New Growth

“What was it about grief that made all other emotions feel small?”

Elliot Sawyer
has spent years trying to answer that question. Ever since her father’s sudden death and a vile betrayal, she’s buried herself in work, travel, and liquor. Building walls so high no one would dare climb them.

Love isn’t safe.

Trust isn’t an option.

And letting someone in only leads to heartbreak.

But grief isn’t something you can outrun. It lingers—waiting, demanding to be felt. And when the past refuses to stay buried, Ellie is forced to ask herself if she’s strong enough to face it—or if she’ll keep pushing away the one person who refuses to let her go.

Elliot Greene.

Older, steady, and battling a body that no longer listens, he understands loss in a way most people never could. He sees the grief she won’t talk about, the weight she pretends isn’t there. And worse—he makes her want to stop running.

But love has never come easy for either of them.

He wants her to trust him. She wants to believe he won’t break her. And with every stolen glance, every careful touch, he starts to feel like everything she’s been missing.

Tropes:
– Second Chance at Love (Without Being a Second Chance Romance)
– Single POV
– Slow Burn
– Soft Grumpy/Sunshine
– Found Family
– Chronic Illness Rep.
– Black Girl Luxury / Soft Life
– Age Gap Romance