Where Trust Begins - Sonia Harts

Dacia García's life is in freefall. Months of pushing herself at work to escape the grief of her father's death have finally taken their toll. A very public meltdown in front of company shareholders-panic attack and all-leaves her with no choice but to step back. Or rather, she's forced into taking a break by her well-meaning boss. The last place she ever wanted to go? Texas. The only people who'll take her in? Her college friends, Chastity and Christian Barrera, who are spending the summer in San Antonio.

Dacia envisions a quiet escape-burying herself in books, avoiding her feelings, and wallowing in solitude. But fate (and Chastity's newfound love interest, Jane Galindo) has other plans. Suddenly, Dacia finds herself dragged into the Galindo family orbit, week after week. It's not all friendly dinners and small talk, though-there's him. Marcus Galindo, Jane's infuriatingly charming younger brother, who wants absolutely nothing to do with Dacia after she carelessly insults his dream of becoming an elementary school teacher.

Dacia and Marcus clash like oil and water-sharp words, colder silences, and glares that could freeze the Texas heat. Yet despite their differences, there's something about Marcus that tugs at Dacia's heart. His earnestness, his kindness, his refusal to let her keep the world at arm's length. And despite herself, she begins to crave his company. Their constant run-ins turn into unexpected moments of honesty, laughter, and tentative affection. Marcus sees something in Dacia that she refuses to see in herself-a woman worthy of love, despite her grief, her guilt, and the walls she's built around her heart.

But Dacia's carefully guarded past has a way of catching up. When someone from her old life resurfaces with a secret that could shatter everything, Marcus begins to question everything he thought he knew about her. Dacia's lies, her fears, and the shame she's buried deep threaten to destroy the fragile connection they've built. And Marcus-who has always believed in trust above all-can't fall for someone who won't let him see the truth.

Now, Dacia must decide: Will she open her heart, expose her darkest truths, and let Marcus in before it's too late? Or will she lose the one person who sees her for who she truly is-and loves her anyway?

This is a heartfelt, slow-burn romance about love in the aftermath of loss, the power of vulnerability, and the courage it takes to let someone see the real you.