The Summer Before Everything Broke

In the sun-soaked chaos of the Outer Banks, nothing stays buried for long-not secrets, not feelings, and definitely not the past.
At twenty-one, Rafe Cameron has mastered the art of looking untouchable. But when Maddy-his former high school sweetheart-returns to the island without warning, everything he thought he had under control begins to unravel.
What starts as accidental run-ins quickly turns into something dangerously familiar. Late nights, unfinished conversations, and a connection neither of them ever really let go of pull them back together. But Maddy isn't just back for closure-and Rafe isn't prepared for the truth she's hiding.
Because this time, their story isn't just about love.
It's about secrets.
And the deeper Rafe falls, the closer he gets to a truth that could destroy everything-his family, his past, and the girl he thought he knew.
In a place where loyalty is everything and betrayal runs deep, some love stories don't end.
They break.