Book Haul // February 2020


I accidentally got a lot of books this month. I've been stressed. When I'm stressed, I shop. I also have a Book Outlet order on the way. I'm trying to keep this post short and sweet because I really want to read. I feel like I haven't had time to sit and read in so long!





What books did you get this month?









Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
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Synopsis:
ELANTRIS WAS A PLACE OF GLORY





The capital of Arelon, the home to people transformed into magic-using demigods by the Shaod.





But then the magic failed, Elantris started to rot, and its inhabitants turned into powerless wrecks.





And in the new capital, Kae, close enough to Elantris for everyone to be reminded of what they have lost, a princess arrives. Sarene is to be married to unite Teod and Arelon against the religious imperialists of Fjordell. But she is told that Raoden, her husband to be, is dead.





Determined to carry on the fight for Teod and Arelon's freedom, Sarene clashes with the high priest Hrathen. If Hrathen can persuade the populace to convert, Fjordell will reign supreme.





But there are secrets in Elantris, the dead and the ruined may yet have a role to play in this new world. Magic lives.














The Queen's Assassin by Melissa De La Cruz
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Synopsis:
Caledon Holt is the Kingdom of Renovia's deadliest weapon. No one alive can best him in brawn or brains, which is why he's the Guild's most dangerous member and the Queen's one and only assassin. He's also bound to the Queen by an impossible vow--to find the missing Deian Scrolls, the fount of all magical history and knowledge, stolen years ago by a nefarious sect called the Aphrasians.





Shadow has been training all her life to follow in the footsteps of her mother and aunts--to become skilled enough to join the ranks of the Guild. Though magic has been forbidden since the Aphrasian uprising, Shadow has been learning to control her powers in secret, hoping that one day she'll become an assassin as feared and revered as Caledon Holt.





When a surprise attack brings Shadow and Cal together, they're forced to team up as assassin and apprentice to hunt down a new sinister threat to Renovia. But as Cal and Shadow grow closer, they'll uncover a shocking web of lies and secrets that may destroy everything they hold dear. With war on the horizon and true love at risk, they'll stop at nothing to protect each other and their kingdom in this stunning first novel in the Queen's Secret series.














Every Other Weekend by Abigail Johnson
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Synopsis:
Can life begin again…every other weekend?





Adam Moynihan’s life used to be awesome. Straight As, close friends and a home life so perfect that it could have been a TV show straight out of the 50s. Then his oldest brother died. Now his fun-loving mom cries constantly, he and his remaining brother can’t talk without fighting, and the father he always admired proved himself a coward by moving out when they needed him most.





Jolene Timber’s life is nothing like the movies she loves—not the happy ones anyway. As an aspiring director, she should know, because she’s been reimagining her life as a film ever since she was a kid. With her divorced parents at each other’s throats and using her as a pawn, no amount of mental reediting will give her the love she’s starving for.





Forced to spend every other weekend in the same apartment building, the boy who thinks forgiveness makes him weak and the girl who thinks love is for fools begin an unlikely friendship. The weekends he dreaded and she endured soon become the best part of their lives. But when one’s life begins to mend while the other’s spirals out of control, they realize that falling in love while surrounded by its demise means nothing is ever guaranteed.














Title: Verity
Author: Colleen Hoover
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: December 10th, 2018
Pages: 314
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Synopsis:
Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish.





Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity's notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn't expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity's recollection of what really happened the day her daughter died.





Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen's feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife's words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue to love her.














Title: Heart Of Flames
Series: Crown Of Feathers (#2)
Author: Nicki Pau Preto
Publisher: February 11th, 2020
Pages: 640
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Synopsis:
You are a daughter of queens.





The world is balanced on the edge of a knife, and war is almost certain between the empire and the Phoenix Riders.





Like Nefyra before you, your life will be a trial by fire.





Veronyka finally got her wish to join the Riders, but while she’s supposed to be in training, all she really wants to do is fly out to defend the villages of Pyra from the advancing empire. Tristan has been promoted to Master Rider, but he has very different ideas about the best way to protect their people than his father, the commander. Sev has been sent to spy on the empire, but maintaining his cover may force him to fight on the wrong side of the war. And Veronyka’s sister, Val, is determined to regain the empire she lost—even if it means inciting the war herself.





Such is your inheritance. A name. A legacy. An empire in ruin.





As tensions reach a boiling point, the characters all find themselves drawn together into a fight that will shape the course of the empire—and determine the future of the Phoenix Riders. Each must decide how far they’re willing to go—and what they’re willing to lose in the process.





I pray you are able to pass through the flames.














Title: Night Spinner
Series: Night Spinner (#1)
Author: Addie Thorley
Publisher: Page Street Kids
Published: February 11th, 2020
Pages: 400
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Synopsis:
Before the massacre at Nariin, Enebish was one of the greatest warriors in the Sky King’s Imperial Army: a rare and dangerous Night Spinner, blessed with the ability to control the threads of darkness. Now, she is known as Enebish the Destroyer―a monster and murderer, banished to a monastery for losing control of her power and annihilating a merchant caravan.





Guilt stricken and scarred, Enebish tries to be grateful for her sanctuary, until her adoptive sister, Imperial Army commander Ghoa, returns from the war front with a tantalizing offer. If Enebish can capture the notorious criminal, Temujin, whose band of rebels has been seizing army supply wagons, not only will her crimes be pardoned, she will be reinstated as a warrior.





Enebish eagerly accepts. But as she hunts Temujin across the tundra, she discovers the tides of war have shifted, and the supplies he’s stealing are the only thing keeping thousands of shepherds from starving. Torn between duty and conscience, Enebish must decide whether to put her trust in the charismatic rebel or her beloved sister. No matter who she chooses, an even greater enemy is advancing, ready to bring the empire to its knees.














Title: Cloak Of Night
Series: Circle Of Shadows (#2)
Author: Evelyn Skye
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Published: February 11th, 2020
Pages: 416
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Synopsis:
After the devastating Ceremony of Two Hundred Hearts, Sora, Daemon, Fairy, and Broomstick are truly alone in the fight to save their kingdom. Empress Aki is missing, and everyone else who could help them is a prisoner to Prince Gin’s mind control.





At least Sora understands what they’re up against. Or so she believes, until she overhears Gin bargaining with the god of war for immortality and learns that ryuu magic may be a more insidious danger than she realized.





Suddenly, the stakes are higher and even more personal for Sora—not only must she stop a seemingly indestructible Prince Gin, but she must also unravel the secrets of ryuu magic before it is too late for nearly everyone she loves.





Sora Daemon, Fairy, and Broomstick face dangerous obstacles at every turn, but the greatest challenge may be discovering who they truly are and what, if anything, they are capable of.





The fate of a kingdom rests in their hands.














Title: House Of Earth And Blood
Series: Crescent City
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: March 3rd, 2020
Pages: 816
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Synopsis:
Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life—working hard all day and partying all night—until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She’ll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths.





Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose—to assassinate his boss’s enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he’s offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach.





As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City’s underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion—one that could set them both free, if they’d only let it.














Title: The Gravity Of Us
Author: Phil Stamper
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Published: February 4th, 2020
Pages: 314
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Synopsis:
As a successful social media journalist with half a million followers, seventeen-year-old Cal is used to sharing his life online. But when his pilot father is selected for a highly publicized NASA mission to Mars, Cal and his family relocate from Brooklyn to Houston and are thrust into a media circus.





Amidst the chaos, Cal meets sensitive and mysterious Leon, another “Astrokid,” and finds himself falling head over heels—fast. As the frenzy around the mission grows, so does their connection. But when secrets about the program are uncovered, Cal must find a way to reveal the truth without hurting the people who have become most important to him.





Expertly capturing the thrill of first love and the self-doubt all teens feel, debut author Phil Stamper is a new talent to watch.














Title: Heartstopper Vol. 3
Author: Alice Oseman
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Published: February 6th, 2020
Pages: 384
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Synopsis:
In this volume we’ll see the Heartstopper gang go on a school trip to Paris! Not only are Nick and Charlie navigating a new city, but also telling more people about their relationship AND learning more about the challenges each other are facing in private…





Meanwhile Tao and Elle will face their feelings for each other, Tara and Darcy share more about their relationship origin story, and the teachers supervising the trip seem… rather close…?














Title: Just Don't Mention It
Series: DIMILY (#4)
Author: Estelle Maskame
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Published: December 3rd, 2019
Pages: 496
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Synopsis:
Can love heal all wounds?





At seventeen, Tyler Bruce is hot -- a hot mess. His girlfriend is a knockout, his reputation's untouchable, parties are nothing without him. Even his car is unreal. But inside Tyler is broken -- and he'll stop at nothing to keep that a secret.





Then one summer Eden comes to stay. She's upfront, sharp and far more enticing than a stepsister should be. She also sees straight through Tyler's bad boy fa�ade to the vulnerable kid within. The quiet kid who took all the punches. As Eden draws Tyler in, his defenses start to crumble around him. In his past, vulnerability only brought him danger. But now, it might just bring him everything he needs...if it doesn't break him.





As irresistible and dazzling as its Californian backdrop, Just Don't Mention It is a companion novel to the Did I Mention I Miss You trilogy that explores Tyler's story -- his heart-stopping tale of past hurt, finding hope and figuring out who the hell he wants to be.














Title: Love, Unscripted
Author: Owen Nicholls
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Published: February 11th, 2020
Pages: 384
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Synopsis:
Ellie had the quizzical eyebrows of Broadcast News-era Holly Hunter and the neon-red hair of Kate Winslet in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. At least, that's what caught Nick's attention when he met her on the night of 2008's historic election. A cinema devotee and lover of great love stories, Nick always fancied himself the Tom Hanks of his own romantic comedy, and when sparks flew with Ellie that night, he swiftly cast her as the Meg Ryan of his story. For four blissful years, Nick loved Ellie as much as he loved his job as a film projectionist: wholly, earnestly, cinematically.





But now Ellie has moved out, convinced "the fire's gone," and Nick is forced to sift through his memories to figure out where it all went wrong. The fallout from Ellie's declaration that she "doesn't love Nick the way she used to" throws him back into recollections of their first night together. Their shared jokes, her wry smile, the "hope" that filled the night air--his memories are as rose-colored as the Hollywood love stories he idealizes.





That night was a perfect meet-cute, yes, but was their romance as destined for a "happily ever after" as he'd thought? Is he really the rom-com hero he believes he's been? Or did this Harry let his Sally down? Peppered with references to beloved movies, Love, Unscripted explores how even a hopeless romantic can learn that in real life, love isn't, and shouldn't be, like what we see in the movies.














Title: The Unspoken Name
Series: The Serpent Gates (#1)
Author: A.K. Larkwood
Publisher: Tor Books
Published: February 11th, 2020
Pages: 464
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Synopsis:
What if you knew how and when you will die?





Csorwe does — she will climb the mountain, enter the Shrine of the Unspoken, and gain the most honored title: sacrifice.





But on the day of her foretold death, a powerful mage offers her a new fate. Leave with him, and live. Turn away from her destiny and her god to become a thief, a spy, an assassin—the wizard's loyal sword. Topple an empire, and help him reclaim his seat of power.





But Csorwe will soon learn – gods remember, and if you live long enough, all debts come due.














Title: Wild At Heart
Series: Wild (#2)
Author: K.A. Tucker
Publisher: Self Published
Published: February 18th, 2020
Pages: 456
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Synopsis:
Calla Fletcher returns to Toronto a different person, struggling to find direction and still very much in love with the rugged bush pilot she left behind. When Jonah arrives on her doorstep with a proposition she can’t dismiss, she takes the leap and rushes back to Alaska to begin their exciting future together.





But Calla soon learns that even the best intentions can lead to broken promises, and that compromise comes with a hefty price—a log cabin in interior rural Alaska that feels as isolating as the western tundra.





With Jonah gone more than he’s home, one neighbor who insists on transforming her into a true Alaskan, and another who seems more likely to shoot her than come to her aid, Calla grapples with forging her own path. In a world with roaming wildlife that has her constantly watching over her shoulder and harsh conditions that stretch far beyond the cold, dark, winter months, just stepping outside her front door can be daunting.





This is not the future Calla had in mind, leaving her to fear that perhaps she is doomed to follow in her mother’s fleeing footsteps after all.














Title: Two Princes Of Summer
Series: Whims Of Fae (#1)
Author: Nissa Leder
Publisher: Violet Dreams Publishing
Published: July 17th, 2017
Pages: 328
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Synopsis:
Two fae princes fighting for the Summer crown.
A mortal lured into Faerie and caught in their web.
The battle that changes everything.





After her mother's suicide, Scarlett's grief consumes her. When a beautiful, otherworldly stranger offers her a release from her pain, it’s too tempting an opportunity to resist. She’s lured into Faerie and sucked into a royal battle as two fae brothers prepare for the Battle of Heirs where the winner earns the right to the throne.





Human emotion fuels fae power and Scarlett’s is the most potent Cade has ever tasted. He’s certain she is the key to defeating his brother Raith. But Raith has surprises of his own, and Scarlett fits perfectly into his devious plan.





Scarlett must decide how far she's willing to go to avoid her guilt and heartache. As she is pulled further into the realm of magic and power, she discovers a dangerous secret that could change her fate forever.





Will Scarlett find a way to cope with her sorrow and untangle herself from the two princes?





Or will they devour her completely?














Title: Prisoner Of Silk
Series: Queen Of The Sun Palace (#1)
Author: Lidiya Foxglove
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Published: August 19th, 2018
Pages: 190
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Synopsis:
When Princess Marie Rose was born, a faery witch laid a curse upon her: she would prick her finger on a spindle at the age of sixteen and fall into a long sleep. Her parents destroyed every spindle in the kingdom. Her sixteenth birthday has safely come and gone. But no one will marry the cursed princess…except one. An unusual offer comes from the handsome, reserved faery prince of the Palace of the Sun.





There is no privacy in this palace. The life of the royal family is a carefully choreographed theater. Everyone has a role to play. Princess Rose is protected every moment—but the price of this protection is complete surrender.





Now she is the corseted and gilded possession of Prince Augustus, subject to his every order and desire. No human has ever taken on this role before and her very appearance is a scandal. There is no such thing as a private moment, no matter what is asked of her, and the faery court is waiting for this lovely human girl to make a mistake.





Why did Prince Augustus choose a cursed girl? The witch still follows her every move, and plans to use the princess to destroy the kingdom. But Rose has more power than she knows. First she’ll have to learn when to play the rules...and when to break them.














Title: Credence
Author: Penelope Douglas
Publisher: Penelope Douglas
Published: January 13th, 2020
Pages: 485
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Synopsis:
Tiernan de Haas doesn’t care about anything anymore. The only child of a film producer and his starlet wife, she’s grown up with wealth and privilege but not love or guidance. Shipped off to boarding schools from an early age, it was still impossible to escape the loneliness and carve out a life of her own. The shadow of her parents’ fame followed her everywhere.





And when they suddenly pass away, she knows she should be devastated. But has anything really changed? She’s always been alone, hasn’t she?





Jake Van der Berg, her father’s stepbrother and her only living relative, assumes guardianship of Tiernan who is still two months shy of eighteen. Sent to live with him and his two sons, Noah and Kaleb, in the mountains of Colorado, Tiernan soon learns that these men now have a say in what she chooses to care and not care about anymore. As the three of them take her under their wing, teach her to work and survive in the remote woods far away from the rest of the world, she slowly finds her place among them.





And as a part of them.





She also realizes that lines blur and rules become easy to break when no one else is watching.





One of them has her.





The other one wants her.





But he…





He’s going to keep her.














Title: Once A Myth
Series: Goddess (#1)
Author: Pepper Winters
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: February 25th, 2020
Pages: 236
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Synopsis:
Eleanor Grace is a naïve dreamer. Trusting and young, she believes her book-loving boyfriend can save her when her freedom is snatched and sold. Squirreled away to an island at midnight, delivered to a man even darkness won’t touch, she’s bound by a contract.





Five men.
Five fantasies.
Five pieces of her soul.





Sullivan Sinclair is the giver of fantasies. Any wish, any desire—he is the master at quenching even the filthiest appetites. His private paradise and perfectly trained goddesses are there for one purpose: to ensure every guest is extremely well satisfied.





He bought her.
He trapped her.
She belongs to him.














Title: What Kind Of Girl
Author: Alyssa Sheinmel
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Published: February 4th, 2020
Pages: 384
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Synopsis:
The girls at North Bay Academy are taking sides. It all started when Mike Parker's girlfriend showed up with a bruise on her face. Or, more specifically, when she walked into the principal's office and said Mike hit her. But the students have questions. Why did she go to the principal and not the police? Why did she stay so long if he was hurting her? Obviously, if it's true, Mike should be expelled. But is it true?





Some girls want to rally for his expulsion—and some want to rally around Mike. The only thing that the entire student body can agree on? Someone is lying. And the truth has to come out.














Title: Fullmetal Alchemist Vol. 2
Author: Hiromu Arakawa
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC
Published: August 14th, 2018
Pages: 264
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Synopsis:
Alchemy tore the Elric brothers’ bodies apart. Can their bond make them whole again?





A hardcover, deluxe collector’s edition of one of the most beloved manga and anime of all time! Fully remastered with an updated translation and completely fresh lettering, and presented with color pages on large-trimmed archival-quality paper, this gorgeous hardcover edition presents the timeless dark adventures of the Elric brothers as they were truly meant to be seen. Includes brand-new cover art, color inserts and behind-the-scenes character sketches from author Hiromu Arakawa!





In an alchemical ritual gone wrong, Edward Elric lost his arm and his leg, and his brother Alphonse became nothing but a soul in a suit of armor. The brothers’ search for the Philosopher’s Stone leads them to a secret alchemical document which contains a gruesome truth.














Title: Feast Of Sparks
Series: Thornchapel (#2)
Author: Sierra Simone
Publisher: Sierra Simone
Published: August 1st, 2019
Pages: 434
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Synopsis:
I’m an outcast and a loner, named for death itself. Fate wasn’t supposed to have plans for me.





But then she came back—the girl I once kissed in a thorn-covered chapel in the woods. She came back, and I could no more resist her than I could pry out my own heart. And by some trick of fate, she wants me as much as I want her. The only problem? She also wants the man who owns Thornchapel, Auden Guest.





And so do I.





Eight years ago, I did something to Auden, something terrible. He hurt me back the only way he knew how, and so here we are: our hatred seasoned with pain and my loneliness seasoned with longing. The only thing we can agree on is Proserpina Markham, and she wants us to find a way to be together—all three of us.





If Auden wants to earn her as his submissive, then he has to earn me as well.





But with the discovery of bones behind the altar and the carnal revel of Beltane fast approaching, it’s becoming clear that Thornchapel’s secrets are much deeper and older than any of us could have ever guessed. And no matter how bright and merry a feast of sparks may be, it’s always followed by ashes.





And darkness.














Title: Tomie
Author: Junji Ito
Publisher: VIZ Media
Published: December 20th, 2016
Pages: 752
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Synopsis:
Tomie Kawakami is a femme fatale with long black hair and a beauty mark just under her left eye. She can seduce nearly any man, and drive them to murder as well, even though the victim is often Tomie herself. While one lover seeks to keep her for himself, another grows terrified of the immortal succubus. But soon they realize that no matter how many times they kill her, the world will never be free of Tomie.














Title: Vow Of Thieves
Series: Dance Of Thieves (#2)
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Publisher: Henry Holt
Published: August 6th, 2019
Pages: 480
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Synopsis:
Kazi and Jase have survived, stronger and more in love than ever. Their new life now lies before them―the Ballengers will be outlaws no longer, Tor's Watch will be a kingdom, and the two of them will meet all challenges side by side, together at last.





But an ominous warning mars their journey back, and in their rush to return to Tor's Watch, just outside the fortress walls, they are violently attacked and torn apart―and each is thrust into their own new hell.





Unsure whether the other is alive or dead, Kazi and Jase must keep their wits among their greatest enemies and unlikeliest allies. And all the while, Death watches and waits.














Title: Don't You Forget About Me
Author: Mhairi McFarlane
Publisher: William Morrow Books
Published: September 10th, 2019
Pages: 432
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Synopsis:
You always remember your first love... don’t you?





If there’s anything worse than being fired from the lousiest restaurant in town, it’s coming home early to find your boyfriend in bed with someone else. Reeling from the humiliation of a double dumping in one day, Georgina takes the next job that comes her way—bartender in a newly opened pub. There’s only one problem: it’s run by the guy she fell in love with years ago. And—make that two problems—he doesn’t remember her. At all. But she has fabulous friends and her signature hot pink fur coat... what more could a girl really need?





Lucas McCarthy has not only grown into a broodingly handsome man, but he’s also turned into an actual grown-up, with a thriving business and a dog along the way. Crossing paths with him again throws Georgina’s rocky present into sharp relief—and brings a secret from her past bubbling to the surface. Only she knows what happened twelve years ago, and why she’s allowed the memories to chase her ever since. But maybe it’s not too late for the truth... or a second chance with the one that got away?







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