CHAPTER 1
My phone won’t stop buzzing.
I’m standing in the romance section of Wildflower Books—my bookshop, my baby, my entire world for the last five years—and my phone is having what can only be described as a complete maniacally excited meltdown in my back pocket. At best, it’s drunk and dancing. And I already know what’s causing its excitement. Author notifications. The kinds that make my stomach flip and my brain screamHoly shit!
I pull it out of my pocket.
The screen explodes with notifications. Instagram. Twitter. TikTok. All of them are lighting up like someone is setting off fireworks.Wildfire Summerwent viral overnight. Number three on Amazon, and climbing to number one in so many categories. Reviews are pouring in. BookTok videos of my book have millions of views. Readers are losing their minds over the ‘small-town bookshop owner and the patient carpenter hero who’s been secretly in love with her for YEARS.’
Is this actually happening?
I wrote this book. Sure, it’s under my pen name, Sienna Saguaro. And no one except my best friend Jess knows that, and probably the KDP gods who needed my real identity. But the readers don’t, nor do they care. They are loving it.
I need to call Jess. Pop some champagne. Dance around the shop like an idiot.
“Morning!”
I jump so hard I nearly drop my phone. I shove it in my pocket and spin around to find Macy bouncing through the door like a golden retriever discovering tennis balls for the first time.
“You’re early,” I manage.
“Couldn’t sleep! I stayed up until three in the morning rereading the mostamazingbook.“ She dumps her bag behind the counter and grabs the feather duster, already talking at lightning speed. “Wildfire Summer. Oh my God, Sadie, have you seen it on BookTok? It’severywhere.”
My heart does a little flip.She’s talking about my book.
“The heroine owns a bookshop—which, hello, total representation—and the hero is this quiet, put-together carpenter who’s been secretly in love with her foryears.“ She sighs dramatically. “Thepining, Sadie. The yearning. I literally cried three times.”
I bite my lip to keep from smiling too widely. “It sounds really good.”
“Really good? It’sincredible. The tension? The slow burn? Chef’s kiss.“ She’s practically vibrating. “And it’s set in this small Southwest town that feels so cozy and real. Youhaveto read it.”
Pride swells in my chest. My book. The first book set in Sierra Rose. The one I poured my heart into after three books that did okay but never quite connected with readers. This one’s different. This one’s personal. Macy loves it. She stayed up all nightrereadingmy words. She’s read my book twice! And it’s only been out three weeks.
“I’ll definitely add it to my TBR,” I say, trying to sound casual. “Maybe we can add it to our shelves.”
I should probably stock my own books at some point. That would be the smart business move.
“You should! Actually—“ Macy pauses, grinning. “I suggested it to Carol for the book club last week. We’re discussing it tonight!”
My throat dries. “Book club?”
“Yeah! We needed a new pick, and everyone’s been wanting something spicy but emotionally devastating. This is perfect. Carol ordered copies for everyone and gave them to us a few days ago.” She grins. “We’re going to have so much to talk about!”
Oh no.
Book club. Tonight. At my shop. Discussing the book I wrote. About a small Southwest town. With a bookshop owner heroine.
A book I set in Sierra Rose Ridge, even if I didn’t name the town Sierra Rose Ridge.
”—and the hero never said anything to her because she was dating some asshole who didn’t deserve her.“ She sighs like she’s personally swooning.
Shit.
“Macy—“
I turn back to the display I’m straightening, keeping my face carefully neutral.
“Sadie, it’severywhere. Sienna Saguaro is a romance genius.“ She’s definitely reading off her phone now. “The reviews say it’s ‘a love letter to small-town bookshops and the romance readers who find home in their pages.’ Doesn’t that sound like us?”
