Forged in Flour: A Romance Novelette

In a quiet coastal town where routine reigns supreme, gruff welder Riley James is perfectly content with his early mornings, black coffee, and zero small talk. But everything changes the day he crosses paths, and gets covered in flour, by Emma Lawson, the warm-hearted bread baker next door. She’s chaos wrapped in cinnamon and sunshine, and she’s about to throw his predictable life completely off balance.

Between late-night bakery repairs, bake sale disasters, and a black-and-white cat named Vinnie who has a talent for stealing hearts (and snacks), Riley and Emma find themselves drawn into something neither of them saw coming.

This is a slow-burn small-town romance about stubborn hearts learning to trust, quiet gestures that mean everything, and love that rises like sourdough, with patience, care, and a little bit of bravery.

Come fall for a story where home isn’t a place. It’s a person. And sometimes, love sneaks in when you’re busy trying to keep things simple.