Bethany Smith had her innocence stolen in the very town she once called home. The memories were too much to bear, so when her sister offered an escape-a trip around Australia with her boyfriend-Beth didn't think twice about leaving it all behind. Now she's back. And the moment her feet hit the ground, the weight of the past crashes over her. Every street, every building, every glance feels like a reminder of what was taken. Daniel Kennedy knows heartbreak. Eight years ago, he lost the love of his life and swore he'd never open his heart again. But after two years of isolation and soul-searching, he's finally ready to move forward. Then he hears Bethany is back in town. What begins as cautious friendship grows into something deeper-something neither of them expected. As old wounds resurface and new emotions spark, Beth and Daniel must decide if healing is possible... and if love might be the light waiting for them at the end of the tunnel.

Georgina Bailey is starting over. After years of surviving an abusive marriage, she packs up her life-and her nine-year-old twins-and heads across the country to Los Angeles, seeking safety and a fresh start with her sister-in-law. But the farther she gets from her ex, the more she uncovers just how deep his cruelty truly runs. Cole Holoworth has lived through hell. Kidnapped and tortured at sixteen, he's spent the last six years rebuilding his life in pieces. His body is covered in tattoos-not for vanity, but to hide the scars carved into him by another man's darkness. He keeps his distance, avoids touch, and spirals into panic when he loses sight of the world around him. When Georgie and Cole's paths collide, it isn't love at first sight-it's fear, suspicion, and walls built sky-high. But slowly, something starts to shift. In each other, they find quiet understanding... and maybe, the beginnings of something more. Can Georgie see past the ink and the shadows to the man Cole really is? Or will the weight of both their pasts be too much to carry?