When Nora Sullivan's rent skyrockets and single dad Leo Chen receives a notice that threatens the life he's built for his daughter, neither of them can afford to keep going alone.
Their solution is simple: share a house, split the bills, and pretend to be a couple long enough to quiet the questions.
No romance.
No complications.
Just a practical arrangement between two exhausted adults trying to survive.
But life has other plans.
As school events, family dinners, bedtime stories, and everyday moments begin to blur the lines between pretending and reality, Nora discovers that Leo's quiet strength hides fears he rarely shares. Leo, meanwhile, finds himself drawn to a woman who refuses to walk away when things get hard.
Together, they create something neither expected-a home filled with laughter, second chances, and the kind of love that grows slowly, one ordinary day at a time.
But when old wounds, hidden fears, and a custody battle threaten everything they've built, Nora and Leo must decide whether the life they've created is worth fighting for-or whether some promises are too fragile to survive the truth.
Heartwarming, emotional, and deeply uplifting, The Stay-at-Home Pact is a moving contemporary romance about healing after heartbreak, finding family in unexpected places, and discovering that sometimes the people who change your life are the ones who simply choose to stay.
Perfect for readers who love slow-burn romance, found family, single-parent love stories, and emotionally rich relationships that feel beautifully real.
Because sometimes the best relationships don't begin with a spark. They begin with a promise.