{"product_id":"a-hardened-bloom-virginia-conaway-9798287362584","title":"A Hardened Bloom: A Modern Myth of Stone and Sin","description":"Asteria Summers has built her life on walls. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAfter a lifetime of crushing betrayals-from her manipulative twin sister and uncaring parents, to a backstabbing best friend and a cheating fiancé-her heart isn't just broken; it's carved from stone. Now nearing forty, Asteria funnels her formidable drive into her beloved spicy romance bookstore, finding solace only in the transactional, primal release of one-night stands. Emotion is a weakness she can't afford. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThen, a chance encounter with Cyrus Abbott shatters her carefully constructed world.\u003cbr\u003eHe's everything Asteria isn't: relentlessly warm, genuinely kind, and radiating an unwavering optimism that feels both terrifying and irresistibly appealing. He sees past her defenses, past the pain she hides, and offers a connection that demands more than just her body.\u003cbr\u003eJust as Asteria dares to let a sliver of warmth into her life, her past erupts. A devastating family summons, followed by a shocking confrontation, forces her to face the very people who created her stone heart. But in the midst of chaos, a quiet miracle takes root, irrevocably binding her to Cyrus and forcing her to confront her deepest fears about vulnerability, family, and motherhood. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAs her world expands in ways she never imagined, Asteria must choose: retreat to the familiar solitude that once kept her safe, or bravely embrace the terrifying, unconditional love of Cyrus and a family who sees her, truly sees her, as worthy of every happiness. Can a heart hardened by betrayal truly unfurl? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eA Hardened Bloom is a scorching hot, deeply emotional journey of resilience, redemption, and finding your twisted happy ever after where you least expect it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Virginia Conaway\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798287362584\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Independently Published\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 07\/01\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 294\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.68lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.00h x 5.25w x 0.62d","brand":"Virginia Conaway","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":49169689608447,"sku":"9798287362584","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/a-hardened-bloom-virginia-conaway-9798287362584","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}