Category Archives: Standalone

Age Gap, Blog Tour, Book Blitz, M/M, Standalone, Writers on the River Attending Author

#wotr #attendingauthor #standalone Necessary Space by Kate Hawthorne

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NECESSARY SPACE

by Kate Hawthorne

Blog Tour

Release Date: March 8, 2023

Cover Design: Samantha Santana @Amai Designs

Genre: M/M Romance
Trope: Annoyances to lovers, age-gap, older submissive/arrogant young dominant

Synopsis

Hendrix

What’s the only thing more annoying than my years-too-young neighbor?
The way I want him more than air.

There are plenty of things I don’t like about my new home in California, and my neighbor, Miles, is at the top of the list. He’s smug and arrogant, he speaks out of turn. And even though I should have learned my lesson about fast-talking, younger, dominant men when I broke up with my ex, I want him. For better or worse, Miles and I are on the same page and that’s why we decide there’s no harm in taking things between us someplace a little more private.

Good thing it’s only a physical connection between us because I could never be with a man like him for the long term…

Miles

Can I tease my well-dressed and thick-thighed older neighbor into bed?
I’m not sure, but there’s no harm in trying.

There’s never been a man who twists me up inside the way Hendrix does, and from the very first time he tells me yes, I know I’m going to demand a thousand more agreements out of his gorgeous mouth before I’m anywhere close to being done with him. He says he only wants me for my body, but it’s not long before things between us feel anything but casual. Hendrix thinks I can’t tell he’s being cautious with me, that I don’t know his worries about the past repeating itself are a constant threat in his head.

Joke’s on him, though. Hendrix makes me want to be a better man and I’m not going to stop until I prove that I’m worthy of a partner like him, even if I stumble more than once along the way.

What’s the only thing scarier than falling in love with the older man who’s determined not to trust me? Giving him the space to discover he can.

—

Necessary Space is a 76,000 word age gap romance where coffee is a love language, annoying neighbors become lovers, kneeling is so much more than an act of submission, and love can be found all in good time.

Add to your TBR List!

GOODREADS LINK


Purchase Link

Amazon Universal ~ https://geni.us/xkeiZQ


Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter Giveaway

ENTER HERE

About the Author

With over two dozen published romances to her name, Kate Hawthorne has built a recognizable brand around telling emotional stories that pack a figurative (and sometimes literal) punch.

Existing on a steady diet of wine and coffee, Kate spends her days dreaming up angsty stories full of heat, kink, and heart. Kate now lives in Louisville, where she writes romance, reads romance, and hides from the humidity.

Novella, Standalone, Sweet Romance, Writers on the River Attending Author

#wotr #attendingauthor #standalone Until You (Happily Ever Alpha World) by Samantha Lind

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Cameron Burgress was ready for a new start.

New city, new job, and maybe one day, a new love. She just didn’t realize how quickly that could all happen until she walked into a tattoo shop, finally ready to get the ink she’d wanted since her fiancé died, nearly four years ago.

Ethan O’Neill had everything. Until one day, he didn’t.

After an off-ice injury stripped him of his hockey career, he started over in life, pursuing his other passion—tattoos. He’d never been the kind of guy to want to settle down, but that all changed one day, when a knock-out beauty strolled into his shop and into his life.

An instant attraction and a little bit of ink is the perfect mix for two people ready for change.

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55017408-until-you

Amazon https://amzn.to/40l5Krp

Review by Twinsie Dee

Cam has gone through the one thing that most people would never think to go through, finding the love of her life only to lose him 3 weeks before their wedding. 3 years later and a new job offer she finally decided to move on and to a new city, a fresh start being back with one of her friends. New City new Cam and she wants to dedicate her past love with a tattoo in memory of him, and with her bestie at her side she goes to the tattoo shop and is stopped dead in her tracks with the most gorgeous man shes seen since her first love pasted away, it was sparks from the beginning and both Cam and Ethan have never felt this way before with someone else. will these two let their natural chemisty bring them together or will they just stay friends. this book was so good very cute, sexy, and everything you would want for a quick read

Samantha Lind is a contemporary romance author. Having spent the first 27 years of her life in Alaska, she now calls Iowa home where she lives with her husband and two sons. She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, reading, watching hockey (Go Knights Go!), and listening to country music.

Age Gap, M/M, New Release, Release Blitz, Standalone, Writers on the River Attending Author

#wotr #attendingauthor #releaseblitz Necessary Space by Kate Hawthorne

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NECESSARY SPACE

by Kate Hawthorne

Release Blitz

Release Date: March 8, 2023

Cover Design: Samantha Santana @Amai Designs

Genre: M/M Romance
Trope: Annoyances to lovers, age-gap, older submissive/arrogant young dominant

Synopsis

Hendrix

What’s the only thing more annoying than my years-too-young neighbor?
The way I want him more than air.

There are plenty of things I don’t like about my new home in California, and my neighbor, Miles, is at the top of the list. He’s smug and arrogant, he speaks out of turn. And even though I should have learned my lesson about fast-talking, younger, dominant men when I broke up with my ex, I want him. For better or worse, Miles and I are on the same page and that’s why we decide there’s no harm in taking things between us someplace a little more private.

Good thing it’s only a physical connection between us because I could never be with a man like him for the long term…

Miles

Can I tease my well-dressed and thick-thighed older neighbor into bed?
I’m not sure, but there’s no harm in trying.

There’s never been a man who twists me up inside the way Hendrix does, and from the very first time he tells me yes, I know I’m going to demand a thousand more agreements out of his gorgeous mouth before I’m anywhere close to being done with him. He says he only wants me for my body, but it’s not long before things between us feel anything but casual. Hendrix thinks I can’t tell he’s being cautious with me, that I don’t know his worries about the past repeating itself are a constant threat in his head.

Joke’s on him, though. Hendrix makes me want to be a better man and I’m not going to stop until I prove that I’m worthy of a partner like him, even if I stumble more than once along the way.

What’s the only thing scarier than falling in love with the older man who’s determined not to trust me? Giving him the space to discover he can.

—

Necessary Space is a 76,000 word age gap romance where coffee is a love language, annoying neighbors become lovers, kneeling is so much more than an act of submission, and love can be found all in good time.

Add to your TBR List!

GOODREADS LINK


Purchase Link

Amazon Universal ~ https://geni.us/xkeiZQ


Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter Giveaway

ENTER HERE

About the Author

With over two dozen published romances to her name, Kate Hawthorne has built a recognizable brand around telling emotional stories that pack a figurative (and sometimes literal) punch.

Existing on a steady diet of wine and coffee, Kate spends her days dreaming up angsty stories full of heat, kink, and heart. Kate now lives in Louisville, where she writes romance, reads romance, and hides from the humidity.

Dark, Mystery, Promo, Review, Standalone, Thriller

#Review – Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson

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4 starred reviews!

Orange Is the New Black meets Walter Dean Myer’s Monster in this gritty, twisty, and haunting debut by Tiffany D. Jackson about a girl convicted of murder seeking the truth while surviving life in a group home.

Mary B. Addison killed a baby.

Allegedly. She didn’t say much in that first interview with detectives, and the media filled in the only blanks that mattered: a white baby had died while under the care of a churchgoing black woman and her nine-year-old daughter. The public convicted Mary and the jury made it official. But did she do it?

There wasn’t a point to setting the record straight before, but now she’s got Ted—and their unborn child—to think about. When the state threatens to take her baby, Mary’s fate now lies in the hands of the one person she distrusts the most: her Momma. No one knows the real Momma. But does anyone know the real Mary?

I was looking on TikTok about a week ago, for some disturbing books. I couldn’t find anything that struck my fancy, so I went on Pinterest and came across a pin about this book, along with a few others. So of course, I bought it.

First, I 100% suggest going in blind – if you can of course. I know a lot of us need to read the blurb but with this book, it was so much more fun, going in with no information at all.

Now I will preface this by saying that this is NOT a romance, while there are some romantic elements in it. It’s YA and packs quite the punch. It’s like Orange Is The New Black but with younger characters. Also, the main premise of this book is that the lead character “killed a baby”, so if that’s a trigger, please read with caution.

This book is raw and gritty in the best of ways. It’s dark, written well and kept me engaged from the first few chapters in to the end. I will be honest and say that it did take me about 3 chapters to get fully invested in this story but once I did, wow. Just wow.

Mary…oh Mary. I really couldn’t predict the outcome of this book. I was a mixture of feelings when it came to this girl. And I say “girl” because she is just a kid.

Mary was accused of killing a baby and this book recounts what actually happened. It’s a “did Mary actually kill this baby?” kind of story. We don’t even know exactly who Mary is until the very end of the book. Now I did glance at some reviews saying that they lowered their star rating based on the last chapter but I honestly thought it ended perfectly. I was left in shock and I sat there for a few minutes after turning that last page and thinking “wow.” Now that’s a job well done on the author part.

I won’t give much away because like I said, I do suggest going in not knowing much about this book at all.

So if you like stories filled with grit, mystery, family drama, and “who dunnit” moments, I highly reccommend reading this one!

One-click now: Amazon

Standalone, Teen & Young Adult Contemporary, YA

#YABook #Review – Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson

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“Jackson’s characters and their heart-wrenching story linger long after the final page, urging readers to advocate for those who are disenfranchised and forgotten by society and the system.” (Publishers Weekly, “An Anti-Racist Children’s and YA Reading List”)

From the critically acclaimed author of Allegedly, Tiffany D. Jackson, comes a gripping novel about the mystery of one teenage girl’s disappearance and the traumatic effects of the truth.

Monday Charles is missing, and only Claudia seems to notice. Claudia and Monday have always been inseparable—more sisters than friends. So when Monday doesn’t turn up for the first day of school, Claudia’s worried.

When she doesn’t show for the second day, or second week, Claudia knows that something is wrong. Monday wouldn’t just leave her to endure tests and bullies alone. Not after last year’s rumors and not with her grades on the line. Now Claudia needs her best—and only—friend more than ever. But Monday’s mother refuses to give Claudia a straight answer, and Monday’s sister April is even less help.

As Claudia digs deeper into her friend’s disappearance, she discovers that no one seems to remember the last time they saw Monday. How can a teenage girl just vanish without anyone noticing that she’s gone?

I had absolutely no idea what this book was about. Like most books anymore, I like to go in blind and not read the blurb. I find it more exciting that way. But this book…man. Just…wow.

Claudia and Monday are not just best friends. They’re more like soul sisters. Monday is the only friend that Claudia truly has. They spend every minute they can together. They go to the same school, are in the same grade, have known each other for years. Even Claudia’s parents love Monday. Claudia can’t picture her life without her best friend. They even planned on going to the same high school. So when Monday goes missing…

…no one seems to notice. Not like Claudia does.

Claudia starts asking questions. Gets herself into trouble quite a few times. You know, the typical way one gets into trouble when your best friend suddenly disappears.

When questions start getting answered, Claudia’s world is turned upside down. Or right side up. Depending on how you look at it.

I 100% recommend going into this story without reading the blurb.

This book was captivating from the start. Although it’s more age appropriate for teens, it wasn’t written that way. I also wish that I could have read this author back when I was in highschool.

Just like Allegedly, this author weaves a story of teen troubles, a teeny bit of romance, family drama and more.

Kudos to the author because I am obsessed!

I think I’ve found my favourite genre for 2023.

Age Gap, COVER REVEAL, M/M, Part of a Series, Standalone, Writers on the River Attending Author

#wotr #attendingauthor #coverreveal Necessary Space (In All Good Times 1) by Kate Hawthorne

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NECESSARY SPACE

by Kate Hawthorne

Cover & Excerpt Reveal

Release Date: March 8, 2023

Cover Design: Kellie Dennis @ Book Cover by Design

Genre: M/M Romance
Trope: Annoyances to lovers, age-gap, older submissive/arrogant young dominant

Synopsis

Hendrix

What’s the only thing more annoying than my years-too-young neighbor?
The way I want him more than air.

There are plenty of things I don’t like about my new home in California, and my neighbor, Miles, is at the top of the list. He’s smug and arrogant, he speaks out of turn. And even though I should have learned my lesson about fast-talking, younger, dominant men when I broke up with my ex, I want him. For better or worse, Miles and I are on the same page and that’s why we decide there’s no harm in taking things between us someplace a little more private.

Good thing it’s only a physical connection between us because I could never be with a man like him for the long term…

Miles

Can I tease my well-dressed and thick-thighed older neighbor into bed?
I’m not sure, but there’s no harm in trying.

There’s never been a man who twists me up inside the way Hendrix does, and from the very first time he tells me yes, I know I’m going to demand a thousand more agreements out of his gorgeous mouth before I’m anywhere close to being done with him. He says he only wants me for my body, but it’s not long before things between us feel anything but casual. Hendrix thinks I can’t tell he’s being cautious with me, that I don’t know his worries about the past repeating itself are a constant threat in his head.

Joke’s on him, though. Hendrix makes me want to be a better man and I’m not going to stop until I prove that I’m worthy of a partner like him, even if I stumble more than once along the way.

What’s the only thing scarier than falling in love with the older man who’s determined not to trust me? Giving him the space to discover he can.

—

Necessary Space is a 76,000 word age gap romance where coffee is a love language, annoying neighbors become lovers, kneeling is so much more than an act of submission, and love can be found all in good time.

Add to your TBR List!

GOODREADS LINK

Excerpt

Hendrix cleared his throat, eyes barely open, and face flushed.

“Was that good?”

I couldn’t stop myself from huffing out the beginnings of a laugh. Describing anything about what Hendrix did to me as simply good was an absolute insult to the man and the hold he had over me.

“Why? Do you have a praise kink?” I asked, still trying to catch my breath.

“Probably, yes,” he answered softly.

“It was more than good.” I pushed the hair away from his face and pressed a soft kiss against his lips. “You’re…”

I trailed off, and Hendrix kissed me back.

“I’m what?” he asked.

“My worst nightmare, I think.”

“That’s a new one.” Hendrix leaned against the counter, his entire face relaxed, which was in stark contrast to the raging erection he sported.

“I don’t know you well enough to want the things you make me want.”

“Tell me more.” He dropped his forehead against my shoulder, and without thought I brought my arms around him. My fingertips danced across his shoulder blades and down the knobs of his spine before settling against the swell where his ass curved away from his lower back.

“I was at a kink club tonight.”

“I figured.”

“Tons of hot guys there.” My hands skated lower, over the roundness of his ass cheeks toward the backs of his thighs. As far as I could reach without contorting my posture. “Most of them undoubtedly down to fuck.”

“You should have.”

“Should have?” I pulled back, eyebrows raised. Hendrix avoided my stare until I tipped his chin up and forced it.

“Could have,” he murmured.

“Because we weren’t exclusive.”

Hendrix shrugged.

“I told you this already, but I’ll say it again so maybe you hear me better. I didn’t want any of them. I barely gave them a first look, let alone a second.” I grabbed his face, fingers against one cheek and thumb pressing into the other, puckering his lips. He narrowed his eyes at me like he didn’t trust what I was saying. I grabbed his dick in my other hand, hoping to erase any of his lingering doubt. My hand curling around his thick cock startled him, eyes widening before settling back into that lust-washed expression he’d had when he had a tongue full of my cum. “You’re the only person I’ve thought about since we met. The only man I want to fuck. The only man whose cock I want to suck.”


Pre-order Link

Amazon Universal ~ https://geni.us/xkeiZQ


Giveaway

One of Five eARC’s for Necessary Space

a Rafflecopter Giveaway

ENTER HERE

About the Author

With over two dozen published romances to her name, Kate Hawthorne has built a recognizable brand around telling emotional stories that pack a figurative (and sometimes literal) punch.

Existing on a steady diet of wine and coffee, Kate spends her days dreaming up angsty stories full of heat, kink, and heart. Kate now lives in Louisville, where she writes romance, reads romance, and hides from the humidity.

Coming of Age, Dark, Psychological Thriller, Review, Standalone, Suspense, Teen & Young Adult Contemporary

#Review – Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson

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Allegedly

Orange Is the New Black meets Walter Dean Myer’s Monster in this gritty, twisty, and haunting debut by Tiffany D. Jackson about a girl convicted of murder seeking the truth while surviving life in a group home.

Mary B. Addison killed a baby.

Allegedly. She didn’t say much in that first interview with detectives, and the media filled in the only blanks that mattered: a white baby had died while under the care of a churchgoing black woman and her nine-year-old daughter. The public convicted Mary and the jury made it official. But did she do it?

There wasn’t a point to setting the record straight before, but now she’s got Ted—and their unborn child—to think about. When the state threatens to take her baby, Mary’s fate now lies in the hands of the one person she distrusts the most: her Momma. No one knows the real Momma. But does anyone know the real Mary?

Goodreads

Review by Twinsie Kelly

Whoa! Holy what the heck did I just read?! I have the worst (best) book hangover! A friend of mine read this and immediately recommended the book to everyone. She said the best way to go in was completely blind. Okay, I’ll bite. I purchase the book without reading the blurb on the back, I have no clue who this author is, and did not check out any of the reviews. I highly suggest doing the same, you won’t regret it. Now, if you refuse to go in blind, please continue on and I’ll tell you a little about the story.

This story is about Mary, who is now 16, but at age 9 was convicted of murdering an infant. The story dives deep into the life she has led leading up to this point. In jail, mostly in solitaire because no one knew what to do with such a young murder. She experienced mental and physical abuse…this will make you cringe. She is trying to survive. She is now in a group home and ends up getting pregnant by Ted. He is another group home convict. Mary is truly trying to make something for herself and with some help she starts advocating for herself. She is smart and wants to keep her baby, but she also must literally watch out for her life while living in the group home. A necessary evil. Some of the people in her life are incredibly terrible, but some are really genuine. The hardest part is trying to figure out exactly who you can trust. I went through most of this story just knowing that she was going to win but then you start to feel the doom and gloom. Then, all of a sudden, this crazy curve ball comes flying from out in left field and I sat here like, I can’t believe that just happened. But then the end actually happens, and I just sat there trying to comprehend what I just read. Like, did that just happen? Yeah, that did just happen…OMG! The twist at the end made my head spin!

Author Logo

Tiffany D. Jackson is a TV professional by day, novelist by night, awkward black girl 24/7. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Film from Howard University and her Master of Arts in Media Studies from The New School University. A Brooklyn native, she is a lover of naps, cookie dough, and beaches, currently residing in the borough she loves most likely multitasking.

Self-Care, Standalone

#BookPromo – The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

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In The Four Agreements, don Miguel Ruiz reveals the source of self-limiting beliefs that rob us of joy and create needless suffering. Based on ancient Toltec wisdom, The Four Agreements offer a powerful code of conduct that can rapidly transform our lives to a new experience of freedom, true happiness, and love.

  • A New York Times bestseller for over a decade
  • An international bestseller translated into 50 languages worldwide

“This book by don Miguel Ruiz, simple yet so powerful, has made a tremendous difference in how I think and act in every encounter.” — Oprah Winfrey

“Don Miguel Ruiz’s book is a roadmap to enlightenment and freedom.” — Deepak Chopra, Author, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success

“An inspiring book with many great lessons.” — Wayne Dyer, Author, Real Magic

“In the tradition of Castaneda, Ruiz distills essential Toltec wisdom, expressing with clarity and impeccability what it means for men and women to live as peaceful warriors in the modern world.” — Dan Millman, Author, Way of the Peaceful Warrior

________________

About the Authors

Don Miguel Ruiz is the bestselling author of The Four Agreements (a New York Times bestseller for over a decade), The Four Agreements Companion Book, The Mastery of Love, The Voice of Knowledge, The Circle of Fire, and The Fifth Agreement (with don Jose Ruiz). The teachings of Ruiz are best known for transforming complex human issues into simple common sense — a talent that has earned him millions of fans and international acclaim.

Janet Mills is the founder and editor of Amber-Allen Publishing. She is the co-author, with don Miguel Ruiz, of six books in The Toltec Wisdom Series, creator of “The Four Agreements for a Better Life” online course, and editor of Deepak Chopra’s bestselling title, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success. Her life’s mission is to publish books of enduring beauty, integrity, and wisdom, and to inspire others to fulfill their most cherished dreams.

Psychological Thriller, Standalone

#Review – Any Man: A Novel by Amber Tamblyn

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“An explosive, shapeshifting piece of literary real estate, Amber Tamblyn’s arresting debut offers a scathing portrait of American celebrity culture and the way in which it transmutes human tragedy into a vicious circus; victims are forgotten as likes and shares swirl, and ‘news’ becomes a squalid orgy, a lurid feast. Tamblyn takes every risk in this astonishing and innovative work, and succeeds, gloriously.”
   — Janet Fitch, bestselling author of The Revolution of Marina M. and Paint It Black

Vanity Fair’s Summer Ultimate Fiction List

Entertainment Weekly Summer Preview List

In this electric and provocative debut novel, Tamblyn blends genres of poetry, prose, and elements of suspense to give shape to the shocking narratives of victims of sexual violence, mapping the destructive ways in which our society perpetuates rape culture.

A violent serial rapist is on the loose, who goes by the name Maude. She hunts for men at bars, online, at home— the place doesn’t matter, neither does the man. Her victims then must live the aftermath of their assault in the form of doubt from the police, feelings of shame alienation from their friends and family and the haunting of a horrible woman who becomes the phantom on which society projects its greatest fears, fascinations and even misogyny. All the while the police are without leads and the media hound the victims, publicly dissecting the details of their attack.

What is extraordinary is how as years pass these men learn to heal, by banding together and finding a space to raise their voices. Told in alternating viewpoints signature to each voice and experience of the victim, these pages crackle with emotion, ranging from horror to breathtaking empathy.

As bold as it is timely, Any Man paints a searing portrait of survival and is a tribute to those who have lived through the nightmare of sexual assault.

I was on TikTok one day and came across an account that said this book disgusted her, so of course, I had to grab it. Now I will admit that it took me a moment before I realized this author is the actress Amber Tamblyn. I’m a tad slow. Lol!

So I went into this book blind. I didn’t even bother reading the blurb. This book is also written in a way I’ve never read before, which I find very interesting and I quite enjoyed.

It’s told from 5 different male perspectives. All victims of sexual abuse – Also, please know that this book is filled with possible triggers, no matter what you identify as, so please read with caution. It’s NOT for the faint of heart. Also, this is NOT a romance. So if that’s not your thing, skip past this as well.

The villian in this story is a woman, which I don’t know about you but you don’t see that much, so it’s almost scarier in a way. She brutalizes these men in the worst way possible. Just reading these scenes made me feel icky. It’s highly disturbing what these guys go through.

The story is also about these men trying to heal from their abuse. They band together, form a support group, and so on. They just want to move on but how can you?

I started this review while reading this book and now that I’m done, I’m left feeling…just…wow. This was no easy book and definitely one that I’ll be thinking about for awhile.

I highly recommend it but please please please read with caution if you have triggers. I don’t but there were parts that made even me uncomfortable at times.

I hope Amber writes more books like this because just…wow.

Kindle Unlimited, Standalone

#BookPromo – Maestro: A Love Story by Auden Dar

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“An ode to NYC, to true love, and the music we make with our lives, Auden Dar’s Maestro is a lyrical tour de force whose melody will long linger in your soul.”—Mara White, USA Today bestselling author

For some, first love is a fleeting spark heralding the greater loves to come. For others, first love is the greatest love. The only love.

When a music audition at the world-renowned LaGuardia Arts high school brings together two thirteen-year-olds, unassuming Aurelia Ramirez Preston and confident Chadwick David, the serendipitous encounter becomes an unbreakable friendship.

A friendship develops into an unyielding love.
A love spanning decades and continents.

With New York City as their playground, best friends Chad and Aurelia navigate the turbulence of adolescence. They blossom, and so does their love. An awkward first date turns into a night of intoxicating kisses and together, they lose their innocence.

Years later, Chad is “Maestro,” the tattooed virtuoso, the James Dean of classical music.

And Aurelia is an accomplished cellist. His muse. The enduring love behind his greatness.

But when the maestro falters, even for a moment, the most beautiful symphony can spiral into unrelenting chaos. And the greatest of loves can become the most tragic heartbreak.

Maestro is a symphony of words, four movements filled with longing, secrets, betrayal, and the grace of forgiveness.