Matisse Evans is determined to make her sophomore year of college successful after failing out of a prestigious art school and spending a horribly boring gap year at home. Despite her focus, time isn't on her side as she struggles to hold down three jobs so she can afford her first apartment while juggling course work. In the chaos of it all, Beau Grady moves in and shakes up her world. A college dropout and tattooed bad boy, the rumors about Beau mean one thing for Matisse—trouble. Paralyzed by the fear that she's missing out on life, Matisse discovers plans may unravel, but what rises in their wake can be worth the uncertainty.
After spending the summer couch surfing, Beau Grady moves into an empty room at his ex-girlfriend’s Portland bungalow, skipping his senior year of college to spend his days working at a Vietnamese food cart instead. Once a star hockey player and gifted student, he’s put his life on hold after receiving a life-altering diagnosis, complacent to live in the moment. Hiding behind false rumors and bad habits, Beau falls for Matisse, letting her believe the worst until their relationship blooms into something they both can’t ignore. Falling for her means having to face a future he’d rather forget, but loving her just might be worth it.
Excerpt
She grabs my hands and pins them together. I don’t fight off her touch. I let Mati gather them and raise them above my head. “I think it’s so easy to fall into the world when you’re not ready,” she says seriously. Her free hand brushes over my brows, then sweeps down my nose. “It’s such a big place and we’re all very tiny in the scheme of things.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“It sucks being an outlier, Beau. I get it. But in spite of everything, we’re always going to feel a bit lost. It’s the part of growing up that no one ever tells you about.”
“You’re very wise today, Miss Mati.”
“I’m lots things, mister. I’m...” Her voice drops off and she nervously glances down at my chest. “I think I’m a little bit in love with you actually.”
At least I’m sitting. That doesn’t help the way my stomach drops though.
I snake my hands out of her grip and brace them around her face. There’s a reason why outliers exist on the outside—they can’t find their way in.
Mati is no outlier to me.
We kiss for what seems like hours. I don’t care if it’s for days. But we kiss until my mouth wipes away the nervousness in that confession of hers, while I still cowardly hide behind mine.
In the wild, in the sun, Mati and I are...well, we’re something I never thought I’d have or find. And that’s everything.
About The Author
It began with a boy who survived a plane crash in the wilderness.
I discovered my love of writing during a fifth grade writing assignment for Hatchet. After that, I knew I wanted to be a writer.
Always the hopeless romantic, I write late Victorian and Edwardian historical romances as well as contemporary New Adult romances.
I am a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), as well as the New Hampshire chapter (NHRWA) and the New England chapter (NECRWA). I contribute regularly to the Modern Belles of History blog, a site dedicated to writing, reading, and researching 20th century women’s historical fiction.
When I’m not writing, I’m most likely reading or daydreaming about my next travel adventure. I live in New Hampshire with my husband and our cat, Bella.
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