Whiskey Mountain Series

I love love.   I believe that everyone is destined to find their one true love, their happily ever after. That's why I run a relationship advice column to help those who need a little guidance. Granted, I'm by no means an expert, but it is my favorite subject, and I've spent plenty of years studying it as I've watched others fall in love.   I know my true love is out there, just waiting for me to find them. In the meantime, I'm enjoying my life, running a fun little coffee shop in Whiskey Mountain, and chasing around a panty-eating turtle— don't ask.    But all of that comes to a screeching halt when a cup of tall, dark, and grumpy comes to town. All of the women are obsessed with the sexy new stranger, and I can't deny I haven't noticed how attractive he is. But when you add in his gruff exterior and the way he rejects my recommendations every time he orders his coffee black, I can't seem to think straight when he's around.    Owen is the complete opposite of me. I love love, he wants nothing to do with it. I'm young and carefree, he's older and more rigid. I like flavored coffee, he likes the bitterness of it plain. We're so different that it feels like we have absolutely nothing in common. But when he starts to drop his wall and let me in, that makes me question everything I thought I knew about him.   At the end of the day, he's made it clear that love is not in the cards for him. I know that I should walk away and keep looking for someone who wants what I want, but there's a chemistry between us that I'm curious to explore. Helping people find love has always been what I've done best, but this time, I might've finally met my match. 

What's worse than getting snowed in with a sexy stranger? Having it be the one person you can't stand— and there's only one bed. I don't hate Preston Roberts, but I also don't see what all of the craze is about with the women in Whiskey Creek practically drooling over him. Is he good-looking? Sure. Does he treat others with kindness? I guess so. But none of that matters because he is exactly the kind of guy I need to avoid. I quickly realize that it's hard not to get to know him when we're stuck together, riding out the storm. The more we hang out, the more I realize he's not as bad as I thought. And sure, he is kinda hot. Okay, really hot… As I start to lower my walls, I find that he's raising his.  I try to remind myself that it doesn't matter because I'm not looking for a relationship. As much as I want to convince myself he's not the right guy for me, I can't stop thinking about all of the reasons he just might be. I also can't ignore how that seems to scare him more than it does me.  We may be forced to survive the storm together, but will we walk away with our hearts still intact? 

Have you ever met someone and immediately knew they were meant to be yours? If someone had asked me if I believed in love at first sight, I would have said no. But that was before I met Calli. It's not just that she's the new girl in town and everyone is curious about who she is. It's so much more than that. SHE is so much more. Calli is a breath of fresh air, and I can't help but notice how she lights up the room when she smiles. She's so down to earth, and even though I make a complete ass out of myself every time I try to speak to her, she doesn't seem to mind. Heck, she even says yes when I ask her out. Things are going great, and we're truly connecting; because that's what happens when you meet your soulmate. Until suddenly, they aren't. Like the moment I drop the L-word and she doesn't say it back. Which is confusing because her actions say she loves me, even if she won't say it back. Something is holding her back and keeping her from moving forward with me. I want to show Calli I'm there for her and that no matter what comes our way, we've got it. But how do you take one step forward when the other person is taking two steps back?   Content warning: Dementia with a secondary character, caretaker of someone with dementia (main character)