious financial situation, the last thing Ryan Quinn needs is one more problem.Enter Steffi Lockwood, AKA one more problem.Like Ryan Quinn, Steffi Lockwood was born and raised in Sanctuary Sound. Also, like Ryan Quinn, Steffi Lockwood has also had her life turned upside down and since moved home to begin rebuilding her life. In the spirit of rebuilding, Steffi has opened a remodeling and redecorating business with her best friend, Claire. With a budding business, Steffi can’t afford to turn down work and that means working on Ryan Quinn’s family home. While that sounds like a dream job – and it certainly is for the business – Steffi is all kinds of worried given how she left things with Ryan more than a decade ago. For Ryan, Steffi’s presence is a crazy-maker that brings back a great number of memories and emotions he’d rather ignore for the time being . . . . or forever.Ten years ago, Ryan was happily in love with Steffi Lockwood and planning their future together. That is, until Steffi ghosted him and left him a wretched mess hellbent on making bad choices. As far as bad choices go, Ryan knocked up a girl he wasn’t completely committed to and spent the next ten years in an unfulfilling and ultimately unsuccessful marriage. The only good thing to come out of the decade is Emmy, Ryan’s delightfully feisty daughter. While he isn’t at all interested and in having a relationship Steffi, Emmy sure seems to like her and if it eases Emmy’s transition, Ryan will just have to suck it up and try to be civil.As the days and weeks go by, Ryan and Steffi keep getting thrown together through a series of circumstances and with each new encounter Ryan’s feelings seem to become a bit less frosty. What’s more, when Ryan actually takes a moment to speak to Steffi, he finds his understanding of their past isn’t quite what he has always thought it to be and that changes his feelings evea586n further. In 9n+0fact, each new encounter has Ryan wanting to spend more time with Steffi and get to know her now rather than as he remembers her from 10 years ago. For Steffi’s part, spending time with Ryan is a dream come true and after her treatment of him 10 years ago, is something she never thought possible. The only hitch in Ryan and Steffi’s new arrangement is the troubling blackouts Steffi keeps having. When one of the blackouts jeopardizes Emmy’s safety, Ryan steps in and opens a can of worms no one saw coming or could have ever prepared for.The Bottom Line: What a great start to a new series! I think what I liked most about this read is how long the big reveal was put off and how it was dealt with once the reveal was made. The big reveal is a sad and serious situation that, unfortunately impacts the lives of far too many women every day around the world. The big take away from Steffi’s situation is the importance of family, friends, and a support system designed to help rather than humiliate and/or discredit victims. At every turn, Steffi had the help and support she needed even in the moments she refused that help and support. Outside of Steffi’ situation is Ryan and Emmy’s which not only includes Steffi, but a pathetic and selfish mother and ex-wife with no regard for the hurt she has caused and continues to cause. Finally, there is the addition of Steffi’s best friend, Claire and the situation she brings to the table. In all, this is a complicated and layered read that deals with serious situations in both an appropriate and sympathetic manner. As far as a first in a series book goes, this one avoids many of the pitfalls and sets the reader up nicely for the second book, The Promise of Us.
by LTBn2books
Lots of forgiveness needed
I loved this book! I read Book 3 – The Wonder of Now first and am pleased to say that reading them out of order doesn’t take away from either book. The Memor of You is about a second chance for Steffi and Ryan. All three in the series are about three childhood friends who each suffer a trauma, learn to forgive and have the strength to overcome adversity. Sheffield is a contractor, used to being tough and independent. After a mugging, she moves back to her hometown and starts a business with her best friend Claire. Ryan moves back home with his precocious 9 year old daughter after his wife leaves them for a rich sugar daddy. Can Steffi and Ryan become friends again after the way she broke up with him ten years before? Are Ryan’s suspicions correct about why Steffi is having dangerous blackouts? A wonderful story of the power of love, forgiveness and the strength of two to face difficulties.
by 💎🍀Tiernan
I recommend this wholeheartedly 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Omg. Let me just say that I’m in love with this story. It pulled me in different sad and wonderful directions. Steffi ‘s survival of the attack, her journey with her lost love. This is such a wonderful storyline, something to be so proud of, especially the real souls who have gone through those episodes.Claire’s story as well is another that I’ve already downloaded.Jamie, you do this romance proud! The research alone is quite thorough. It brings awareness to a certain kind of reality, one does not know if not from experience.And this book was simply , purely sad , hopeful , strong in the characters, lots of sentiments.I was there the whole time every character in that book, felt everything.I not only recommend it, but I was very pleased to have it. It’s not my usual cup of tea , but it was very well written.I’ve read a couple of your books as a new fan and I most definitely reviewed them all.On to the next book( Claire)
by Mountain girl
love,,,,dismay,,,,about this one
I love the life issues Jamie is not afraid to bring to Fuchs in her books, and this one was a hard topic. I did not enjoy chapter after chapter of anxiety and 10 pages of resolve and happy ever after. It just leaves me hanging, and I hope this is not a theme of all her books, because I can’t handle hundreds of pages of yuckie feelings and a sudden happy ending🤔😞.
by Kids RN
So much potential
This was an important story with a lot of good and accurate information. Unfortunately it was presented in a cold and unemotional way so that the impact was blunted. It would have benefited from allowing the reader to feel the big emotions rather than have them narrated. In addition, the main character didn’t successfully sell herself as a contractor and that weakened the story as well.
by Jeanie B Womack
Too young love
After being high school sweethearts, they went off to different colleges, a year apart, and too far to visit. Had that been the only obstacle to overcome, their plans of being together might have survived. But words her mother had spoken to her aunt, about missed dreams and desires, not long before her death, had never left her mind. Yet, here she was with her first love, their life together planned and him talking her out of plans so they could be together. Just like her mom, she would miss out, not get to travel, going back home after college. That vision made her run.Now, years later, she was back in town, starting b her own business. He was home, moving in with his parents after his wife left him for another man, leaving him with their daughter, as well. The hurt of that first love break up had never left him and the last thing he wanted to find out was that she was back in their little home town, as well!His heart hasn’t been fully healed since she left him in college and his wife’s leaving had hardly effected anything more than his pride. All he had to do now was stay away from the girl that ran away!
by Kindle reader
This is the 2nd book by the author that I tried to read. The 1st one was book 2 in the series.I put down both the books after a few chapters because I did not enjoy the character development or their interaction with each other. It would have been much more readable if the characters had shown some depth of behavior or some adulting. The tension in the book (the parts I read at least) was solely situational. I couldn’t care for the mcs, and found the books boring, that’s why I put both the books down.
by NicShef❤️Reading
This was one of those books that once I started I just kept reading until I was finished. It was such a wonderful read, with engaging, sympathetic characters that you couldn’t help but root for all the way through.While heavy on the drama with great supporting characters, Steffi & Ryan’s story is more women’s fiction than romance. Not only is it a story of young love that needed time and space to grow, with many sub plots and impediments along the way, it is a story of strength and of healing as Steffi deals with a brutal attack and Ryan copes with his own divorce and being a single father.Together they are stronger and accept each other’s weaknesses while sharing some wonderful childhood memories.‘The Memory of You’ is as realistic as it is beautiful. HIghly recommended.
by Kate
I enjoyed reading this novel, the characters of Steffi and Ryan are believable and well rounded. The story about two people reconnecting and having another shot at happiness is very moving. I am looking forward to meeting the characters again in other books in the series.
by Karli Hull
Great book to pick up on holidays. The authors note at the end gave some insight to genuine research I respected for those who’ve are survivors of sexual assault
by For Old Times’ Sake
A really entertaining second chance romance novel. Steffi and Ryan were school sweethearts whose relationship ended abruptly and bitterly. When they meet 10 years later, both their lives have changed. Along with the central story are some secondary characters who bring charm, and a feeling of a bigger more textured world. I really enjoy Jamie Beck’s writing style and the pacing of her novel, and will definitely be reading book 2.