Empty nest. Broken dreams. A single mom rediscovers her inner compass on the Potomac shores, guided by an ancient arrowhead and the captivating marsh man who found it.

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Editor’s Pick, Booklife Reviews

McBride’s assured debut launches her Potomac Shores series with a turbulent but uplifting romance…, ultimately positing that the only way to navigate rough waters is by taking the helm. Takeaway: Uplifting middle-age romance alive with wisdom and love of nature.

Kirkus Reviews

McBride sets a vivid scene, and her storytelling consistently engages. An involving tale that balances struggle, love, and hope.

Earnie Porta, PhD, Mayor, Town of Occoquan

A well-written and absorbing story of resilience that also wonderfully explores and captures the natural beauty of the Occoquan River and its surroundings.

Readers’ Favorite 5-Star Review

…soulful women’s fiction…. Filled with amazing little bits of insight, you will be hard-pressed not to dig a little deeper into your own life to find that which ‘feeds your soul.’ “The Cicada Spring” is a must-read!

Reedsy Discovery 5-Star Review

‘The Cicada Spring’ is women’s fiction at its best. I have no hesitation in awarding it five stars and recommending it to anyone who loves great women’s fiction or just appreciates a talented wordsmith and storyteller.

Katie Young thought she had it all figured out. A fresh start in sunny Florida, a new husband, a thriving career. But life, like the tide, has a way of shifting course. Forced back to Virginia by the tragic loss of her mother, the family river house becomes her refuge from a storm no one saw coming.

Heartbroken and adrift, Katie explores the river on her dad’s old boat, questioning where—and with whom—she truly feels at home. Rekindled friendships around the beach bonfire spark new dreams in the little town of Occoquan.

But when a neighbor’s development threatens an eagle's nest, Katie finds herself fighting for her heart, her land, and a future she never dared to imagine. As the lovelorn cicadas emerge from decades in the dark, can Katie chart a new course toward a forever love?

The Cicada Spring, the first in the Potomac Shores series, is a poignant and heartwarming novel for women who are ready to rewrite their own stories and discover the strength that lies within.

A coming-of-middle-age story about second chances, the enduring bonds of friendship, and the power of nature to heal and guide us home.