The Appeal (The Appeal, #1)

“If you want to keep a secret, don't put it in an email.”

Everyone in the Fairway Players is lying to themselves. They protect the Haywards because they want to feel close to power. It makes every email feel like a trap.

Issy is so desperate for a friend that she ignores every red flag. Watching her try to fit in with Poppy and the others is just painful. She mistakes pity for genuine affection.

Samantha and Jack came back from Africa to find a town full of polite monsters. They are the only ones asking real questions about the medical fund. Everyone else just wants to host a bake sale.

“Kindness is often just a mask for something much darker.”

Small towns use politeness as a weapon. People hide behind 'dear' and 'best wishes' while destroying someone's life. The passive aggression in these messages is terrifying.