Plot Summary

Leah Townsend has always been a people pleaser. From her childhood as a senator's daughter to her career as a successful author, Leah goes out of her way to avoid conflict. So strong is her desire to keep the people around her happy that Leah is also too afraid to let her longtime boyfriend Edward Crouse know that their relationship is in a rut-the same date night, at the same restaurant, with the same food, week in and week out. And to top it all off, her second novel is proving much more difficult to write than the first. When Leah and Edward have a minor disagreement at Edward's faculty party (it barely qualifies as a spat) Edward enrolls her in a group conflict resolution class. There, she meets Cinco Dublin, a shock-jock radio host attending the class by court order. His family has a prickly past with the Townsends: Cinco Sr., a renowned journalist, went toe-to-toe with Senator Townsend when he was in office and the bad blood still remains. Leah bristles at Cinco's brashness and can't see past the scathing review he gave her debut novel. As they meet for conflict resolution class each week, Leah sees some cracks in Cinco's façade, but can't get past their differences. She finds herself torn between two men: dependable Edward, loving even if he is predictable; and Cinco with all his bluster, who makes Leah feel alive. As Leah learns how to be comfortable with conflict in her daily life, can she resolve the one deep within her heart?—Happy_Evil_Dude