NEXTCHAPTER...: April 2025- You Pick

After five years together and three apart, two marine biologists are unexpectedly reunited by work in South Carolina.

It’s been three years since Hope Evans’ and Adrian Hollis-Parker’s long-distance—yet all-encompassing—relationship fizzled out when Hope decided she needed more time before moving in together. She’s spent that time helping a recently widowed friend with her children and her new recreation business on Lake Michigan, while Adrian accidentally went viral helping a beached shark. He’s parlayed the attention into a thriving social media presence and YouTube channel that’s enabled him to further his research and build the life he thought he always wanted. Shark research—and their feelings for one another—are the most important things to both of them. With encouragement and concern from Zuri, Hope’s friend in Michigan; Adrian’s cousin Marissa; and Gabe, Adrian’s cameraman, Hope and Adrian work through their feelings for one another as they conduct shark research and outreach over the course of the summer. The story is told in alternating points of view, and Hope and Adrian are each consumed by missing the other, wanting to do their best work, and concern about getting their hearts broken again. The emotions that arise when they’re near each other is described in great detail. People looking for a few pages to read before falling asleep every night will appreciate the cyclic nature of the couple’s thoughts.

A slow-moving story in which people trying to do their best find their happy ending.

“Blumberg makes the will-they-won’t-they dance believable and exciting with sexy banter and plenty of humor throughout. Readers will root for this intelligent couple to get their happily ever after.”  —Publishers Weekly

“These likable characters have immediate, unignorable chemistry, despite their reservations about each other. This second-chance romance from Blumberg is a slow burn, ratcheting up the sexual tension page by page.” —Library Journal

About Evelyn Leigh

Evelyn Leigh is an indie contemporary and dark romance author based in the Midwest. A multifaceted Gemini who’s lived a thousand lives both in and out of books. Designing worlds for you to escape to using the imagination she never quite outgrew.

Evelyn loves creating underrepresented characters that are relatable for you to live vicariously through. She likes sharing fast paced stories sure to make you laugh, cry, swoon and blush. After reading countless happily ever afters, she has decided to write her own. Here’s to her next chapter.

Selah Bailey, an anxious, risk-averse, homebody determined to finally become the main character in her own story, created a "F*ck It List" filled with goals and experiences to force her out of her comfort zone and introduce her to a life outside of her front door.

Realizing she'll need a partner to help complete her more adventurous goals by the deadline, she goes on a few dates in hopes of breaking her dry spell with no luck.

After what may be the worst date ever, she meets Greyson in the elevator of her building.

She soon finds herself running out of time to complete the list and seeks an arrangement with anyone tolerable-though a certain neighbor comes to mind.

Greyson is everything she wasn't prepared for and could be the perfect hero for her story. Except falling in love is against the rules and she should probably leave the house to find it.

Greyson Park is a business oriented extrovert, who's fully content with the life he's built for himself amid his divorce. For the past 7 years, he's prioritized making the best out of everyday and keeping things casual in his love life.

As the creator of a wildly successful dating app, he's become quite the modern day matchmaker. While he loves seeing others in love, he doesn't forgive himself for the past and believes romance isn't in the cards for a second time.

After what may be the most awkward night ever, he meets Selah in the elevator of his building.

He soon finds himself needing a believable date for his ex's wedding to silence the noise about him not moving on and works out an arrangement with his neighbor.

Selah is everything he didn't know he needed and could be the one who introduces him to a life outside of work. Except falling in love is against the rules, and he should probably use his app to find it.