Soft Love

Essex Hunter was once knee deep in the game, riding high with his wife by his side.

Retirement was never a question until tragedy struck. When his wife is murdered and he is falsely accused of being the perpetrator, everything changes. Even after his name is cleared, the damage is done. Whispers follow him. Suspicion lingers. Haunted by grief and rage, Essex retreats into a self-imposed isolation, leaving his house only to run his auto body shop and occasionally intimidate the neighbors.

Nariyah Smith is the only neighbor not intimidated by the grieving widower. She is a divorced single mother with an unbreakable spirit and a reckless mouth. When her son racks up a debt to Essex, the pair find themselves sharing space daily.

As the walls come down, Nariyah's warmth challenges Essex's cold exterior, while Essex's hidden soft side pulls Nariyah in. Will Essex soften his cold exterior and allow love to infiltrate his heart again? Or will his guilt keep Nariyah at arms length?