Norah Cook knows nothing about love, about romance, about affection. Nor does she understand it. But after a few teenager years without it all, she meets Mio Reed, the woman who unintentionally changes everything. The woman who is also her best friend's mother. All of her classmates and friends are experiencing teenage affection and relationships, all while Norah has always found she's had no interest. But in an unlikely turn, her first feelings end up being pointed towards a woman who's married and far older. But over time, something begins to change in that woman too and both their lives are changed forever.

~ COMPLETED ~ Side Story 5 of Sweet Surrender 🦋 Republished date: August 2023 ALL RIGHT RESERVED 2023

"The moment of collision affects the far greater moments in your life that may or may not actually happen. The moment of impact is, for example, when you unexpectedly receive your first kiss, when a charming stranger introduces himself in chemistry class; etc. Then that moment of impact inevitably affects how your life goes. Well for me, the moment of impact was the day I was late for Spanish class. If I hadn’t dozed off at lunch break I wouldn’t have collided with Melissa. Basically, I was late, I ran in the hall – thank goodness nobody was there to yell ‘No running in the halls! – then we collided. Literally."

This is a girlxgirl story. June Parker absolutely hated Adrienne Andrews. She's hated her ever since Adrienne pushed her down the stairs in the second grade, ratted her out for cheating on a history test in the fourth, and especially when she stole the deserving title of volleyball captain from her. Adrienne Andrews absolutely hated June Parker. She always thought she was a self-entitled blonde that always got what she wanted. Plus, she's been out to get Adrienne ever since she accidentally pushed her off the stairs in the second grade. Now, June Parker has it out for her ever since she was named the girl's volleyball captain. So when a weird encounter happens at a party, it brings the two together in cute, awkward situations that'll end the long-standing feud between each other. A comedic love story about two girls that once hated each other will result in drama, laughs, and a lot of bickering.

A stranger to her own existence, Kayla moves to a small town with the hope of finding comfort in a fresh start. But as she steps inside the unfamiliar classroom on the first day, standing in front of the class is a mysteriously familiar face, one that rouses memories of a time she believed had gone by. With past baggage catching up in the most intrusive ways, she stumbles upon unexpected comfort of friendship, unconditional love of found family, and a beautiful yet complicated bond between two hesitant souls. "This book was like a warm hug, and I might believe in love again." "I would give everything, especially my soul, to have the opportunity to read this book for the first time again." ────── CW: Substance abuse, harsh language, sexual content, mention of self-harm and suicide. ────── Started in January 2018. Re-published in November 2022. First draft finished in April 2023. ────── Copyright 2018 © Renee Steinberg All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced, copied, translated, or republished in any form without the author's permission, except for brief quotations or reviews with proper credit.