Embers & Echoes: Their Truce Was Fragile, The Threat is Real (Havenwood Creek #2)

The fragile peace they built is about to face a corporate storm.

Just as Havenwood Creek basks in the afterglow of Juniper Bloom's successful festival, and the steamy connection between her and resident grump Rhys Calder tentatively sparks to life, a shadow falls over the small town. The ominous letter Rhys received wasn't junk mail; it was the opening salvo from Apex Developments, a ruthless corporation with designs on their historic square. Suddenly, Juniper's revitalization efforts look less like salvation and more like bait.

Rhys's deepest fear is his family's legacy, tied to secrets buried deep in the town's foundations, is directly in the crosshairs. He wants to shield Havenwood Creek – and Juniper – by retreating behind his walls, but Apex's aggressive tactics force his hand. Juniper, committed to the town and increasingly to the man who tries to push her away, refuses to back down. Their fledgling relationship is tested as trust issues, Rhys's guarded past, and the mounting pressure threaten to tear them apart.

He tried to hide his secrets; she started digging for the town's salvation.

Unraveling the town's history might hold the key to fighting Apex, but it also risks exposing wounds Rhys desperately wants to keep hidden. Can they learn to fight together, merging his deep roots with her strategic sunshine? Or will the echoes of the past and the embers of their unresolved passion ignite an inferno that consumes their relationship and Havenwood Creek's future? The battle for the heart of the town—and their hearts—has just begun.