Juliet Rose is a young woman with a free spirit shaped by hardship and survival. As an intern at a hustling hospital in New York City, she pours her energy into saving lives, all while struggling to piece together her own shattered existence. Growing up in the shadow of an abusive father, Juliet learned to navigate toxicity with quiet strength. But even as she escaped one nightmare, another emerged in the form of her manipulative ex-boyfriend, now locked away in an asylum after a turbulent history that haunts her.
In the midst of her chaos, she crosses paths with Clyde and Vince Benedict, two powerful brothers who dominate the city's elite. Clyde, the cold and calculating CEO, has a reputation as ruthless as his empire, while Vince, his enigmatic younger brother, walks the fine line between rebellion and loyalty. Both men are deeply intertwined with the mafia, their influence making them untouchable in New York's underworld.
What begins as a chance encounter spirals into an unexpected and forbidden love triangle that threatens to unravel Juliet's fragile world. Torn between Clyde's commanding presence and Vince's undeniable charm, Juliet finds herself trapped in a dangerous game where the stakes are not just her heart, but her very survival. Secrets unravel, alliances shift, and love becomes a double-edged sword in this intoxicating tale of passion, power, and redemption.
PAUL
I cheated on my fiancée.
Sophie and I were building our future. In love, happy, peaceful. Then she found a lump in her breast and I made the worst choice: I numbed my fear by sleeping with someone else. My worst mistake and my biggest regret. Now I see Sophie around town with him. She's radiant and laughing with people who actually show up. I'm trying to learn how to be a man who does. If she lets me, I'll spend the rest of my life proving I can choose her when it's hardest. If she lets me...
SOPHIE
I thought the promise was in sickness and in health.
But he buried his fear in someone else. On the same night, I walked into a bookstore and meet the gentle giant owner who invites me to his book club full of misfits.
I'm laughing again, I smile more than I ever have, I heal my heart.
My ex says he can learn to stay, but my bookstore owner keeps showing up like it's as easy as breathing. I don't know what the future holds; I don't know if I'll win this battle against cancer, but I do know I'm done wasting time on people that love only when it's easy.
CALLUM
She came in to Rivers & Rhodes Bookstore and asked for books with happy endings only.
I gave her a recommendation, an invitation, and an offer of friendship. Now, this beautiful brave woman is completely under my skin. I'm not here to win a competition against him. I'm here because choosing someone, second by second, is the only way I understand love.
Content Warnings: on page cheating, emotional and physical infidelity, cancer, mentions of vomiting, bleeding, surgery. Please be advised.