First published 2020
Trevor Benson never planned to return to New Bern, North Carolina. A mortar explosion in Afghanistan ended his career as an orthopedic surgeon and left him with severe injuries. Now he finds himself at his late grandfather's rundown cabin, caring for the old man's bee hives while preparing to restart medical school. Trevor expects solitude, but two women complicate his recovery. Natalie Masterson draws him in from their first meeting, yet she keeps her distance and guards her secrets. Meanwhile, Callie, a guarded teenager from the nearby trailer park, once knew Trevor's grandfather but won't explain the circumstances of the old man's death. When a crisis forces the truth into the open, Trevor discovers that Callie's past connects to his grandfather in ways he never imagined. As he uncovers what both women have been hiding, Trevor must confront his own wounds and learn what it means to move forward.
Genres: fiction, romance, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, second-chance
Setting: Afghanistan, New Bern, North Carolina
Period: 21st-century
355 pages · Hardcover · Grand Central Publishing
Content warnings: medical-trauma, war