"To say the least I was invested. I couldn't put down the book (I might of pulled an all nighter just to finish) TOTALLY WORTH IT!!!"

The past haunts her, the present beguiles her... and the future is ready to bring her full circle.

Claire Branson just moved across state lines into Salem, Virginia, and she wants her life to go right for once, please and thank you. Having freshly escaped from a criminal past and the ex-boyfriend associated with it, she needs routine. Monotony. A happiness that could feel... simple.

Luke Turner is simple - sexy, sarcastically sweet, and, above all, radiating innocence. He could be her simplicity, there's no doubt about that. But with Claire's past festering under the gauze of her quick runaway, could he keep his innocence?

And, more importantly, will they get out of everything alive?

Author's Note for Tropes & Themes:

• Small town

• Spicy

• Fresh start

• Newfound family

• Workplace romance

• Strangers to friends to lovers

• Banter, banter, banter

• Plot twists that zoom from zero to sixty

• "Bad" girl x good boy

• Strong female friendship

• Escaped criminal past

• The love child of romantic comedy and romantic suspense

Raving Five Star Reviews:

"AGH! I was not expecting the anxiety with this story... in a good way... Eliza Modiste wrote a masterpiece and I anticipate seeing this all over booktok sooner than later." -NetGalley Reviewer

"It was surprising that this was a debut because it didn't read that way. I found myself hooked to the plot and characters from the beginning and antsy to figure out what would happen next!" -NetGalley Reviewer

"The author's writing style is impeccable, with vivid descriptions that bring the characters and setting to life... The romance between Claire and Luke is sweet and heartwarming, while the suspenseful elements are gripping and intense." -NetGalley Reviewer

"It is always a pretty amazing experience to read a book written by an author who obviously masters every single bit of what she's doing." -GoodReads Reviewer

"Two best friends starting over in a new state, a town where the men are handsome and charming, and a suspenseful plot that leaves you on the edge of your seat - what more can you want?" -GoodReads Reviewer

"This book had me giggling and kicking my feet in the beginning then had me biting my nails, scared of what's gonna happen!" -GoodReads Reviewer

"If you're looking for a gilmore girls-esque small town romance with a hint of darkness, this is the book for you." -GoodReads Reviewer

"Eliza, this book was just *chef's kiss* and I was laughing just much to hard nearly the ENTIRE time." -Amazon Reviewer

"I became so engrossed in this story that I forgot to keep track of time." -Amazon Reviewer

• We started tracking this book on September 16, 2023.
• This book was £2.35 when we started tracking it.
• The price of this book has changed 21 times in the past 598 days.
• The current price of this book is FREE last checked 2 hours ago.
• The lowest price to date was FREE last reached on March 2, 2025.
• This book has been FREE 5 times since we started tracking it.
• The highest price to date was £3.97 last reached on February 23, 2025.
• This book has been £3.97 3 times since we started tracking it.
• This book is currently at its lowest price since we started tracking it.

• Literature & FictionContemporary FictionRomance
• RomanceWorkplace Romance
• RomanceSmall Town Romance

• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Lending: Disabled
• Print Length: 347 Pages
• File Size: 32 KB