Suitcase Hearts and Side-Street Maps: Guides, Guests, and the Tour That Changed Everything

Claire Benton was once a viral travel influencer—until a scandal stripped her of her name, her career, and her sense of self. Now hiding in a quiet town under a borrowed identity, she keeps her head down while freelancing for a barely-breathing walking-tour company. No cameras. No followers. Just silence.

Reid Forrester used to map the world—until his sister’s death left him grounded in grief and a shrinking town he can’t seem to let go of. He doesn’t trust filters, hashtags, or people who chase attention instead of truth. Especially not the new hire with shadows behind her eyes and stories she won’t tell.

But when a famous guest books a private tour with a hidden agenda, Claire and Reid must work together to craft a decoy itinerary. What begins as a protective lie leads them into the town’s long-forgotten alleys, revealing an unsolved mystery, a buried mural, and a fragile partnership that might mean more than either of them expected.

As the lines between past and present blur, and trust becomes more than a strategy, Claire must decide if she can rewrite her story—or if disappearing is the only way to survive.

Can two people with fractured pasts draw a map toward healing, or will the truth break what’s just beginning to bloom?

© 2025 Velvet Ink Press (Ebook): 6610001017217

Release date

Ebook: August 15, 2025