Where the sailor ends the artist begins . . . London, 1847: On shore leave while his ship is being repaired, sailor Thomas Rutherford is restless, waiting to return to sea. At twenty-eight years old, Tom knows nothing but life on tall ships and is determined to captain his own. But Tom has a second passion: painting. And so he passes time with his paintbox and sketchbook... until he is struck by the discovery of a delicate glove laced with the unmistakable scent of turpentine. The owner is Catherine Ogilvie - captivating, headstrong and a talented artist in her own right. Intrigued by this singular woman, Tom finds himself swept into Catherine's privileged yet stifling world. As Tom and Catherine grow closer, Tom's eyes are opened to a new way of life. But his ambitions remain and, when the sea calls to Tom, he must face an impossible choice. In her stunning debut, Susan Paterson explores the power of art to transform a life and to connect us to others. Where Light Meets Water is a multi-stranded novel of love - of a man and a woman, of a sailor and the sea, and of an artist and his gift.