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To Her - A Messy Second Chance Romance
By Australian Author comes a Sweet Small Town Romance.
She’s spent years learning how to be unbreakable.
But what happens when someone finally sees the cracks?
Geri has built her life around control. Of her image, her past, and the secrets that could unravel her. She keeps people at arm’s length, safe behind sarcasm and strength. Letting someone in was never part of the plan.
Until one wiggles through.
In a coastal town where nothing was meant to change, To Her is a quiet storm of heartbreak and healing, a story of two people, trying to believe in something more. Something safe. Something real.
For anyone who’s ever loved with fear in their chest.
This is for you.
She’s spent years learning how to be unbreakable.
But what happens when someone finally sees the cracks?
Geri has built her life around control. Of her image, her past, and the secrets that could unravel her. She keeps people at arm’s length, safe behind sarcasm and strength. Letting someone in was never part of the plan.
Until one wiggles through.
In a coastal town where nothing was meant to change, To Her is a quiet storm of heartbreak and healing, a story of two people, trying to believe in something more. Something safe. Something real.
For anyone who’s ever loved with fear in their chest.
This is for you.
338 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2025
About the author
Cassandra Doon
81 books92 followersCassandra hates writing about herself in the third person, but here we are. With over 33 novels penned and no signs of stopping, she writes across multiple genres. Unable to be pinned down by just one, you'll find Fantasy, Dark Romance, Young Adult, and even a Detective series in the mix.
Having grown up in a small country town and later lived in the city, Cassandra found a perfect spot she likes to call an 'in-between place'—complete with rolling hills and just a stone's throw from the Gold Coast in Queensland Australia.
While she may have had social media in the past, Cassandra has since declared it's not for her. Her website is now the best place to find out what's happening in her world and to see what upcoming books are on the horizon.
Having grown up in a small country town and later lived in the city, Cassandra found a perfect spot she likes to call an 'in-between place'—complete with rolling hills and just a stone's throw from the Gold Coast in Queensland Australia.
While she may have had social media in the past, Cassandra has since declared it's not for her. Her website is now the best place to find out what's happening in her world and to see what upcoming books are on the horizon.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 2, 2025
heartbreaking. tragic. beautiful. This book had me laugh, cry, and yell at the characters. Fantastic read
July 28, 2025
Emotionally raw and reflective…..
The book is like a mirror held up to the parts of ourselves we hide. For readers who crave emotional honesty and character-driven narratives, this book offers a tender, cathartic experience. Geri the FMC has a messy, raw journey… she's not someone who finds trusting easy and at the same time she has mastered the art of control through hiding herself. Her armour is through isolation and sarcasm and wit. However she chooses to build several relationships that unravel her walls, leaving her soul bare… the male characters she encounter… reflects a different facet of Geri’s emotional landscape—her fears, desires, and the slow process of healing. Recommended reading…
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The book is like a mirror held up to the parts of ourselves we hide. For readers who crave emotional honesty and character-driven narratives, this book offers a tender, cathartic experience. Geri the FMC has a messy, raw journey… she's not someone who finds trusting easy and at the same time she has mastered the art of control through hiding herself. Her armour is through isolation and sarcasm and wit. However she chooses to build several relationships that unravel her walls, leaving her soul bare… the male characters she encounter… reflects a different facet of Geri’s emotional landscape—her fears, desires, and the slow process of healing. Recommended reading…
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 30, 2025
Wow…. I am at lost for words just wow Cassandra you had my emotions from the beginning of reading this book the hurt, the feeling weak, the pain, the running, the feeling of not feeling deserving enough to have some one to love. Man Geri just wow an woman that is independent but also hiding behind a “ mask “ to keep all her secrets from her past until it all comes crashing down and turning to the person she hurt and ran from … To Her really spoke to me and made me think of my own struggles that I have gone through. I thank you because it makes me feel(I don’t know) like I am seen by someone but not really in away.
Three men… Three I say… first Matt I was truly rooting for him like awe so sweet respectfully until she ghost Geri for days and blames stuff and he has the nerve to get mad at my girl Geri for “quote on quote” hooking up with Alex boom second guy phew(they way you described him) hot dog !!! lol… he was all the fun and hooking up Geri needed in my opinion… until the MAN… Con oh sweet baby yesss Con he knew what he wanted and he got it until she hurt him… had me crying and in my emotions because I had so much love for them until one bad decision made Geri run and hurt my poor Con.
I had to write something about my man, my buddy James! The one friend I think everyone in their life time needs to have. James a sweet,loving, fun, crazy, that will make sure you are take care of to feeding you or letting you crash at his place or just hearing each other. But he is also that one friend who will tell you like it is but in a firm sweet kind of way only because cares for you.
And to the end and last chapter you had me crying; Because when she received that letter and it had more added to it omg! the water works came and what it more was when Geri’s mum said "He always knew, didn't he?" she said. "Even when you didn't."
Three men… Three I say… first Matt I was truly rooting for him like awe so sweet respectfully until she ghost Geri for days and blames stuff and he has the nerve to get mad at my girl Geri for “quote on quote” hooking up with Alex boom second guy phew(they way you described him) hot dog !!! lol… he was all the fun and hooking up Geri needed in my opinion… until the MAN… Con oh sweet baby yesss Con he knew what he wanted and he got it until she hurt him… had me crying and in my emotions because I had so much love for them until one bad decision made Geri run and hurt my poor Con.
I had to write something about my man, my buddy James! The one friend I think everyone in their life time needs to have. James a sweet,loving, fun, crazy, that will make sure you are take care of to feeding you or letting you crash at his place or just hearing each other. But he is also that one friend who will tell you like it is but in a firm sweet kind of way only because cares for you.
And to the end and last chapter you had me crying; Because when she received that letter and it had more added to it omg! the water works came and what it more was when Geri’s mum said "He always knew, didn't he?" she said. "Even when you didn't."
July 1, 2025
I had a hard time trying to decide what my rating would be for this book. I leaned towards 3.75 and just rounded up to 4. This was a very different read than what I typically pick up. Geri is a character filled with flaws and conflicting emotions which makes her very relatable in many ways. I think we all strive to find a man as understanding and supportive as Con. Overall, I enjoyed the read. Please make sure to check all TWs before reading because this book handles some very sensitive topics.
August 8, 2025
ARC REVIEW: To Her
Rating: 4.5 stars
Release: 1st July 2025
💌 Slow Burn That Hurts (in the best way)
🕰 Right Person, Wrong Time
🫂 Found Family Energy
🖤 Damaged but Healing FMC
🕊 Patient Love Interest
🩹 Friends-to-Lovers… eventually👀
💊 Addiction & Recovery Arc
CW: Sexual assault, abuse, addiction, relapse, cheating, mental health struggles
⸻
P.S. The topic of this book was a bit too difficult to read in last few months, with some issues hitting too close to home. so I appreciate the time and understanding given to me before I could really bring myself to read and process it. Grateful to finally share my thoughts—sometimes the timing matters just as much as the story itself.
Now, how do I even start to review this book?
.
.
.
To Her isn’t gentle. It doesn’t wait for you to be ready. It cracks open the quiet hidden places you didnt even know existed in u- whether you want it or not. This is a story of survival in its most raw form—clumsy, exhausting, but somehow still beautiful.
🎭 Geri
She’s not here to be your flawless hero. She’s here to be like us. human. Messy, sharp-tongued, sometimes reckless, but always and truly painfully real. She’s mastered hiding in plain sight, placing the mask which she thought kept her safe. The part where I was watching her start to choose—hesitantly—to be seen was the thread that stitched this story together for me.
🔥 The Romance
Slow burn doesn’t even cover it—it’s a faint glowing ember under the firewood, which you almost miss until you realise it’s been burning there all along. You have a truly MMC who shows true patience. A love built of fearful bravery. There are detours and mistakes, toxic relationships and hurt, but like we all hope for, there is love discovered in the end
💊 The Recovery
There’s no miracle cure here. Like all illness and struggle, there are slips. Relapse happens. The hard days start to outnumber the easy ones. Yet, just like Geri and Con’s relationship; there is a fragile, persistent kind of hope that refuses to die, even when everything else seems too much. I admire the way recovery is chosen again and again, no matter how many times she falls again.
⸻
And those letters? I’ll just say this: they don’t break you in one blow but it stays for much much longer.
⸻
Final thoughts:
If you’ve ever had to rebuild yourself from the inside out, this book will feel like someone put that journey into words. Heavy, a bit dark, but with the kind of hope you earn as you read on, not the kind you’re just handed.
For my dark romance, emotional trauma, healing love readers or just anyone who wants something painstakingly beautiful and unfiltered,
Thank you to Booksirens and Cassandra Doon for the free ARC of this book. It was a journey I don’t think I’ll forget.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Release: 1st July 2025
💌 Slow Burn That Hurts (in the best way)
🕰 Right Person, Wrong Time
🫂 Found Family Energy
🖤 Damaged but Healing FMC
🕊 Patient Love Interest
🩹 Friends-to-Lovers… eventually👀
💊 Addiction & Recovery Arc
CW: Sexual assault, abuse, addiction, relapse, cheating, mental health struggles
⸻
P.S. The topic of this book was a bit too difficult to read in last few months, with some issues hitting too close to home. so I appreciate the time and understanding given to me before I could really bring myself to read and process it. Grateful to finally share my thoughts—sometimes the timing matters just as much as the story itself.
Now, how do I even start to review this book?
.
.
.
To Her isn’t gentle. It doesn’t wait for you to be ready. It cracks open the quiet hidden places you didnt even know existed in u- whether you want it or not. This is a story of survival in its most raw form—clumsy, exhausting, but somehow still beautiful.
🎭 Geri
She’s not here to be your flawless hero. She’s here to be like us. human. Messy, sharp-tongued, sometimes reckless, but always and truly painfully real. She’s mastered hiding in plain sight, placing the mask which she thought kept her safe. The part where I was watching her start to choose—hesitantly—to be seen was the thread that stitched this story together for me.
🔥 The Romance
Slow burn doesn’t even cover it—it’s a faint glowing ember under the firewood, which you almost miss until you realise it’s been burning there all along. You have a truly MMC who shows true patience. A love built of fearful bravery. There are detours and mistakes, toxic relationships and hurt, but like we all hope for, there is love discovered in the end
💊 The Recovery
There’s no miracle cure here. Like all illness and struggle, there are slips. Relapse happens. The hard days start to outnumber the easy ones. Yet, just like Geri and Con’s relationship; there is a fragile, persistent kind of hope that refuses to die, even when everything else seems too much. I admire the way recovery is chosen again and again, no matter how many times she falls again.
⸻
And those letters? I’ll just say this: they don’t break you in one blow but it stays for much much longer.
⸻
Final thoughts:
If you’ve ever had to rebuild yourself from the inside out, this book will feel like someone put that journey into words. Heavy, a bit dark, but with the kind of hope you earn as you read on, not the kind you’re just handed.
For my dark romance, emotional trauma, healing love readers or just anyone who wants something painstakingly beautiful and unfiltered,
Thank you to Booksirens and Cassandra Doon for the free ARC of this book. It was a journey I don’t think I’ll forget.
January 23, 2026
I devoured this book in a single day and have absolutely no regrets.
To Her is a stunning, gut wrenching story about facing your demons, rising from the ashes, and confronting addiction head-on. Geri’s journey to healing hit deeply. It was messy, raw, painful, and so undeniably real. Nothing was sugar coated, and that’s what made it so powerful.
I listened to this on audio and completely fell in love with the narrator. Every emotion landed harder. This book wrecked me, tears were shed, my chest ached, and more than once it felt like a dagger straight to the heart. I have never wanted a FMC to get her happily ever after more than I wanted it for Geri. The final 20 minutes had me full on sobbing.
This is second chance romance done right.
What I loved most was that Geri did the work. The therapy. The rock bottom. The painful climb back up. Her healing was earned, not handed to her. And then there’s Con…the constant in her life. The man who never gave up on her, even when she let him go. His quiet presence and unwavering love were everything.
Reading the author’s acknowledgement at the end and learning how much of this story mirrored Cassandra Doon’s own life made the experience even more meaningful. I felt honoured to read it and incredibly grateful to experience such honest, courageous writing.
I’m so glad I saw Cassandra’s TikTok and dove straight in. This book is a masterpiece, it’s devastating, hopeful, and unforgettable.
To Her is a stunning, gut wrenching story about facing your demons, rising from the ashes, and confronting addiction head-on. Geri’s journey to healing hit deeply. It was messy, raw, painful, and so undeniably real. Nothing was sugar coated, and that’s what made it so powerful.
I listened to this on audio and completely fell in love with the narrator. Every emotion landed harder. This book wrecked me, tears were shed, my chest ached, and more than once it felt like a dagger straight to the heart. I have never wanted a FMC to get her happily ever after more than I wanted it for Geri. The final 20 minutes had me full on sobbing.
This is second chance romance done right.
What I loved most was that Geri did the work. The therapy. The rock bottom. The painful climb back up. Her healing was earned, not handed to her. And then there’s Con…the constant in her life. The man who never gave up on her, even when she let him go. His quiet presence and unwavering love were everything.
Reading the author’s acknowledgement at the end and learning how much of this story mirrored Cassandra Doon’s own life made the experience even more meaningful. I felt honoured to read it and incredibly grateful to experience such honest, courageous writing.
I’m so glad I saw Cassandra’s TikTok and dove straight in. This book is a masterpiece, it’s devastating, hopeful, and unforgettable.
January 11, 2026
I AM A MESS. This story is real, raw and beautiful. I admit I was a sobbing mess in the end and found it very confronting, but I adored it and it was needed.
Yes, I did want to punch and yell at the FMC Geri, because she was me.
Struggling with addiction and running away instead of dealing with her emotions, problems and feelings. This is a story that I’m certain most women will be able to connect with, not necessarily for the same reasons as Geri, but I highly recommend, you may cry, you may not, but absolutely you will being going through a thousand different emotions.
Loved, adored, absolutely fantastic
Yes, I did want to punch and yell at the FMC Geri, because she was me.
Struggling with addiction and running away instead of dealing with her emotions, problems and feelings. This is a story that I’m certain most women will be able to connect with, not necessarily for the same reasons as Geri, but I highly recommend, you may cry, you may not, but absolutely you will being going through a thousand different emotions.
Loved, adored, absolutely fantastic
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews