New Book, New Energy: A Whole New Game is Coming

It’s been a minute, hasn’t it?

I know, I know—I haven’t blogged in forever. Life has this sneaky way of piling up like laundry you swore you’d fold three days ago. Between coaching sports, juggling my full-time job, and trying to be present for my family, there are moments I catch myself wondering, Do I really have time to keep writing?

And if I’m being honest, there are days when the answer feels like “no.” Writing can be exhausting. It’s late nights, rewrites, doubt, and staring at a blinking cursor while your coffee gets cold. But then a story like this one comes along and grabs you by the shoulders. It reminds you why you started in the first place.

That’s what A Whole New Game did for me.

So, after many months of work, I’m thrilled to finally say this: In August, the second installment of the South Mountain Series, A Whole New Game, will be released!

This book is one of my favorites yet, and I can’t wait for you to get to know Peyton Weston and Manny Acosta. Here’s a sneak peek of what’s to come:

For Peyton Weston, life has always been about control.

Leader of the cheer squad. Top of her class. Daughter and sister of local football legends. Everyone sees her as the girl who has it all—except Peyton’s barely holding it together. As the pressure builds on and off the field, her world starts to unravel... until someone new crashes into it. The boy with the guarded eyes and impossible talent challenges everything she thought she wanted—and everything she thought she knew.

For Manny Acosta, football used to mean everything—until it didn’t.

Haunted by his brother’s arrest and the ghosts of his past, Manny transfers to South Mountain High with one goal: stay invisible and survive the season. But that plan shatters the moment he meets her—the head cheerleader, the town’s golden girl, and the one person who refuses to let him disappear. With the weight of expectations, a team that doesn’t trust him, and a state title on the line, Manny must choose between running from the pain—or finally standing in it.

In a town where football is life and perfection is the standard, Peyton and Manny will have to fight for something far more important—something without a scoreboard or script.

A whole new game they never expected to play.

Writing this book felt like falling in love with storytelling all over again. It reminded me that even when life gets busy—and trust me, mine’s a circus most days—there’s nothing quite like building a world, creating characters that feel real, and sharing them with you.

I’ll have more updates and behind-the-scenes peeks in the coming weeks. But for now, just know that A Whole New Game is coming this August, and I’m beyond excited for you to dive in.