A prologue tells us that in ancient times, a father erected four giant stones on a wild Scottish headland to guide his four abducted daughters home. A curse would befall anyone who brought down the stones. Their family, like the father’s, would be scattered to the winds, never to find their way home.

In 1931, when Charles Blackmore knocks down the Sisters of Skara standing stones, his fortune is lost, his wife dies and he turns to drink. His four daughters have no means of support and soon they will all leave, never to return. Taking only her precious opal ring – one of four rings inherited from her mother – eldest daughter, Iris, sets off for Colombo in search of an uncle who might help the family. The people and places she encounters on her adventurous journey will change her forever.

Fleeing personal danger in present-day Australia, Roz switches off her phone and goes to ground in London. By chance she sees a painting of four ancient standing stones in an antique shop window. She senses an uncanny connection between the painting and the ring on her finger, inherited from her late mother. Her search for the painting’s origins takes her to the heart of what happened to Iris Blackmore. But as she unravels a fascinating mystery, the threat to her life circles closer.

This is a pitch-perfect dual timeline novel. As well as providing epic, engaging and romantic historical fiction with Iris in the 1930s, the author offers gripping suspense in Roz’s present-day story and a heart-pounding conclusion. The two plots weave together beautifully, with vividly evoked settings from cosmopolitan London and rugged Scotland to Sri Lanka in its colonially occupied days as Ceylon and an Australian cattle station. We also experience a lavish crossing on an ocean liner, a primitive plane ride and a spin in a helicopter. The writing is excellent, not a word out of place. The 1930s sections show a deftness of touch – authentic without stylised dialogue or a heavy-handed research dumping. This is a page-turning read with a strong cast of characters with whom the reader enjoys spending time. And the author has set everything up brilliantly for three more books about what happened to each of Iris's sisters and their descendants, and hopefully also about young lawyer Finn.

I wrote this independent review of an early copy in October 2025, months ahead of the novel’s publication in March 2026. I already have the feeling it’s going to appear on my list of best books of 2026.

With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity.
Upon publication I will post my review on my blog, on Amazon and GoodReads.

Wow - what an incredible story and it’s the first in a series, which I didn’t realise initially. I was drawn in from page 1 and I couldn’t wait to find out how the story would play out. It has a dual timeline where you learn about Roz in the current timeline and Iris in the past timeline. I enjoyed both timelines and was drawn into the story of both Roz and Iris. The story has a bit of everything, mystery, grief, humour, magic and romance. I am looking forward to the rest of the series. Fans of Lucinda Riley and Soraya Lane will enjoy this book. Thank you to Headline for granting my wish to read this book. Thanks also to NetGalley and Eleanor Buchanan for the eARC of this book.

The legend is that in ancient times on Scara in the Scottish HIighlands, a father returned from a days fishing to find out his four daughters have been kidnapped and taken away by men in boats. No one in Scara coiuld help them as the foggy har on the sea had descended and no one saw what happened.
The distraught father is said to have erected four huge standing stones, one for each of his daughters so they could find their way to Scara if they were ever looking for home. The father cursed anyone who moved the stones that they and their family would have bad luck forever..

In 1930 Charles Blackmore made so much money that he bought a big house in Scara for himself,his wife and his four daughters. The standing Stones were spoiling his view from the widow so he had them knocked down flat.
Since then bad luck followed not only him but the people who lived on Scara. He lost everything and started drinking.
Charles had a beautifull necklace made for his wife with four stones on it. When the money was lost his wife had the necklace made into four rings with a stone in each as she didn't want Charles to sell it.
.It was the oldest daughter Iris who felt she had to leave home to travel to Ceylon to find her uncle who had owed money to her mother, money the family now needed to survive.

Present day, in Australia Rox's mother dies in horrific circumstances and Rox flees Australia for her own safety. Before she leaves she finds an opal ring in her mum's belongings which she immediately puts on her finger.
She arrives in London and finds a job waitressing. One day she passes by an antique shop and notices a painting in the window and goes inside to ask about it. It's a painting of The Four Sisters Standing Stones in Scara.
Rox is inexplicably drawn to the painting and what's more is her ring is glowing and feels strange. Rox must find out more about who painted this picture.

I really enjoyed this book which I believe will have maybe another three books as we find out what happened to Iris's three other sisters. I liked the different time frames and they were equally as good. Looking forward to the sequel.

This is the first book written by the author under this pen name. She also writes as Pamela Hartshorne which I have only just found out through Google. I've not read any of her books so will definitely be checking them out.

One of the best books I have read this year. It’s a trans generational story that starts with 4 sisters, Rose, Lily, Daisy and Iris. They are split up when one of them travels to Australia via Ceylon to track done an uncle that owes them much needed money. This is the story of what happened on the journey and in Australia and how Roz in the present day starts a journey of discovery to see if she is related to the sisters are suffering a tragedy. Tissues were needed.

Perfect! Breathtaking! Suspenseful. Three of the many words I could use to describe this wonderful book . Such a gorgeous story that takes the reader on a very special journey from the windswept coast of Scotland to 1930s Ceylon , on to Australia and its wild and dangerous outback , back to Scotland with a stop off in London. Set between the 1930s & the present day it moves seamlessly from one century to another with a sense of mystique and mystery, the characters searching for answers and connections to their past. Absolutely wonderful and extremely highly recommended.

The Sea Stone Sisters by Eleanor Buchanan

1931. When Iris Blackmore's father knocks down the Sisters of Skara standing stones, a dark shadow falls on the Blackmore family. With his fortune lost and wife dead, his four daughters are forced to leave their home, taking only the rings they inherited from their beloved mother.

Iris is the first to depart, travelling east in search of an uncle who might be able to help the family.

Present day. Roz Chatton moves to London from Australia, bringing very little with her other than her mother's old ring. Grieving and adrift, she stumbles on a painting of four ancient standing stones which ignites an uncanny connection to the ring on her finger.

Determined to learn more about the origin of the painting, Roz unearths the full story of Iris Blackmore, unravelling a family history she could never have imagined.

Loved this book , it gave you an ethereal feeling throughout , like actual looking into the book through a slightly misty morn.
Captivating

This book is a great start to a new series about four sisters. If you loved Lucinda Riley's Seven Sisters you will enjoy this book. A remote Scottish headland, a curse dating back to 2800 years triggered by a family living ther in the 1930s. And global travel. It's well paced, the dual timeline is very well done as we go from today and back to the 1930s. I am eagerly awaiting the second book in the series.
With thanks to Netgalley, the publishers and the author for an e-ARC to read in exchange for a review.