Ethan James, a travel writer from the U.S., has just emerged from a painful breakup. Seeking peace and inspiration, he escapes to the lavender fields of Provence, France, hoping to write his next book. There, he meets Julien Delacroix, a quiet, reserved local perfumer who crafts exquisite fragrances from the lavender Ethan adores.
Their first encounter is far from smooth-Ethan accidentally crashes into Julien's bike, sparking tension. Julien, however, offers a deal: Ethan can help with the lavender harvest, and Julien will forgive the damage to his prized bicycle. Though they are opposites, Ethan's openness and enthusiasm slowly break through Julien's barriers.
Julien has spent years avoiding the emotional turmoil of a past love lost. His lavender farm, a quiet haven, serves as both refuge and reminder of his pain. Ethan's relentless curiosity begins to draw him out of his shell, and they start spending more time together-working in the fields, distilling lavender oil, sharing meals under the fading sunlight. A tentative friendship forms, but as their connection deepens, so does the risk of vulnerability.
As the summer festival celebrating the lavender harvest nears, their chemistry becomes undeniable. A night of dancing beneath the stars turns their bond into a blossoming romance. However, Julien, afraid of repeating past heartache, pushes Ethan away, fearing love will only leave him broken again.
Caught between the promise of a new life with Julien and the demands of his career back home, Ethan must choose-follow his professional obligations or open his heart to a future in Provence. In a final act of courage, he returns to Julien with a gift-a fragrance inspired by their time together.0
Riley Lachkov's life has only ever consisted of one thing - soccer. Raised in a family where emotions don't exist, Riley has put on a cold-front for as long as he could remember. Many people think that they know him - a cocky, arrogant, rude jerk who couldn't give less of a shit about what others think, but deep down, there's a part of him that no one has ever seen. A part of him that he never wants anyone to see.
Archer Wilson has got everything going for him. From being at the top of all of his classes, to also being the most popular boy in school, his life is perfect. Everyone who knows Archer can confirm that he is anything but mean - with his charismatic personality, and his ability to make anyone swoon for him, he's the golden boy at Saint Arthur's Preparatory School.
When Riley's family immigrated from Russia to the States, he struggles to fit in, finding it difficult to start his entire life over when the only thing he's ever known was his life back in his home country. His closed off personality and his tendency to act like a total douchebag didn't help either - in fact, it just made people want to stay away from him even more.
But that doesn't stop Archer from trying. In fact, it makes him more intrigued in this new, feisty transfer student, more keen to break down all the walls that Riley has worked so hard to keep up for his entire life. Archer can't help but praise him for every little thing he does- in his eyes, Riley was an angel. He knew he was whipped the moment he saw him.
What happens when Archer, the top student at Saint Arthur's, suddenly begins to develop an interest in the new transfer student, whose personality is as cold as ice? Will Riley finally begin to let him in, or will he continue to push him out, like he's done throughout his entire life?
tropes: #grumpyxsunshine, #polaropposites, #slowburn, #temporaryunrequitedlove #popularnerdxlonelyathlete
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