Shattered is the first book in the St. Austell Duet.
Emma and Edward's story concludes in Surrender.
"Love the way you've written the characters. They feel very real. Well-written too!" — JENNIFER R., PAGE TURNER AWARDS JUDGE
"I cannot put this book down! Loving the twists and turns, this is definitely a page-turner!" — JMCARRON
In the quiet town of St. Austell, Emma Kinsley is just trying to keep her head above water. Suffocating under the weight of an unexpected tragedy, she retreats to the moonlit shores of Carlyon Bay just to breathe. She is expecting solitude.
Instead, a stranger steps out of the dark.
Edward Donald traded the towering skyscrapers of New York for the rugged Cornish coast, burying his truth behind the quiet facade of a local hotel worker. Guarded and intensely private, he is a dangerous distraction from the fiercely independent future she is fighting to build.
And the absolute last thing Emma needs.
But Edward sees the broken pieces she tries so hard to hide. What begins as a hesitant, shared solace in the dark deepens as Edward recognizes a woman worth destroying his carefully built peace for. Despite her resistance, his quiet obsession chips away at her walls, making him a fiercely protective anchor in her chaotic world.
Yet, Edward's refuge is built on a foundation of secrets.
When his Manhattan life is violently forced back to the surface, Emma is pushed to the breaking point.
Can she trust the man who became her anchor?
Or will his hidden truths leave her shattered?
Publication Date: April 28, 2021
Edition: 2026 Revised Edition
Pages: 492
ISBN: 9781777687403
Publisher: Resilient Heart Press
Categories: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense, Billionaire Romance
Romance Tropes: Small-Town, Hidden Identity, Hurt/Comfort, Protective Hero, High-Stakes Angst, Cliffhanger Resolution
An award-finalist author of high-stakes contemporary romance, Joelle Habbaki writes for the resilient heart. She is drawn to the fracture points in life. To those devastating moments where everything breaks. And she believes the hardest chapters often lead to the most beautiful beginnings.
Best known for her Page Turner Award-nominated St. Austell Duet (Shattered and Surrender) and her acclaimed standalone Love Lies, Joelle writes for readers who crave real characters and protective heroes. She builds deeply immersive, emotional worlds where the journey to a "happily ever after" is hard-won, wholly deserved, and love is the only thing that can put the pieces back together.
Joelle’s storytelling extends far beyond the written word. When she isn't writing her next emotional wrecking ball of a romance, this independent creator is designing her own cover art, directing cinematic book trailers, and producing bilingual music that streams across more than 25 global platforms. She doesn't just write stories. She builds complete, immersive experiences, pioneering a new era of limitless creative freedom.
Official Author Website
Longlisted for Best Debut Romance, Page Turner Awards 2023
"I can't wait to read both books!" —Jennifer R., Page Turner Awards Judge
"This book was outstandingly good. It gripped me from the very beginning and kept me captivated until the very end." —Gillian Long
"The writing style is excellent, and the story is terrific. For me, it is a 5-star read!" —Akaku
"I got 1 chapter in, and could not put it down. A wonderful read, so much so that after a few chapters, I purchased the 2nd book to start as soon as I finished the first. Can't wait to dig into book #2!" —Michelle Gregory-Campbell
"Everything I look for in a good storyline and character development Habbaki has achieved. She left me breathless and as the last page was turned, I wanted more!" —Jane F.
"It was emotional in all the right ways and it even made me laugh out loud at some instances. I honestly didn't want it to end!!" —Mary A.
"This is a must read." —Tina
"The way the author captured the scenery was beautiful... Once I was finished my tears were flowing." —Pina C.
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