Black Heart(s) - Paperback

After months of odd symptoms and countless doctors, Rachel Heltin's self-proclaimed black heart has decayed into an incurable tumor. In a chance encounter at a concert, cardiologist Dr. Dave Trenton breaks the news along with a six-month death sentence.

Always the one to run away when things get tough, she escapes to the southern coast of Portugal to put as much distance between herself and the brutal reality awaiting back home. With her parents in tow and the secret of her diagnosis stashed away in a trusty carry-on, Rachel's hoping thirty years of heartache can finally be reconciled and all the horrible rifts she's created will heal before it's too late.

Her secret is jeopardized when that frustratingly attractive cardiologist along with his mother show up at the same beachside cafe upending all Rachel's plans. But somewhere between the seaside cliffs and ancient castles, Dave's own scarred past helps Rachel view life beyond the days left on a limited calendar.