First published 2023
Sasha can't face another pointless work email or mandatory happiness meeting. She hasn't talked to friends in months. Simple tasks like making dinner feel impossible. She flees to a seaside resort from her childhood, hoping kale smoothies and yoga will fix her exhaustion. The hotel turns out to be falling apart, and she must share the empty beach with Finn, an equally burned out stranger who camps on her favorite rock. They clash over recovery methods. He wants whisky and pizza delivery. She tries manifesting and cold water swimming. Mystery messages start appearing in the sand, seemingly meant for both of them. The notes force Sasha and Finn to actually talk about how they reached this breaking point. They discover shared memories of surfing, something they once loved before work consumed their lives. Despite their bone deep tiredness, an undeniable connection sparks between them. The question becomes whether two people running on empty can find energy for each other.
Genres: fiction, romance, contemporary, contemporary-romance
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, second-chance
Setting: Seaside Resort
551 pages · Library Binding · Thorndike Press Large Print
Content warnings: depression, mental-illness