"It is your choice," he said, stepping so close to me that our lips were almost touching. "Either do what I say - or get another job." My heart stood still as I gazed up into his deep, dark, dangerous eyes... In a world where women's only role in life is to sit at home and look pretty, Lilly is determined to fight for her freedom. There's only one problem: a powerful man blocking her way.

Arden's been sober for two months... and a disaster for much longer than that. She's unemployed, living off caffeine and denial, and pretending she totally meant to take a break from life. Her best friend Liv is doing her best to keep Arden alive, fed, and out of trouble - three things Arden fails at regularly. Enter Kian: annoyingly charming, infuriatingly patient, and somehow the only person who sees past Arden's mess without flinching. He shouldn't care. Arden definitely shouldn't fall for him. And yet... here they are. Between late-night writing sessions, coffee shop disasters, recovery meetings, and a past that won't stay buried, Arden is trying to rebuild her life without burning it down first. This isn't a fairytale. It's a recovery story with jokes. And it's about learning how to stay - even when running would be easier.