The Vert Series Series by Kristen Kehoe

An artist and a smart girl. A staid family and a broken one. She’s adorably literal; he’s big and quietly emotional. Jordana Richards was determined to make the best of her post high school life, despite the fact that nothing about her current college experience was of her choosing: not the school or the major, and definitely not the place. But it wasn't home, so that's something. Yet, the harder she tried to fit in, the less she felt like she did. Until the night she said screw it... moreAn artist and a smart girl. A staid family and a broken one. She’s adorably literal; he’s big and quietly emotional. Jordana Richards was determined to make the best of her post high school life, despite the fact that nothing about her current college experience was of her choosing: not the school or the major, and definitely not the place. But it wasn't home, so that's something. Yet, the harder she tried to fit in, the less she felt like she did. Until the night she said screw it. Until the night she walked out on her parents and bought her very own piece of cake. The same night she met Brooklyn Novak: brooding artist, huge man, overall scary human being who took a keen interest in her. Brooklyn was out of ideas. He had no art, because really, his subjects had no soul. When the girl at the convenience store clicked her way into his life on five hundred dollar shoes and the fumes of a tantrum, this changed. Jordana Richards: the rich girl with a mission who gave Brooklyn the spark he needed to create again. Uncomfortable with their attraction, Brooks and Jordan strike a deal: he'll help her have fun, she'll be his muse for as long as he needs. Simple. Yeah right. The more time they spend together, the more both of them realize that what started out as a convenient relationship is now transitioning to vital, and neither knows how to deal with it. When a truth comes to light that has the potential to break both of their worlds, Jordan and Brooks have to decide how deep their feelings really go, and just how much they are willing to sacrifice in order to be together. less

Hunter Jackson was on top of the world when that phone call came. His third X Games title still fresh, a female in his lap, and sponsors ready to offer him any deal he wanted--the kid from California had made it big. And then his phone rang. And it kept ringing. And that news that no one wants was waiting for him on the other line. "It's Mom," his sister said. And like that, his world changed... moreHunter Jackson was on top of the world when that phone call came. His third X Games title still fresh, a female in his lap, and sponsors ready to offer him any deal he wanted--the kid from California had made it big. And then his phone rang. And it kept ringing. And that news that no one wants was waiting for him on the other line. "It's Mom," his sister said. And like that, his world changed. Months later, Hunter isn't skating--he's at home, taking care of his mom, and keeping the rest of his family together, flipping houses to pay for the medical bills that just keep piling up. In need of a new foreman, Hunter gets a shock when Isabel Rojas shows up to his job site, more gorgeous than any woman he can ever remember, and a mouth that whips of Spanish insults with deadly precision. Isa comes from a house full of dominant men ready to tell her what to do—she loves them, but she refuses to be the woman who takes orders from a man for the rest of her life. She’s determined to be independent: her own apartment, her own job, her own person. In a family as large and committed to each other as hers, this is not an easy task. Two years of community college, an AA in construction management, and halfway through her apprenticeship as an electrician, Isa knows what she wants, and she’s on a mission to claim it. When she shows up on Hunter Jackson’s job site, she has a chip on her shoulder, and an already formed opinion about the kind of man he is: rich, entitled, careless. The kind who broke her sister’s heart years ago—the kind Isa swore she would never let into her own life. But plans don’t always work the way we want. Assumptions can be wrong, people can change, and hearts don’t always listen to logic. less

Malcolm Brady thought breaking his leg was the worst thing that could happen…until he saw who was waiting for him at the airport. Almost six years ago, Malcolm walked away from the love of his life, because she was too young, and he was too scared. But no matter how much distance he put between them, Malcolm could never convince his heart that he had done the right thing. When an accident sidelines him from his professional skate career, it’s Nala waiting for him at the airport... moreMalcolm Brady thought breaking his leg was the worst thing that could happen…until he saw who was waiting for him at the airport. Almost six years ago, Malcolm walked away from the love of his life, because she was too young, and he was too scared. But no matter how much distance he put between them, Malcolm could never convince his heart that he had done the right thing. When an accident sidelines him from his professional skate career, it’s Nala waiting for him at the airport. It only takes one look for all of the feelings he’s kept locked away to break free, and suddenly, Malcolm has a new mission: to show Nala Jansen exactly how much he loves her. Nala fell in love with Malcolm Brady before her young heart really understood what love was. Even when he left her to become a professional skater, she never stopped loving him, never stopped wanting him. And she told him one night—just like that. I love you. Instead of saying the words back, he walked away, and Nala started on a course that would forever change her life. Now, almost six years after her bold confession and his rejection, they are thrust together, making memories from the past unavoidable, especially when new feelings bloom. Except, Nala won’t share everything from their time apart, and Malcolm won’t accept anything less. When emotions are high, and truths come to light, the lovers have to decide if their future is strong enough to withstand their past. less