Shattered Bonds

Eighteen-year-old Mia Hess has loved Kam Johnson since the day he moved in next door to her and asked her if she wanted half of his popsicle. For years, he's been her anchor, her secret keeper, her other half - everything but hers. She's watched him date other girls, chase dreams she wasn't part of, and smile at her like she was the sun - without ever knowing he was her entire sky.

Until one summer night changes everything.

After years of trying to hide her feelings, Kam finally helps her out of an abusive relationship. He finally confesses the truth in the quiet dark, and to his disbelief, she tells him that she feels the same way. For the first time, the line between friendship and something more begins to blur. They finally have their moment - stolen kisses, whispered plans, the sweet ache of everything she's ever wanted. She had her two male best friends, the love of her life, and her two girlfriends

But some stories aren't meant to last.

Just as Mia begins to actually imagine a future with him, life shows it has other plans. A tragedy rips through their perfect beginning, and Mia is left holding the pieces of a love that barely had a chance to bloom. Now she must navigate grief, guilt, and the ache of almost, all while trying to figure out who she is without him.

Shattered Bonds is a poignant, heart-wrenching novel about first love, sudden loss, and the haunting beauty of what might have been. For readers who loved If I stay and They Both Die at the End, this is a story that lingers long after the last page.