Hillary Gauvreau Oat
Author of The Ogilvie Family Series
Small Town, Later in Life Romances
Welcome...
Stories Matter. My stories, your stories, and our collective stories. They give us joy, tears, and insight. Stories can be true or scooped up from a well of imagination. Telling our stories can take us deeper into this thing called being human.
Saving Cait's Song
Book 3 News!
Book 3 in the Ogilvie Family Series
Thomas Ogilvie and his wife, Cait, are enjoying newlywed bliss in Niantic, Connecticut, when there’s a knock on the door.
The young woman on the porch claims to be Thomas’s daughter. She has his eyes and the letter he wrote to his first wife, Lydia. Thomas believes her, but Cait is suspicious. What does she want?
Meanwhile, Brady Vanderhyde, Thomas’s bandmate from twenty-five years ago, shows up at the recording studio. Brady is a 1980s rocker type with an attitude problem. He’s tattoos and testosterone. Thomas is willing to give his old frontman a chance, but Brady is a despicable human being. When the recording of “Cait’s Song” is stolen, all eyes are on him.
Romance, music, extortion, and revenge weave a suspenseful tale of love and family loyalty.
Launching early summer 2026
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"Love, love, love this story!!!! I can't say enough about this book. I highly recommend this series and can't wait to see how the story continues!!!"
— Cheryl C.
“Thomas’s Second Chance is a mature, refreshing romance that combines cozy small-town vibes with masterful character development. At once light-hearted and impactful, Thomas’s Second Chance will leave readers waiting eagerly for the next book in the series.”
—Francesca G. Varela, author of Blue Mar
When it’s time for a second chance, all Thomas can do is be ready to make it count.
Thomas Ogilvie is a talented musician and an alcoholic. He has messed up his life so badly that it’s hard to keep track of the damage. When he returns home to Niantic, Connecticut, for his stepmother’s funeral, he decides to stay.
Cait Bradford once dragged Thomas to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. He never forgot how much she cared. Thomas has always been in love with Cait. But she’s married. Caught in a moral dilemma between his desire and doing what's right, he wonders if friendship is enough.
When tragedy strikes, circumstances pull Thomas and Cait together. Sometimes you can’t pick your moment - it picks you.
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Romance and Retribution.
If romance had a storefront on Main Street, It’s About Time would be the one with the warm lights and the whiskey behind the counter. Bess Parker is literally knocked off her feet in front of a clock shop. A therapist sworn off love and a widower clockmaker haunted by a college era grudge feels like emotional dynamite wrapped in seaside charm.
"It's About Time is a heartfelt, layered story that celebrates the beauty of second chances, the patience of slow-growing relationships, and the emotional depth that comes from characters who have truly lived life. Bess and James feel like neighbors we’d be lucky to have, flawed, relatable, and quietly inspiring.
Your ability to weave tenderness, humor, and realistic emotional complexity into your debut novel is remarkable. The way you chose to center mature protagonists, allowing them the space to build a friendship before romance, gives the story a refreshing authenticity that so many readers are craving. You’ve tapped into themes of resilience, trust, and companionship that resonate deeply, especially with audiences who understand that love and connection don’t have an expiration date."
- David L.
“It’s About Time” by Hillary Gauvreau Oat, is one book in which readers will find themselves feeling a variety of emotions as they turn the pages and get to know Bess and James more intimately. This is the author’s debut novel, and it comes highly recommended by this reviewer!"
—Reader Review, Goodreads
“Eloquence with a bit of grit.”
— M. Muck McQuillan, author of Round Bend and Ears Oute
“If Luanne Rice and Nicholas Sparks had a baby, it would be this book.”
— Elaine Bentley Baughn, author of 5 Rules For Drama Free Living
Hillary Gauvreau Oat
The Basics: I’m older, but not telling how old! I’m a mother of three and grandmother of five, plus one granddog. I grew up in Schenectady, New York, and I am always surprised when people have heard of it. I’ve lived in Southeastern Connecticut since 1981 and love it. My novels are set in Niantic, Connecticut.
The Scotland Connection. There are two kinds of writers: plotters and pantsers. I am a pantser, meaning I write by instinct rather than plan. I have no idea what’s going to happen, but something always does. I didn’t know there would be a Scotland connection, but it does make sense. When I was a kid, my father dragged me to the Scottish Games in upstate New York every year. Bagpipe music makes me cry, in a good way. Several years ago, I went to Scotland, and it blew me away. The Highlands are rugged and gorgeous. It felt like home.
Fun Fact. I love books and cannot pass a little free library in town without taking a peek. I have stacks of books waiting to be read.
It seems obvious that I would go in the general direction of writing as a profession. Instead, I studied science.
In February of 2023, a miracle happened. A few good friends gathered around a table to write. Since I had no thought I couldn't write a novel, I felt no pressure. Once I started writing, the story took off. All three of us now have published works, and we continue to meet every week.
You can also find my stories and essays on Medium.com as Connecticut Story Teller.