The Molten Heart
In the heat of the forge, some hearts are made to be broken—and others are meant to be forged.
Layla Parris was the golden girl of the New York art world until a forgery scandal left her blacklisted and broken. Her only lifeline is a consulting gig in the remote town of Silica Springs, where she's tasked with modernizing a failing, legendary glassworks studio. But her biggest obstacle isn't the chaotic archives—it’s the man who runs the shop with an iron fist and a scarred heart.
Rocco Venturi is a master gaffer who rules the furnace with technical intensity and a refusal to let anyone inside his world. He views Layla as a high-society liability, especially when her secret pyrophobia threatens to ruin a high-stakes demonstration. Yet, as they are forced to work chest-to-back in the sweltering heat, the physical rhythm of the glassblowing ignites a volatile attraction that neither can ignore.
When a corporate predator begins sabotaging the Venturi legacy, Layla and Rocco must find a way to trust each other before the studio is reduced to ash. Between the grit of the shop floor and the danger of an external threat, they will discover that some things are worth the risk of getting burned.
The Blurb
Layla Parris was the golden girl of the New York art world until a forgery scandal left her blacklisted and broken. Her only lifeline is a consulting gig in the remote town of Silica Springs, where she's tasked with modernizing a failing, legendary glassworks studio. But her biggest obstacle isn't the chaotic archives—it’s the man who runs the shop with an iron fist and a scarred heart.
Rocco Venturi is a master gaffer who rules the furnace with technical intensity and a refusal to let anyone inside his world. He views Layla as a high-society liability, especially when her secret pyrophobia threatens to ruin a high-stakes demonstration. Yet, as they are forced to work chest-to-back in the sweltering heat, the physical rhythm of the glassblowing ignites a volatile attraction that neither can ignore.
When a corporate predator begins sabotaging the Venturi legacy, Layla and Rocco must find a way to trust each other before the studio is reduced to ash. Between the grit of the shop floor and the danger of an external threat, they will discover that some things are worth the risk of getting burned.