The Stars Are Fire

"Falling in love is like deep-sea diving. It's terrifying, but it's also the most beautiful thing you've ever experienced." Xiorah Marshal is a master of the sarcastic smile and quick-witted deflection. She's built a life on logic and the certainty that love is a gamble not worth taking. But when Rhys, an Irish newbie and a penchant for capturing the beauty in the mundane, enters her world, her carefully constructed logic begins to fail. Rhys doesn't just see Xiorah; he sees the grace beneath the sarcasm and the "stars" beneath the smoke. From the humid heat of Texas to the weight of shared secrets and ghosts of the past, their connection grows through late-night texts, phone calls and unexpected bonding.
But Xiorah knows that the deeper you dive, the harder it is to breathe. She does not believe that vulnerability, trust, and loyalty can be learned and earned at the edge of eighteen. In a world where everything feels temporary, can a girl who swears "love is for suckers" learn to trust that some fires are worth starting? And will he smother the flame?