This book contains adult content. It is intended for mature audiences. BLURB: Tony Romano’s life was torn apart at age fifteen when his father died. His mother moved him and his brother from New Jersey to Belle Glade, Florida, a place rife with crime and bleakness. With his widowed mother working two jobs to support them, she was rarely home and the streets were soon raising Tony. Cassidy Macklin was raised by her grandmother for most of her life. Smart, creative, and kind-hearted, she does her utmost to prevent her circumstances to bring her down. Reading helps her escape to a different life and place, even if only in her imagination. And Grandmama’s soulful food is the balm that heals her heart and keeps her world afloat. Tony and Cassidy form a connection, which deepens as the days pass. But soon, darkness rears its head and things fall apart, bringing havoc and turmoil. Years later, the two cross paths again and both must come to terms with the monsters of their past. Their discoveries trigger emotions they’ve never faced before. Secrets, pain, and old habits—some of those die hard. Will Tony and Cassidy be able to finally have the life together that they so deserve, or will they be forced to part again, this time forever? Read ‘Gumbo’ to find out!