Sugar Rush is a 17,700-word new adult romance novella told entirely from the male point of view. Set against the sticky, neon-lit backdrop of a New Jersey shore town, this contemporary summer romance blends coming-of-age themes with working-class realism. Perfect for readers who crave the friendzone-to-lovers and opposites-attract tropes, this story captures the dizzying, addictive feeling of falling for someone who might just break your heart—while you're covered in pizza flour and sweating through a night shift.

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Valery spends his summers doing the same thing he's done since he was sixteen: pumping gas, tossing dough at Sam's Pizza Palace, and trying not to trip over his own feet. He's shy, awkward, and painfully aware that he's the least interesting person in Wildwood. Then there's Elise—a whirlwind of copper hair and chaotic energy who treats every conversation like a performance. She's leaving at the end of August, and she's the first person who ever looked at him like he mattered.

When Elise pulls him into her orbit, Valery feels like he's chugging pure sugar—euphoric, overwhelmed, and certain the crash is coming. His brother Laurence warns him that Elise is exactly the kind of fast, exciting girl who leaves wreckage behind. Valery's own mother was the same way, and he swore he'd never fall for someone who couldn't stay.

But Elise keeps showing up. At the abandoned bowling alley. At the Ferris wheel at sunset. In the back room of Sam's, wearing his stolen work shirt. She tells him she wants to try—to go slow, to build something real—even though she doesn't know how. Valery keeps pushing her away, convinced he's protecting himself from inevitable heartbreak. But when Elise finally confesses she's in love with him, clutching the cheap plastic dolphin he won her weeks ago, Valery has to decide: is he brave enough to believe her? Or will his fear cost him the only person who ever made him feel like he was flying?

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This novella explores vulnerability, trust, and the terrifying leap of faith required to love someone who reminds you of your deepest fears. Told from a male perspective rarely seen in romance, Sugar Rush delivers all the swoon-worthy tension of a summer fling while tackling abandonment issues with honesty and heart. If you've ever fallen for someone who felt like a storm, and wondered if you could survive the landing, this one's for you. Don't miss the heat, the heart, and the neon glow.

Read Online:

• Free Sample

• Sugar Rush. Part 1.

• Sugar Rush. Part 2.