Description

༺❃༻ A Postcard. A Blind Date. And Demons That Don’t Stay Buried. ༺❃༻

Richard
Richard used to believe regret was something he could tuck away—bury it beneath the weight of responsibilities and success. But when his parents died in a tragic accident while on vacation—a trip he was meant to be on—regret took on a new shape. He’d stayed behind, convinced by his boss who insisted on a last-minute, high-stakes project. That decision became a wound that never fully healed.
The silence was deafening. He buried his grief the only way he knew how—at the bottom of a bottle. Whiskey, and empty nights. That’s all that remained of him.
Then the postcard arrived.
Their handwriting. Their words. Their love.
That one small piece of them pulled him from the darkness and gave him a reason to start over. From the ashes, he built something new—and somewhere along the way, he met a quiet, unsure kid named Beckett who needed more than just a job. He needed someone to believe in him. So Richard did.
What he didn’t expect—years later—was to be double dating with him. And he didn’t expect her.
Nicole.
She wasn’t what he imagined. She was stronger than the world gave her credit for. Beautiful in the way pain could make someone shine. The first time she smiled at him, something inside him stirred—something he thought had long since died.

Nicole
Nicole stopped believing in love a long time ago.
She had been standing on the edge of everything she worked for—college degree in hand, the perfect job offer lined up, a loving family—then the unthinkable happened.
She was brutally attacked, changing her life forever.
Broken and afraid, she ran. To a new state, hoping her attacker would never find her. Hiding in a city where no one knew her name. A life built on silence and survival. She buried herself in work, avoided anything that felt like risk… especially love.
So when her niece, Harlow, begged her to go on a blind date, Nicole almost said no.
But then she met Richard.
He wasn’t what she expected. There was a gentleness in him that disarmed her, a steadiness that made her feel seen in a way she had never felt.
And when they stumbled across Sophia—a young mother crying on the beach, two children clinging to her side, another on the way—Nicole didn’t hesitate. She walked toward her. And Richard? He was already in the sand, playing with the kids like they were his.
That moment changed everything. She was sure that was when she fell in love with him
Still, even the most beautiful new beginning has shadows. And theirs? Were long and clawed. The question is… will the past destroy what they’ve finally found? Or will love, fragile and fearless, be enough to hold them together?

Richard is a haunting, emotional new adult romance about love, loss, survival, trust, and the fight for love in the face of unimaginable darkness.
Trigger Warning: This novel contains themes of sexual abuse, physical violence, emotional manipulation, explicit language, rape, intimate scenes and trauma. Reader discretion is strongly advised. Intended for readers 18+ due to content and mature themes.

***This story has been lovingly revised and thoughtfully expanded, shaped by my own growth as both a writer and a person. What began as a simple draft has evolved into something far more layered, emotional, and true to the characters’ journey—and mine.

*This is a series of interconnected standalones.*

ORDER OF BOOKS:
Beckett—Beckett and Harlow’s Story
Mitchell—Mitchell and Raven’s Story
Carson—Carson and Charlie’s Story
Richard—Richard and Nicole’s Story