Happy New Year! Since I’m releasing CAUGHT UP IN US on January 20, I thought I’d share some teasers over the next few weeks!

This brief excerpt is from Chapter Two when we learn how and why Kat Harper – our fearless heroine – started her work as a jewelry designer…

Ever since a boutique owner in my tourist destination of a hometown in Mystic had stopped me at age nineteen and asked me where I’d gotten my unusual and eye-catching charm necklace — I’d made it myself, I proudly told her — I had wanted to learn the ins and outs of building a bigger business. I never told her the genesis of my jewelry line. I never revealed to anyone but Jill that I’d started it out of rejection. That it was fueled by hurt. The charms were my way of taking something back, taking me back after Bryan’s callous brush-off. If I were a rock star, I’d have Taylor Swifted him and written one of those anthemic I don’t love you anymore songs. Instead, I did the only thing I could do. I turned to my one talent and uttered a quiet screw you, Bryan Leighton with my jewelry.