In a city where dreams are fragile and love feels like a risk too expensive to take, Ariella James has learned to guard her heart. Focused on survival and personal growth, romance is the last thing on her mind—until fate places Ethan Cole in her path.Ethan is charming, emotionally guarded, and carrying a past he refuses to talk about. What begins as a reluctant connection slowly turns into something deeper, forcing both of them to confront buried fears, unresolved pain, and the possibility of love they never planned for.As misunderstandings, personal struggles, and outside influences threaten to pull them apart, Ariella must decide whether love is worth the risk of heartbreak. Ethan, on the other hand, must choose between running from his past or fighting for a future he never believed he deserved.When Hearts Cross Paths is a slow-burn romance filled with emotional tension, heartfelt moments, and the powerful reminder that sometimes love finds you when you least expect it—and changes everything.