Despite Chaos

Book excerpt: Alexandra Castle hides the brightest part of herself. As the heir-apparent to the Castle Resort empire, her only fault—according to her controlling father—is that she’s gay. Keeping her sexuality hidden seems a small price to pay for upholding the family image. When Alex’s father pits her against her twin brother in a high-stakes competition to choose who will take over the company upon his retirement, Alex knows she’s got what it takes to win. Until an ex-lover reappears and threatens to destroy her life. Tyler Falling hides the darkest part of herself. On the surface, she’s a put-together middle-class wife and mother. In reality, she’s broken from a sexual assault twelve years earlier. When Tyler unexpectedly comes face-to-face with her rapist, a deep family secret surfaces and jeopardizes the life she’s created. With both their worlds crumbling, Alex and Tyler escape to Napa where a brief, anonymous encounter sparks a mutual infatuation, changing the trajectory of their lives. Living a lie is no longer an option, but can an improbable romance bloom amid embezzlement, blackmail, and self-exploration? Content note: the book contains one brief description of a sexual assault. Book One in the Falling Castles Series.