THREE WORLDS (And The Smile Of An Artless Promise) by Ronam DeMilton

Once upon a time, Ronan was just a little boy known affectionately as the youngest cowboy ever. It was fond little tittle, a remnant of a sweet, simple childhood that ended far too soon. Now, that innocence is gone, replaced by the chaotic streets of San Victoria, California.

For a boy who used to dream under open skies, San Victoria is an overwhelming world. Frightened and unable to fit in, Ronan spends his days on constant alert, hiding in the back of his classes to catch his breath from everything that is happening, and everything he left behind. Teetering on the edge of abandoning his sacred promises, he longs for an escape.

Then, a calamity tears through the south of San Victoria.

In the wake of the disaster, the echoing laughter of those Ronan loved becomes a memory too painful for a fourteen-year-old to bear. His sanity collapses. Consumed by grief, the trauma nearly costs him his life.

But fate has other plans. Ronan meets a girl who shines with a different light. Out of the dark smoke of his burning memories, she offers a guiding hand. With unwavering devotion, she sees the weary soul beneath the tiny boots in the golden fields and pulls him back from the fire, refusing to let him give up.

What begins as a seed grown on strange soil blossoms into the brightest season of Ronan's life. But as shadows return, will they be able to hold onto their artless promises?