Book Title: LOVING ANNABELLE
Character Name: Annabelle Hayes (main female character)
How would you describe your family or your childhood?
My childhood was fairly normal. I was the smart kid, the overachiever, and the one who always had a plan. My parents have always been loving and supportive. But after my life was turned upside down at seventeen, they started to treat me like I was too fragile for my own body. I get it, I’d be terrified if I were them. But I miss the days when we were just parent and child. Now it feels more like caretakers and patient.
What was your greatest talent?
I’ll say coding and anything computational. I had a streak of being the undisputed top of my class… until a certain basketball captain with annoyingly neat handwriting decided to steal my spot on the Dean’s list.
Significant other?
The basketball captain who stole my spot on the Dean’s list – Ethan Witford. And just before you judge me, our relationship is still fresh, and it was really hard fighting my feelings for him. He’s so kind and he pays attention to the little details. I could do without the terrible dad jokes though.
Biggest challenge in relationships?
Letting people in.
When you’re terminally ill with a 50/50 survival chance, your first instinct is to push people away. You convince yourself that you’re doing them a favor… that you’re protecting them from the burden of you.
Where do you live?
Currently? Mostly in my bedroom, which has slowly turned into a medical recovery suite.
But in my head, I live in the Westwood library, or in the back booth of the local café, or on the deck of a liveboard boat at sunset.
Do you have any enemies?
I pride myself in being witty but unproblematic, however, cancer seems to be after my life… literally. So, it’s up there on my list of enemies.
There’s also Sienna, Ethan’s ex. She has a habit of causing drama which is inconvenient since I’m constantly low on energy.
How do you feel about the place where you are now? Is there something you are particularly attached to, or particularly repelled by, in this place?
I hate hospitals; the antiseptic smell, the fluorescent lights, the way everyone speaks in hushed voices. It reminds me of everything I can’t control.
My cancer support group on the other hand, that’s my safe space. Nobody looks at me with pity, because everyone there is fighting a similar battle.
Do you have children, pets, both, or neither?
Neither. Unless you count Captain Buttons – my childhood teddy bear who is missing an arm and currently lives on my bookshelf. And before anyone makes a joke about it, Captain Buttons is a respected member of the Hayes family.
What do you do for a living?
I’m a final-year computer engineering student at Westwood University. Or at least, I’m trying to be. Right now, my full-time job is trying to outsmart my own blood count and keep my GPA up.
Greatest disappointment?
Getting sick. And no, it’s not about the cancer itself… there’s no shame in being ill. I’m just disappointed because of how I had to put my life on pause.
Greatest source of joy?
I can’t choose between finishing a good book and the love and support from my family and friends.
What do you do to entertain yourself or have fun?
I read a lot. I also enjoy arguing about literature. I’m currently reading Beartown with Ethan, and I know there’s going to be a lot of arguing once we discuss the book.
I also spend an embarrassing amount of time daydreaming about a trip to Peru.
What is your greatest personal failing, in your view?
I always anticipate the worst. I’m so used to getting disappointed (by fate, doctors and the donor tests) that I refuse to hope for things. I build walls to protect myself, but sometimes I build them so high that I lock out the people who actually care.
What keeps you awake at night?
The ticking of the clock. Literally and figuratively. It’s hard to sleep when you feel like you’re running out of time, or when you’re wondering if the happiness you’ve found is just borrowed.
What is the most pressing problem you have at the moment?
Finding a bone marrow donor and passing my Embedded Systems final project without strangling my group project partners.
Is there something that you need or want that you don’t have? For yourself or for someone important to you?
I want a guarantee that tomorrow will actually come. I want to know that I’ll get to graduate uni, travel to Peru with my friends, and grow old. I want to know that I get to be with Ethan for more than just a fleeting moment.
Why don’t you have it? What is in the way?
Fate, biology, cancer.
But I’m not going down without a fight.
LOVING ANNABELLE by Rhoda B.
An academic rivals to lovers romance
HOW DO YOU LOVE SOMEONE WHEN YOU KNOW YOU MIGHT HAVE TO SAY GOODBYE?
Annabelle Hayes has accepted that some dreams are meant to remain unfinished.
Once a top computer engineering student at Westwood University, she is now forced to attend college lectures from her bedroom, counting her days by doctor appointments instead of assignment deadlines and midterms.
She is angry, tired and slowly losing hope.
Then Ethan Witford shows up.
Basketball captain. Westwood University’s golden boy. And Annabelle’s academic rival.
Ethan Witford is the last person she expects to understand her struggles.
But when assigned to give her lecture handouts, he becomes the first person in years who doesn’t treat Annabelle like she’s fragile.
He sees her in a way that no one else does, remembers the little details about her like her favorite flowers, and sits by her hospital bed with chicken soup and horrible dad jokes.
Sadly, the grass is not always greener on the other side.
The golden boy has his own troubles and despite how well he has mastered the art of pretending to be fine, Annabelle sees through it and becomes his safe space.
The closer they get, the harder it becomes to pretend that they are just friends.
Annabelle can’t afford to hope for a future, fate has disappointed her enough times to know better.
She tries to push Ethan away, but he refuses to leave.
And just when she starts to believe that love might be worth a shot, they’re forced to face one thing neither of them can outrun.
Time.
This is an emotional, slow‑burn love story that will stay with you long after the last page.
Romance Contemporary [ Author Self-Published, On Sale: October 20, 2026, e-Book, / ]
Buy LOVING ANNABELLE:Kindle+| Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon DE | Amazon FR
About Rhoda B.
Rhoda B. loves to write books that feel real, relatable and leave an emotional mark.
She has been a ghostwriter for about six years, and has finally decided to start writing in her name.
You’ll find her writing Romance, Romcom and Mystery Thrillers.
Her goal is to make you laugh, cry, regain hope, and maybe get a little angry here and there XD.
When she isn’t writing, Rhoda is usually reading, trying out various sports (and failing at them), or enjoying walking down the aisle… at the airport.
She promises not to bore you further.
Happy reading.
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