The Big Easy, The Big Apple, And Us

Book 1, Chapters of Us

By: Karen Kazimer Shockley

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Emma Smith, a sharp and driven marketing executive from New York, prides herself on order, structure, and a perfectly planned life. But when a chaotic morning at a professional convention leads to her spilling coffee on a charming Ohio bookstore owner, Jake Miller, her well-organized world is suddenly thrown into disarray.

Jake, with his easygoing nature and undeniable charm, thrives on spontaneity and competition—something Emma quickly learns firsthand when she invites him to a casual game night. What starts as friendly fun soon spirals into an all-out battle of charades, trivia, and Pictionary, with Jake’s ultra-competitive streak sending the evening into comedic chaos. Despite the madness, Emma finds herself drawn to the unexpected joy of the night, and to Jake himself.

When fate throws them together once again for a scavenger hunt through the lively streets of New Orleans, Emma is forced to embrace adventure in ways she never imagined. Between powdered-sugar-dusted beignets, laughter-filled missteps, and deep conversations by the Mississippi River, she begins to see that unpredictability might not be so bad after all.
But as the convention nears its end and reality calls them back to their separate lives, Emma must decide whether to stick to the safe, structured path she’s always known—or take a leap of faith into the unknown with Jake.

Full of humor, romance, and heart, this story is a delightful journey of opposites attracting, unexpected adventures, and discovering that sometimes, the best things in life come when you least expect them.