Author(s): Ruby Barrett

Romance | Identity - LGBTQIA+ / Queer | Disability / Illness | Mental Health | Identity - Bisexual

Jesse Logan doesn't want a fresh start. He wants his old life back -- before an injury made his career as a firefighter impossible, before his grandfather's Alzheimer's got so bad he doesn't recognize Jesse anymore. When a friend tells him about a paid psychological study, Jesse sees it as a chance to get back to the man he was while making a little extra cash. 

All Lulu Banks is asking for is a fresh start. Back home after a devastating breakup, she's struggling to find her place. She's always been a lot -- too loud, too eager, too obvious about her feelings. The friendship study seems like a great idea...until she's paired with Jesse Logan, who recently ghosted her after a blind date that led to a steamy make-out session. 

Now that old familiar tension is back. Despite the program's strict "no romance" rule, Jesse and Lulu are quick to find a work-around that allows them to explore their tenuous connection. And soon they're on their way to total self-improvement... 

As long as they don't get caught. 

"Barrett writes with tremendous care for anyone who has ever felt lonely." -- Rosie Danan, author of The Roommate