Halley is living a lie…and falling for someone she never should have met.
By day, she's just a girl trying to survive an emotionally barren home. But by night, she escapes to the quiet solitude of a lake beneath the stars. That's where she meets Reed, a brooding, kind stranger who offers her the sort of safety she's never known.
 
There's an unspoken connection. A shared ache neither of them can name.
But when Halley's best friend introduces her new stepdad, everything shatters.
Because that stepdad is Reed.
 
With a love as equally forbidden as it is all-consuming, Halley and Reed are forced to navigate a storm of secrets, guilt, and longing. As years go by and lines blur, they must decide if love is worth the risk—especially when it could destroy the only family either of them has ever known.
A haunting and hopeful story of healing, desire, and a love that refuses to be ignored.
Tropes:
Age-gap romance
Best friend's dad
Forbidden love
Grumpy/sunshine
Slow burn
Found family
Healing from trauma
 
💌 Meena Vibe:
For the readers who like their romance a little dark, a little messy, and deeply, achingly human.
🌊 This one’s not light and fluffy — it’s ocean-deep and a little stormy.
📖 Read with soft lighting, an oversized sweater, and zero interruptions.
Perfect for those nights when you want a book to wreck you gently.