Next to You

A sexy Beauty and the Beast romance from the author of Summer Again and Hearts on Fire

"Next to You is a bittersweet story about perseverance and adversity. Burdened with emotional and physical scars, Phlox and Jared have to learn to deal with these drastic changes to their appearance and soul. Julia Gabriel does an amazing job of conveying the characters' feelings. The writing style is flawless, and the characters are both multifaceted and dynamic." -RT Book Reviews, 4.5 Stars, Top Pick

A scarred and lonely billionaire hiding from his past ...

Jared Connor lost his innocence at the age of ten when his father poured gasoline around the family home and left his two young sons to die in the flames. Now an adult, he's carefully crafted a pretend life where he can hide his scars and his death row father behind the disguise of a caretaker's pickup truck and a pair of gardening shears. But when a beautiful woman with scars of her own barges into his quiet, solitary life, Jared finds it increasingly difficult to hide from what he really wants.

A successful young businesswoman ill at ease in her newfound beauty ...

Phlox Miller was never the pretty girl and no magic mascara or secret serum was ever going to change that-not even one manufactured by her own company. When an accident at her country home burns her face and body, she spares no expense on her recovery and plastic surgery. Now she turns heads on the street, but can't recognize herself in the mirror-and can't convince the man she loves that he's beautiful, too.

Can two people see beyond their physical and emotional scars to find true love and lasting acceptance?