Outcast Island

Danielle “Dani” Marian never had much growing up. At sixteen she ran away from her abusive family and never looked back. Now at twenty-five, when she thinks that she and her best friend, Alice, are really starting to put their lives together, everything goes wrong. She never thought she’d find herself running again, but here she is, so desperate she’s accepting a job as a caretaker hundreds of miles away from anything she knows. The quaint and quirky town of Ojai, California, might be delightful and picturesque, but her new job is anything but pleasant.

Dalton Davis didn’t just lose a leg; he lost his will to live. Dani is an unwelcome distraction from his current pursuit of wallowing in misery. Not his parents. Not his sister. And certainly not some sassy, gorgeous woman with expressive eyes, soft hands, and wicked sense of humor, is going to distract him from his suffering. No, the best thing for both of them is for him to drive Dani away before he manages to drag her down with him.

To both their surprise, Dani turns out to have a knack for helping and a determination to see Dalton back on his feet, or foot as the case may be. Dalton finds it hard to resist the wisecracking Dani and, despite his best efforts, grows to like her. When something from her past threatens her future, will she trust Dalton enough to confide in him or run away again?

This is a 100K word novel with a happily ever after ending and a lot of snark. If irreverence and cussing bothers you, this might not be the novel you want to read. Intended for 18+ audiences.
Trigger warning: There is an assault during the course of the book; guns are fired; and there are references to child abuse, rape, and prostitution.