For a young woman whose time is running out, a healing trip to a dreamlike town becomes a nightmare of dark secrets, twisted obsessions, and inescapable truths in this propulsive speculative thriller.

Evangeline Windemere knows love. Despite her wealthy mother’s objections, it’s her rebellious boyfriend, Slater, who’s always been there for her. But Evangeline is struggling with a mysterious illness. Hovering between life and death, her only hope is in the compellingly handsome, silver-eyed Dr. Sebastian Blithe. He knows what’s best for Evangeline.

A restorative stay in Dr. Blithe’s estate in the remote town of Paradise will work wonders. With hills of grass uncommonly green for the desert, quaint shops, and fresh air, it’s like a dream come true. But something is wrong. Sebastian’s staff is evasive, and the town’s residents seem to revere the altruistic doctor. Then come the whispered warnings that Evangeline is not safe. When a strange marking appears on her flesh, Evangeline fears she’s awakening the dark side of Paradise.

Now Evangeline must search for the truth. As Slater journeys to Paradise to rescue her, the fate that awaits him and Evangeline is written in the stars…and in blood.

Brittany Amara is the author of The Bleeding Woods, as well as a screenwriter, an actress, and a model with a passion for stories that bend reality as we know it. She loves writing about curious creatures, alien worlds, other dimensions, and all things playfully wicked. When she’s not working on something new, she can be found stargazing, collecting stuffed animals, and baking pumpkin bread. Brittany grew up in the Bronx, New York, graduated summa cum laude from SUNY New Paltz in 2021, and received a master’s with distinction from Queen’s University Belfast in 2025. Her work in various genres has been recognized by film festivals and writing competitions across the globe. Brittany believes love—be it platonic, romantic, or for oneself—is a force that can save galaxies. With her novels, she hopes to inspire the whole world to believe in it, too. For more information, visit https://brittanyamara.wixsite.com/my-site.