Serenity’s Song
He’s got a history of bad decisions—is he finally about to make the right one?
Jesse Hargraves can’t outrun his notorious bad boy reputation. Betrayed by a woman he trusted, he retreats to his hometown, Wirralong, to serve as his brother’s best man and rebuild his life. But change isn’t easy, and it’s even harder when Jesse has to fight his fierce attraction to the maid of honour—a woman well aware of the darkness in his past.
Beautician Serenity Strachan’s flippant one-liners and vibrant hair colours are armour to protect her fragile heart. She’s always crushed on Jesse, but she’s determined to keep him and his sordid past at an arm’s length. That’s easier said than done when Jesse asks Serenity to help renovate an old property. And when they’re trapped underground in a tunnel cave-in, their emotional barriers fall faster than the tunnel walls.
When rescue arrives, they question their new emotional intimacy. Can Serenity trust this new Jesse with her heart? And can Jesse trust that Serenity will ignore the lure of a fortune to keep his secrets safe?
Amazon US | Amazon AU | Amazon UK | Kobo | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Google Play
Bookdepository | Booktopia | Angus & Robertson
Or purchase a personally signed copy from my online store (Australian postal addresses only).
“…a wonderful and emotional story that is definitely not to be missed.”
Eileen, Goodreads
“…kept me intrigued from the first page until the last page.”
Donnajo, Goodreads
“…a delightful and charming story of love.”
Paula, Goodreads
Go Behind the Scenes…
In Bad Boys and Creepy Fungus, the story behind Serenity’s Song.
Excerpt
A bit of fun exploring some secret tunnels has turned into disaster…
‘Serenity?’ His voice sounded weak, muffled, as if the dust was deadening the sound waves. ‘Nitty honey, I’m coming for you.’
Jesse scrabbled blindly on, feeling his way like a mole. He paused, hacked a cough into his jumper and assessed his situation. No question the rubble was getting higher. He eased around, freezing as a few rocks tumbled and crashed nearby.
He waited until the sound disappeared. The air remained troubled with painful creaks and groans. Jesse hated to think what they meant. More collapse or just the settling of the wreckage?
It didn’t matter. Nitty did. He had to make her safe.
He crept over rubble, probing crevices, lifting anything moveable, searching, searching, whispering her name on shallow breaths.
Jesse’s knees and shins ached from the dig of broken brick. He reached to scratch a tight bit of his scalp and felt another tacky mess of drying blood. He felt further and found another, wetter, patch at the back of his head. Like his back, neither were anything to worry about. Scalp wounds always bled like crazy and he didn’t think he’d been hit hard enough to worry about concussion.
The thought only made him feel more frantic about reaching Serenity. No matter how hard he listened, he couldn’t hear anything human. No breathing, no groans, no clattering of someone trying to rise. Which could only mean she was unconscious. Or …
He wasn’t going to think that. Not Nitty.
Jesse gritted his teeth and explored on. He reached a solid beam. The timber was smooth under his hands as he ran them over the length and down the sides to check underneath, finding nothing. A low growl of frustration escaped his mouth.
And was answered by a groan.
The hairs on the back of his neck prickled. ‘Nitty?’
Quiet.
‘Serenity? Babe, was that you?’
He stayed frozen, straining his senses for another call, another sign. Still nothing. Had he imagined it? Jesse didn’t think so, but he was so panicked it’d be easy to be duped by his own wishful thinking.
He waited for several breaths. When the sound didn’t come again, Jesse continued his exploration of the beam’s length. From its width, Jesse guessed it was one of the main ceiling trusses. He wondered if he could read anything into its position. If the beam had fallen straight down then it would be perpendicular to the sides, which meant following it from end to end should lead him to the tunnel walls. A handy anchor in this world of black nothingness, from which he could leave a breadcrumb trail of rocks while he searched.
He eased alongside the beam, swearing as the broken bricks cut further into his knees and shins. It seemed to take ages to reach the tunnel wall. The going made harder from having to keep his jumper up to his mouth and nose, while stopping periodically to check crevices with both hands. He grabbed for the wall like a drowning man, fingers digging into the mercifully intact brickwork. It was the first properly solid thing he’d touched since the collapse and gratitude made his eyes sting.
Jesse leaned against the cool brick, desperate for any hint of sound from Serenity, scared stupid it would never come. That he would never find her.
That he’d never get the chance to tell her that he liked her. A lot. She was smart and funny, and gave fantastic facials, and didn’t seem to give a shit about his family’s notoriety.
He even liked her crazy hair.
Except what did it matter? She thought him a dick, and Merisa had left him too broken and untrusting to risk his heart again. He could save her though. Do one decent thing.
I hope you enjoyed reading this excerpt from Serenity’s Song. To purchase your copy simply choose from the bookshops below:
Amazon US | Amazon AU | Amazon UK | Kobo | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Google Play
Bookdepository | Booktopia | Angus & Robertson
Love a personally signed copy? Please visit my online store.
Never miss a new release by joining my newsletter team. You’ll also receive exclusive access to some gorgeous free stories to enjoy over a cuppa or two.