A kickass home décor boutique – tick A sassy mouth and absolutely no filter – tick A wall so strong no man could ever tear it down - tick, tick, tick! Or so I thought. Until I meet Detective Ben Hunt, the owner of exquisite blue eyes, a god-like physique and a seductive smirk that makes me weak at the knees. He charges into my life like a force of nature. No matter how hard I try to keep the walls up around my heart, he’s made it his mission to shatter them. I have no chance of resisting him, but I would make sure I won this tug of war. Which was what I wanted. Right? When did the idea of losing myself to him start to sound so good? I wish Ben was the only battle I faced. There’s a reason this small town needs a good detective. One way or another I’m going to have to brace for impact because no wall I build can stop the new threat thundering toward Monroe. After all, secrets only stay a secret for so long around here.

Fall in love with my teenage crush - tick Propose to him on a leap year - tick Receive a sad look and a whispered 'we can't' - tick, tick, tick. Austin Hart was my first everything–crush, love, and heartbreak. Seven years ago, he broke me to pieces and when my world imploded two years later, I stupidly fell back into his bed, seeking comfort only he could give. Accepting that we would never be together, I left Monroe and let him become a distant memory. Five years later an opportunity I can’t refuse forces me to make the long trip back to Monroe. And Monroe means seeing Austin again. I’d be lying if I said the years haven’t been good to him. He’s undeniably sexy, smoldering, and he still makes my heart flutter regardless of how much I want to dislike him. My body may still react, but my mind will never forget. Though I promised myself I’d never fall under his spell again, he has other plans—and the universe has even bigger ones.