Books like 'These Dead Promises'
Readers who enjoyed These Dead Promises by L.A. Cotton also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance small town sports high-school friends-to-lovers angst forbidden-love dark coming-of-age
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Saving 6 by Chloe Walsh
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsHe’s about to meet his match.When teenagers from the same side of the tracks collide.The second born son in a broken marriage, Joey Lynch has spent a lifetime picking up the pieces of a family unraveling. When his older brother Darren skips town on his first day of secondary school, twelve year old Joey finds himself thrown into the role of protector to his younger siblings and mother... -
![Full House by Emilia Finn]()
Full House by Emilia Finn
Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMiles “Iowa” Walker is a fighter on a mission.He’s determined to win this year’s Stacked Deck tournament. He plans to get his six-year-old daughter out of a bad situation. And if there’s any time and money leftover, he’d love to take her out for ice cream without worrying about the cost or deadly consequences.Miles and his daughter have known only what it’s like to struggle... -
![Sweet Victory by Alley Ciz]()
Sweet Victory by Alley Ciz
Rated: 4.80 of 5 stars · 10 ratings𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗩𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴. From her past, her present, her future—𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔. Baking is her only solace. Cookies, cakes, ingredients coming together, they make sense. A professional fighter walking into her kitchen? Not so much. 𝗩𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲. The next fight. The next win... -
![Reshuffle by Emilia Finn]()
Reshuffle by Emilia Finn
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe first round is for practice. The second round is for keeps. She was everything Ben ever wanted. But time, distance, and jealousy made it impossible. Now they’re adults, Evie’s back in town after college graduation, and Ben never once let go of what he knew was meant to be...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friends-to-lovers sports action-adventure adult athlete book contemporary -
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![First and Forever by Jay McLean]()
First and Forever by Jay McLean
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFirst and Forever is the second book in the Heartache Duet, and must be read after Heartache and Hope. Duet Synopsis: Ava Diaz needs saving. She just doesn’t know it yet. Just like she doesn’t know a thing about the boy she sits next to on the first day of senior year. He thinks she’s a brat. She thinks he’s entitled... -
![Fumbled Hearts (A Tender Hearts Novel) by Meagan Brandy]()
Fumbled Hearts (A Tender Hearts Novel) by Meagan Brandy
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsAfter months of refusing, I finally agreed to make the move to Alrick Falls. My family thought it was best - that a new scene would be good for me - and I was sick of having the same conversation. So here I am, and the plan is simple. Smile through each day and avoid her at all cost. It's perfect. Until the cocky quarterback comes into play... -
![In Harmony by Emma Scott, Эмма Скотт]()
In Harmony by Emma Scott, Эмма Скотт
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 19 ratings"In Harmony...gives a voice to the voiceless..."The root of all madness is an unbearable truth…At seventeen, Willow Holloway’s life was torn apart. The happy, driven girl is gone, and she is left wracked by post-traumatic stress her body remembers even if she does not...Categorized as:
angst coming-of-age dark forbidden-love friends-to-lovers high-school abuse audiobook -
![Frayed: A Small Town Sports Romance by Laura Pavlov]()
Frayed: A Small Town Sports Romance by Laura Pavlov
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsBad boy football star. Innocent girl next door. Two different worlds. One small town. A million reasons why they should have stayed away from one another.My life was mapped out for me before I even entered the world.Who I'd date, where I’d attend college, what I'd be when I grew up.But there was a time in everyone's life when they'd face a fork in the road... -
![Seven Card Stud by Emilia Finn]()
Seven Card Stud by Emilia Finn
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsJamie Kincaid is a middleweight fighter, born to fighting royalty, and a shoo-in to be the next champion in the world-class Stacked Deck tournament.He’s a flirt. A romantic. A little too loose with his female companions, so when his cousins casually mention he needs to let one go before he hooks another— they’re not kidding... -
![When You Come Back to Me by Emma Scott]()
When You Come Back to Me by Emma Scott
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsAt Santa Cruz Central High School, they called them the misfits, the outcasts, the weirdos. But most of us knew them as the Lost Boys...Holden Parish survived his parents' horrific attempts to make him "the perfect son." After a year's stint in a Swiss sanitarium to recover, he has vowed to never let anything--or anyone--trap him again... -
![The Law of Moses by Amy Harmon]()
The Law of Moses by Amy Harmon
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 44 ratingsIf I tell you right up front, right in the beginning that I lost him, it will be easier for you to bear. You will know it’s coming, and it will hurt. But you’ll be able to prepare.Someone found him in a laundry basket at the Quick Wash, wrapped in a towel, a few hours old and close to death...Categorized as:
angst coming-of-age dark forbidden-love friends-to-lovers high-school audiobook book -
![Dear Love, I Hate You: An Enemies-to-Lovers Romance by Eliah Greenwood]()
Dear Love, I Hate You: An Enemies-to-Lovers Romance by Eliah Greenwood
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsIt all started with an anonymous letter. He wasn’t supposed to find it—no one was. And he definitely wasn’t supposed to answer it. We end up talking through letters and sticky notes in a book. One sticky note. Two sticky notes. Ten sticky notes. All baring our darkest, deepest secrets. It’s all fun and games until I find out who my pen pal is... Xavier Emery... -
![That Promise by Jillian Dodd]()
That Promise by Jillian Dodd
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhat happens to childhood promises when you grow up?Growing up, Devaney Diamond and Chase Mackenzie promised to go to college together. But it’s been two years since the summer that changed everything between them, and their friendship hasn’t recovered...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friends-to-lovers high-school sports action-adventure audiobook book children -
![That Summer: A Small Town, Friends-to-Lovers Romance by Jillian Dodd]()
That Summer: A Small Town, Friends-to-Lovers Romance by Jillian Dodd
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsDevaney Diamond’s summer break was shaping up to be the best one ever. Her longtime crush was finally interested in her, and by the time school rolled around in the fall, she knew he’d be her boyfriend...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friends-to-lovers high-school sports audiobook book contemporary drama -
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![Reclaim: A Standalone Friends-to-Lovers Romance by Aly Martinez]()
Reclaim: A Standalone Friends-to-Lovers Romance by Aly Martinez
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsChoices. Everyone makes them. From mundane to unimaginable, one choice can change the trajectory of your entire life. My mother’s choice was to abandon us with our abusive father. My brother’s choice was to go to prison for killing the boy who assaulted his soulmate. Camden Cole’s choice was to fall in love with a shattered girl who had absolutely nothing to offer him but heartbreak... -
![Wilder Love by Emery Rose Andrews]()
Wilder Love by Emery Rose Andrews
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsI was his weakness. He was my strength. Until I destroyed him. I was infatuated with Shane Wilder since the first time I saw him surfing. But we couldn’t be together. Not yet, anyway. I was too young and screwed up. He was too focused on chasing his dream. So we became friends. We met on the rooftop for late-night confessions under the stars...Categorized as:
angst coming-of-age dark forbidden-love friends-to-lovers high-school sports age-gap -
![Catch the Sun by Jennifer Hartmann]()
Catch the Sun by Jennifer Hartmann
Rated: 4.71 of 5 stars · 7 ratings"Kissing you feels like catching the sun…" At seven years old, Ella Sunbury and Max Manning were inseparable—until life scattered them in different directions, forcing Ella to abruptly leave town. A decade later, she returns for their senior year of high school, moving in across the street from her childhood best friend. But she's not the same girl Max once knew...Categorized as:
coming-of-age high-school friends-to-lovers angst romance young-adult contemporary slow-burn -
![Beard with Me by Penny Reid]()
Beard with Me by Penny Reid
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 24 ratings‘Beard With Me’ is the origin story of Billy Winston and Scarlet St. Claire (aka Claire McClure) and is just the beginning of their epic love story. No one is better at surviving than Scarlet St. Claire and making the best out of circumstances beyond her control is Scarlet’s specialty... -
![Honest Mistake by Lisa Suzanne]()
Honest Mistake by Lisa Suzanne
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHe’s not the boy next door anymore, and I’m not the girl I used to be, either.His life is in the spotlight as one of the most popular professional football players on the Vegas Aces, while I can’t afford to have my secrets exposed. But as we work together on a project benefitting our small Midwestern town, we easily slip back into the friendship we once shared... -
![Hidden Mistake by Lisa Suzanne]()
Hidden Mistake by Lisa Suzanne
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe boy next door is back, and so am I.He’s spending his NFL off-season in our small Midwestern town after seven long years away, and I’m in town for different reasons.Memories shift to reality as we find ourselves in the place where we first fell in love. We’re different people now, but I’m falling fast and hard for the man he is now.But he’s married... -
![Their First Fall: Trucker and Keeka's story by M.J. Fields]()
Their First Fall: Trucker and Keeka's story by M.J. Fields
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA new adult / college standalone sports romance novel from USA Today bestselling author, MJ Fields . Their First Fall Keeka Alone in the world, after her mother’s death, she tries to find the life she dreamed of as a child. Trucker Alone in the world the family he felt part of began to fall apart, as his dreams of being an NFL quarterback become his reality... -
![Difficult by R.L. Mathewson]()
Difficult by R.L. Mathewson
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSurviving high school was going to be hard enough, but surviving telling the one girl that he couldn’t live without how he felt was going to be one of the most difficult things that Sebastian Bradford was ever going to do.From New York Times and USA Today’s bestselling author R.L...Categorized as:
high-school friends-to-lovers sports romance young-adult humor contemporary small-town -
![Chasing Harlow by Jay McLean]()
Chasing Harlow by Jay McLean
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhat started as a bet can only end in heartache.Moving to the middle of nowhere right before my senior year wasn’t ideal.Then again, neither was my brother dying.The move was supposed to be a fresh start.A new town, a new school, a new mindset.Too bad my past indiscretions followed me.Enter Jace Rivera, the literal boy next door.Jace is loved by the town. Admired by his peers... -
![Kyland by Mia Sheridan]()
Kyland by Mia Sheridan
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsDirt poor. Hillbilly. Backwoods hick. Mountain folk. Tenleigh Falyn struggles each day to survive in a small, poverty-stricken, coal mining town where she lives with her sister and mentally ill mother. Her dream of winning the college scholarship given to one student by the local coal company and escaping the harshness of her life, keeps her going...Categorized as:
angst coming-of-age dark forbidden-love friends-to-lovers high-school abuse alpha-mc -
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![Charmed by Laura B. Pavlov]()
Charmed by Laura B. Pavlov
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsCrew Carlisle is enemy number one.He’s also my new boss.I need this internship as much as Crew needs an ego lobotomy.He’s arrogant, cocky, and annoyingly good looking.Our families have despised one another since long before I was born.The man loathes me, and he makes no effort to hide his contempt.But everything I thought I knew isn’t as it seems.And Crew isn’t who I thought he was...Categorized as:
angst coming-of-age friends-to-lovers adult age-gap book contemporary enemies-to-lovers -
![Caspian: A Carolina Reapers Novel by Samantha Whiskey]()
Caspian: A Carolina Reapers Novel by Samantha Whiskey
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsShe’s the girl next door, and for the next two weeks I’ll be her NHL star boyfriend.When Ryleigh Dunham needs a date for my sister’s wedding—one confident and sexy enough to make her ex jealous—I’m more than happy to sign up for the job.After all, Ryleigh isn’t the feisty teenager I used to know—now she’s all fiery passion, delectable curves, and a smart mouth I can’t get enough of...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers sports adult book contemporary fake-relationship fiction small-town -
![Her Perfect by Stephie Walls]()
Her Perfect by Stephie Walls
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsEveryone has secrets. Although, I was a master at concealing mine. But part of hiding was deception, and I’d become a veritable Pinocchio. He was like two different people—Eli and Dr. Paxton. While I knew the latter would turn out to be an incredible teacher, the idea of Eli being more threw me for a loop... -
![The Apple Tree by Jewel E. Ann]()
The Apple Tree by Jewel E. Ann
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsHe's a single dad starting over in a new town. She's a relentless flirt with a penchant for trouble, ten years younger than him, and the babysitter. What could go wrong?Eve has just graduated from high school, but she doesn’t know what’s next aside from working at the local motel, spying on Kyle, her neighbor, and stealing apples from his orchard...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers angst forbidden-love coming-of-age romance contemporary new-adult humor -
![June First by Jennifer Hartmann]()
June First by Jennifer Hartmann
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsWant to know what happens to a man who barely claws his way out of a tragedy, only to fall right into the arms of the one girl in the world he can never have?Another tragedy, that’s what.When I was six years old, my father made a choice that altered the course of my entire life. Because of what he did, the only girl I ever loved became the only girl I couldn’t have... -
![Seeking Sanctuary by Annie Anderson]()
Seeking Sanctuary by Annie Anderson
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsOne broken girl. Two brothers. One small town with a big secret. Planning to escape her controlling boyfriend, Isla’s getaway hits a snag when a pair of pink lines show up on a pregnancy test. Levi just needs an accountant. Someone smart, dependable, and someone who won't blow town and leave him in the lurch... -
![Slap Shot Surprise by Melanie Harlow]()
Slap Shot Surprise by Melanie Harlow
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn my defense, I thought the plane was going to crash.Otherwise, I never would have blurted out those embarrassing things to a perfect stranger.Did I mention he turned out to be a scorching hot superstar of professional hockey?But wait, there’s more.When the plane lands safely, I rush off, praying I’ll never have to face him again... -
![That Ring: by Jillian Dodd]()
That Ring: by Jillian Dodd
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsQuarterback Danny Diamond loves to score. Touchdowns. Get those dirty thoughts out of your minds, ladies. Just because he has two Super Bowl rings, model good looks, and a well-defined athletic body doesn’t mean he’s a player off the field... -
![Fallen Crest Family by Tijan]()
Fallen Crest Family by Tijan
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsSamantha and Mason are together. Everyone knows it. Not everyone is dealing with it. While Mason’s ready to give them the middle finger, there’s one not going away. Her mother. Threats are issued. Ultimatums are given. Even blackmail is used, but only Samantha can put a stop to Analise. However, when a trauma from her past is triggered, she may not have the courage or strength to do what’s needed... -
![Key to Hell by Alex Grayson]()
Key to Hell by Alex Grayson
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe highly anticipated conclusion of the Hell Night Series. Emo's story.Death. Destruction. Pain. A soulless void. It's his life. It's his reality. Emo doesn't feel. Anything. His soul is dark and filled with hatred. People in the small town of Malus watch him with fear, with reverence. Exactly the way he prefers it. Guilt surrounds him, caging him in an ominous past he refuses to let go... -
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![Wicked Needs by L.A. Cotton]()
Wicked Needs by L.A. Cotton
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe edgy, angsty, addictive YA/NA crossover series from L. A. Cotton continues... It’s a fine line between love and hate. Bitch ... Ice Queen ... Frigid. Macey Prince is no stranger to a nickname or two. The words once hurt, now they’re her armor. Being a Prince might be a life sentence she can never escape but Macey isn’t willing for her heart to be collateral again... -
![Everything I Have by A.K. Evans]()
Everything I Have by A.K. Evans
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEmme James lives in darkness. Ever since her abusive relationship ended in heartbreaking tragedy, she's kept herself secluded to protect herself and those she loves. Unfortunately, Emme's plans to remain unattached fall apart the moment Zane Cunningham sets his sights on her. A professional snowboarder at the top of his game, Zane does not need a distraction... -
![Surviving You by Emilia Finn]()
Surviving You by Emilia Finn
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsScotchI was one of the lucky ones.I met the love of my life when I was just fourteen years old. We had all the time in the world, we were in no rush to get where we were going, and we had the world at our feet. Those were the perfect conditions for young love to grow and thrive...Categorized as:
angst friends-to-lovers forbidden-love coming-of-age romance contemporary mystery sad -
![Simply Mine by Laura Pavlov]()
Simply Mine by Laura Pavlov
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsShe’s looking for Mr. Right. I can offer her Mr. Right Now.That’s my specialty.He’s my best friend’s older brother.He was also my teenage crush and completely out of reach.But we had our secrets—moments that nobody knew about.I’d tucked them away in a safe place, and that’s where I’d planned to keep them.He’d moved to the city, and I’d moved on...Categorized as:
angst coming-of-age forbidden-love friends-to-lovers adult book contemporary fiction -
![Ever Mine by Laura Pavlov]()
Ever Mine by Laura Pavlov
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsHe’s hockey’s golden boy, my new client, and the man I’ve avoided for the last nine years. I was hired to fix him—but he’s not the only one who’s broken.Hawk Madden was my first love.I thought he would be my forever.But life wasn’t always fair.And grief could be a cruel beast.Fight or flight?I’d always run.But now he’s back in my life after all these years.With one look.One touch.One kiss... -
![Torn by Carian Cole, קריאן קול]()
Torn by Carian Cole, קריאן קול
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsWhen I was five years old, I told Toren Grace I was going to marry him when I grew up. When I turned eighteen, I made it clear I still felt the same. The problem? He's fifteen years older than me, and he's my father's best friend.Toren Grace. My pseudo-uncle. He's always been my rock--the one I should never, ever want. But I do want him, and I love him. I always have.Tor's one of the good guys... -
![Loving Mr. Daniels by Brittainy C. Cherry]()
Loving Mr. Daniels by Brittainy C. Cherry
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsTo Whom it May Concern, It was easy to call us forbidden and harder to call us soulmates. Yet I believed we were both. Forbidden soulmates. When I arrived to Edgewood, Wisconsin I didn’t plan to find him. I didn't plan to stumble into Joe's bar and have Daniel's music stir up my emotions. I had no clue that his voice would make my hurts forget their own sorrow...Categorized as:
angst coming-of-age dark forbidden-love friends-to-lovers high-school age-gap alpha-mc -
![Holding On by Pamela Clare]()
Holding On by Pamela Clare
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA hero barely holding on… Harrison Conrad returned to Scarlet Springs from Nepal, the sole survivor of a freak accident on Mt. Everest. Shattered and grieving for his friends, he vows never to climb again and retreats into a bottle of whiskey—until Kenzie Morgan shows up at his door with a tiny puppy asking for his help... -
![Fragile Things by Samantha Lovelock]()
Fragile Things by Samantha Lovelock
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsPoe Halliday was an accident. A chance meeting that changed my life forever.My mother didn't have secrets; her secrets had her. After she disappeared, I had nothing.Or so I thought.When the invitation arrived, the opportunity to learn about my mother's past was too great to pass up. Heading west to meet an aunt I had never heard of, I knew I was taking a risk, but I craved answers... -
![Forgiven by Carrie Aarons]()
Forgiven by Carrie Aarons
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIn a split-second, a car crash killed almost everything between them. Ten years later, can one accidental ride fix tattered spirits, uncertain futures, and broken hearts? Lily Grantham has always done what she’s been told. The daughter of a senator, she grew up as the good girl of Fawn Hill, and carried that torch right on through to adulthood. Her only wild streak? Bowen Nash... -
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![Beneath His Stars by Amie Knight]()
Beneath His Stars by Amie Knight
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsI met Adam Nova under the twinkling lights of a nighttime sky. He was hiding, but that gorgeous boy didn’t belong in the dark. Nevertheless it was where he lived; a different world than mine. I was Livingston Montgomery, Southern debutante. With the world at my fingertips, I was well on my way to being another spoiled socialite. But I didn’t want money. I didn’t want social status...Categorized as:
angst forbidden-love friends-to-lovers high-school alpha-mc audiobook book contemporary -
![Falls Boys by Penelope Douglas]()
Falls Boys by Penelope Douglas
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsThe HELLBENT Series—a spin-off to the Fall Away series—is coming! “The kids are growing up—different from their parents but the same in so many ways…” ARO Hawken Trent. So polite. So sweet. Such an upstanding young man. A virgin, too, I hear. He never gets naughty with a girl. Probably because Jesus told him not to. And now here he is, trying to be the hero by protecting another girl from me... -
![The Hard Count by Ginger Scott]()
The Hard Count by Ginger Scott
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsNico Medina’s world is eleven miles away from mine. During the day, it’s a place where doors are open—where homes are lived in, and neighbors love. But when the sun sets, it becomes a place where young boys are afraid, where eyes watch from idling cars that hide in the shadows and wicked smoke flows from pipes. West End is the kind of place that people survive... -
![Heartache and Hope by Jay McLean]()
Heartache and Hope by Jay McLean
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsAva Diaz needs saving.She just doesn’t know it yet.Just like she doesn’t know a thing about the boy she sits next to on the first day of senior year.He thinks she’s a brat.She thinks he’s entitled.Maybe first impressions don’t always last… Because Connor Ledger’s about to save her.He just doesn’t know why... -
![Flower by Jaclyn Combe]()
Flower by Jaclyn Combe
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAvaI am the pretty blonde cheerleader adored by all.The popular girl, living that so-called perfect life.But when my childhood sweetheart betrays me in the worst possible way, my entire world comes crashing down around me.They say you should always expect the unexpected in life. But the one thing I never expected… was him.MasonI am the high school nerd... -
![Perfect Someday by Lauren Runow]()
Perfect Someday by Lauren Runow
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI knew, someday, I’d have the life of my dreams.I just wasn’t prepared to lose him in return.Growing up in small-town Mason Creek, it's hard for a girl to dream big. Since my mom was barely making ends meet, I knew moving away for college wasn’t in the cards. What I didn’t know was how singing a Miranda Lambert song while unpacking a box would change my life forever ..Categorized as:
high-school sports anthologies contemporary fiction new-adult second-chances small-town
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