Ms. Swan's Bookstore

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Bella—a breast cancer survivor who wears her pain on her skin in a multitude of colorful tattoos—shifts through her mail one day and realizes she’s been wrongfully accused of a hit and run. The accuser? Allstate agent, Edward Cullen, whose office just so happens to be located in the same building Bella works in. However, resolving the issue sets her off on one hell of a roller coaster ride and the two clash harder than a bulldozer and a freight train. The hits just keep on coming when Bella sets off to work her side job at a catering service ("Jane’s Kitchen") which has been hired to cater none other than Carlisle Cullen’s fifth wedding. There, Bella is subject to Edward’s drunk, crass, and rude behavior the entire night, adding fuel to the already burning fire of hate she harbors for him. Shortly after, Edward requests for "Jane’s Kitchen" to cater his upcoming Christmas Party. On one condition: he wants Bella to be the one to work the party.  Much to Bella’s dismay...

But what Bella doesn't know is that there are several factors that have lead Edward to become the self-destructive bitter man he is today. Edward suffers from heavy guilt and PTSD after serving a full tour of duty as a high ranking marine in Afghanistan. As a result of a traumatic experience that almost took his life, he is unable to emotionally connect with anyone in his life, especially his family. A family that has its own closet full of problems. As a result, he attempts to cope with sex and alcohol. That is, until he meets one woman who forces him to take responsibilities for himself. It’s a long and bumpy road filled with roadblocks and pile-up crashes—all of which bring both of them to their breaking points.

IReen H is one of my favorite authors to date. She has a style of her own that sucks you in until you’re unable to stop reading until the end. What I love most is that the author put real-life experiences into her story, giving it an authentic taste that lingers and makes you crave for more. The story is well written in both Bella and Edward’s POVs, giving the reader both sides of their corroded coin. When you read you feel like you’re there—especially when Edward talks about his tour in Afghanistan. The sexual tension between these two burns off the pages and the buildup leads to great satisfaction. But Bella and Edward’s relationship has LOTS of ups and downs and the story is filled with angst. It’s a slow burn between these two, and a long road to recovery. If you’re looking for fluff, you won’t find it here. But if you want an experience of a lifetime, sit back and enjoy the ride. It’s well worth it.

High Fidelity consists of 22 chapters and a total of 205,466 words. The story is rated MA for Sexual content, language, violence, and other adult material.

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