The Autumn We Began

About this book

Charlie is a master of the art of pretending. She spends her days convincing everyone around her that she is fine, that she has moved on, and that the traumatic events of her past no longer haunt her. She has carefully constructed a life of distance and control, keeping her true self safely under wraps. That carefully curated peace is shattered when Jackson Astor enters her world. Jackson is persistent, observant, and refuses to let Charlie hide behind her practiced indifference. He sees through her walls, pushing her into uncomfortable corners and forcing her to face the vulnerabilities she has spent years burying. As they grow closer, Charlie finds herself unable to stay away, even though she senses that Jackson is harborings his own set of dark secrets. Embodying the "grumpy/sunshine" and "forced proximity" tropes, their connection is as volatile as it is magnetic. As the truth about their pasts begins to unravel, Charlie realizes that she can no longer outrun the things that broke her. Caught between the comfort of her lies and the terrifying promise of a future with Jackson, she must decide if opening her heart is worth the risk of being broken all over again.