Grief may have taught her how to survive, but it was love that reminded her how to live.

Ellie Hamilton has spent the last eighteen months holding herself together. As the headteacher of Park Haven High School, she’s entirely in control, but beneath it all, she’s still navigating a grief that refuses to loosen its grip. The last thing she expects is her new geography teacher stepping into her life.

Alba Clifford isn’t looking for anything complicated. After dealing with a past that taught her to keep her head down and her heart protected, she’s content with staying on the sidelines. But Ellie has a way of pulling her closer and making her feel seen in ways she can’t ignore.

What begins as something cautious soon becomes impossible to deny.

As whispers start and pasts resurface, Ellie and Alba are left with a choice. Do they protect themselves…or fight for something that could just change everything.