Secrets and old wounds threaten a burgeoning romance in this friends-to-lovers story from Donna Alward's Jewell Cove series.

Rick Sullivan left the Marines with a prosthetic and PTSD. His life is going off the rails, but he makes a deathbed promise to his mother to stop drinking, and he's determined to keep it-even when he discovers a mysterious necklace in a safe deposit box, and wonders if everything he thought he knew about his adoptive parents is a lie.

Jess Collins has fought hard for her new life after leaving an abusive relationship. Seeing Rick destroy his life has been infuriating. But Rick's cleaned up his act, and when Jess discovers a secret he's been keeping, she steps in to support him as much as she can.

Falling for Rick is easier than she ever imagined. But everything Jess has worked for is at risk when her ex comes back to town, threatening her security. Meanwhile, Rick learns the secret of the necklace. With everything changing, can he keep Jess safe and protect his heart, too?