**Shrinking Violet is a STANDALONE novel that follows characters introduced in Scattered Colors. It is not necessary to read Scattered Colors first** Forgiveness. From the time we’re old enough to understand the word, we’re taught to forgive those who wrong us, so what do you do when the one person you can’t forgive is yourself? For Cassidy Ashworth, it’s a question that haunts her. Forgiveness has become a foreign concept. Self-loathing is something she’s much more familiar with. Convinced that she doesn’t deserve happiness, Cassidy is determined to spend every day trying to make up for the wrong she’s done. But no amount of repenting for the past will ever convince her that she’s worthy of a future with Carson Langford. Raised in the foster system, Carson has always been a throwaway kid. He knows firsthand just how cruel life can be, how easy it is for people to prey on the weak, and there’s nothing Carson detests more than a bully. So focused on his self-imposed role of protector, he never counted on the beautiful blonde with the haunted eyes to stumble into his life and shake up his world. Despite her reluctance, Carson is determined to have Cassidy in his life, but once the truth of her past comes to light, the question is…will he still want to keep her?