Book 3 of the Wicked Games Trilogy
Discover a story about passion, betrayal, and putting the pieces back together
JIGSAW PUZZLE ENTHUSIAST follows Carlie, a creative entrepreneur finding her way forward after a devastating betrayal at work shattered her trust and her career. Fired from a media company under suspicious circumstances, she returns home to rebuild her life—and discovers that her lifelong passion for jigsaw puzzles might be the key to something much bigger.
With the support of Sam, a fellow casualty of corporate politics, and Robert, a loyal friend who refused to take sides, Carlie begins to dream bigger. What starts as a personal website celebrating puzzle culture evolves into an ambitious vision: a puzzle café and community hub where enthusiasts can gather, share strategies, and celebrate the art of solving. Her dream extends further—a live documentary series exploring the lives of puzzle enthusiasts across generations, from speed-solvers to retirees finding peace in the meditative act of puzzling.
As Carlie and her team scour estate sales and garage sales for forgotten puzzles, they discover that the real treasure isn't in the cardboard boxes—it's in the stories of the people they meet. From elderly women guarding their life's collection to families rediscovering forgotten traditions, each puzzle tells a human story.
But moving forward isn't simple. The professional world threatens to pull Carlie back into its drama, a legal settlement looms unsolved, and romantic complications blur the lines between healing and new beginnings. As Carlie works to transform her vision into reality, she must decide what matters most: playing it safe, or assembling something extraordinary from the scattered pieces of her life.
A novel about resilience, creativity, and the unexpected ways we rebuild ourselves.
Book 1 Jigsaw Puzzle Speedsters:
Carlie, a young intern at NuJays Jigsaw Puzzle Company, wants to excel in her role and gain recognition for her work. Her major obstacle is Eric, her aloof and manipulative cohost, who undermines her confidence and complicates their professional relationship. An unexpected plot twist occurs during the Speedsters Playoffs, when Eric becomes involved in a dangerous gambling scheme that threatens both his career and Carlie’s safety, forcing them to confront their feelings for each other amidst the chaos.
Book 2 Jigsaw Puzzle Influencers:
The camera is rolling. The world is watching. And the lies are trending.
Carlie Payten thought the worst was behind her. Now, as co-host of NuJays’ digital reboot, her creative vision is winning over followers—until a formal inquiry reopens last year’s Speedsters Competition scandal.
With the Company demanding damage control, her magnetic co-host, Eric, begs for silence. His charm hides a dangerous vulnerability and secret debts that could ruin them both. Worse, a ruthless office rival is weaponizing their electric on-air chemistry. Facing cutthroat PR maneuvers and questionable legal maneuvers, Carlie must choose: save her career, or protect the man she loves?
Book 3 Jigsaw Puzzle Enthusiasts:
Carlie Payten is better at assembling puzzles than she is at trusting people. After NuJays turns its back and a corporate inquiry leaves her contract in tatters, she returns to the one thing that steadies her: pieces, patterns, and public-facing content for modest and devoted jigsaw puzzle enthusiasts. With Sam, a steady cameraman-turned-co-conspirator, and Robert, a sharp-witted tech ally, Carlie turns salvage into strategy—rescuing puzzles, building a docuseries, and launching a puzzle café idea that might be more than fantasy. But NuJays is not done. Corporate lawyers circle, old lovers return with apologies and agendas, while NuJays family drama threatens to fracture the fragile new community she’s built.
As the legal threats mount and her past collides with her future, Carlie has one final move to make. Can she outmaneuver the Company that broke her, or will the community she’s fighting for shatter before the final piece drops?
Can Carlie make a business out of belonging—and find love in the pieces left behind?