Return to Hope Creek: Winner of the 2025 Romantic Book of the Year (RUBY) Award in the Contemporary Long category

When two old flames come back to their home town, sparks are bound to ignite. A Romantic Book of the Year (Ruby) award-winning rural romance from USA Today bestselling author Alyssa J. Montgomery.

A horrific car accident ended former world number-one Stella Simpson’s tennis career, and a betrayal ended her relationship with her fiancé/coach. When a family friend offers to sell her half of a property in the rural community where she grew up, it seems like the perfect place to escape, heal and begin the next phase of her life. Until she discovers that the man who broke her heart ten years ago has bought the other half of the same property.

Mitchell Scott seemingly had it all: fame and fortune as one of the NFL’s highest-paid quarterbacks, and a beautiful family. But wealth and celebrity can’t compensate for a loveless, toxic marriage, and he’s glad to give it all up to raise his son in the one place that always brought him peace. Encountering Stella again so long after the messy end to their relationship is a complication he doesn’t need — but one he finds himself wanting.

As each tries to build a new life, they are drawn to each other, and find that their chemistry is just as strong as it ever was. When the press gets wind of their romance and descend on Hope Creek looking for a scoop, Mitchell’s malicious ex-wife isn’t far behind. Will she tear apart everything they’ve built, or will their love be stronger the second time around?