He survived the battlefield. Now he has to survive coming home. After eight years and four tours, Jake Sullivan returns to his hometown carrying scars no one can see. Haunted by nightmares and guilt, he doesn't know how to fit into a world that kept moving without him. Emily Vanden has built a quiet life running her bookstore, finding comfort in stories when real life proved too unpredictable. But when a brooding soldier with sad eyes starts spending his days among her shelves, she sees more than his pain—she sees the man underneath. Their connection is immediate. Quiet. Healing. But Jake’s battle isn’t over; it’s just different now. As he faces the hardest mission of all, building a new future, Emily will have to decide if she’s willing to risk her heart for a man still finding his way home. Can two broken hearts find their happy ending... or will fear keep them apart?