by Mari Carr
First published 2017
Padraig Collins works behind the bar at Pat's Pub, his family's Baltimore establishment, content with his carefree existence and endless future possibilities. Everything changes when Mia Curtis enters the bar visibly distraught and flees in tears. Padraig follows her outside, offering comfort to the upset stranger. Mia reveals her devastating secret: she has an inoperable brain tumor and only six months to live. Her confession forces Padraig to confront how carelessly he has been drifting through his days, assuming he has unlimited time ahead. He makes a spontaneous decision to help Mia complete her bucket list, determined she will experience everything she dreamed of before her death. Their partnership begins as an act of compassion but evolves into something deeper as Padraig falls in love with Mia's courage and spirit. His once limitless future contracts to mere months, bringing crushing urgency to their relationship. Together they discover that life's value lies not in duration but in the intensity of shared moments.
Genres: fiction, romance, literary-fiction, contemporary-romance
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, second-chance
Setting: Baltimore, Pat's Pub
244 pages · Paperback · CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Content warnings: terminal-illness