COMING SEPTEMBER 22, 2026
SOME WARS ARE FOUGHT IN SILENCE.
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, haunted 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 often the deepest wounds are the ones no one can see.
And that sometimes, the greatest act of courage isn’t fighting harder…
…but in finally choosing to let go.
Read the Debut Novel
THINGS THAT BREAK US
SOME TRUTHS ONLY REVEAL THEMSELVES WHEN EVERYTHING ELSE FALLS APART.
Tessa Williams is doing everything right—at least on the surface. At twenty-five, she’s an American medical student, fulfilling her father’s dreams, completing a clinical rotation in Botswana, Africa. But beneath her polished exterior, she’s unraveling—haunted by an abusive relationship, burdened by expectations, and increasingly unsure of what she wants for herself.
Reviews
In the Words of Readers
“I loved this book! A moving story about discovering yourself and being true to who you really are.”Read More
NetGalley Reviewer
“What a tear-jerker—but joyful too. A powerful story about choices, love, and hope.”Read More
NetGalley Reviewer
“I have never cried more while reading a book. It’s an amazing, thought-provoking story with the perfect ending.”Read More
NetGalley Reviewer
A poignant and thought-provoking novel that explores the complexities of human relationships and resilience… A compelling read that will resonate with anyone who’s experienced heartbreak...Read More
NetGalley Reviewer
I loved this book! A moving story
“I loved this book! A moving story about discovering yourself and being true to who you really are.”
NetGalley Reviewer
What a tear-jerker—but joyful too
“What a tear-jerker—but joyful too. A powerful story about choices, love, and hope.”
NetGalley Reviewer
I have never cried more while reading a book
“I have never cried more while reading a book. It’s an amazing, thought-provoking story with the perfect ending.”
NetGalley Reviewer
A poignant and thought-provoking novel
A poignant and thought-provoking novel that explores the complexities of human relationships and resilience… A compelling read that will resonate with anyone who’s experienced heartbreak or struggle.
NetGalley Reviewer
About
Lisa Felkins
Hi, and thanks for stopping by! I’m Lisa Felkins—nurse practitioner, mom, fellow messy human and debut author of Things That Break Us.
I write general fiction with a strong romantic core—stories about women navigating the complexities of love, life, and the choices that define who we are. This space is where I share my work, updates on new projects, and a little behind-the-scenes glimpse into the stories I love to tell.
Whether you’re here as a fellow reader, a book lover, or someone curious about the journey behind the page, I’m so glad you’re here. Feel free to explore, sign up for my newsletter, or reach out and say hello. I’d love to connect.
Welcome—and happy reading!
Want to hear more from Lisa Felkins?
Sign up with your email address to receive news,
updates, and exclusive content.
A family friend recently died and it brought some of the trauma of my early grief to the surface. Two years and two months into my own loss, here are
I am driving my six-year-old daughter to the pediatrician.She’s in the backseat, breathing fast, labored.I’ve been up all night watching her
People often ask why I wrote Things That Break Us. Sometimes I give the short answer: that I sat down in front of my computer during the pandemic and
On Friday, my elementary school kids had a lockdown. Not a drill. A real one that lasted hours because three armed men were loose in our suburban
Pub Day: On Holding Joy and Grief Together Today, my debut novel Things That Break Us steps out into the world. It follows yesterday, the two-year

