The Crush List

ShafiraS Romance

Twenty-two-year-old Emery Blake thought she had it all figured out — until graduation came with no job, no plan, and no boyfriend. Her high school sweetheart left her behind to chase his career, and Emery’s carefully constructed future unraveled in a single semester.
Now, she’s back in her coastal hometown, sleeping in her childhood bedroom, and scrolling through job boards that feel more like dead ends. That is, until her father’s best friend, the famously charming movie star Cal Donovan, waltzes back into town.
She hasn’t seen Cal in years — only caught glimpses of him on red carpets and talk shows. But when they reunite over a family dinner, everything changes. Cal sees something in her no one else has: potential. Boldly, he whisks her away to L
os Angeles, promising to help her rediscover herself and finally live the life she’s been too afraid to claim.
Together, they create a ten-item bucket list for Emery — filled with reckless fun, self-discovery, and experiences that scare her just enough to make her feel alive. But Cal didn’t count on the sweet, shy girl growing into the confident woman who begins to shake the foundation of his carefully guarded heart.
What starts as guidance turns into something neither of them expected. Lines blur. Tension simmers. And Emery’s childhood crush on Cal? It’s not so childish anymore.
But love has never been easy — especially when it begins with a list, a lie they’re both telling themselves, and the threat of a world that won’t understand them.
Can Emery follow her heart when it’s pointing toward the one man she was never supposed to want?

Unfold