Choices and Consequences

The story opens with Celeste Carver, a poised and strategic woman raised as a pawn in her powerful family's political games. She's been groomed to be a tool for her family's ambitions, but she's also fiercely independent, craving meaning and connection. Her arrival in Louisiana to visit her best friend Ivy sets the stage for a collision of old loyalties and new desires. Surrounded by Ivy's found family—four ex-Navy SEALs who now run a covert organization called KORT—Celeste is forced to confront the consequences of her upbringing, her family's secrets, and the dangerous world she's been thrust into. Every choice she makes, from what she wears to whom she trusts, ripples outward, shaping her fate and the lives of those around her.

Pawn to Queen

Celeste's family has always viewed her as a pawn, but her brother Ben once told her that a pawn can become a queen—the most powerful piece on the board. This idea haunts her as she navigates the expectations of her family, who want her to marry into political power, and the reality of her own desires. Her time with Ivy and the KORT men, especially the enigmatic and dangerous Liam Graves, awakens her to the possibility of claiming her own agency. As she's drawn deeper into their world, Celeste begins to see herself not as a pawn, but as a queen—capable of making her own moves, protecting those she loves, and seizing power on her own terms.

Dangerous Reunions

Celeste's reunion with Ivy is both joyful and fraught. The house is filled with Ivy's unconventional family: her husband Wells, and his closest friends Ty, Gage, and Liam. Each man is fiercely protective, and their world is one of secrets, violence, and unwavering loyalty. Celeste's presence stirs up old rivalries and new attractions, especially with Liam, whose antagonism masks a deep, magnetic pull. As Celeste tries to fit in, she's also forced to confront the reality that her family's enemies are now her own, and that danger lurks closer than she ever imagined.

The Golden God

Liam Graves is a study in contradictions: a self-made man, haunted by a brutal past, and now a key player in KORT's shadowy operations. His relationship with Celeste is electric—equal parts antagonism and desire. Both are drawn to each other's strength and vulnerability, but their connection is fraught with mistrust and the baggage of their respective histories. Liam's possessiveness and Celeste's defiance create a combustible dynamic, one that threatens to consume them both as they circle each other, unable to let go.

Secrets Beneath the Surface

As Celeste spends more time with Ivy and the KORT crew, she uncovers layers of secrets: her father's criminal dealings, the true nature of KORT, and the existence of a mysterious black book that could bring down powerful men. Her family's insistence on arranging her marriage to a political suitor is revealed to be less about love and more about consolidating power and protecting their own. Meanwhile, Celeste's own desires—to be seen, to be loved for who she is—clash with the roles she's been forced to play.

The Loyalty Test

KORT's world is one of constant danger, and trust is a rare commodity. When Celeste is targeted by enemies seeking the black book, she's forced to prove her loyalty—not just to Liam, but to the entire family. A staged FBI interrogation, orchestrated as a loyalty test, pushes her to her limits. She must choose between betraying her family or the people she's come to love. Her quick thinking and strategic mind allow her to outmaneuver her interrogators, but the ordeal leaves her shaken and forever changed.

Blood and Betrayal

The threats against Celeste become all too real when she's kidnapped by a rival organization, the Skulls, and nearly killed. Ivy, ever loyal, throws herself into danger to stay by Celeste's side. The KORT men launch a brutal rescue, leaving a trail of bodies in their wake. But the violence doesn't end there: old betrayals resurface, and Celeste learns that her brother Ben's death was no accident. The people she thought she could trust—Easton Lancaster, her brother's best friend, and others—are revealed to be complicit in the web of lies and murder that has haunted her family for years.

The Black Book

The black book, a ledger of corruption and secrets, becomes the key to everything. Ben left Celeste a series of cryptic clues, hidden in a stack of books and a chess puzzle, leading her to its location. With the help of Liam, Gage, and Rex, Celeste unearths the book in Colorado, only to discover that its contents implicate not just her family, but powerful figures across the country—including the very organizations meant to protect her. The book is both a weapon and a curse, and possessing it puts a target on Celeste's back.

Carving Out Power

No longer content to be a pawn, Celeste steps into her power. She negotiates with KORT, navigates the treacherous politics of her family and their enemies, and makes impossible choices to protect those she loves. Her relationship with Liam deepens, becoming a partnership of equals—each willing to fight, kill, and sacrifice for the other. Together, they carve out a space for themselves in a world that would rather see them destroyed.

The Family We Choose

At the heart of the story is the idea that family is not just blood, but the people who show up for you when it matters most. Celeste finds a home with Ivy, Wells, Ty, Gage, and especially Liam. Their loyalty is fierce, their love unconditional, and their willingness to fight for each other absolute. Even as they face loss, betrayal, and the constant threat of violence, they hold fast to each other, creating a new kind of family—one built on choice, not obligation.

The Price of Protection

The world Celeste has chosen is one of constant danger. The deaths of her longtime bodyguards, the trauma of violence, and the ever-present threat of betrayal weigh heavily on her. She learns that protection comes at a price—sometimes paid in blood, sometimes in the loss of innocence. But she also discovers that true safety comes not from walls or weapons, but from the people who would do anything to keep her safe.

The Queen's Gambit

Drawing on her chess champion past, Celeste uses her intellect and cunning to outmaneuver her enemies and secure her place in KORT. She deciphers Ben's clues, negotiates with power brokers, and makes the ultimate gambit: choosing love and loyalty over fear and self-preservation. Her transformation from pawn to queen is complete, and she becomes a force to be reckoned with—respected, feared, and, above all, loved.

Love in the Crosshairs

Amidst the violence and intrigue, the love story between Celeste and Liam burns hot. Their relationship is raw, passionate, and often tumultuous—marked by power struggles, vulnerability, and a deep, abiding need for each other. Sex becomes both a battleground and a sanctuary, a place where they can be fully themselves. Their love is tested by jealousy, danger, and the ghosts of their pasts, but it endures, growing stronger with every trial.

The Sunrise Promise

Liam's promise to Celeste—to always be her sunrise, to show up no matter how dark things get—becomes the anchor of their relationship. Together, they learn to trust, to heal, and to believe in a future beyond pain and loss. The sunrise becomes a symbol of hope, a reminder that even in the darkest night, love can bring light.

Claiming the Untouchable

To secure Celeste's safety and her place in KORT, she and Liam must marry. The ceremony is both a celebration and a declaration of war: by claiming Celeste as his own, Liam makes her untouchable, protected by the full force of KORT. Their wedding is a testament to the power of chosen family, and the lengths they will go to protect each other.

The Final Move

The story reaches its climax as Liam and the KORT crew exact brutal revenge on those who betrayed Celeste and her family. The hearts of her brother's killers are literally delivered to her as a wedding gift—a macabre but fitting symbol of justice in their world. With the black book secured and their enemies vanquished, Celeste and Liam can finally look to the future.

Hearts and Graves

The ghosts of Celeste's past—her brother, her family's expectations, her own fears—are finally laid to rest. She and Liam carve out a new life together, one built on love, loyalty, and the hard-won knowledge that happiness is possible, even in a world of darkness.

Home at Last

The story ends with Celeste and Liam, surrounded by their chosen family, finally at home. Their love, tested by fire and blood, has endured. Together, they have carved graves for their old selves and built a new life—one where they are both queen and king, partners in every sense, and, above all, home.

Characters

Celeste Carver

Celeste is the daughter of a powerful, secretive family, raised to be a pawn in their political games. Haunted by the death of her beloved brother Ben and the weight of her family's expectations, she is both vulnerable and strong. Her journey is one of transformation: from pawn to queen, from object to agent, from lonely survivor to beloved partner. Her intelligence, wit, and capacity for love make her both a formidable player and a deeply human heroine. Her relationship with Liam is the crucible in which she is both broken and remade, and her loyalty to her chosen family is the anchor that keeps her from drifting into darkness.

Liam Graves

Liam is a self-made man, scarred by a brutal childhood in the foster system and years as a Navy SEAL. Now a key figure in KORT, he is both protector and predator—capable of great tenderness and shocking violence. His love for Celeste is obsessive, possessive, and redemptive; she is the one person who sees him, who makes him believe he is worthy of love. Liam's journey is one of learning to trust, to let himself be vulnerable, and to fight not just for survival, but for happiness. His promise to always show up for Celeste, to be her sunrise, is both his greatest strength and his deepest fear.

Ivy Kingston Wells

Ivy is Celeste's childhood best friend and the wife of Wells, KORT's leader. A survivor of trauma and loss, Ivy is both whimsical and steely, able to find beauty in darkness and strength in vulnerability. Her loyalty to Celeste is unwavering, and her ability to bring people together is the glue that holds the family together. Ivy's journey is one of healing, of learning to trust again, and of building a new kind of family from the ashes of the old.

Wells Kingston

Wells is the head of KORT and Ivy's husband. A natural leader, he is both commanding and compassionate, able to inspire loyalty and fear in equal measure. His relationship with Ivy is the model for the kind of love Celeste and Liam aspire to—a partnership of equals, forged in fire and tested by adversity. Wells is both a father figure and a brother to the men of KORT, and his wisdom and strength are the foundation of their world.

Ty Reynolds

Ty is one of the KORT men, known for his kindness and emotional intelligence. Haunted by his own past, he is especially protective of women and children, running a shelter for abuse survivors. Ty's friendship with Celeste is a source of comfort and support, and his ability to see the best in people makes him a vital part of the family.

Gage Porter

Gage is the muscle of the group, intimidating and often blunt, but with a deep well of loyalty and love for his chosen family. His bond with Celeste grows over time, and his willingness to do whatever it takes to protect those he loves is both his greatest strength and his greatest vulnerability.

Frank Carver

Celeste's father, Frank, is a powerful man with deep ties to criminal organizations. He loves his daughter, but his inability to protect her from the dangers of his world is a source of guilt and regret. His relationship with Celeste is fraught, marked by both love and the burden of secrets.

Ava Carver

Celeste's mother, Ava, is a survivor who clawed her way out of poverty to marry into power. She is both a source of comfort and a reminder of the costs of ambition. Her advice to Celeste—to never let them see, always keep them guessing, and play their game—echoes throughout the story.

Ben Carver

Though dead before the story begins, Ben's presence looms large. His death is the wound that shapes Celeste's life, and the clues he leaves behind are the key to unraveling the mystery at the heart of the story. Ben's love for Celeste, and his belief in her potential, are the spark that ignites her transformation.

Easton Lancaster

Once Ben's best friend and Celeste's first lover, Easton is revealed to be complicit in Ben's death and the web of secrets that ensnare the Carver family. His betrayal is both a personal and a political wound, and his eventual death is both justice and tragedy.

Plot Devices

Dual POV and Nonlinear Revelation

The story is told in dual POV, alternating between Celeste and Liam, allowing readers to see both the external events and the internal struggles of the main characters. Nonlinear revelations—clues from the past, hidden messages, and the gradual unspooling of secrets—create a sense of suspense and inevitability. The use of chess as a metaphor for power, strategy, and transformation is woven throughout, mirroring Celeste's journey from pawn to queen.

The Black Book as MacGuffin

The black book is the central MacGuffin—a physical object that everyone wants, and that holds the power to destroy or protect. Its contents implicate powerful men, including Celeste's own family, and its discovery is both a blessing and a curse. The search for the book, and the clues left by Ben, provide the structure for the story's central mystery.

Loyalty Tests and Initiation Rites

The world of KORT is one of constant testing—of loyalty, of courage, of love. Celeste's loyalty test, orchestrated as an FBI interrogation, is both a plot device and a crucible for her character. The initiation rites of KORT—marriage, claiming, and the delivery of hearts as a wedding gift—are both shocking and symbolic, marking the transition from outsider to insider, from pawn to queen.

Found Family and Chosen Bonds

The story is structured around the idea of found family—people who choose each other, who fight for each other, and who create a home in the midst of chaos. The bonds between Celeste, Liam, Ivy, Wells, and the rest are tested by danger and betrayal, but ultimately endure. The contrast between blood family and chosen family is a recurring motif, and the story's resolution is as much about belonging as it is about survival.

Symbolism and Motifs

Chess is the central metaphor, representing power, strategy, and transformation. The sunrise is a symbol of hope and the promise to always show up, anchoring the love story. Carving—both literal and metaphorical—represents the act of shaping one's own destiny, of making meaning from pain, and of building something new from the ruins of the past.

Analysis

Carving Graves is a dark, contemporary romance that explores the intersection of power, trauma, and love in a world where violence and loyalty are two sides of the same coin. At its core, the novel is about transformation: Celeste's journey from pawn to queen, from object to agent, from survivor to partner. The story interrogates the costs of protection, the price of loyalty, and the ways in which love can both wound and heal. Through its use of dual POV, nonlinear revelation, and rich symbolism, the novel invites readers to consider the ways in which we are shaped by our choices, our families, and the people we choose to call home. The lessons are clear: true power comes from agency, true safety from loyalty, and true love from the willingness to show up, even in the darkest night. In the end, Carving Graves is both a love story and a meditation on the ways we carve meaning—and hope—from the graves of our past.

Last updated: July 22, 2025