Until We Break

Howard's debut contemporary is a fresh take on the good girl gone bad. After innocent Sloane Avery learns that her boyfriend and her father are both cheaters, she decides that she can't trust any man, especially a womanizer like Luke Evans. Luke uses sex as a way to escape his lousy life. His mother is an alcoholic who never has a nice word to say about him; his father is unknown. The only thing that keeps him around is his much younger brother, whom Luke would do anything for. It's this side of him that catches Sloane by surprise, and to her chagrin, she finds herself falling for him. After a terrible tragedy, Luke seeks comfort in Sloane's arms, and she decides to finally tell him that she loves him; she quickly regrets that decision when she catches him with her sister a few hours later. She embarks on five years of wild living, and when she gets home, three discoveries make her unhappy: Luke is in a committed relationship with someone new, her sister is engaged, and Sloane is still in love with Luke. This new adult contemporary provides a good lesson on forgiveness and moving forward after heartbreak. Agent: Jessica Watterson, Sandra Dijkstra Literary. (Nov.)