A Backup Plan for Grief

"The devil didn't want my soul; he wanted my hope. He didn't break me all at once-he opted for erosion instead."

Mio has a rule: never celebrate anything. Not a promotion, not a birthday, and definitely not a first date. To Mio, joy is a high-interest loan that the universe always collects on with interest. She lives her life in the gray, waiting for the "perfectly timed" disappointment she knows is coming.

Then comes Julian-a man who carries sunlight in his pockets and refuses to believe in bad omens. When he forces his way into her carefully guarded world, Elara is faced with a terrifying choice: stay safe in the shadows of her own caution, or risk the fall one last time.
Because every time she lets herself feel, the devil is there to make sure it slips through her fingers.