Come celebrate the launch of Rylan Hynes' luminous debut, Grafting; a story about second chances, forbidden love, and the courage to cultivate beauty in unforgiving soil. Presented in partnership with Islandport Press, Print: A Bookstore, and the Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance, Rylan Hynes will be in conversation with Gia Drew. To preorder Grafting and to RSVP, click here!

About the Book:

When Eben Turner returns to his family's apple orchard in rural Maine after his parents' death, he faces more than just the weight of inheritance—he confronts the love he left behind. A decade has passed since he and Chris Hartley, the Methodist minister's son, were torn apart in their final year of high school, their secret relationship severed by the forces of faith and small-town judgment. Now, as adults navigating the crossroads of identity and belonging, they must reckon with both their buried past and an uncertain future.

Set against the Edenic beauty of New England, Grafting unfolds through dual perspectives in a lyrical narrative that mirrors the delicate art of joining two trees to create something stronger. As Eben and Chris work to understand how they came to be parted, they discover that healing requires more than forgiveness—it demands the courage to cultivate love in hostile ground.