The Bad Boy's First Love

Book excerpt: Lydia McKenzie was once an ordinary 17-year-old, consumed by typical high school worries—picking outfits, managing grades, and navigating boy drama. But everything changed after a traumatic incident at school left her with a severe brain injury. In the aftermath, Lydia shut off her emotions entirely, transforming into a stoic, hyper-efficient "robot." Now, three years later, she steps into Rosewater University, ready to begin a new chapter—but life has other plans. David Lyric Donovan is the quintessential bad boy of Rosewater. Known for his street fights, run-ins with the law, and a reputation for chewing through relationships like a revolving door, he’s a magnet for chaos. Girls want to fix him; guys want to be him. But none of it fazes him—until Lydia enters his world. Her calm, unyielding demeanor and cutting honesty rattle him in ways he can’t explain. She’s immune to his charms, unaffected by his antics, and somehow manages to get under his skin without batting an eye. As David becomes both irritated and fascinated by Lydia, her enigmatic past looms large. Who is she, really? And why does she refuse to feel? Can two broken souls—one locked away from her emotions, the other drowning in them—find a way to heal together? Or will their differences keep them worlds apart?