by Brandon Richardson
To Stay follows Maya Daniels, a driven professional rebuilding her life after a loveless marriage, and Elliot Sharp, an artist afraid he’ll never be enough. When their worlds collide, their connection is instant, but so are their fears. As they navigate past wounds, emotional truths, and the choice to show up for each other, they learn that real love isn’t about the fall… it’s about the courage to stay.
Love can make you soar…
But it can also bring you to your knees.
Maya Daniels thought she understood commitment. She gave everything in her first marriage: loyalty, softness, and patience. In return, she was overlooked, unheard, and unchosen. Leaving broke her heart… but it also saved her.
Elliot Sharp never believed he deserved the kind of love that stays. An artist with a past full of almosts and not enoughs, he’s used to people admiring his work but never truly seeing him. Until Maya.
When their worlds collide, her structure and strategy meet his emotion and instinct. Then, something undeniable sparks, but love isn’t just about finding chemistry. It’s about surviving truth, confronting wounds, and choosing each other again and again.
As Maya battles her fear of repeating old patterns and Elliot confronts the parts of himself he’s long avoided, both are forced to answer the same question:
Is love something you fall into… or something you stay for?
To Stay is a contemporary love story about healing, trust, second chances, and the courage it takes to choose someone even when it scares you.
Brandon Richardson is an author and wedding photographer who inspires others to build deeper connections and lasting love through both his words and his lens.
Brandon Richardson is an author, wedding photographer, and creative entrepreneur whose work centers on love, self-growth, and emotional connection. Drawing from his own experiences and lessons learned through marriage, therapy, and personal transformation, he wrote Secret Sauce for Marriage and Relationships to help couples build stronger, more intentional bonds. Through his writing and photography, Brandon continues to inspire others to cultivate authenticity, communication, and lasting love in every relationship.
What’s the secret to lasting love?
Secret Sauce for Marriage and Relationships is an honest, heartfelt guide that blends real-life lessons, self-reflection, and faith to help couples build stronger, deeper connections. Through personal stories, practical tools, and transparent truths, Brandon Richardson reminds readers that love isn’t luck; it’s choice, communication, and consistency.
Whether you’re single, dating, or married, this book challenges you to grow, heal, and pour into yourself so you can love from a place of wholeness. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about learning the recipe for a partnership that lasts.
Because the real secret sauce… is you.