Carolyne is more than what she lets people see.
She's sharp, funny, unapologetically sexual-and quietly strong. Ukrainian by birth, Bostonian by choice, she's learned how to hide what hurts behind confidence and desire. Being wanted has always been easier than being known. Leaving first feels like control.
She's perfected the art of being the perfect girl.
Then Zack shows up.
He's kind. Grounded. Infuriatingly attractive. And when Carolyne offers him everything she usually does-banter, sex, an easy out-he does something no one else ever has.
He stops.
Not because he doesn't want her-but because he sees her.
What follows isn't a rush to the bedroom or a grand romantic gesture, but something slower and far more unsettling for a woman who's built her life on staying ahead of heartbreak. As days turn into weeks, Carolyne begins to lower her guard, confront old patterns, and discover what it feels like to be chosen without being consumed.
Carolyne Was Late is an intimate contemporary romance about restraint, trust, and emotional courage. A story about a woman who learns that strength doesn't mean never falling apart-and love doesn't require pretending you're someone else.
