Cinder and Crumbs

When powerhouse attorney Jake Matthews returns to his sleepy hometown after a decade in the city, he expects a quick visit, close a few deals, check on his parents, and leave before nostalgia can catch up. What he doesn't expect is Hope Williams, his childhood best friend and the girl who once knew every secret he had, standing behind the counter of her struggling bakery with a tired smile and flour on her cheek.

Once inseparable, Jake and Hope drifted apart when he chased ambition and she stayed behind to build a life rooted in the town they both loved. But time has not been kind to Hope, her dreams are crumbling as fast as her finances, and the light in her eyes has dimmed. Seeing her like this stirs something Eli thought he'd long buried...guilt, protectiveness, and more.

When a twist of fate throws them back into each other's lives, late-night talks over coffee turn into stolen glances and second chances. But as old feelings resurface, Jake must decide if he's willing to trade the high-stakes world he built for the quiet, messy, beautiful life he left behind, and the woman who never truly left his heart.

A tender, slow-burn romance about love, redemption, and finding home again, Cinder & Crumb proves that sometimes, the sweetest things in life are worth fighting for.