Love isn’t on her schedule—but Ashby Lake has other plans.

Bunny Malone came to Ashby Lake for peace.

Instead, she got tangled in lakeweed, rescued by a shirtless neighbour, and dunked under a cold outdoor shower while he laughed.

So, you know… serenity.

Burned out from the tech world and under strict instructions to relax, Bunny escapes to cottage country for the summer. But on Day One, she nearly drowns herself in the weediest part of the lake—and gets pulled out by Caleb, the infuriatingly calm, unfairly handsome neighbour who looks like he restores boats for fun and reads poetry at midnight.

Bunny decides instantly: absolutely not.

Caleb? Off-limits.

She’s a short-term girl. He’s a long-term man. This summer will be stress-free, drama-free, and most importantly… romance-free.

Caleb has other ideas.

He likes her—her chaos, her sharp humour, her soft edges she pretends don’t exist. And while he’s not a “forty-minutes-after-meeting” kind of guy, he is the slow-burn, take-you-to-dinner, learn-your-laugh, make-you-melt type. The type Bunny swears she doesn’t want.

When a misunderstanding sends both of them spiralling—him jealous, her heartbroken—they’re forced to confront the one thing Bunny tried desperately to avoid:

She didn’t just come to Ashby Lake to rest.

She came here to feel something again.

A cozy, charming, laugh-out-loud romantic novella about new beginnings, emotional courage, and a slow summer love that sneaks up on you when you least expect it.

Perfect for fans of Emily Henry, cottage-core romance, and low-spice stories with big feelings.

The Tropes

Next-Door Neighbours / Proximity Romance

Summer Romance

Guy Realizes First

Mutual Pining (But In Denial)

Touch-Starved Man, Confident Woman

“We Should Take This Slow” (While Making Out)