When Becky Barnes rolled back into town, nobody was waiting. Not her sister Clara. Not the past she ran from. And certainly not the life she thought she left behind. But Glitter, the powerful novel by Eliza Grace Howard, doesn’t open its arms to simple homecomings. This is a story about showing up with empty hands and a full heart, about dragging your ghosts to the front porch and knocking anyway.
She came back broke. No job, no car, no welcome. But the next day, Becky marched out and landed the only thing she knew how to get, a microphone and a setlist at Jake Reed’s roadside club. The place was rough. So was the deal. But when survivals on the line, pride gets quiet.
The Deal That Stings
Becky needed wheels. She played her charm like a worn-out record at the used car lot and walked out with a test drive, no down payment, no paperwork, just a wink and a promise. That’s when the night turned. She took her body, her voice, and her dignity to Jake Reed’s office and asked for one thing: a shot.
He made her sing. Right there, under a dead ceiling fan and a pair of hungry eyes. When she nailed it, he clapped. Then offered her a weekend gig. Then pulled out a roll of cash, and held it just out of reach.
If she wanted the money up front, she’d have to “earn it.” Old rules. Ugly terms. But she needed the cash. And like every hard choice in this town, it wasn’t really a choice at all. Becky Barnes took the deal.
What Nobody Knows
She didn’t come home just to sing. That’s the part no one knew. The real reason she came back was barely a whisper when it left her lips. Benjie. Her son. The boy she left behind when she followed the spotlight and never looked back. Now he’s fourteen, and he doesn’t know her face. Doesn’t know her name. But she remembers him every time she closes her eyes.
Clara warned her: Leave it alone. You can’t waltz back into someone’s life just because your regrets keep you up at night. But Becky’s done waiting for permission.
The Spark Before the Fire
Glitter isn’t about redemption wrapped in a bow. It’s about broken people doing what they can with what’s left. Eliza Grace Howard doesn’t give her characters easy outs. The world they live in has teeth. If you want love, you bleed for it. Becky Barnes isn’t a hero. But she’s real. She’s flawed. She’s trying. And sometimes, trying is the most dangerous thing a person can do.
Don’t miss this gripping, emotionally charged story from Eliza Grace Howard. Get your copy of Glitter today, available now on Amazon and the author’s official website.