Michelle Thorne

Both Then and Now - Both / And Michelle Thorne

A gritty, feel-good romance relatable to real-life circumstances.

A struggling daughter's estranged high school sweetheart woos her by partnering with her during the excruciating end of her mother's life.

At the age of eighteen, Niki Sweet grew up in the span of a conversation. She was suddenly thrust into the all-encompassing role of sole caregiver for her mother, dying of Lewy Body Dementia. Niki misses childhood, where a good cry is all she needed to make things better. She misses innocence, where love is good and kind. Most of all, Niki misses Clive Carter, his pure heart, and their deep, passionate connection.

But that was then.

Now, every step Niki takes is backward. She can barely breathe with all the pressure and heartache she feels, and her mother's doctor is threatening to report her for elderly neglect if she doesn't get help. She would, if only there were any money left. So, when Clive reappears in her life offering to help, she wants nothing to do with him, his inviting green eyes, or gentle pursuit, but what choice does she have? There is no one else.

With her mother's mind gone and Clive's five-year absence, Niki hasn't belonged to anyone in a long time. Having him around awakens a dormant desire in her heart. As Niki's mother slips away, Niki has to decide if the glory of love is worth the burden it brings.