5⭐️ 3🌶️

“Beauty might only be skin deep. But love? In its purest, unfiltered form? That shit seeps into your bones, right down into your very being.”

I can’t believe we are FINALLY back in Rivers Run 💜

Zeke is a local military Sargent, who after a rough morning with his privates, is ordered to go to a party in town to make sure none of the privates misbehave. Maggie and her best friend Celeste, who’s a single mom, happen to head out to the same party after a rough week of family and friend drama to try and blow off some steam and have some fun.  At least that is until some guys start hitting on her and she starts to feel uncomfortable, but Zeke manages to see her need for help without even fully meeting her yet and saves her from the group…..of some of his privates. 

Zeke quickly finds himself infatuated with Maggie, even to the point where he takes a sick day from work to be able to spend more time with her. Except, his superior isn’t very happy that Zeke is now starting to choose a girl over the military…and he retaliates against Zeke by relocating him to a base across the world.  All the while, Maggie’s been fighting her own inner demons caused by her “mother” Diana, as well as anxiety from bad run in with someone from her past.  Will she agree to marry and move with Zeke, and allow him to help her? Or will she choose to stay in Rivers Run and try to keep fighting on her own?

“You’re not a burden, you’re a gift”

- ugly duckly retelling
- autism rep
- marriage of convenience
- small town
- military
- found family

content warning: this book does contain thoughts, actions, and obsessions associated with an eating disorder