8177 Book(s) Related to that was then this is now book

"I'm not yours, Alexander," she whispered but her voice trembled as his lips nearly touched her lips, the gap between them filled with tension.
"You say that," he whispered softly, his breath fanning her lips, "but your body begs to differ."
"Say that you don't want this," he whispered in a low growl right before he pressed his lips against hers. 'If you tell me I will stop.'
Scarlett Blackwood has always been the one who was left in the shade- the Omega who didn't complete her change, who was overshadowed by her powerful twin sister and elder brother. But now after two years in New York she is not the weak girl that she used to be. Scarlett is a confident woman, a beauty, and in charge of her life with her wolf now awakened and her modeling career taking off. That is, until a family emergency brings her back to Mexico and back into the life she left behind. Alexander Emerson, the cold-hearted leader of the Shadow Pack, has devoted his entire existence to one goal – revenge. His family was killed by Scarlett's mother and he promised to make the Blackwoods suffer for it. But when he sees Scarlett again, he undergoes a change of heart. She has changed and is not the shy girl he once met and on top of that, she is his destined mate. What will happen when she knows that her mate is worse than enemy? Will she forgive him when he begs for another chance or she will kill him?

They married on terms and conditions, but she fell for him along the way and hoped he would open up to her one day. Her joy knew no bounds when he finally consummated the marriage close to their anniversary.
Who knew the supposed rosy next morning, he would serve her divorce papers?
And the reason?
His beloved was back!

"I, Ella Brown, hereby sever my ties with the Silver Crest pack."
The words felt heavy on her heart, but she knew it had to be done. As tears streamed down her face, she knelt down, crying bitterly as she made one final, heartbreaking declaration.
"I, Ella Brown, reject you, Alpha Derek of the Moonstone Pack, as my mate."


"Ella Brown," Derek whispered, his voice full of shock.
"Mate," Lila, her wolf, whispered within her, the bond between them sparking to life once more.
"Ella, what are you doing here?" Derek asked, his grip tightening on her arms. "I've searched everywhere for you."
Ella quickly regained her composure, pulling away from him. "I'm in a hurry, Derek," she muttered, attempting to sidestep him.
"Ella, don't leave," Derek pleaded, his voice breaking slightly.
"You are my mate," he growled, his voice blending with his wolf's. "You're not leaving me again."


Ella's fury ignited. "Alpha Derek," she spat, her voice trembling with barely contained anger. "I am not your mate anymore. Control your damn wolf."
Ella Brown’s life was supposed to change for the better when she turned 18—gaining her wolf and preparing for her engagement to Alpha Kevin Taylor. But everything shatters when she catches Kevin with her stepsister, Sandra, the night before the ceremony. Heartbroken, she flees into the night, only to stumble upon her fated mate, the powerful Alpha Derek of the Moonstone pack. Their irresistible bond leads to a night of passion, but Derek coldly rejects her the next morning.At the engagement party, Kevin twists the truth, publicly humiliating Ella. Alone and betrayed by both alphas, she discovers she’s pregnant and flees her pack. Years later, as a renowned healer in the north, Ella is sought after by desperate packs suffering from a deadly plague. But when Derek shows up at her doorstep, demanding her help and refusing to let go of the bond he once rejected, Ella must decide—will she heal his people or make him suffer the way he made her?Can Ella protect her heart from the mate who broke it, or will Derek reclaim what he believes is rightfully his?

“I’m not yours, Alexander,” she whispered but her voice trembled as his lips nearly touched her lips, the gap between them filled with tension.
“You say that,” he whispered softly, his breath fanning her lips, “but your body begs to differ.”
“Say that you don’t want this,” he whispered in a low growl right before he pressed his lips against hers. ‘If you tell me I will stop.’
Scarlett Blackwood has always been the one who was left in the shade- the Omega who didn’t complete her change, who was overshadowed by her powerful twin sister and elder brother. But now after two years in New York she is not the weak girl that she used to be. Scarlett is a confident woman, a beauty, and in charge of her life with her wolf now awakened and her modeling career taking off. That is, until a family emergency brings her back to Mexico and back into the life she left behind. Alexander Emerson, the cold-hearted leader of the Shadow Pack, has devoted his entire existence to one goal – vengeance. His family was killed by Scarlett’s mother and he promised to make the Blackwoods suffer for it. But when he sees Scarlett again, he undergoes a change of heart. She has changed and is not the shy girl he once met and on top of that, she is his destined mate. Caught between his desire for revenge and the undeniable passion for the woman he is fated to be with, Alexander is faced with a choice-will he give in to his lust and take his revenge or will he give in to the passion and love he feels for the woman he has been fated to be with?

Five years ago, her boyfriend sunk to the lowest of his career, having no other options, Karen worked hard to find evidence to clear his name. Without help from anybody, Karen turned to Ava her best friend for help. Ava found a way for her to earn money. It involved selling her ovum. They had agreed to use artificial means to harvest her ovum, but the buyer changed his mind. The buyers locked her in a dark room.
Then, a man appeared in the darkness and tortured her a day and a night. Later, Karen received the money and successfully cleared Sage's name, sending him to new heights in his career. When Sage reached the top of the entertainment world, he decided to abandon her and cheated on her with Ava.He said Karen was disgusting. He looked down on her for giving  her dignity to another man.
However, she had done it all for his sake.Worst still, five days after Sage dumped her, she found out from a news on tv that Sage and Ava were engaged.It was a big blow to her face!So out of betrayal, Karen showed up at their engagement party.  Karen approached a complete stranger and kissed him.
Grey Crawley, the CEO of the Crawley' Corporation, had no interest in women of any kind.One evening, at a party with his family, he was surprised when a girl walked up to him and gave him a kiss on the lips. Following that one decisive kiss, he vowed to claim her as his own.

I had met Soren Ashvale twice.

The first time was in the university cafeteria, when I accidentally dropped my lunch tray and stained his outrageously expensive coat.

The second time, he stopped me beneath a streetlamp on a night ravaged by snow and wind, blocking my way. There was an undisguised, predatory hunger in his dark eyes—the kind only an Alpha wolf could possess. His scent pressed in on me, nearly driving the Omega instincts inside me out of control.

“Whatever your boyfriend can give you, Wren,” Soren said, his voice low and certain to the point of arrogance, “I can give you too. And more.”

I stopped and met his gaze. “What exactly do you mean?”

“Leave him,” he said. “Choose me.”

—

Later, everyone began to say that the untouchable heir to the Ashvale family had stolen his girlfriend from one of his closest friends. Rumor had it that the two of them had nearly come to blows because of me.

At a party, someone finally could not resist asking, “Is that true?”

“It has to be,” someone else replied with a sneer. “That woman never looked trustworthy. She probably seduced him first.”

Soren lounged lazily against the sofa, as though the gossip had nothing to do with him. But when he lifted his eyes and gave the speaker a cool, dangerous look, the room fell silent.

“No,” he said casually.

“I was the one who seduced her.”

—

Perhaps our relationship had been doomed from the beginning.

We went public loudly and recklessly, only to fall apart just as abruptly.

Years later, we met again.

On the other side of the wall, glasses clinked and laughter rose from the ballroom. Here, in the corridor beyond the door, Soren had me pinned against the wood, kissing me as if he had never managed to forget me during all the years we had been apart.

“Soren Ashvale, have you lost your mind?” I gasped, trying to push him away.

He only smiled, utterly composed and certain of his victory. His fingers brushed lightly over the curve of my ear, grazing the one spot that was far too sensitive.

“Say it louder, Wren,” he murmured. “Let everyone outside hear who you’re tangled up with.”

Three months before I marry billionaire Adrian Vale, I receive a text from an unknown number.

DON’T MARRY MY HUSBAND.

The sender claims to be Celeste Vale—Adrian’s first wife.

There’s only one problem.

Celeste has been dead for four years.

I assume someone is playing a sick joke until the messages reveal secrets no stranger should know. Details about Adrian’s body. His first marriage. The night Celeste died.

Then one message warns me not to eat a box of chocolates arriving at my office.

The chocolates are poisoned.

Suddenly, Adrian’s protection becomes suffocating. Security follows me everywhere. I’m moved into the sprawling estate where Celeste once lived. Doors are locked. Cameras fail. Someone enters my bedroom while I sleep.

And the dead woman keeps texting me.

But the most terrifying discovery isn’t that someone wants me dead.

It’s an old photograph hidden among Celeste’s belongings.

A photograph of me taken eight years before I ever met Adrian.

Adrian recognizes it.

Because our first meeting wasn’t an accident.

Now I don’t know who to trust—the dead woman warning me away from my fiancé, or the dangerously powerful man who admits he searched for me long before I knew his name.

Adrian swears he didn’t kill Celeste.

I want to believe him.

But the deeper I dig into his family’s past, the more women I find who vanished, died, or were silenced after learning secrets they were never meant to know.

And Celeste may have died trying to make sure I wasn’t next.

The woman with a secret to keep, if love is pure, even if it hurts, will endure for the beloved, pretend so that she is not hated by everyone, but as a result, she is rejected by the people she loves, especially her husband.

The woman is stunned by love. Strongest in the whole world but weak when it comes to love. She is Charmaine Wextricca the woman who will do everything just to make her husband love her.

But what if the one she loves, loves someone else. What will she do? and she was kicked out by her own family, can she handle it all?

What if she found out she was pregnant? what will she do, will it go away? For the good of her and all? She will return, to her former self, as one of the strongest women in the world.
Let's follow the story of our heroine, Charmaine Wextricca with her beloved husband Kibb Monteverde, who did nothing but drive her away and hurt her.

"Someone is right behind you."
It's the most common comment I get in the chat during my late-night streams.
But when that exact phrase abruptly hijacked my screen, spammed in bold, blood-red letters, my blood ran completely cold.
Because deep down, I knew. This time, they weren't joking.
It was real.

I was just on the phone with my husband. He was stuck in traffic, apologizing for being late to our anniversary dinner. Forty minutes later, detectives are at my door, claiming he died in a crash three days ago. If Silas is dead, who just sent me a text?

When NHL superstar Thane Slade suffers a brutal fall during the Stanley Cup Finals, he doesn’t just lose his career—he loses his name, his future, and the life he thought was untouchable.
Then Madison Wallace walks into his hospital room.
A quiet nurse with storms behind her eyes, Madison is undocumented, out of options, and hiding wounds deeper than the ones she’s paid to heal. She’s not supposed to get attached—even if she’s been his biggest fan. And he’s not supposed to care—not for anyone, especially not her.
But somewhere between the silence and the scars, something dangerous blooms. Something real.
Her secret could get her deported. His could destroy them both.
And when love grows where lies once stood, one mistake shatters everything.
By the time Thane learns the truth…
Madison is gone.

"You drive me crazy, Lilith. Just one night... I’ll give you whatever you want. Please let me taste you," my billionaire CEO whimpered, pinning me against the wall, his hot breath brushing my ear.

He is obsessed with my new face, my body, and my ruthless attitude. He is willing to abandon everything just to get into my bed.

If only he knew that the flawless skin he’s kissing right now used to be covered in the acid his mistress poured on me.
If only he knew that I am his dead, naive wife—the one he threw into an ice cellar to die along with our unborn child, just to steal my family's inheritance.

"Anything I want?" I trace his jawline, smiling sweetly as my nail digs into his skin. "Then give me your empire, William. And your life."

I rose from the ashes with a new face and a hidden will. He wants to ruin my lipstick, but I came back to ruin his life.

I'm a forensic audio specialist. I make a living digging up the truths people deliberately erase from static and noise.
My 19-year-old brother was accused of pushing a billionaire's bride to her death at her wedding.
The police presented their "smoking gun" recording. I heard exactly twelve seconds missing from it.
Those twelve seconds hold the truth about how the bride really died—and the billionaire family's dark secret that will get both me and my brother killed.
They smashed my equipment, threatened my life, bribed the cops, and tried to bury the truth forever.
But what they don't know is—
Some voices refuse to stay silent. Even when they're cut out.

Trixie Baker has spent her whole life being overlooked. So when the school's most celebrated hockey player sent her a personal note, she believed it was genuine. She showed up. She held the sign. And she watched him kiss her stepsister instead.
That was just the beginning of the worst day of her life.
Now she's been selected for a modeling campaign alongside the boy who humiliated her, watched by a man who sees everything she tries to hide, and her stepmother is willing to burn her to the ground to keep her in her place.
Trixie has never been anyone's first choice.
She's about to find out what happens when she finally becomes her own.

Aella Moore
- A 27 years old American woman, with gray eyes. A woman who is very jolly and always smiling amidst of everything that happened in her life. A daughter who cares for her parents more than her own life. An Aunt who protects with all of her might and a lover who loves more than she can thought she can.

Vincent Nicholas Johnsons
- A 29 years old Australian cold hearted busi-nessman, with blue eyes. The Australia’s most eligible bachelor and the man who would have everything in a silver platter.

Aella and Vincent who were just acquaintances in the beginning but little did they know they both have the same stories. They were not looking for love at that time because they both just got their heart broken, both came from a long term relationship but when that time when they two met through a relative, tell their stories and got to know each other. They both want to make sure that they will not be hurt again this is why they were hesitant and pretending that they are not falling with each other at first. Will they overcome every obstacle that life will throw them?Will their get the approval of their families? Will they face the tragedy of their past together, all the pain and sacrifices they’ve been through? Will it all be worth it?

Turns out, for five years, all Callum ever saw when he looked at me — the wolfless one — was a stain on his Alpha reputation.
Everyone knew he was about to marry Elvira, the pureblooded heiress of the Silverfang pack. The entire Blood Moon pack was already gearing up for their bonding ceremony.
My best friend Tessa, a Beta, fed them updates on my every move in their group chat, laughing along as I made healing broths for Callum like I was a joke to them.
They figured as long as they dangled my brother's medical care over my head, I'd swallow my pride and stay their dirty little secret forever.
Until the day Elvira decided to prove who was in charge, and threw my brother into a pit lined with silver spikes.
Watching Callum shield blood-soaked Elvira behind him, I didn't cry. I didn't scream.
I just pulled a knife and drove it into the bond mark on my neck.

“My body aches to taste you,” Alpha Dante growled against his Luna’s neck, his breath hot and ragged as it brushed over her skin.

“Mmhmmm… Then take a bite,” Stormy whispered, trembling as Alpha Dante’s fangs grazed her skin.


When the moon rises, desire takes over, and lust turns into something far more dangerous.

The Orgy of Desire: Werewolf Erotica Collection is a wild collection of stories where pleasure knows no bounds, pulsing with lust, power, and surrender.

Within its pages, raw hunger, overwhelming sensations, and forbidden cravings ignite between Werewolves and mortals, mates and rivals, predators and prey.

Each story smolders with primal tension, where dominance melts into submission and every touch burns with ecstasy and damnation, leaving you trembling, wet, and desperate for more.

Alphas crave Omegas.
Omegas ache for Alphas.
Betas burn for ecstasy.

“Morgan Rice has come up with what promises to be another brilliant series, immersing us in a fantasy of valor, honor, courage, magic and faith in your destiny. Morgan has managed again to produce a strong set of characters that make us cheer for them on every page.…Recommended for the permanent library of all readers that love a well-written fantasy.”--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (regarding Rise of the Dragons)From #1 Bestselling author Morgan Rice comes a sweeping new fantasy series. 17 year old Ceres, a beautiful, poor girl in the Empire city of Delos, lives the harsh and unforgiving life of a commoner. By day she delivers her father’s forged weapons to the palace training grounds, and by night she secretly trains with them, yearning to be a warrior in a land where girls are forbidden to fight. With her pending sale to slavehood, she is desperate.18 year old Prince Thanos despises everything his royal family stands for. He abhors their harsh treatment of the masses, especially the brutal competition—The Killings—that lies at the heart of the city. He yearns to break free from the restraints of his upbringing, yet he, a fine warrior, sees no way out.When Ceres stuns the court with her hidden powers, she finds herself wrongfully imprisoned, doomed to an even worse life than she could imagine. Thanos, smitten, must choose if he will risk it all for her. Yet, thrust into a world of duplicity and deadly secrets, Ceres quickly learns there are those who rule, and those who are their pawns. And that sometimes, being chosen is the worst that can happen.SLAVE, WARRIOR, QUEEN tells an epic tale of tragic love, vengeance, betrayal, ambition, and destiny. Filled with unforgettable characters and heart-pounding action, it transports us into a world we will never forget, and makes us fall in love with fantasy all over again.Book #2 in OF CROWNS AND GLORY will be released soon!

Book 1- Roman
Roman has everything an alpha werewolf could want- everything except his mate.
He knows who she is, he just doesn’t know where she is.
When a chance encounter, fifteen years later, brings Aurora Jones back into his life, there's only one problem. she doesn't recognise him.
Vowing to make her his mate is easy, he just needs to make her fall in love with him again.
Keeping her safe though?
That might be a challenge

Book 2- Reaper

Reaper lost his mate the moment his second died, but he never forgot her. How could he when he was tied to her without ever having laid a finger on her? The rose inked onto his skin was a constant reminder of his mate and what he had lost.

Until single mum Bethany came crashing into his life.

One accidental meeting and Reaper gets the second chance he has always dreamed of.

But can he make it work this time? Or will the mistakes of the past come back to haunt him?

Book 3- Requiem

Requiems mate was dead.
So why does the young hacker Mae, who betrayed them all make his Dragon go crazy with the need to claim her.
Why does she smell and sound so much like his lost love?
Mae might be the only person who can help them find out who is trying to kill them but Requiem might have to risk so much more than his life to get the answers he needs. He might have to risk his already broken Heart.

"Sophie Patterson. Don't you dare walk away from me." Logan's menacing stare bore at me. I suddenly didn't feel drunk anymore. I sobered up quickly.

"What, Logan? You're gonna tell me that you suddenly love me again? That you're here to sweep me off my feet? Please! I didn't need you all this time, and I don't need you now." He clenched his jaw, fisting his hands.

"Enough. Stop being so damn stubborn. You know I do. I love you. I never stopped loving you, Sophie. It was always you."

I left my hometown hoping to never see him again. I left with his baby still inside of me.

Seven years after, and here I am again. Standing before him and a six-year-old wanting to know who his dad is, and asking me to marry him because everyone in his class but him and his best friend don't have a daddy.

What am I supposed to do with all these feelings that are resurfacing? I'm realizing every day that I never got over him. I merely suppressed my feelings, and his telling me this now- to my face, just made things more complicated.

Riley
New name, new look, new life. I've been careful to keep my past at bay. The last thing I needed was the stranger with those calm discerning eyes to cross my path. I must avoid him at all costs, even if he haunts my dreams and sends waves of heat across my skin. My focus is survival, not lust. Not even if he ignited a longing I'd never thought possible.

Draven
A mission. Find the missing girls and bring the perpetrator to justice. The retributive kind. I've grown used to the shadows but I am drawn to her light. Moth to a flame, the only way to quell my curiosity is to satiate it. But not too much. Not completely.

TEASER:
You want me, don’t you?” A simple question that warranted a simple answer.
“Should I have had you checked for a head injury?” he scoffed, a swift blow that knocked the wind out of my lungs and I realised I had been holding my breath. My lips parted, and my chest heaved, working overtime to replenish my body’s oxygen from those few moments of starvation.
Steeling my spine, I stepped forward, invading his space, oblivious to the eyes that were thrown our way. Or was I imagining that? Draven didn’t budge, a perfectly shaped brow elevated as he considered my movement with little interest. There wasn’t a single flicker of emotion to cross his features, not even that Godforsaken misleading smile made an appearance.
“Then you’ve no reason to threaten any man I may find interesting.” I breathed the words slowly, erotically.

“Thriller writing at its best. Thriller enthusiasts who relish the precise execution of an international thriller, but who seek the psychological depth and believability of a protagonist who simultaneously fields professional and personal life challenges, will find this a gripping story that's hard to put down.”--Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Any Means Necessary)“One of the best thrillers I have read this year. The plot is intelligent and will keep you hooked from the beginning. The author did a superb job creating a set of characters who are fully developed and very much enjoyable. I can hardly wait for the sequel.”--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Any Means Necessary)When nuclear waste is stolen by jihadists in the middle of the night from an unguarded New York City hospital, the police, in a frantic race against time, call in the FBI. Luke Stone, head of an elite, secretive, department within the FBI, is the only man they can turn to. Luke realizes right away that the terrorists’ aim is to create a dirty bomb, that they seek a high-value target, and that they will hit it within 48 hours.A cat and mouse chase follows, pitting the world’s most savvy government agents versus its most sophisticated terrorists. As Agent Stone peels back layer after layer, he soon realizes he is up against a vast conspiracy, and that the target is even more high value than he could have imagined—leading all the way to the President of the United States. With Luke framed for the crime, his team threatened and his own family in danger, the stakes could not be higher. But as a former special forces commando, Luke has been in tough positions before, and he will not give up until he finds a way to stop them—using any means necessary.Twist follows twist as one man finds himself up against an army of obstacles and conspiracies, pushing even the limits of what he can handle, and culminating in a shocking climax.A political thriller with heart-pounding action, dramatic international settings, and non-stop suspense, ANY MEANS NECESSARY marks the debut of an explosive new series that will leave you turning pages late into the night.Book #2 in the Luke Stone series is also now available!

“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) FACE OF DEATH is book #1 in a new FBI thriller series by USA Today bestselling author Blake Pierce, whose #1 bestseller Once Gone (Book #1) (a free download) has received over 1,000 five star reviews. FBI Special Agent Zoe Prime suffers from a rare condition which also gives her a unique talent—she views the world through a lens of numbers. The numbers torment her, make her unable to relate to people, and give her a failed romantic life—yet they also allow her to see patterns that no other FBI agent can see. Zoe keeps her condition a secret, ashamed, in fear her colleagues may find out.Yet when a serial killer strikes across the Midwest, strangling women in remote places and seemingly at random, Zoe, for the first time, is stumped. Is there a pattern? Can there be no pattern at all? Or is this killer as obsessed with numbers as she is?In a mad race against time, Zoe must enter the diabolical mind of a killer who always seems to be one step ahead of her, and stop him from claiming his next victim before it’s too late. At the same time, she must keep at bay her own demons, which may ultimately prove to be even more threatening.An action-packed thriller with heart-pounding suspense, FACE OF DEATH is book #1 in a riveting new series that will leave you turning pages late into the night. Books #2 and #3 in the series—FACE OF MURDER and FACE OF FEAR—are also available for pre-order.

“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: CAUSE TO HIDE (An Avery Black Mystery—Book 3).Bodies are being found in the outskirts of Boston, their corpses burned beyond recognition, as the police realize a new serial killer is roaming the streets. As the media converges and the pressure is upped, the Boston Police Department must turn to its most brilliant—and controversial—homicide detective: Avery Black.Avery, still trying to pick up the pieces of her own life—her budding relationship with Ramirez, her reconciliation with Rose—suddenly finds herself thrown into the most challenging case of her career. With scant evidence to follow, she must enter the mind of a psychotic killer, try to understand his obsession with fire, and what clues that offers into his personality. Her trail leads her deep into Boston’s worst neighborhoods, to confrontations with its worst psychopaths—and finally, to a twist she could never possibly imagine.In a game of psychological cat and mouse, a frantic race against time, Avery is led too deep into the maze of a killer’s mind, and to places darker than she’d ever wish to see.A psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, CAUSE TO HIDE is book #3 of a riveting new series—with a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night. Book #4 in the Avery Black series will be available soon. “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)

“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. In CAUSE TO RUN (An Avery Black Mystery—Book 2), a new serial killer is stalking Boston, killing his victims in bizarre ways, taunting the police with mysterious puzzles that reference the stars. As the stakes are upped and the pressure is on, the Boston Police Department is forced to call in its most brilliant—and most controversial—homicide detective: Avery Black.Avery, still reeling from her last case, finds herself up against a rival precinct and a brilliant, cunning killer who is always one step ahead of her. She is forced to enter his dark, twisted mind as he lays clues for his next killing, and forced to look into places in her own mind she would rather not go. She finds herself compelled to seek the counsel of Howard Randall, the twisted serial killer she’d put behind bars years ago, all while her new burgeoning life with Rose and Ramirez is falling apart.And just as things cannot get any worse, she finds out something else: she herself may be the target.In a game of psychological cat and mouse, a frantic race against time leads Avery through a series of shocking and unexpected twists—culminating in climax that even Avery could not imagine. A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, CAUSE TO RUN is book #2 of a riveting new series—with a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night. Book #3 in the Avery Black series will be available soon. “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)

“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)

At sixteen, Clara Bennett lost the last place she could call home.

After years of feeling unwanted by the father who should have protected her, Clara is finally forced to leave the only home she has ever known. Her stepmother’s pregnancy only makes it easier for her family to let her go.

With nothing but her mother’s old violin, she arrives in a small Pennsylvania town carrying the fear that she will never truly belong anywhere.

The last thing she expects is Adrian Cole.

Once the town’s basketball star, Adrian gave up his dreams after his father disappeared and left him with debts he never should have carried. Now he spends his days repairing cars, avoiding the court, and pretending he doesn’t want anything more from life.

Clara thinks she is too broken to be loved.

Adrian thinks his future is already over.

But somewhere between physics lessons, late nights at the repair shop, and a forgotten small-town high school, two lonely people begin to find something they both thought they had lost forever:

A reason to stay.

✦ ✦ ✦

A tough exterior with a soft heart x A soft exterior with a strong heart

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The first half is set in high school, and the second half is set during their college years. Hope you enjoy the journey!

This is a slow-paced story, focused more on emotions, healing, and the small moments in life rather than intense action or dramatic twists.

If you find any mistakes while reading, please feel free to leave a comment. I’ll be happy to correct them.

I hope ordinary Clara, ordinary Adrian, and all of us ordinary people can find the happiness we deserve.

"You were just a tool, Imogene."
Her heart stopped. "And I was foolish enough to believe you cared."
Imogene Scott had always known her place—by Damien Shaw’s side, even when his love was a distant dream. Marrying her only because of an unexpected pregnancy, Damien’s affection never blossomed. Instead, her devotion turned him from a mere sales manager into the billionaire CEO of IMU, one of Europe’s most powerful tech empires. But her sacrifices weren’t enough. After losing their baby, Damien’s coldness deepened, sealing their marriage with an unspoken “no meddling” rule.
Imogene’s reward? Watching Damien parade countless mistresses, all while she buried her own dreams to fuel his. She believed, naively, that one day he’d see her worth. But when he fell in love with her stepsister and served her with divorce papers, Imogene’s world shattered. Realizing she was nothing more than a pawn in Damien’s game, she vanished—pregnant and determined to protect her unborn child.
Three years later, Imogene returns, not as the broken woman who fled but as a renowned artist and mother to their two-year-old daughter. Now, Damien realizes what he’s lost and wants her back. But this time, Imogene is ready to fight, and she’s not making the same mistake twice.

After I found out about the secret admirer he’s been talking to for the past two months the, he throws divorce papers at my face after being married for six months. He claims that his admirer would give him half of the Williamson cooperation. He thinks I’m the naive middle class woman he married but what he doesn’t know is I’m the owner of the Williamson Cooperation, the company I inherited from my father’s as his only child just before he died. Throws out of the house, I decided to reclaim my power and move back to my estate. I hosted a convention where the secret admirer would be handing him the properties and I put everyone in shock when I show up and they find out it’s me. Richard begs at my feet for mercy but I totally ignore him and choose his personal assistant who has always been good to me from the very day I stepped into Richard’s mansion as his wife

ELENA Brooks has spent her life holding her fragile family together, working tirelessly as a junior clerk at Lunaris Tech Innovations while her abusive, cheating husband, Marcus, drifts further into alcohol and recklessness. For seven years, she endured, hoping her sacrifices would keep her son safe and her family intact.

But one careless night shatters the illusion of peace. When she catches Marcus with someone she once trusted, Elena realizes the life she has been clinging to is built on lies. Determined to reclaim her strength and her dignity, she walks away, filing for divorce and taking custody of her son.

Enter Eamon, the enigmatic and dangerously alluring CEO of Lunaris Tech. A man shrouded in mystery, whose presence is as commanding as it is intoxicating. The day Elena accidentally witnesses a moment she can’t explain, she realizes there is far more to him than the world sees.

As Elena rebuilds herself, she discovers a strength she never knew existed. With Eamon by her side, she begins to rise— not just from betrayal, but toward a life of power, courage, and something far more unexpected: love.

But revenge is a fire that cannot be contained. And when past betrayals collide with dangerous secrets, Elena will find herself walking a path she never imagined— where her heart, her son, and her very life are all on the line.

Will rising from the ashes be enough, or will the shadows of the past consume her before she can truly claim her freedom?

Curse Breaker Books 1-3 features the first three books of the Curse Breaker Series in one action-packed boxed set. Curse Breaker Enchanted Sarn wants to be like everyone else, not a mage with a power he can barely control. But he must hide his magic in a country run by a group that wants to destroy all magic. But that magic comes in handy when he wakes up far from home with only his cloak to protect him from monsters and murderous trees. How will Sarn return home in time and unravel the dark conspiracy that’s destroying it before his son pays the ultimate price? Curse Breaker Darkens When a disembodied voice warns him that a demon is after his mage, Jerlo sets off to find the man who could summon it. He swore an unbreakable oath to protect Sarn, no matter the cost. In a country run by a group that wants to destroy all magic, mages and demons shouldn’t exist. But they do, and Jerlo’s in a fight, not just for his life but for his soul. Even if he risks both, how will he save Sarn without magic? Curse Breaker Faceted Sarn spies on the men responsible for his best friend's death with his young son in tow. And those men are hunting for magic-stealing rocks to fuel a zealot's quest. When their greed leads them into a forbidden cavern, they release an ancient monster, and it's hungry for a certain mage and his son. Who will survive the dark terror lurking under the mountain? Curse Breaker Books 1-3 contains the first three books of the Curse Breaker Series: Curse Breaker Enchanted, Curse Breaker Darkens, and Curse Breaker Faceted. It’s an epic fantasy adventure starring a loving father, his young son, and the people and monsters that dwell in an immersive world of intrigue and adventure. Get Curse Breaker Books 1-3 now if you love found family, reluctant heroes, and magical mayhem, then this is the book for you!

Olivia spent years loving Brian in silence, trapped in a relationship with no promises, no certainties, and no future. Whilst she waited to be chosen, he always found a way to slip away.

Until the day she left.

Determined to start afresh, far from everything that hurt her, Olivia decides to leave the past behind. But some ties cannot be severed so easily.

Months later, an unexpected reunion brings the two face to face once more — and Brian realises, too late, that he has lost far more than he ever imagined.

Now, amidst hurt, secrets, and feelings that never truly faded, they must discover whether the love they destroyed in the past is still strong enough to deserve a second chance.

Because some stories end.
Others simply wait for the right moment to begin again.

Willa was anxious leading up to their 18th birthday, being the alpha's only child they knew that whomever they were mated to would be the pack's new alpha and they would take over from their mother as luna. Only issue Willa knew that being someone's Luna was not an option, they weren't the perfect daughter everyone expected and it's only a matter of time before this truth comes to light.

Willa’s true name was Roman, He was the only child of the alpha and he knew that he was doomed to disappoint his pack. His pack was not ready to accept him and knew that his fated mate would surely reject him for how surely the goddess would mistakenly pair him with a straight male right?

This story is about a FTM trans main character who loves a man. This story will contain mentions of body dysphoria, mental health (not too deep though) and it will also contain smut.

He was once the strongest weapon of the Night’s Watch — a god of killing feared across the world!

But three years ago, a deadly mission left him broken, bleeding, and without his memories. Saved by a kind stranger, he repaid the debt by marrying her daughter and living a humble life as a nobody.

For three long years, he endured humiliation — treated worse than a dog by his wife and mother-in-law. They saw only a weak man… never guessing the storm that slept within him.

Now, his memories have returned. The god of war awakens.

The king who once ruled the battlefield has returned — and this time, the world will tremble beneath his feet!

"If you want a shot at the Olympics, and if you want that NHL draft, you will announce that you’ve been quietly dating," the Dean ordered, sliding the fake contract across the desk. I looked at Reid Carter, the arrogant hockey captain who had sabotaged my skates, the man I had despised for ten years. Now, I had to pretend to be deeply in love with him for ninety days. I grabbed the pen, my fingers trembling, and signed my name. "Perfect," the PR manager smiled. "Tonight is the bonfire. Act like you actually like her. Iris, try not to look like you're plotting his murder."

We walked into the dark parking lot, the scent of burning wood filling the air. "Ready to sell our souls?" Reid murmured, his massive hand suddenly wrapping around mine. An unexpected jolt of electricity shot up my arm. His skin was rough, calloused from years of gripping a hockey stick, but his heat melted right through my cold fingers. We stepped into the firelight, surrounded by a hundred whispering athletes and flashing cameras. I leaned my head against his broad shoulder, playing the perfect, obsessed girlfriend. "She's worth the trouble," he told the crowd, his voice dark and unreadable.

But when the cameras were gone, the lines began to blur. In the empty locker room, he pinned me against the cold metal lockers, his chest heaving. "You're squeezing too hard," I whispered, my heart hammering against my ribs. "You're the one shaking, Ice Queen," he growled back, his face inches from mine. We were supposed to hate each other. We were supposed to be a PR stunt to save our funding. But as his gaze dropped to my lips, the fiery tension between us felt dangerously real. Would the world find out we were a fraud, or would this fake contract destroy us both?

"I absolutely love your huge, thick cock, James. Just let me ride it tonight, and I'll pay you to be my secret whore," my wife's sister-in-law purred, climbing into my bed completely naked, her wet, dripping pussy grinding against my thigh.

I threw her naked body onto the floor like trash. For three years, I played the pathetic, submissive househusband to my arrogant wife, Emily. I endured their endless humiliation, hiding the fact that I was the billionaire heir and lethal ex-special forces agent keeping their pathetic family alive.

But today, the three-year contract hit zero.

When a rival mafia boss kicked down our door, threatening to massacre everyone, my wife's sister Rhea desperately ripped her dress open, exposing her heavy, bare breasts, begging the boss to fuck her raw right there on the floor if he spared her life.

I’d had enough.

I stepped forward, snapping the necks and shattering the bones of a dozen armed guards, leaving them choking on their own blood. As my fleet of twenty armored Rolls-Royces surrounded the villa, my true identity was finally revealed.

Seeing my unimaginable power, Rhea crawled to my feet, shoving her massive tits against my leg, begging to suck my cock and share my bed with my wife.

I slapped her across her slutty face, tore up the marriage contract, and walked out.

Behind me, Emily collapsed, sobbing hysterically. "If I had just spread my legs for him... if I had just let him breed me and fill my womb with his heir, I would be the queen of the world..."

She's begging for my seed now, but should I lock her in my basement and make her pay for the last three years?

Born between two kingdoms at war, Astrid Stone’s life has been marked by pain and misfortune, condemned to live as a slave within her own palace.
She is the princess no one wants, the shadow of a lineage that despises her.
When the new wolf king, Lysander Rowan, forces her to marry him to avenge his father, both are trapped in a union forged by hatred… and consumed by a desire neither can deny.
As their love grows and her true nature awakens, Astrid must choose between loyalty to her past or a forbidden love that threatens to destroy them both.
In a world where blood dictates destiny, can love defy the moon?

They killed his family and closed the case in 24 hours. They should've taken longer.

For ten years, Van Zero was just a mechanic until Black Crown burned everything he loved and called it an accident. Now the nation that buried its greatest weapon has dug him back up. No badge. No army. No mercy. The War God has returned and this time, he isn't fighting for his country.

“Hate me all you want, Mackenzie…”
His lips brushed her ear, low and lethal. “But you’ll still beg to be ruined by me.”

She took his future with a single photo.
Now he wants everything from her—body, mind, control.

Mackenzie Lanka thought college would be her fresh start. New campus. New name. A shot at the internship of a lifetime. But when the dark, dangerous boy from her past reappears with a smile sharp enough to draw blood, everything unravels.

Tony “Anaga” Zacks—the ex-golden boy turned walking scandal—has one goal: make Mackenzie his. Not because he’s forgiven her, but because revenge tastes better when it’s slow… and dirty.

His deal is simple.
Pretend to be his girlfriend. Obey the rules. Don’t fall for the enemy.

But nothing about Tony is simple. Not his touch. Not his demands. And especially not the way he breaks her down with a look and sets her on fire with a single word.

Every kiss is punishment.
Every lie is layered in lust.
Every time she says no, her body says please.

As secrets bleed into obsession and the line between hate and want disappears, Mackenzie’s not sure if she’s his puppet… or his prize.

And the worst part? She might just love the pain he brings.

This isn’t a love story.
It’s a war of hearts, heat, and control.
And someone’s going to surrender naked.


You Ruined My Life, Now Be My Girlfriend—where hate fucks hard and love might not survive it.

Faced with the dying Demon King's curse, my princess fiancée threw herself in front of the mage, shielding him with everything she had.

She shoved my battered, bleeding body toward the demon's most vicious curse.

Three years later, she arrived at my homeland with the kingdom's knights.

"Where is Lord Hero? I'm here to marry him."

The old man at the village entrance glanced at her:

"The Hero? He's been dead for a year now."

She froze.

Behind her, the knights who had served me loyally finally drew their swords.

"Your Highness, give us back our Hero!"

“I just gave you pleasure,” Valen skited like it was a great achievement to boast about. He felt no guilt for his earlier sin.
“I did not ask you to.” I retaliated. It was wrong of me to fall victim to his allure. It was purely Zeus’ fault. His wolf was nicer.
“You like it though.” His voice was low and throaty with a triumphant grin. Damn his ego! “You didn’t want me to stop before.”
Blood rushed to my face and I blushed in shame as he stared at me. I stretched for a pillow and sailed it at him. He caught it with a devious chuckle.

Alpha Prince Valen, the next in-line to be Alpha King, has been Raina's crush since childhood. For years she yearned for the attention that he never gave. She was ecstatic when Valen turned out to be her mate. He was hers.

Sadly, something’s wrong with the mate bond. The old books refer to them as unfortunate soulmates. This implied that the bond would never last.

Forced to reject her and sever the bond, the painful separation exposed Raina to numerous challenges and dangers. A glimpse of the future has left her torn between the desire for her mate and the doom of their fate.

Will Raina and Valen have their happy ending or did the moon goddess have something else in store for them? Should she fight for her mate or let the course of destiny unfold? - Find out as Raina embarks on a journey filled with heartache, revelation, and an uncertain future.
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This is Book 2 from the Mates series. Can be read as a standalone, however, to understand the characters, you might want to read Book 1 - Mates: Regrets and Redemption
© All rights reserved.

“You will not sleep until you are finished with AGENT ZERO. The author did a superb job creating a set of characters who are fully developed and very much enjoyable. The description of the action scenes transport us into a reality that is almost like sitting in a movie theater with surround sound and 3D (it would make an incredible Hollywood movie). I can hardly wait for the sequel.”--Roberto Mattos, Books and Movie ReviewsIn this much-anticipated debut of an epic spy thriller series by #1 bestseller Jack Mars, readers are taken on an action thriller across Europe as presumed-CIA operative Kent Steele, hunted by terrorists, by the CIA, and by his own identity, must solve the mystery of who is after him, of the terrorists’ pending target—and of the beautiful woman he keeps seeing in his mind.Kent Steele, 38, a brilliant professor of European History at Columbia University, lives a quiet life in a New York suburb with his two teenage daughters. All that changes when late one night he gets a knock on his door and is abducted by three terrorists—and finds himself flown across the ocean to be interrogated in a basement in Paris.They are convinced that Kent is the most lethal spy the CIA has ever known. He is convinced they have the wrong man.Do they?With a conspiracy around him, adversaries as smart as he is, and an assassin on his tail, the wild game of cat and mouse leads Kent on a perilous road—one that may lead back to Langley—and to a shocking discovery of his own identity.AGENT ZERO is an espionage thriller that will keep you turning pages late into the night.“One of the best thrillers I have read this year.”--Books and Movie Reviews (re Any Means Necessary )Also available is Jack Mars’ #1 bestselling LUKE STONE THRILLER series (7 books), which begins with Any Means Necessary (Book #1), a free download with over 800 five star reviews!

“When you think that life cannot get better, Blake Pierce comes up with another masterpiece of thriller and mystery! This book is full of twists and the end brings a surprising revelation. I strongly recommend this book to the permanent library of any reader that enjoys a very well written thriller.”--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Almost Gone) LEFT TO DIE is book #1 in a new FBI thriller series by USA Today bestselling author Blake Pierce, whose #1 bestseller Once Gone (Book #1) (a free download) has received over 1,000 five star reviews. FBI special agent Adele Sharp is a German-and-French raised American with triple citizenship—and an invaluable asset in bringing criminals to justice as they cross American and European borders.When a serial killer case spanning three U.S. states goes cold, Adele returns to San Francisco and to the man she hopes to marry. But after a shocking twist, a new lead surfaces and Adele is dispatched to Paris, to lead an international manhunt.Adele returns to the Europe of her childhood, where familiar Parisian streets, old friends from the DGSI and her estranged father reignite her dormant obsession with solving her own mother’s murder. All the while she must hunt down the diabolical killer, must enter the dark canals of his psychotic mind to know where he will strike next—and save the next victim before it’s too late.An action-packed mystery series of international intrigue and riveting suspense, LEFT TO DIE will have you turning pages late into the night.Books #2 and #3 in the series – LEFT TO RUN and LEFT TO HIDE – are also available for preorder!

“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) CITY OF PREY (An Ava Gold Mystery—Book 1) is the debut novel in a long-anticipated new series by #1 bestseller and USA Today bestselling author Blake Pierce, whose bestseller Once Gone (a free download) has received over 1,000 five star reviews. In the rough streets of 1920s New York City, 34 year-old Ava Gold, a widower and single mom, claws her way up to become the first female homicide detective in her NYPD precinct. She is as tough as they come, and willing to hold her own in a man’s world.But when a psychotic serial killer unleashes a rampage, murdering young women across the city, Ava will have to search the dark canals of the twisted killer’s mind if she has any hope of hunting him down. With psychological profiling still in its infancy, and mocked by most, Ava will be even more alone as she follows her instinct, and hunts him down in a dangerous game of cat and mouse.Just when it seems the stakes couldn’t be higher, Ava comes to an awful realization: she herself may be the next target.Amidst the speakeasies, jazz clubs, mafia-run prohibition rings, horrific mental asylums and dangerous back alleys of the city, can Ava achieve what all the men cannot: enter the sick mind of a killer, and stop him before more women die?A heart-pounding suspense thriller filled with shocking twists, the authentic and atmospheric AVA GOLD MYSTERY SERIES is a riveting page-turner, endearing us to a strong and brilliant character that will capture your heart and keep you reading late into the night.Books #2 and #3 in the series—CITY OF FEAR and CITY OF BONES—are now also available.

“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 FEAR (An Avery Black Mystery—Book 4).When a body turns up floating beneath the frozen Charles River, the Boston Police summons its most brilliant and controversial homicide detective—Avery Black—to close the case. It doesn’t take Avery long, however, to realize that this is no isolated murder: it is the work of a serial killer.Other bodies begin to turn up, all of them sharing one thing in common: all are trapped in ice. Is it all a coincidence—or the signature of a particularly deranged killer?As the media converges and Avery suffers pressure from her bosses, she struggles to crack the inexplicable case, too bizarre even for her brilliant mind. At the same time she tries to keep her own depression at bay, as her personal life spirals to a new low. And she does it all while trying to enter the mind of a psychotic and elusive killer.What she will find will shock even her, and make her realizes that nothing is what it seems—and that the worst darkness may sometimes be closest to us.A psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, CAUSE TO FEAR is book #4 in a riveting new series—with a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night. Book #5 in the Avery Black series will be available soon. “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)

“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.Homicide Detective Avery Black has been through hell. Once a top criminal defense attorney, she fell from grace when she managed to get a brilliant Harvard professor off—only to watch him kill again. She lost her husband and her daughter, and her life fell apart around her.Trying to redeem herself, Avery has turned to the other side of the law. Working her way up the ranks, she has reached Homicide Detective, to the scorn of her fellow officers, who still remember what she did, and who will always hate her.Yet even they cannot deny Avery’s brilliant mind, and when a disturbing serial killer strikes fear into the heart of Boston, killing girls from elite colleges, it is Avery that they turn to. It is Avery’s chance to prove herself, to finally find the redemption she craves. And yet, as she is soon to find out, Avery has come up against a killer as brilliant and daring as she.In this game of psychological cat and mouse, women are dying with mysterious clues, and the stakes could not be higher. A frantic race against time leads Avery through a series of shocking and unexpected twists—culminating in climax that even Avery could not imagine. A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, CAUSE TO KILL marks the debut of a riveting new series—and a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night. Book #2 in the Avery Black series will be available soon.“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)