69 Book(s) Related to 5 rounds nikki castle

Charlotte Glass thinks she knows what love is, but she hasn’t met Ian MacKay. After five years with her self-absorbed boyfriend, librarian Charlotte Glass surprises them both and breaks up with him. Before parting, he bitterly tells her to have fun on their upcoming romantic vacation—alone. Two days later, Charlotte arrives at a remote cliffside castle in the Highlands of Scotland. Overwhelmed by its breathtaking beauty but desperately jet lagged, she sinks into her sumptuous bed for a quick power nap. She awakens in the middle of the night and heads for the castle library. There, beside a glowing fireplace, sits a strapping Scotsman with a glint in his gentle gray eyes. Ian MacKay has too much charm for anyone’s good. But he also has scars and secrets. One thing that’s no secret is his interest in Charlotte. At first, it seems harmless. She’ll be gone in a week. But a week is long enough for Ian to know that he’s falling in love—and that the truth will destroy it.

Lea never imagined facing such a drastic turn in her life. Threatened by her own employer, she's forced to take on her identity and marry the son of a wealthy count living in a distant castle. Dark rumors surround Don Moretti, a scientist with a mysterious past, fueling tales of black magic and even suggesting his son might be a demon. However, all these stories pale in comparison to what Lea experiences after marrying Lucca.

Her groom's father, a mad scientist, conducts forbidden experiments in the castle's basement, even on Lucca himself, rendering him a terrifying figure. Dragged against her will into this ominous setting, Lea lives with a man who seems less than human, but she gradually realizes Lucca isn't evil. He's actually a victim of his father's madness, as he imprisons supernatural creatures in the attic.

While planning her escape from the castle, Lea encounters obstacles, as her non-human husband is reluctant to let her go. Moreover, the castle's supernatural creatures make finding a moment of relief nearly impossible.

"Allard is a seasoned author, and her experience shows in both the lapidary prose and the sensitivity with which she treats class division. Overall, this is a delightful, often funny story that also serves as a gimlet-eyed study of class division and the possibility of its transcendence. An unpretentiously philosophical assessment of class and love."~Kirkus Reviews"While the primary story follows Daphne's journey of the heart in parallel with Edward's journey towards making his mark as a writer, a strong undercurrent of supporting plot lines ensure the story moves forward in a textured way, in a way that is a perfect marriage of mystery and clean, sweet, new adult romance.  The story is exquisitely written, providing context and clear imagery of Victorian-era lifestyles and perfectly balanced descriptions of England's countryside in a way that is as colorful as it is authentic. When It Rained at Hembry Castle is a charming, sweeping historical romance combined with an element of mystery. 5 stars." ~IndieReader A lush historical novel set in Victorian England, When It Rained at Hembry Castle is the story of an aristocratic family, secrets that dare not be told, and the wonder of falling in love.When the 8th Earl of Staton dies, his eldest son, the unreliable Richard, inherits the title and the family's home--Hembry Castle. The Earl's niece, the American-born Daphne, is intrigued by Edward Ellis, a rising author with a first-hand knowledge of Hembry Castle--from the servants' hall. Can Richard come to terms with his title before bringing ruin on his family? Will Edward and Daphne find their way to each other despite the obstacles of life at Hembry Castle?When It Rained at Hembry Castle is a page-turning, romantic novel with vivid characters and an engrossing story that will keep you guessing until the end.

"You, my dear, will be going to help us to decide that. You will pick a king."

"Say what now?"

"I'm not going to repeat it since I know that you have heard me."

"Fine! You want me to decide?! Nate!" I pointed to prince Nathaniel, if I remember correctly. He was slightly taken aback and a confused expression was replaced. "Do you want to be a king?"

"I...uh...Yes?" He said. Unsure of his answer. It made me wonder if the expression on my face had forced him to say yes.

"Good. Then you'll be the king.

"What!? But that's not how you decide it!" PRINCE Ace said.

"Fine! You're all kings. In fact, we ALL can be kings!"


She's Rosalie Amber Stan. A simple teenage girl, who made a wish to have a more adventurous life, was a victim of an abduction by the Fae queen to a different realm. She was brought to a castle with 5 supernatural princes, who are fighting for the throne. The queen gave her a task to be the one to choose the future heir to their kingdom. Little did she know that the queen only wanted one thing from her and the princes: Romance.

Between a sparkly wizard, a rude obnoxious elf, a flirty vampire, and a couple of twin trouble-making wolf princes; Is there really a right choice?

And why is there a wolf spirit, who suddenly awakened upon sensing her arrival, kept stalking her?

A romantic-comedy in 'another world' with a quirky-temperamental female heroine learning the culture of this new fantasy world.

When Tawny, a were-cat hybrid is called back to the Kingdom of Cambiador, by her estranged grandfather. Tawny can't help but be curious as to why he would want to meet her after all these years of disowning her late mother.


Tawny:

I finally found a place where I felt like I belonged. Only I have never felt so unwanted in my life. The mysterious and sexy Kolby Crimson is my fated mate, yet he has been promised to another. Bound by a contract he has no intention of breaking.
A team-building exercise turns into a nightmare trip.
Secrets of Cambiador come to light and a night with a pride pack tilts my world even further from its axis. Only one person can get me out of the mess I find myself in. The question is, will he step up to the challenge and save me? His mate, or will he submit to the kingdom's laws and leave me in the den of Lions?

Meet the Devil’s Saints Motorcycle Club….

When Taz was just a little girl, her family was killed and she barely survived. Raised by her uncle in the club, she abandoned them after an incident at the mother house. Circumstances bring her back to the Saints where she meets Riffraff, a single dad to a daughter attending school abroad.
Taz puts her life back together and finds that there can be more to life than just working and training for her next MMA fight. Including love and a family that she never thought that she would have. While training for her next big fight, she befriends a high school history teacher.

Evie moved to Massachusetts from Texas as a way of starting over after losing her husbands. On the third anniversary of their murders, she meets two Saints, Ink and Tank. Evie is a sub desperately seeking Doms to direct her life outside of the classroom. Ink and Tank discover that they were missing a part of them that the little Texan fills perfectly.
But just as they’re building a life and future together, Evie’s past comes back in the form of the ultimate former mother-in-law from hell.

Nessie is the niece of the club president on the run from an abusive ex. Hiding in the clubhouse known as the Shack, she finds comfort in the arms of one of the Saints. Knuckles is named for the tattoos on his fingers and the often-busted knuckles that he has.
Protect What’s Mine
Defend What’s Mine
But when Nessie’s ex catches up to her, can Knuckles protect and defend what is his? Or will it be the Scottish beauty who speaks to the dead that protects and defends the Saints?

Nessie makes a prediction that the club manwhore, Chance, will fall for a woman who doesn’t want him. And it will be fun to watch. He doesn’t believe it. There’s not a woman that he can’t seduce.
Except the new teacher at the daycare that the club just bought. She’s not impressed with him and calls him out on his actions. When he’s forced to look at himself, he discovers that she might be right. And she’s the only woman who isn’t falling under his spell.
Or is she?

These four women befriend Shiloh who opens a couple of stores that the teens in the club love. She finds a kindred spirit with Pagan, a brother who is a single dad to two little girls. But inner turmoil in her family puts his daughters at risk.

All through these stories, there are a few people to offer assistance and guidance. Molly and his pretties are always there to assist. But that’s another story….

JAVIER HERRERA is the heir to one of the most powerful cartels in Mexico, shaped by a legacy of ambition and rivalry. From a young age, he learned to play the game of power, maintaining a cold and impenetrable facade. However, his arranged marriage to a woman who despises everything the cartel stands for begins to awaken unexpected feelings. When she reveals she’s pregnant, he finds himself facing a dilemma: his loyalty to the cartel or the love that’s starting to grow in his heart.

CAMILLE MENDONZA has always opposed the cartel world, living a life of independence and freedom. But her life changes drastically when she’s forced to marry Javier Herrera, the heir to a rival cartel, to seal the peace between their families. As they try to coexist in a relationship marked by resentment, unexpected feelings begin to blossom between them. When she discovers she’s pregnant, she faces a dilemma: use this new life as a bargaining chip to reclaim her freedom—or surrender to her feelings.

“Between love and revenge, my heart became the most dangerous weapon.”

Valentina has spent her entire life learning how to disappear.

Growing up in Tepito, she knows that surviving means staying invisible—keeping her head down, finishing her studies, and dreaming of a future far away from Mexico City, where her family might finally be safe. She never wanted power, danger, or attention. She only wanted out.

Everything shatters the night her cousin Paloma’s secret pulls her into the ruthless world of the Cruz cartel.

After witnessing an internal betrayal, Paloma becomes a liability. A girl is murdered to send a message. And Valentina, cornered by fear and desperation, makes a single reckless choice that seals her fate—stealing cartel merchandise in a failed attempt to survive.

There are no second chances in this world.

Now trapped inside a violent criminal organization where trust is a myth and mistakes are paid in blood, Valentina comes face to face with the most dangerous man in the cartel. A man who does not forgive. Who does not forget. Who does not release what belongs to him.

Survival is no longer about escape.

It is about submission, power, and the devastating cost of being claimed by the enemy.

And Valentina is about to learn that in the cartel’s world, temptation is never harmless—and loving the wrong man can be deadlier than any bullet.

Savage Sons Mc books 1-5 is a collection of MC romance stories which revolve around five key characters and the women they fall for.

In AWAKENED (Book #5 of the Vampire Legends), Rachel Wood wakes in Benji’s arms—except there is one problem: she cannot remember who Benji is. Heartbroken, Benji lets her go, as she insists on leaving him and returning home.Rachel arrives back in her home in Pennsylvania, and her dad and brother Mark are shocked to see her. She is even more surprised at their reaction: she can’t remember what happened exactly, but she feels sure that she was only away for a single night. Why is everyone acting so crazy, so surprised to see her?Rachel, not remembering anything else, insists on resuming her normal life. She insists on returning to her old high school in Pennsylvania, where she runs into all of her old friends, who are equally startled to see her. A new love interest arrives in her life, while she tries to shake dreams of strange omens, and of Benji, who she still doesn’t remember. She also tries to fight these strange hunger pangs that are overtaking her.In the meantime, Rob is as set as ever on finding Rachel, and he crosses the world, wreaking destruction, to get her. Benji, too, is determined to save her, to make her remember their love—while Hunter and Penelope and Matilda are on a mission to find the Waverly Tablet and prevent Violet from conquering the world.It will be a race to the end while all these forces try to converge on Rachel. But by the time they reach her, she may even be gone herself…Will Rachel remember her true love? What choice will she make?AWAKENED is book #5 of the Vampire Legends series (following SWORN, TAKEN, BITTEN and CHOSEN), and is also a standalone novel.

“Don't talk to strangers at restaurants or bars.”
“There we are now friends and not strangers.”
He smelled so good in this close proximity. I had dreamed about him since that first time on my 21st birthday. Seeing him every year would make that dream appear again and again. Each time more passionate than the last. It was almost humiliating to think of all the dirty scenarios that I played in my head with him while I dreamed, causing me to wake up with soaking panties. The thought made me smile nervously and my panties wet.


For years they heard stories from their grandmothers about the fated rune sexmates. Though none of them truly believed it, fate would show them that it was true.

Amelia and Patrick did not know after crossing paths that fate would lead them back to one another over and over again until they finally made the bond. Discovering the runes on one another's bodies during a night of passion, they soon realized that they were connected on a deeper level. They were fated to meet and become sexmates. Little did they know the journey that would be ahead of them to break a curse from their ancestors. Follow along as they meet the other sexmates that will help them break the curse.

A young woman trying to make it in a small town. She was born and raised here, everyone knew her and she knew everyone. That does not make life easy. The lies, manipulation, cover ups. Everyone knows the secrets, they see the scandals but no one is brave enough to say anything. To stand up for her. They will help when it seems like the time is right but they also use and abuse her when the time is right. How will she ever break free and become her own person. Abuse can come in many different ways. Mental and physical are the most common. She nees to get away from her home and everyone in this town. But at what means. What all will she lose?

Overpowered by the strong hands who grabbed her by the hair and pulled her along, dragging her into a dark room that recks of urine and cigarettes. Hurled her inside. His hands still gripping her hair and not doubt if he let go, some strands of hair would fall of.
Undeniably, the pains were suffocating. When she stares at his dark eyes, the only thing she saw was darkness.
“Let go, let go of me you bastard!” She spit out. That only made his mighty five fingers appear on her face. Which sent her head spinning on her neck.
He made her kiss the earth. And slowly breathed in her face.
“Your life ends here....” his voice was deep baritone and cruel and that was when she felt the shivers down her spine.

How did the nerdy Elina find her way into the merciless billionaire’s court?

What could go wrong if your prison pen pal ends up being the son and heir of the head of the Castillo cartel? What more could go wrong when your overprotective dad is a DEA agent who is determined to take him down?

When Elena Torres, the daughter of a DEA agent, lost a bet and decided to write a prisoner, she had not expected to get in contact with the son of a cartel boss, Marvin Castillo.

What she also didn’t expect was for him to get released from prison or for him to take an interest in her.

She was known to be the good girl. He was known to be a monster.

It was clear that fate didn’t want them to be together, but what the universe did not know was that these two were destined to determine their own path.

All About You (Love & Hate Series #1)

I start hating Oliver just after his older brother Christian’s death. I drag him down a road of humiliation and pain to try to cope with what his brother did to me.
A few months after Christian’s passing, Oliver leaves town, and for the next two years, he is absent from my life. The demons claw their way back in, and I must learn to live with the secret that has destroyed me.
Now I’m starting a new life, away from Gargle and away from my past, but everything crashes when I see Oliver the first day at university. It’s clear that many things have changed since we’ve been apart. Now he is captain of the rugby team and the most popular bloke on campus.
Then he makes a bet and gives me an ultimatum: I leave Braxton forever and start somewhere else, or I stay and play his game… because he’s never forgotten that it was me who ruined his life two years ago.

When the prey becomes the hunter…

As a half-elf paranormal recruitment consultant, Julia knows to stay away from vampires–to them, she’s just food.

So why would bloodthirsty alpha male Nathaniel La Caz be any different. When she turns up at the meeting in his factory, she senses that there is something about him. Julia is suddenly overwhelmed by her senses, and her magic goes haywire when she is near him. Things go from weird to worse when Julia witnesses the kidnapping of her cousin Claudia. And when more elves and fairies begin to vanish without a trace, and no help is in sight, Julia knows that she is her cousin’s only hope.

The police suspect vampires. And if they’re right, this could be a one day death trap. But Julia is willing to risk it all to save Claudia, even if it means she could become this crazed vampire’s next victim.

"A book to rival TWILIGHT and VAMPIRE DIARIES, and one that will have you wanting to keep reading until the very last page! If you are into adventure, love and vampires this book is the one for you!" --Vampirebooksite.com (Turned)DESIRED is Book #5 in the #1 Bestselling series THE VAMPIRE JOURNALS, which begins with TURNED (Book #1)! In DESIRED (Book #5 in the Vampire Journals), Caitlin Paine wakes to discover that she has once again traveled back in time. This time, she has landed in eighteenth century Paris, an age of great opulence, of kings and queens—but also of revolution. Reunited with her true love, Caleb, the two of them finally have the quiet, romantic time together that they never had. They spend idyllic time together in the city of Paris, visiting its most romantic sites, as their love grows ever deeper. Caitlin decides to give up the search for her father, so that she can savor this time and place, and spend her life with Caleb. Caleb takes her to his medieval castle, near the ocean, and Caitlin is happier than she ever dreamed. But their idyllic time together is not destined to last forever, and events intercede that force the two of them apart. Caitlin once again finds herself united with Aiden and his coven, with Polly and with new friends, as she focuses again on her training, and on her mission. She is introduced to the lavish world of Versailles, and encounters outfits and opulence beyond what she ever dreamed. With never ending feasts and parties and concerts, Versailles is a world of its own. She is happily reunited with her bother Sam, who is also back in time, and having dreams of their father, too. But all is not as well as it seems. Kyle has traveled back in time, too—this time, with his evil sidekick, Sergei—and he is more determined than ever to kill Caitlin. And Sam and Polly each fall ever deeper into toxic relationships, which just might threaten to destroy everything around them. As Caitlin becomes a true and hardened warrior, she comes closer than ever to finding her father, and the mythical Shield. The climactic, action-packed ending, takes Caitlin through a whirlwind of Paris’ most important medieval locations, on a hunt for clues. But surviving this time will demand skills she never dreamed she had. And reuniting with Caleb will require her to make the hardest choices—and sacrifices—of her life.

"Jacan," a famous idol duo member who hid behind a mask for five years,
was forced to leave the entertainment industry due to an unfair contract.
He disappeared for nearly two years to heal his heart.
As time passed, his identity was buried and forgotten.
However, "the dream of standing on stage again" never faded.
Determined, he decides to return to the dazzling world of lights and fame.
Participating in "Star Fight," an idol survival show to discover a new idol group, becomes his best choice.
This new beginning forces Jacan to go apartment hunting. However, upon arriving at his new accommodation, Jacan discovers that the person showing him the room—and his soon-to-be neighbor—is none other than “Dong Hyunin,” the president of the company behind the idol survival show he is about to join!
Facing traditional norms in the industry,
the prejudices of his fellow competitors,
and discrimination from fans...
… 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…
It's about to begin.
… Action! …

"STRIP".. ,, HADES said in his bold , authoritative and demanding tone.His eyes held anger and temper which send fears to her. Every Fibres of her body was shaking under his powerful and dominance gaze. She stood at her Place and didn't know how to react on his words.

"I said Strip My wife".. ,, This time his voice made her trembled and with Shaking hands she started to open her wedding dress.

She removed her veil and looked at him. He was staring back at her with his intense pitch black orbs.

"Remove Your Ornaments Too"..,, He spoke when she stopped removing her Wedding dress. She removed her jewellery but left Golden Nuptials Chain Which he tied around her neck. Her glossy eyes were locked with his blazing eyes

"I don't have the whole Night" ... ,, Hades voice echoed in the room. Her breathing was low and sweats started to appear on her body.

She opened the strings of her wedding skirt and in a flow it fall down on the floor. With trembling hands she again pulled the strings of her blouse and opened the hooks. Now she was in her red lacy lingerie. However ,Not even for a second His eyes moved down and wandered at her curvy body.

His eyes were fixed on her eyes and she was gazing back at his beautiful deep black eyes. He stood up from the bed and came near her. She took a few steps back but the wall stopped and supported her body to stand properly. He bent and tilted his head and whispered in her ear. His husky deep voice and hot breath released thousands of butterflies in her stomach.

"You're not up to my standard".. ,, He said and left her in the room all alone on their wedding night. His words pierced her heart and a hurtful Chuckled came out of her mouth.

Tears were flowing through her eyes but she smiled sadly and said, "My name is DURGASHAKTI, husband and I'm not weak like you thought of me"

Story Of HADES and His PERSEPHONE

“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery! The author did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side that is so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.” --Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone) ONCE HUNTED is book #5 in the bestselling Riley Paige mystery series, which begins with the #1 bestseller ONCE GONE (Book #1)—a free download with over 600 five star reviews! A prison break from a maximum security prison. Frantic calls from the FBI. Special Agent Riley Paige’s worst nightmare has come true: a serial killer she put away years ago is loose. And his main target is her.Riley is used to being the one hunting, but for the first time, she finds herself—and her family—to be the ones being hunted. As the killer stalks her, he also begins a new rampage of kills, and Riley must stop him before it is too late—for the other victims, and for herself.But this is no ordinary killer. He is too smart, and their game of cat-and-mouse too twisted, and he somehow manages to elude her and always stay one step ahead. Desperate to stop him, Riley realizes there is only one way: she must delve back into the past, into this killer’s twisted mind, his old cases, and re-learn what drives him. The only way to stop him, she realizes, is to face the darkness she thought she had left behind.A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, ONCE HUNTED is book #5 in a riveting new series—with a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night. Book #6 in the Riley Paige series will be available soon.

“LOVE LIKE THIS creates a world of emotions and turmoil, describing superbly the mind of a young lady (Keira) and her struggles to balance her social life and her career. Sophie Love is a natural storyteller. LOVE LIKE THIS is very well written and edited, and I highly recommend it to the permanent library of all readers that appreciate a romance that can be savored during a weekend.”--Books and Movie Reviews (Roberto Mattos) LOVE LIKE YOURS (The Romance Chronicles—Book #5) is book #5 in a new, sweet romance series by #1 bestselling author Sophie Love. The series begins with LOVE LIKE THIS (Book #1), a free download!Keira Swanson, 28, finds herself spending a magical Christmas with new her new boyfriend and his family in Sweden. How will their relationship end?Keira returns to New York to discover, to her shock, that she has started a new trend in dating that is sweeping across the country—“Scandinavian romance”—and to find herself becoming a celebrity. Even more confusing, her sister gets engaged, and gives Keira constant advice. Overwhelmed, Keira takes solace when Christiano calls, and surprises herself when she agrees to take a week off and meet him on neutral ground: in Greece.Her magazine is thrilled, and they want this to be her new assignment: can love work the second time around, in a different time and place, if you give it one more chance?Greece is spectacular, filled with sun, ocean, ruins and romance. It is one of the most beautiful places she has ever been. But nothing can prepare Keira for her encounter with Cristiano—and the surprise that follows on its heels.A wholesome romantic comedy that is as profound as it is funny, LOVE LIKE YOURS is book #5 in a dazzling new romance series that will make you laugh, cry, and will keep you turning pages late into the night—and will make you fall in love with romance all over again.Book #6 will be published soon!“Sophie Love's ability to impart magic to her readers is exquisitely wrought in powerfully evocative phrases and descriptions….[This is] the perfect romance or beach read, with a difference: its enthusiasm and beautiful descriptions offer an unexpected attention to the complexity of not just evolving love, but evolving psyches. It's a delightful recommendation for romance readers looking for a touch more complexity from their romance reads.”--Midwest Book Review (Diane Donovan re: For Now and Forever)

Three years ago, on a night when it wouldn't stop raining, I carried Victor Caster out of a pile of bodies.

He'd taken two bullets. He grabbed my ankle and said: when I get back, I'll give you the world.

But when he came back, it was my sister Sabrina on his arm.

After that she was the woman who ran the Caster house, and I was the crazy one they locked away upstate.

Three years later, at the engagement party, Sabrina opened up her own wrist and screamed that I did it.

I tried to explain.

But the man I'd given half my life to save wouldn't even look at me. He just flicked his hand.

"Her hands don't know their place. Take them. And I don't want that face in front of me."

He never once looked up.

So why is it that the next time he sees me, the moment he really looks at my face, he goes down on his knees?

In the vibrant heart of a bustling metropolis, I, Sophia, a skilled member of the special forces, have transformed into a determined detective. Fueled by a relentless pursuit for justice, I delve into the shadows to uncover the elusive "King of the Underworld," the man responsible for my father's death. Will I unveil the truth, or will the darkness consume me? Join me on this thrilling journey of vengeance and redemption.

The first time I saw Olivia Smith, she stole the air from my lungs.

Stunning didn't even begin to cover it.

She belonged in a luxury ballroom, not standing here amidst the grim reality of a murder scene.

As her captain, I made sure I'd be the one handling her training personally... even as I recognized the dangerous temptation she represented.

BOOK1: The 5-Time Rejected Gamma And The Lycan King

After being rejected by 5 mates, Gamma Lucianne pleaded with the Moon Goddess to spare her from any further mate bonds.
To her dismay, she is being bonded for the sixth time. What's worse is that her sixth-chance mate is the most powerful creature ruling over all werewolves and Lycans - the Lycan King himself.

She is certain, dead certain, that a rejection would come sooner or later, though she hopes for it to be sooner.
King Alexandar was ecstatic to meet his bonded mate, and couldn't thank their Goddess enough for gifting him someone so perfect. However, he soon realizes that this gift is reluctant to accept him, and more than willing to sever their bond. He tries to connect with her but she seems so far away. He is desperate to get intimate with her but she seems reluctant to open up to him.

He tries to tell her that he is willing to commit to her for the rest of his life but she doesn't seem to believe him. He is pleading for a chance: a chance to get to know her; a chance to show her that he's different; and a chance to love her.


BOOK2: The Rogues Who Went Rogue

One of King Alexandar and Queen Lucianne’s most trusted allies, Alpha Tate of the White Blood Pack, has been bonded to a red wolf named Margaret.
The problem? Margaret is a rogue. And she isn’t some small fry, but the leader of a rogue pack that survived rogue-eradicating expeditions. Despite her notoriety, Tate still wishes to give their bond a chance. But Margaret had suffered severe disappointment and betrayal in the mate-bond department once before.

Now, she refuses to give into her wolf’s naïve, primal instincts like she did in the past. It will only break her heart and ruin her life.
Even if Margaret does give in, can Tate really trust her? At the end of the day, she’s a rogue, and rogues pose a risk to the safety of the Kingdom and to his own pack.

As if Tate being bonded to a suspicious mate isn’t enough to deal with, Xandar and Lucianne are faced with new threats stemming from a species that lycans and werewolves had not heard from since the declaration of truce almost 204 years ago - vampires, whose villages are invaded by intruders that left lycan and werewolf scents. The dire situation makes them both conclude that they have to turn to someone for help, someone they locked up not long ago, and this someone kept secrets of his own.

“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery. Blake Pierce did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.” --Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone) HOMECOMING (A Chloe Fine Mystery) is book #5 in a new psychological suspense series by bestselling author Blake Pierce, whose #1 bestseller Once Gone (Book #1) (a free download) has over 1,000 five-star reviews. When two husbands, best friends, turn up dead in a wealthy suburban town, FBI VICAP Special Agent Chloe Fine, 27, is called in to unmask the lies in this small town and to find the killer. Chloe will have to penetrate this town’s perfect façade, to get past its public appearances to understand the truth of who these men were, and who may have wanted them dead. And in a town that thrives on its exclusivity, that won’t be easy to do.What secrets were these husbands hiding?An emotionally wrought psychological suspense with layered characters, small-town ambiance and heart-pounding suspense, HOMECOMING is book #5 in a riveting new series that will leave you turning pages late into the night. Book #6 in the Chloe Fine series will also be available soon.

“A dynamic story line that grips from the first chapter and doesn't let go.” --Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Once Gone) From #1 bestselling author Blake Pierce comes a new masterpiece of psychological suspense: CAUSE TO SAVE (An Avery Black Mystery—Book 5)—the final installment in the Avery Black series.In the epic finale of the Avery Black series, serial killer Howard Randall has escaped, and the entire city of Boston is on edge. Women are turning up gruesomely murdered, and everyone suspects Howard is at it again. When Boston’s most brilliant and controversial homicide detective—Avery Black—is herself stalked—and when people close to her are brutally killed, one by one—it seems the city’s worst fears are confirmed.But Avery is not so sure. The murders remind her of something she once saw in her past. They remind her of something too close to her heart—something that had to do with a secret she thought she had buried long ago….The most riveting and shocking book of the series, a psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, CAUSE TO SAVE is the finale that will leave you turning pages late into the night. “A masterpiece of thriller and mystery. Pierce did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side, so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.” --Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)

Cindy and Mattheus, finally together, prepare to take time off and live together—when a stunning upset in their relationship tears them apart. Cindy flies home to New York, resigned to never work as a detective—and never see Mattheus—again.And then a shocking phone call comes out of the blue: it is Mattheus. A new body has turned up. Cindy at first refuses—until he tells her who it is: his wife. They finally found her, on the shores of Key West. Brutally murdered, they suspect, by an abusive boyfriend.Mattheus’ world is upside down, and Cindy has no choice but to fly back down to the islands and help him uncover what really happened. Why did she turn up now, after so many years? How did she turn up in Key West, so far from where he’d last seen her? Why had she never contacted him? Who was she dating? And have the police caught the right man?Their investigation takes them deep into the underworld of Key West, a gorgeous, idyllic place where the locals gather to watch the sunset every night with an evening drink. It is an enchanting place—but as Cindy learns, it is also a place with a dark underbelly. Cindy prods deeper into the murder and her investigation takes her into the world of an abused woman’s shelter. Soon, she is convinced the police have the wrong man. She and Mattheus, thrown together again, reconsider their feelings for one another. But there may not be time: Cindy finds out too much and comes in danger herself. As the murder hits too close to home, it may be too late for them both.DEATH BY DECEIT is both a stand-alone novel, and is also Book #5 in the Caribbean Murder series, following DEATH BY HONEYMOON (Book #1), DEATH BY DIVORCE (Book #2) and DEATH BY MARRIAGE (Book #3) and DEATH BY DESIRE (Book #4).

One mistake centuries ago left Lemuel cursed by the Goddess Merlos and forced to wander the earth granting the wishes of those who touch him. Lemuel was looking at an eternity of loneliness until his unexpected soulmate plucked him right out of the sea.

Shocked to find he's been bound in more ways than one to Sebastian, the future King to the Kingdom of Atlesper, Lemuel resists Sebastian's advances at every turn, believing this may be one pairing Goddess Zarseti got wrong.

Lemuel will have to face his past in hopes of starting a new future, but an overly flirtatious King is the least of his worries when he learns Sebastian's parents are convinced that a conniving usurper disguised as a curvy blonde, is the future king's true soulmate.

A Queen Among Tides is the 5th book in the Queen Among Series/The Gods' Saga. This is an interconnected series. To see how it ends, I recommend reading the full series.

Books in the series order:
A Queen Among Alphas - Book 1
Bite-Size Luna - A Queen Among Alphas Prequel (available under book 1)
A Queen Among Snakes - Book 2
A Queen Among Blood - Book 3
A Queen Among Darkness - Book 4
Whole Again - A Queen Among Alpha's spin-off (available under book 1)
A Queen Among Tides - Book 5
Valor, Virtue, and Verve - Tides Prequel Spin-off (will be available under book 5)
A Queen Among Gods - Book 6
Runaway Empress - A Queen Among Snakes Prequel (will be available under book 2)
A Queen Among Tempests - Book 7
Dark Vocation - Darkness spin-off (will be available under book 4)
A Court of Arcane Souls Anthology (side character short stories exclusive to Ream)
Royal Shadow Series (Next Gen Coming Soon)

“A dynamic story line that grips from the first chapter and doesn't let go.”--Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Once Gone)From #1 bestselling mystery author Blake Pierce comes a new masterpiece of psychological suspense. A TRACE OF HOPE is the final book in the Keri Locke series, bringing the series to a dramatic conclusion.In A TRACE OF HOPE (Book #5 in the Keri Locke mystery series), Keri Locke, Missing Persons Detective in the Homicide division of the LAPD, is closer than she’s ever been to finding her daughter. Finally, she gets a fresh lead—and this time, she will do whatever it takes to bring her home alive.At the same time, a new, urgent case is assigned to Keri: an 18 year old girl has gone missing after being hazed by her sorority. As the race is on to find her, Keri plunges deep into the world of pristine college campuses, and comes to realize that all is not what it seems.A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, A TRACE OF HOPE is book #5 in a riveting new series—and a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night.“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery! The author did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side that is so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.”--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)

The man cast the woman out and the woman cast their baby out.They grabbed her by the hair and dragged her into a dark room that reeks of urine and cigarettes.

Undeniably, the pains were suffocating. When she stared at his dark eyes, the only thing she saw was darkness.

“Let go, let go of me, you bastard!” She shouted out. That only made his mighty five fingers appear on her face. Which sent her head spinning on her neck.

He made her kiss the earth. And slowly breathed in her face.

“Your life ends here....” his voice was deep baritone and cruel and that was when she felt the shivers down her spine.

How did the nerdy Elina find her way into the merciless billionaire’s court?

He was once the most feared assassin in the martial world—a blade that killed without hesitation, a shadow that left no survivors. But when Jin Mu-Kang regresses, he awakens a cultivation system unlike any other—one that grows only through good deeds. Save lives. Show mercy. Protect the weak. Every act of kindness makes him stronger… while every drop of blood threatens to erase him from existence.

There’s just one problem—his past is drenched in sin. The system reveals a cruel truth: the karma he earns isn’t a reward, but a debt. Every life he saves is merely repaying the countless lives he once took. Fail to balance it, and he won’t just lose his power—he’ll vanish entirely. Now hunted by his former comrades, distrusted by righteous sects, and constantly tempted by the ruthless strength he once wielded, Mu-Kang is forced to walk a path he was never meant to follow.

𝗜𝗻 𝗮 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗹, 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗮 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿… 𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗴 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲?

“Sophie Love's ability to impart magic to her readers is exquisitely wrought in powerfully evocative phrases and descriptions….This is the perfect romance or beach read, with a difference: its enthusiasm and beautiful descriptions offer an unexpected attention to the complexity of not just evolving love, but evolving psyches. It's a delightful recommendation for romance readers looking for a touch more complexity from their romance reads.”--Midwest Book Review (Diane Donovan re For Now and Forever) FOREVER AND A DAY is book #5 in the bestselling romance series The Inn at Sunset Harbor, which begins with book #1, For Now and Forever—a free download!35 year old Emily Mitchell has fled her job, apartment and ex-boyfriend in New York City for her father's historic, abandoned home on the coast of Maine, needing a change in her life and determined to make it work as a B&B. She had never expected, though, that her relationship with its caretaker, Daniel, would turn her life on its head.In FOREVER AND A DAY, Emily is stunned to finally, after 20 years, meet her missing father—just a week before her wedding. Their reunion changes both of their lives, and unlocks the key to the house’s many secrets, and to Emily’s missing memories.Spring has finally arrived at Sunset Harbor, and with just a week to go until the big wedding date, the wedding preparations are busier than ever, including Daniel’s surprise talk of a honeymoon. Will Emily and Daniel have their dream wedding? Or will someone appear to tear it apart?Meanwhile, Chantelle’s custody battle comes to a pitch, and as Memorial Day looms, they must figure out what to do with Trevor’s house. Yet amidst all of this, another issue weighs most heavily on Emily’s mind: will she herself ever be pregnant?FOREVER AND A DAY is book #5 in a dazzling new romance series that will make you laugh, cry, keep you turning pages late into the night—and make you fall in love with romance all over again.Book #6 will be available soon.“A very well written novel, describing the struggle of a woman (Emily) to find her true identity. The author did an amazing job with the creation of the characters and her description of the environment. The romance is there, but not overdosed. Kudos to the author for this amazing start of a series that promises to be very entertaining.”--Books and Movies Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re For Now and Forever)

I once willingly played the part of a caged bird, pampered by Henry for four years.
Only when I lost my wings and could no longer fly did I realize that when a man becomes heartless, he can't even remember who you are.
He turned around and became my brother-in-law.
I schemed to ruin his wedding.
Between him and me, there's an account that can never be settled, with love entangled in hate.
The greatest mistake of my life was falling in love with him, yet I have never regretted it.
I only ask the heavens:
Why does love not favor me, but favors him instead!

I was a scholarship student with thirty extra pounds. Del Ashford had two hundred thousand followers and her family's supplement brand on every wall of the athletic center. First week of school, she decided we were going to be best friends.
She said she wanted to help me get in shape. What that actually looked like: I carried her product shipments up three flights of stairs, drafted her emails, and picked up her lunch from the place across campus that didn't deliver.
My roommates started calling me her errand girl behind my back. I let them.
She also introduced me to Beckett Hale. After that, things went the way they went.
She knocked my protein shake over and said I'd burned her. She planted her limited-edition earphones in my bag and told everyone I'd stolen them. The school opened a conduct review. My roommates stopped talking to me.

Beckett said I was the kind of girl who got a little attention and started thinking she deserved more of it.
I couldn't prove any of it. By spring, I was gone.
Some people just aren't built for this, Wren. You know that, right?
Del hadn't even been looking at me when she said it.
Then I opened my eyes and I was back at the party. The night she introduced me to Beckett.

“The perfect romance or beach read, with a difference: its enthusiasm and beautiful descriptions offer an unexpected attention to the complexity of not just evolving love, but evolving psyches. It's a delightful recommendation for romance readers looking for a touch more complexity from their romance reads.”--Midwest Book Review (For Now and Forever)THE GHOSTLY GROUNDS: SCANDAL AND SUPPER is Book #5 in a charming new cozy mystery series by bestselling author Sophie Love, author of The Inn at Sunset Harbor series, a #1 Bestseller with over 200 five-star reviews!Marie Fortune, 39, a successful dog groomer in Boston, leaves the stressful life behind and heads to a small town in coastal Maine to create a new life. She remains intent on renovating the old, historic house her great-aunt left her and giving it a new life as a B&B. Yet there was one thing she couldn’t plan for: the house is haunted. Two things, actually: her great-aunt also left her a dog—and he is far from a typical dog.When Marie is hired to cleanse a unique and massive hotel in a nearby town, the scope of it is beyond anything she has encountered before. Just as she wonders if she has finally met her match, she learns that her local Mayor is trying to re-zone the downtown—and to shut down her B&B while he’s at it. Having a murder in the mix—for which she is pinned—hardly helps matters, either. In a multi-front war for her survival, can Marie manage to purge the ghosts, stay out of jail, and keep her livelihood?A page-turning cozy, packed with mystery, love, hauntings, travel, pets and food—anchored around a small town and a B&B in need of renovation that will capture your heart—THE GHOSTLY GROUNDS is an un-putdownable cozy series that will keep you turning pages (and laughing out loud) late into the night.“The romance is there, but not overdosed. Kudos to the author for this amazing start of a series that promises to be very entertaining.”--Books and Movies Reviews (For Now and Forever)

For five years of secret marriage to Sebastian Hawthorne—one of New York's most powerful attorneys—he still refused to let our son Quinn call him "Daddy" in public.
At the firm, I was his on-call senior associate, the invisible workhorse cleaning up his messes and handling his impossible cases. At home, I was the single mother who stopped waiting up for a husband who never came home for dinner.
Everyone knew the new intern, Delilah Vance, was his favorite—a federal judge's daughter, his hand-picked "rising star."
I used to believe that if I worked hard enough, if Quinn behaved perfectly, the heart beneath all that arrogance would eventually soften.
Until that rainy night when he threw his wife of five years and their son out of their own home to comfort Delilah over some fabricated stalker scare.
And while Quinn collapsed in my arms, gasping through a severe allergic reaction, Sebastian was raising champagne with that woman at an impossible-to-book French restaurant, celebrating her win in a pointless mock trial.
Watching my son's pale face and the hope slowly dying in his eyes, five years of one-sided devotion finally reached its verdict.
The case is closed, Sebastian. I'm done.

"Why did you marry me?"

"Because I had no other choice."

The day my grandfather fell critically ill, I was abandoned by my boyfriend of seven years and lost my last pillar of support.

To fulfill my grandfather's dying wish, I married Charles William, a man I had never met.

Cold, arrogant, dangerous—that was my entire impression of this new husband.

It wasn't until after my grandfather's death that I discovered the William family harbored a shocking secret.

They weren't ordinary people at all.

And Charles was actually the future leader of the werewolf clan.

Facing my father's greed for the inheritance, my shattered family, and one crisis after another, I could only fight back step by step on my own.

Yet that man who had despised me from the start always appeared by my side whenever danger struck.

I thought this marriage was merely a transaction.

Until one late night, when Charles trapped me in his arms, his golden beast eyes locked tightly onto me.

"Daisy, you're already my wife."

"Isn't it too late to think about running now?"

At the Waldorf Astoria in Manhattan, my ex-husband threw champagne all over me, and my wife publicly called me a "gold digger."

I held the tray, silent, like a clown being punished.

Three years ago, I lived in anonymity with her in a basement, cooking and doing laundry for her, all because of the pure stubbornness in her eyes.

In return, she embraced her father's killer and trampled me into the mud.

The divorce agreement was signed quickly, and she got into a Porsche with her enemy.

I laughed.
The next day, a Maybach pulled up in front of the law firm, escorted by eight bodyguards. The sole heir to the oldest conglomerate on the East Coast had returned.

While she was watching the cheap TV in the supermarket, seeing me marry a European princess, she was kneeling in front of a cold shelf, being verbally abused by a homeless man over a moldy potato.

In the glittering world of high society and cutthroat ambition, a single sentence shatters a marriage: "Let's get a divorce."

For three years, Claire Thompson has lived in exile, her marriage to the powerful Nelson Cooper a hollow shell existing only on paper. Shipped abroad on her wedding day and utterly forgotten, she returns only to be handed divorce papers. But Claire is no longer the timid, heartbroken girl she once was. Behind her quiet facade lies a woman transformed, secretly rejoicing at her newfound freedom.

However, freedom comes with a price. As Claire signs the papers with relief, a chilling phone call reveals a dark truth: the threats she faced overseas were no accident, and the trail leads shockingly close to home—to the family that raised her and the husband who discarded her.

Just as she prepares to sever all ties, a twist of fate pulls her back into the gilded cage. Nelson, for reasons unknown, suddenly stalls the divorce. Meanwhile, the family that disowned her and the fragile, manipulative sister who stole her life are determined to ruin her reputation and drive her out for good.

But Claire is playing a different game now. With a mysterious new identity, powerful allies, and secrets of her own, she is no one's pawn. As hidden truths unravel and loyalties are tested, a stunning question emerges: In this high-stakes battle of love, betrayal, and revenge, who is truly trapping whom?

In my previous life, the apocalypse struck.
I fought desperately to protect the shelter, but she, overflowing with compassion, opened the door and let in infected people, causing the defenses to collapse completely and my only sister to die tragically.
Afterwards, she showed no remorse, instead turning around and currying favor with a warlord, enjoying privileges at the expense of her comrades. And I, in this betrayal, was devoured alive by a horde of zombies.
When I opened my eyes again, I was back three days before the tragedy.
Watching her once again attempt to morally blackmail everyone, and preparing to open that deadly door to demonstrate her "kindness," I threw her into the darkness.

Destiny is not your ordinary girl.
Besides the fact that she straggles two world’s.
She is also the spirit the powers that be have been waiting for.
That’s right.
Destiny is a spirit. Not born on this plane of existence.
She hails from beyond the veil. Where a soul goes when the vessel can no longer hold it.
Spirits like Destiny are called shadow agents.
A shadow agent hunts down and returns the souls that flee back to the mortal side of the veil. Where these souls start to cause trouble.
The Powers that be have sensed uneasiness for a while now and need Destiny to accept. Well. Her destiny.
All Destiny will have to aid her in her task is a sassy best friend and a talking, scruffy white cat.
Destiny will need all her skills, all her courage and wits if she is going to prevail and bring the missing souls home.

Hera finds herself being the decoy of a mafia boss’s wife after the wife has been kidnapped. Hera’s brother, king of ALL Mediterranean mafia families, is against it from the beginning. But Hera has a secret she’s only told her aunt. And when the identity of the boss she must pretend to be married to is revealed, her whole world gets turned upside down. Hera and the mafia boss fall in love, but this complicates things for Hera’s brother. Whom dispatches someone under his direct ranks to go to America and keep Hera distracted while the brother plots against the boss.

On the Island of Niapachad, some rumors and mysteries will bring you back in time as the inhabitants of this island are a blast from the past. They talk strangely, dress strangely and the community is strange. They still acquainted themselves with the old ways, having gentry as the social hierarchy. There is so much to learn and discover when you're here: the wonderstruck balls, the dazzling operas, and spectacular views from all over the island.
But beware, for you don't know what's lurking in the shadows and something might be more than just a beautiful dream you wanted.


Six powerful bloodlines. Six ingenious lords. Six badass ladies.
Each one of them had a story to tell. Come! Step into the shadows where they will take you on journeys of love, danger, and rebellion. If one dislikes being confined into the world of rigidness of reality, step right up into this alternate universe based on the Victorian Era England.
However, readers, beware! For what lurks in the shadows might change into something more and who knows, in time, you will be asking for more...of them.

“Athena, our mate is here.” My wolf pants in my head. “He isn’t apart of the pack though. I can feel his strength and his powerful aura. He must be an Alpha.”

We need to keep leveled heads. He must be one of the wolves captured by us.


Athena Goldstein, a daughter, a twin, a friend, a lover, but an Alpha?

A potential future Alpha of the most formidable and largest pack in the world, but when a group of rouges attacked through Athena’s life into complete Chaos. Not just any rouges, Lunar rouges. A race of wolves that we thought were to be extinct 20 years ago have resurfaced.

Then she meets the dark, humorous, but beautiful Silas Black. The Alpha of the illusive and dangerous Lunar wolves. He brings out a new part of her not even her own best friend hasn’t seen. A new daring, sexy, and dangerous Athena Goldstein.

With a Lunar wolf as her mate makes Athena look suspicious in her own packs eyes. Even in her own twin brothers eyes. Will Athena Become the next Alpha of the Mystic Evergreen pack even though she called “traitor” “hypocrite” and “freak” ??

For Mature audiences

The bidding started at one hundred million dollars for my virginity, but the most ruthless Alpha in the realm just silenced the room with a ten billion dollar bid.

I had no idea where I was. All I could remember were the screams, the black cloth, and waking up on a stage glittering under expensive crystal lights. With silver chains wrapped tightly around my wrists. Below me sat rows of elegant men in tailored suits, their eyes gleaming with pure, predatory hunger. The host raised his gold gavel. "Tonight, we have the only one left. Pure blood. Starting bid: one hundred million dollars."

The numbers flew faster than my heartbeat. Two hundred million. Five hundred million. Two billion. They were bidding on me like an object. I screamed, thrashing against the chains, "I’m not yours!" They only laughed. "Look at her! She’s still wild."

And then… the room changed. The laughter died. A chilling aura swept through the air, heavy footsteps echoing like iron chains. Magnus Rivenhall. His eyes—pitch-black with a crimson glint—stripped me bare, layer by layer. The bids reached five billion. Gasps rippled through the room. But before the murmurs settled, his deep, cold voice shattered the air.

"Ten billion."

Silence. No one dared to breathe. The gavel struck the table, and my entire dark world collapsed. I was dragged into a dark, blood-scented underground chamber. When the heavy wooden door locked behind me, Magnus was sitting in the shadows, looking like a living god of death. "You think your money gives you the right to own my life?" I snapped, trembling.

He laughed—a low, chilling sound that raised every hair on my skin. He stepped close, his dominant scent suffocating me, and whispered against my lips. "I didn’t buy your life, Evra. I bought your blood. And starting tonight, you will never leave my bed."

She was sent to kill him. Instead, her own father sold her to him.
As a professional assassin,Elisa Bianchi had one job: put a bullet in Antonio Romano's chest before he ever knew her name. She failed.
And when her cover was blown, her father didn't fight for her, he traded her for his own life, handing his daughter over to the very monster she'd been sent to destroy.
Now she belongs to the most feared Don in all of Sicily. Chained in his dungeon, marked as his property, Elisa swears she'll never break.
But Antonio doesn't want her broken. He wants her loyal, and he's willing to burn down every wall she builds to get it. He owns her name. But her heart was never his to take.
Until it was.

Born blind but blessed with the rare gift of seeing auras—and the full memory of her past life—Ariella has learned to navigate a world she cannot see with quiet strength and sharp instincts. She dreams only of a peaceful existence… until fate claws its way into her life.

At fourteen, she is discovered to possess an extraordinary resistance to Dragon energy—a trait so rare it marks her as a prize. Torn from her quiet life by a power-hungry noble, Ariella is offered up as one of the human brides to the enigmatic Dragon realm, where ancient beasts take on human form, and danger simmers beneath beauty and flame.

"I'm pregnant," I whispered to the empty room, clutching the positive test while my husband zipped up his brother's widow's dress in the next room.

It was our one-year anniversary. I had spent weeks stitching a shirt for Alaric, hoping he’d remember me. Instead, I found him with Tazira. He didn't just ignore me; he looked at me with cold disgust, as if I were the dirt beneath his boots.

"I want her," he had claimed a year ago. Now, he only wanted to hurt me. He forced himself on me, using my body like a vessel for his rage, then left me bleeding on the couch to comfort her.

When the fire started—lit by Tazira’s own hand—I was tied up, suffocating in smoke. I screamed for him. I begged him to save our unborn pup. He burst through the door, looked me dead in the eyes... and turned away. He scooped Tazira up and carried her to safety, leaving me to burn.

That was the moment I died. Not physically, but my heart turned to ash. Through the roaring flames, I forced the bond to snap. "I, Elowen, reject you, Alaric Veylor."

He thinks I’m dead. He thinks he’s free to marry her. But I survived. And when I return, carrying the blood of a Queen he never knew existed, he will kneel in the ashes of his regret.