The Weight of Belonging

Sometimes, it's not the past that holds you back-it's the fear that someone might love you despite it.

Emma Ainsworth knows how to leave. She's made a career out of it-chasing stories, gathering fragments of other people's lives while keeping her own at arm's length. Her latest assignment brings her to the sleepy village of Dunster, where she's meant to uncover the mystery behind the reclusive Lucas Wycliffe-a man who has spent years hiding from a world that once adored him.

But Lucas is not the story she expected. Beneath the surface of his quiet solitude lies a man shaped by grief, regret, and a secret he has never dared to share. Every glance, every unspoken word between them chips away at the walls he's built-and challenges the truths Emma has long believed about herself.

As autumn deepens and the Harvest Fayre breathes new life into the village, Emma finds herself drawn not only to the charm of Dunster but to the man who claims he has nothing left to offer. But when she unearths the truth behind Lucas's past-one that could destroy the fragile connection they've built-Emma must make an impossible choice:

Write the story that could rebuild her career... or stay and fight for the man who just might be her home.

In The Weight of Belonging, love doesn't arrive with grand declarations-it's found in the quiet moments, the shared silences, and the courage it takes to stay when it's easier to run.

Perfect for readers who crave slow-burn romance, emotional depth, and stories of redemption, healing, and the unexpected magic of finding where you belong.