From the author of Things That Break Us comes a raw, emotionally charged novel about first love, marriage, addiction, and the secrets we keep from the people closest to us. Part love story, part psychological drama, and part family drama, The War Inside explores how far we'll go to hide the parts of ourselves we're most afraid to face.
Twenty-eight-year-old fitness influencer Carly Adams appears to have it all: a devoted husband, a successful career as a star instructor at Fuel Your Soul, and a massive social media following built on messages of body positivity and self-love. But it's all a lie. Behind the curated images and inspirational posts, Carly is trapped in a cycle of exercise bulimia, punishing herself with obsessive workouts and dangerous calorie restriction.
When the woman who shattered her family unexpectedly walks into one of her classes, Carly snaps-quitting live on-air and blowing up the carefully constructed life she's built.
Her husband, Chase, is on the verge of realizing his own dream: opening a restaurant in New York City. But beneath his polished exterior lies a growing dependence on alcohol and pills, fueled by the childhood abandonment he's never truly faced.
Told across dual timelines, The War Inside traces the teen years of Carly and Chase's love story on the Jersey Shore while unraveling the addictions, family secrets, and generational trauma now threatening everything they've built. As the walls they've spent years hiding behind begin to crumble, they must decide whether facing the truth will destroy their marriage-or finally set them free.
A poignant novel about addiction, body image, marriage, forgiveness, and the invisible battles we fight every day, The War Inside is a reminder that the deepest wounds are often the ones no one can see.
And that sometimes, the greatest act of courage isn't fighting harder...
...but finally choosing to let go.