The Nascent Bloom

In a society with only two classes, rich and poor, Kai's on the wrong side of the equation. Working as a servant at an elite school catering to his so-called betters, he vows to fight the system that keeps his people down. His classmate Meili, born into privilege, struggles against her world's strict controls, where a girl's only value is the wealth and status she'll bring to a marriage.

When space pirates attack their spaceship on a school field trip, Kai and Meili find their strength tested in terrifying new ways. Kidnapped, hurtled to a distant planet far from home, and forced into indentured servitude, the divisions between them melt away.

Equals now, they share one desperate goal. To escape.

Finding a way to do that is a challenge. So is learning how to work together. If they can put aside their differences-and the forbidden feelings growing between them-and join forces, they might just find a way home.

The first in a young adult sci-fi suspense series, The Nascent Bloom: Book 1 Caught is a Young Adult Romance Writers of America Rosemary Award winner, a Killer Nashville 2024 Claymore Award finalist and Top Pick, and a Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award finalist for excellence in young adult romance.