When enemies become allies, falling in love risks everything

In a society with only two classes, rich and poor, Kai's on the wrong side of the equation. Working as a servant at an elite school catering to his so-called betters, he vows to fight the system that keeps his people down. His classmate Meili, born into privilege, struggles against her world's strict controls, where a girl's only value is the wealth and status she'll bring to a marriage.

When pirates attack their spaceship on a school field trip, Kai and Meili find their strength tested in terrifying new ways. Kidnapped, hurtled to a distant planet far from home, and forced into indentured servitude, the divisions between them melt away.

Equals now, they share one desperate goal. To escape.

Finding a way to do that is a challenge. So is learning how to work together. If they can put aside their differences—and the forbidden feelings growing between them—and join forces, they might just find a way home.

The Nascent Bloom: Book 1 Caught, winner of the 2026 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award, is the first in a new young adult sci-fi series, perfect for teens and also for readers of all ages who love a fast-paced, romantic suspense tale with a message.