Rhys Manning has always seemed like the fun-loving, easy-going, playboy of Carolina George. But the facade hides hard history and past pain. He lives with guilt, regret, anguish, and self-worth issues. And it seems like the demons from his past are starting to catch up to him. My heart hurt for him over and over.

Maggie Fitzgerald is his friend Royce's little sister. An almost twenty-one-year-old woman who has lived both a sheltered and traumatic life and is just now starting to heal. She is broken, naive, anxious, fearful, but also has a crush on the bad boy Rhys. And she is determined to begin truly living and also help right some wrongs 

Rhys knows she is off-limits, but she seems to call to his broken soul on another level. And Maggie is so empathetic and can see under his defenses to the good man he has the potential to be but cannot seem to find by himself. They become friends, but can see into the other's depths and the chemistry between them buzzes and sizzles until it cannot be denied. 

Like all of these books, there are mysteries and secrets that gradually unravel and keep you guessing and waiting for the inevitable collision and repercussions. But Rhys has personal secrets and so does Maggie. And they are also trying to keep their attachment from others, especially her overprotective brother. But now there seem to be threats coming at them that could put her or others he cares about in danger. But are they coming at them for Rhys or Maggie's mistakes?

This is a story about risks, trust, vulnerability, sharing pain, facing demons, and moving forward. Rhys is stuck in limbo where he could not go back or forward until dealing with his past. And Maggie needs to find her own way and to stand up for herself and fight for Rhys to help him believe in himself. And no matter how dark he believes himself to be, Rhys makes her feel safe and protected.

These two damaged souls just felt destined to find each other and start to glue their fragmented pieces back together. She calms his storm and makes him want to be a better man, and he inspires her to live while also being protective.  But it is not an easy journey and they have internal and external challenges along the way. It is a fight for each of them to save their souls and find a way forward to finally steal a bit of happiness they have been denied most of their lives. And to avoid those that want to destroy them. 

It is an intense, raw, tender, emotional, inspiring, and powerful, forbidden, opposites-attract, friend's-little-sister, friends-to-lovers, age-gap romance with a mystery and suspense element. It brings back all of the characters from Carolina George, Sunder, and A Riot of Roses that we have met along the way. And it wraps up the final pieces of the dark thread that has tied all of these stories together.