Love: The One Who Leaves

by A.J. Hotz

She is the one who left.

When she finally returns, we both know each of us have experienced more than a simple life apart. We have our own wounds to heal and pain to process. But this is my final chance to try again.

Unfortunately, she chooses a life beyond just me and Barrenmire, and she plans to leave again. She deserves more than this city and more than I can give her here.

What am I supposed to do when she decides to leave me again? Am I willing to go with her? Is there a way to convince her to stay?


Love is a standalone in an interconnected collection, The Barrenmire Lights. These books can be read in any order and all take place in a city called Barrenmire, where love can be found in all the city lights.

218 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 6, 2025

About the author

The written word has always been close to my heart, reading it and writing it. I’m fueled by my imagination and a thrill for storytelling with a dash of decaf to keep me going. I'm also a freelance writer who specializes in narrative, expository, and technical writing.

My inspiration for fiction comes from music and my own mind, but I like to keep non-fiction in the mix as I have a healthy obsession for real life mysteries that have no real answers. In addition, I love teaching others about the innerworkings of the Internet and cybersecurity.

My debut novel Can’t Control is a blend of romance and suspense, bringing my readers through everything life gives us, including love, loss, and trauma with a happy ending, as I always look to the bright side of what life sends our way.

Before delving into fiction, I wore a different hat: I was a technical trainer, breaking down complex topics into smaller bytes. I like to believe it’s no different than telling a story in a compelling and understandable way for those looking to pursue Security+ certifications. To this day, you can find me browsing the likes of tech news online and listening to the CyberWire Daily.

Reading is about more than simply entertainment; we learn every time we read, regardless of the genre or context.

Reviews

[Miss Bookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love: The One Who Leaves is an emotional, heartfelt story about second chances and the tough choice between love and chasing bigger dreams. The chemistry between the main characters pulled me in, and the little twists kept me hooked. It’s not super steamy, but the emotions hit hard, and side characters made me want more from this world. If you love small-town romances with real, relatable characters, this one’s definitely worth picking up.

[valerieamanda09 · Rating 4 out of 5]

📗 I really enjoyed *The One Who Leaves* by AJ Hotz. It was a fun read, and I’d totally pick it up again. The story takes us through a love that’s found but then lost again because of bigger opportunities. For me, it’s got that vibe of ᵈⁱᵉᵈ ᵈᵃʳᵏ ʳᵒᵐᵃⁿᶜᵉ with a pace that’s just right—not too slow, not too crazy—and not too much steamy stuff, which I like. There were some plot twists I saw coming, but some totally caught me off guard!

[Kailey Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so so good!, it was so hard for me to put it down, fantastic job. The plot, the characters, chefs kiss definitely a book I would recommend.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mildly spicy with some expected and unexpected pieces 🥀 sad Noir is probably my favorite but I'm very interested in the tattoo artist, Hadren