Life, Love, and Other Messes

Sam Travis has built her life around words, and they've abandoned her. The medication that keeps her functional also silences her creativity and leaves her feeling like a fraud. Add in her critical mother who never considered writing as "real work," and a breakup that's left her alienated from her friends, and Sam isn't sure how much longer she can keep pretending everything is fine.

Lisa Sutherland is a devoted preschool teacher and the kind of neighbor who smiles while mowing the best lawn on the block. Beneath her kindness, though, Lisa is working her way through a painful divorce.

What begins as neighborly caring grows into late-night chats, shared vulnerabilities, and a romantic connection Sam never expected. But letting someone in means risking the parts of herself she works hardest to hide.

A tender, heartfelt romance about self-acceptance and the courage it takes to open yourself to love.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 08/11/2026
ISBN: 9781636799803
Pages: 266
Weight: 0.69lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.50w x 0.60d