Emma (Palmer)

Emma thought escaping her abusive ex meant freedom. She didn't expect his suicide to become her prison. Two years later, Emma still can't sleep through the night. The panic attacks. The nightmares. The suffocating question: Was I responsible for his death? When her best friend signs her up for a five-hundred-mile hike on the Appalachian Trail, Emma agrees because maybe physical pain will be easier to carry than emotional wreckage. Then she meets Noah. He's patient where Scott was volatile, kind where Scott was cruel. As the miles stretch on and Emma's defenses crack, she finds herself wanting something she swore she'd never risk again: trust. But Emma knows how this story ends. It always starts with kindness. When Emma finally tells Noah the truth about her past, she expects him to see her as broken. Instead, he asks if he can kiss her. But when Emma slips on an exposed ridge and finds herself dangling above the ground with only Noah's rope keeping her alive, she faces an impossible choice: trust him to pull her back up, or let fear win forever. Find out if Emma can climb back from the edge in this powerful story about trauma, resilience, and choosing love after loss. Melissa Ann Palmer discovered author Judy Blume in fourth grade and immediately saw herself in the pages of Blubber. It was the moment she realized stories could mirror our own lives back to us. She has been writing ever since, crafting tales where she explored the messy, complicated parts of being human.By day, Melissa is a clinical social worker, doing her small part to enrich lives. By night (and weekends, and any spare moment), she writes novels that do the same, offering hope and understanding to those who need it most. She believes stories help us learn about ourselves because sometimes it's easier to see truth in someone else's journey.Melissa lives in a small log cabin in the woods of Connecticut with her handy husband and two opinionated dogs: Otis, an elderly pug who makes his royal status known to all, and Owen, a Boston Terrier and certified mama's boy who provides comfort whenever the characters in her head make her cry.She loves coffee, polka dots, taking naps, and anything sweet. Cheesecake is her weakness. Melissa believes stories have the power to heal, and that every woman is stronger than she realizes.Melissa loves connecting with readers on Instagram @melissaannpalmer.author