7928 Book(s) Related to the duke picked up something in the forest

After a humiliating breakup, Athena’s best friend tricks her into helping their roommate, Jonas Parker, rehearse for a romantic comedy audition. One fake marriage license, several drinks, and one very questionable cousin later, Athena wakes up to discover she’s apparently married.
To her best friend.
And the entire internet knows about it.
Determined to fix the mistake, Athena plans to get an annulment immediately—until Jonas lands the role of a lifetime, and staying married suddenly becomes part of the deal. Jonas has spent years telling everyone exactly one thing: “We’re not dating.” Now he’s trying to convince the world that his accidental wife isn’t just his best friend. Because if their marriage falls apart, so might his acting career.
As if that isn’t complicated enough, Athena’s estranged billionaire father wants her to come home and claim her place as heir to his empire, her ex-boyfriend wants her back now that he knows she’s rich, and her new boss turns out to be Duke Montgomery—her former fiancé who still hasn’t forgiven her for breaking his heart.
With jealous exes, scheming socialites, corporate power struggles, fake relationships, family secrets, a charming stranger and a wedding neither of them remembers agreeing to, Athena and Jonas are about to discover that friendship is a lot easier than love.
And then Athena begins to notice something she never saw before. Maybe the person she’s been looking for has been standing beside her all along.
After all, what happens in Vegas was supposed to stay in Vegas.
Instead, it followed her home and it might just change her life forever.

“You look beautiful in that gown.” He whispered as he reached for my hand.

I didn’t answer him. All I could feel was hatred, sadness, and sorrow. This is the worst day of my life.

We faced the judge while I was trying to brush his hand off my arm.

The entire event happened with me trying to move away from him while he keeps on pulling me beside him.

The judge didn’t even ask me if I agree on marrying him.

“And now, I pronounce you husband and wife! Mr. Hastings, you may kiss your wife now.”

That phrase caused my whole body to shiver. I could still remember the time when he kissed me.

Sebastine faced me and lifted the veil above my head. I froze in place for a moment while I was staring at his face.

Slowly, he moved his face closer to me while looking straight into my eyes. My heart kept on beating so fast it felt like it was going to jump off my chest.

He put his hand under my chin and made me look at him as he claimed my lips.

I flinched but then I closed my eyes as I felt the warmth of his mouth.

I wanted to push him away, I wanted to punch his face but I just couldn’t. It felt like a spell was cast on me.

I tapped his chest for him to finally move away but he just won’t pull away from the kiss.

He only let go of me when he was finally satisfied. We were both panting.
His men started to clap while looking at us.

Her current chapter explored a love story between two women in 1950s New York – a time of profound social constraint and hidden desires. Based on interviews with older queer women, the narrative revealed extraordinary resilience.
"Sometimes," Sarah told Rebecca, "the most radical act is simply existing. Refusing to be erased."
The typewriter continued its percussive rhythm. Each keystroke was an act of documentation, of resistance.

Mya Evans never believed in monsters, until the night she walked into a warehouse and met Dante Cardello.
Cold, violent and powerful, the mob boss doesn’t forgive theft. He punishes it. But instead of putting a bullet in her father’s skull, Dante names his terms. Marriage, obedience and an heir within a year.
Mya swears she’ll never want him, never love him, never surrender her fire. But Dante has no intention of letting his unwilling bride remain untouched. He’ll break her defiance and teach her that everything that belongs to him stays his.
Enemies to lovers, forced marriage, age gap and breeding kink.
In Dante’s world, vows aren’t whispered at an altar.
They’re written in blood.

Detective Lauren James has always trusted her instincts, but when she discovers that supernatural beings are manipulating Chicago's justice system, everyone thinks she's lost her mind.
Given one week to prove her "delusions" or face psychiatric evaluation, Lauren turns to the only person who believes her; her partner, Detective Alex Henderson, whose unwavering support feels like a lifeline in her darkest hour.
But as they chase evidence that always slips away at the last moment, Lauren doesn't realize that Alex is who she is investigating, and Alex's ancient bloodline requires a human sacrifice under the full moon to renew his fading powers.
And she's already been chosen.

MATURE CONTENT: This book is strictly R18+

BLURB:
Before I could turn toward him, the ground vanished beneath my feet. Again, a startled gasp tore from my throat as he lifted me with sudden force, and in the next breath, my legs were wrapped around his waist, his hands firm on my ass like I paid him to own it too.

Before words could leave my mouth he kissed me deliberately. Like he needed to stir the moment. Stir something in me.

My pupils flared at the shock of his movement, my heart pounding so violently it felt as though it might break free from my chest.

"I wouldn't mind helping you strip if you aren't going to do it yourself?" His voice dripped with a demand that felt more like a command instead of a request.
~
Too much of an aura for a one-night stand who I never knew was the husband I feared.

~
How will you feel when you wake up only to discover you had been set up for an arranged marriage with a man whose stories about him made ears that heard it tingle?

Afraid, devastated, angry, right?

Then what will be your reaction when you find out that a one-night stand whom you had paid to stir a scandal and stop the marriage turned out to be the arranged husband you're running away from?

Now I believe words can't describe your feelings. However, that was my story.
He wanted me, made rules for me. Made me fight to know who he was and now even my restraint can't subdue him rather he consumed every bit of me.

What will become my fate when I find out what made me afraid of him, afraid of the city was actually who I was?

"Let go of me, you bastard!" Emma spat.
"You are going no where, my love," the guy with a mask on his face said and grabbed her hair.
"I'm not your love, just let me go please," she cried.
"Stop crying, I hate to see you like this way. Just have it in your mind that you are mine and mine alone," the guy said.
The voice sounds familiar to her but she couldn't place a name to it because she is not in the right frame of mind. She just wanted to be free, "I'm not yours!"
The guy gave her a slap on her cheek and she gasped. He moved closer to her and grabbed her hair roughly, "Spread your legs."
Emma refused and he warned, "Spread your legs now, don't make me go the hard way. " He pushed her to the bed and ripped her shirt off. "No, please don't touch me. Please don't rape me," Emma cried. " I will do what I want," the guy said and gave her a slap again. He ripped her clothes off like a mad animal. Emma cried for help, she cried till she lost her voice. His trousers were off and he was ready to penetrate into her but he stopped all of a sudden.
The guy fell to the ground and when Emma saw who hit the guy. She cried and ran towards her saviour.


In a world where werewolves roam, a future Alpha named [Lucas] leaves his pack behind to follow his heart to the city. Driven by the urge to find his human mate, he embarks on a journey that changed his life forever. Fate has plans, bringing them together in a chance encounter that will awaken a love so strong, it will defy the odds and bridge the gap between two worlds. As Lucas and his mate navigate the complexities of their bond, they must confront the challenges that come with their differences and fight to protect their love from those who seek to tear them apart.

He promised her dying father he'd protect her. Always.
Dante Moretti grew up under Liliana's dad—a powerful mafia boss who taught him everything and treated him like a son. When the old man was killed, Dante swore he'd keep Liliana safe, no matter what. For years, he watched over her like a big brother, making sure no one ever hurt her.
Now Liliana is 21 and back home. She's beautiful, curvy, and done with Dante's rules. She wants to date, go out, live her life. But Dante won't let any guy near her. He scares them all away.
He tells himself it's because he's her guardian.
He tells himself she's like family.
But the truth? He doesn't want anyone touching her... because he wants her for himself.
One night, the jealousy boils over. One touch changes everything. What started as protection turns into something dark, hot, and completely forbidden.
In Dante's dangerous world, love is a weakness enemies can use. Old secrets about her father's death are coming out, and rivals are watching. But Dante can't let her go. Not now. Not ever.
She's his to protect.
She's his to have.
And some lines were meant to be crossed.
A steamy, possessive mafia guardian romance full of forbidden love, intense jealousy, and off-the-charts passion. Perfect for fans of dark, obsessive alphas and the women who bring them to their knees.

One day I'm dealing with cranky toddlers and parents who work too much to actually parent, the next my life is turned upside down and I'm working in a bar for supernaturals. I might not know how to mix drinks, but strangely enough the skills needed to deal with misbehaving children seem to work well enough on vampires, werewolves and even witches. The good news is this job is interesting and hey, my boss might be a demon but I'm pretty sure that under all the grumpy expressions he is a total softie. The bad news is that humans aren't supposed to know about all this magic stuff and so now I'm magically bound to this bar until I can convince them that I won't go telling everyone. Or I die, whichever comes first. Sadly dying is seeming more and more likely because someone is after me. I don't know who or why but they are dangerous and they have magic. So I'll domy best to survive, and if that means spending some extra time with my scary but gorgeous boss then so be it. I'll convince him to trust me if it's the last thing I do.

[WARNING: RAPE, TORTURE, MURDER, MATURE CONTENT 18+]
In the shimmering light of what was supposed to be her dream wedding, Hazel's life descends into a nightmare she could never have foreseen. As the celebration unfolds, the joyous occasion swiftly transforms into a horrifying bloodbath, leaving Hazel to wonder if anyone has survived.
The man she was meant to marry, her childhood lover... Was he still alive or not?
But the nightmare was far from over. Captured by a ruthless and deranged man who reigned as the king of the underground mafia, Hazel's life took a dark and harrowing turn.
Forced into his bed in a state of vulnerability and despair, Hazel faced a horror she had never imagined on what should have been the happiest day of her life.
But her body bears the scars of unspeakable cruelty; her innocence is forever stolen.
Her secret mission, the path she embarked on with purpose, has now spiraled into a dark and perilous mission for survival.
**
“You have no right to treat me in this way.”
Francisco, a man with a darkness that matched the shadows of his empire, gritted his teeth and issued a chilling warning, "I can be more cruel to you, detective."
‘I am not weak; just remember it, Francisco. I am not afraid of you…’

His lips brushed mine, and for one reckless heartbeat, I believed it was real.
Then my mate’s voice cut through the air.
Rhael his eyes burning with hurt, as if he hadn’t been the one to reject me for being an Omega.
Auren’s arm tightened around me, his growl silencing him, staking a claim that was never meant to last.
When the crowd was gone, his tone changed low, cold, merciless.
“No one’s watching now. Let go.”
And I did. Because I’d forgotten what I was to him
a lie dressed as a lover, a pawn pretending to matter.

Plot and Description:
In the heart of Paris, "Passionate Encounters in Paris" unfolds as a tale of forbidden love and profound connection between Alexander Laurent, a driven American entrepreneur, and Amélie Dubois, a talented local artist. Their serendipitous meeting at an art gallery sparks an immediate attraction, drawing them into a whirlwind romance amidst the city's enchanting backdrop.

Amidst the iconic landmarks and cobblestone streets, Alexander and Amélie navigate the complexities of their burgeoning relationship. Alexander, captivated by Amélie's vibrant art and spirit, finds himself drawn to her passion and creativity. Meanwhile, Amélie is equally enthralled by Alexander's ambition and the depth of their emotional connection.

Their love story deepens with each intimate moment shared—the stolen kisses in quiet cafés, passionate encounters in Amélie's Montmartre loft, and heartfelt conversations under the Parisian moonlight. As they explore the city together—from the Louvre to the Seine—they discover new facets of themselves and each other, forging a bond that transcends the boundaries of their respective worlds.

However, their love is not without its challenges. Caught between their undeniable chemistry and the obligations that threaten to pull them apart, Alexander and Amélie must confront the realities of their situation. Yet, through it all, their love remains steadfast, a testament to the enduring power of passion and the timeless allure of Paris—the city where their hearts found home in each other's embrace.

"I was done being what others discarded. I would burn this entire pack to the ground before I let anyone take away the one thing I had left. Some wounds do not bleed. They hollow you out until survival is the only thing that remains."
Lyssara believed one truth above all else: a mate was sacred. The other half of your soul. A bond meant to be eternal.
Until Kaelrith looked at her with nothing but cold disgust.
The moment their eyes met, Lyssara saw no love, no recognition, no trace of the connection she had dreamed of her entire life. Instead, fate bound her to a man who wanted someone else.
Night after night, she watched him choose Vaelira, her own sister. Every tender word, every stolen moment, every promise of a future that should have been hers was given to another woman while Lyssara faded into the background.
Until she discovered a secret that changed everything.
A tiny heartbeat inside her.
Her child became her strength, her reason to survive, and the one thing she would protect at any cost.
Then Thalric appeared from the shadows. Scarred, dangerous, and untouched by her broken past. He did not try to save her. He simply saw her when everyone else turned away.
But when Lyssara finally learned to stand on her own, Kaelrith realized what he had lost.
Now the man who destroyed her must face the man who helped her rise.
Only one of them is worthy of her heart.

Yuki never wanted to be caught in anyone's drama. But when Ramir, Kade's obsessive best friend, discovers a deadly secret from a night Kade barely remembers, he gives her an ultimatum. Become his girlfriend or watch Kade's life get destroyed.

Yuki agrees to protect the boy she loves. Soon after the charges against Kade are dropped, his family sends him abroad, and he ghosts her completely.

A year later, Yuki enrolls in the same elite college. The shy girl Kade once adored has become the hottest girl on campus, pursued by every guy around. The gentle boy she sacrificed everything for has returned colder and more distant than ever.

Now Kade must fight to win back the only person who ever made him feel alive, even after he ghosted her.

Luca is a gay little Don of the Italian Mafia. He is in love with his second-in-command, Marco. What will Marco think when he finds out he is a little? The big bad Mafia boss is actually. A sweet, innocent boy behind closed doors. What will happen when the rival Don finds out about his secret? What will Luca and Marco do about everything that is happening? What will his family and crew think about him being a little gay boy? Will they still be able to follow him as their leader, or will it all crack under pressure?

Joanna Arden was supposed to be dead.

The sole heir of the Arden family died in a tragic accident that sent shockwaves through the business world.

But when she opened her eyes, she found herself waking up in the body of a suicidal girl named Millie Hart.

With only ninety days to uncover her killer, Joanna must live under a new identity, infiltrate her own family, and expose a secret that has been buried for seventeen years.

But everything becomes far more complicated when a mysterious man begins appearing at every turn.

Alarich Vance.

A cold, untouchable CEO who seems to know far more about her than he should.

The man who always arrives just in time to save her.

The man who looks at her as though he has already lost her thousands of times before.

But there is one thing Joanna doesn't know.

This isn't the first time Alarich has tried to save her.

And if he fails again, Joanna will die.

Again.

Windemere Bay was supposed to save Elise Grant. Once an LAPD detective, her career ended in disgrace after a case went tragically wrong. Two years sober, she hides in a seaside cottage, determined to live quietly.

Until a teenage girl washes up dead beneath her cliff.

The sheriff calls it an accident. Elise sees murder. And the more she digs, the more she uncovers whispers of missing girls, money laundering, and a secret society known only as the Tides Club.

Hank Delaney, hiding his identity in windemere. Tattooed, magnetic, and far too dangerous for Claire’s broken heart. Their paths cross in ways neither of them expected, pulling her into a web of lies, blood, and forbidden desire.

As the tide rises and the bodies count grows, Claire must face the haunting truth: the real danger isn’t just in the case she’s chasing, but in the man she can’t seem to stay away from.

Windermere Bay is beautiful, but beauty can be deadly.

Ronnie is a witch who lost both her parents at a tender age. She has to live with her step mother and annoying step sister. She gets married off to an alpha wolf who hasn't found his mate. She becomes the queen so she could leave as soon as he finds his mate. What will happen when they both finds out she's his mate and he doesn't love her. Find out.

Vivienne Payton is a 19 years old girl with endless beauty, she was raised in an orphanage, she knew nothing of her birth parents or who brought her to such a place but at the age of ten, she was thrown out for a crime she didn't commit, she never thought life was easy but she made sure she worked hard her entire life to give herself a better life and future but for how long when life problems presented themselves, bringing her back to the reality that she was all alone with no one to call her own but for a successful future she was willing to do anything including being the billionaire's Surrogate, he was broken, betrayed and disappointed and 9 months with him changed everything
"I'm only doing this for money...that's the important thing to me"
She needed it but what happens when her fate is twisted, what started fine turned serious. What if feelings and the heart are involved, will Vivienne be able to reach her goal of being successful or will she embrace her new life, will Victor ever get over his wife's death and accept love for the second time?

A MUST read d story full of, drama, lies, betrayal, hot romance, forbidden passion, and a possessive Male Lead.

Nymeria has spent her whole life running from her past, from her bloodline, and from the kind of love that always ends in betrayal.

So when her brother drags her into his elite hockey world, she promises herself one thing: don’t get attached, don’t get close, and don’t fall.

Especially not for him.

Declan Cross, the Ice King, is her brother’s best friend, her first love, and her biggest mistake.

He’s colder now, darker, and dangerous in ways she can’t explain. The way he watches her feels wrong, and she doesn't want to think of her brother's friend in that way. Satisfying her.

And the worst part? He refuses to stay away.

But Nymeria isn’t just hiding scars, she’s hiding a secret powerful enough to start a war. Because she isn’t just a girl with a broken past.

She had the hunted bloodline. A secret the werewolf world would kill to control.

And Declan? He didn’t find her by accident. He was sent to hunt her.

When fate binds them as mates, Nymeria does the unthinkable. She rejects him.

But Declan doesn’t accept rejection. Not from her, or from anyone.

As obsession replaces control and enemies close in, Nymeria must decide: Run like she always has, or risk everything for a man she doesn’t trust. A man who might destroy her.

Since marrying into the Sterling family, I've been pregnant three times. Not one of them survived.

Every time the DNA test report arrived, my mother-in-law would drag me to the clinic for an abortion.

They said the fetus had genetic defects. But I secretly went to an outside hospital for tests, and the report clearly stated everything was normal.

After my third miscarriage, I followed my in-laws to the basement I was forbidden to enter.

I held my breath and pressed my eye to the crack in the door.

In that moment, I finally knew why they had to kill my babies.

Gabriella was a poor and innocent girl. She lived alone in a house that's inherited from her parents. Until one day, the house was destroyed by the Quebracha Company. When she met with the CEO to protest, an incident occurred.

"You, lecherous man! Are you not satisfied with destroying my house? So, you took my virginity?"

"Confess it! You purposely held your house to block our project, then now you're tricking me to sleep with you. What's your real intention, huh? Who paid you?"

Max Evans, the successful and handsome young CEO, accused her of being a messenger woman.

What happened next? Could Gabriella earn the CEO's trust? Or even his heart and love? Would those people realize that they were both framed?

"I need to go now, Tasha, before your sister notices I am gone," Desmond said as he looked around for his boxers.
I turned his gaze to mine and said "I want you to fuck me, Daddy," I pleaded my voice low and sultry.
In the beginning, his words were like sweet poison, luring her deeper into his web of manipulation. She longed for the love she thought he could give, but instead, she found herself trapped in a toxic embrace.
Tasha, a beautiful young woman, finds herself entangled in a forbidden affair with her sister's husband, hoping to win his love and perhaps even lead him away from her sister. However, as emotions intensify and loyalties are tested, Tasha soon realizes that her misguided intentions have set off a chain of events that will forever alter the dynamics of their family.
Love, betrayal, and the intricate web of relationships collide in a story that explores the depths of desire and the repercussions of crossing forbidden boundaries.

A scholarship to a prestigious school is not enough to drag Anderson out of poverty. Desperate for a way out, he doesn't decline the opportunity from a powerful businessman to spy on his son in college, but what Anderson doesn't expect is to fall in love with the very guy he was meant to betray.
When their romance flames up, so does the danger, because if the truth comes out, Anderson’s dreams and Carl’s trust will be destroyed. With this shocking betrayal unfolding, can love survive the ultimate deception?

The day she discovered the two brothers she'd met at the beach house were going to be her new neighbors, Belle knew there would be trouble.

She'd spent her life pushing to be loved by the very people who had given her life; with a mother who was emotionally distant and a father whose hands only left bruises instead of comfort.

Everything changed one summer when she met Otis, a brooding, cold tattoo artist who was bound to destroy her, and his brother Jade, who was the absolute opposite of him.

When she uncovers a crime that ties Otis's family to her own, she realizes the people she's feared may be the only ones who can protect her.

Choosing love when she’d never truly known it was hard, but she tried. And when fate took over and she faded, like a cloud of dust… she only longed for him, whose heart was far too gone.

In the end, will love save her…or will it become the last wound she never survives?

I should know better than to hook up with the handsome stranger at my best friend’s wedding.   Especially when he runs off mid-kiss like Cinderella at midnight.    Is he a fugitive from justice? A player? Both?   I find out soon enough when he shows up at work—where I was just hired as a law partner defending white collar criminals. Yup, he’s one of them. And he’s depending on me to keep him out of jail.   He’s also just as hot, charming, and tempting as he was the night of the wedding. Talk about forbidden love.   The last thing I should do is get involved with a client, especially one who may be guilty of all kinds of things.    Not the least of which is stealing my heart.

Ashes in Her Mouth

The fire took more than walls. It took names. Faces. Pieces of me I’ll never get back.

Now it’s back. Different street, same smoke. Same teeth in the dark.

The brass call it arson. I call it unfinished business.

Every blaze leaves a mark a body, a whisper, a threat carved in soot. Someone wants me chasing. Someone wants me choking on the past.

I should walk away. Let the flames eat the city clean. But the next fire is already lit. And I know where it’s burning.

Not a matter of if I get there in time. Just what I’ll lose when I do.

"Turn around and get on all fours."

He said it with his tongue still tracing circles against her clit.

She was a werewolf, not a bitch—she didn't want to do this. But she obeyed, because she thought if she gave him everything, he'd finally mark her as his.

She was wrong.

After he'd brutally fucked her to climax with his cock, he tossed a check for two million at her and called her a defective, powerless, lowly Beta. She'd handed him her body, her nights, her research—every piece of herself. And in return, he told her she was nothing more than a convenient hole, a stand-in for the woman he'd always truly loved.

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

She tore off her disguise. Then she burned down the empire she'd built for him—and the full weight of her royal blood made him crawl to her feet, tail between his legs, begging for mercy.

She didn't even spare him a glance. Her revenge had only just begun.

And standing beside her was her true soulmate—the Alpha King who'd been hunting her for three long years.

Her perfect life shattered on her wedding eve when she discovered her fiancé’s infidelity.
Disoriented and devastated, she fell into the arms of her fiancé’s cold, powerful elder brother.
Entangled in forbidden love and hidden betrayal, she breaks free from her broken past, fighting for redemption and a long-awaited true happiness.

Sarah Mitchell has always been the quiet girl who keeps her head down. Working two jobs to support her sick mother, she's never had time for causes or protests. But when her mother dies from cancer linked to the chemical plant poisoning their water, Sarah's world ignites.
What starts as personal grief becomes a fierce crusade for justice. Armed with nothing but determination and a growing sisterhood of women who've lost everything, Sarah transforms from a timid waitress into a fearless leader taking on one of the most powerful corporations in America.
But fighting the system means risking everything—her job, her safety, and the fragile life she's built. Will Sarah find the strength to burn down the walls of injustice, or will she be crushed by the very system she's trying to change?

Anna an orphan girl, manages to make ends meet running her small business until her lover, Ethan needs money to grow his business, she sacrifices everything she has to help him grow. She has to work so she accepts his offer to work as his secretary, where she is underpaid.
lillian(Ethan’s new lover) steps into the story and Ethan’s humiliation grows.

Things take another dramatic turn when, Mrs. Desmond the billionaire’s wife meets Anna and finds out that She is their long lost daughter, The heiress of Lenu Jewelers.
She seizes the opportunity and elevates her father’s company marvelously.

There, She meets Wesley a handsome guy whom She would fall in love with.

She had suffered humiliation and is ready to be her boss.
Ethan tries to get back into her life, but it is clear he wants only the Favour, as he still works with Lillian and her father, who is Anna’s company’s greatest rival.
Ethan feel intimidated and doesn’t accept defeat.
tries to further destroy and humiliate her because of this, but she has had enough and gives him a taste of his medicine.
She hits him with a sweet revenge, where he has to kneel and beg.

Dasy is a shooting Star who decides to reincarnate in earth, so She can find the love of her life, Patrick, who is also a shooting star and have been in love with Dasy since eternity. They both will fin each other the true love they have been dreaming among their reincarnations. But there is a little secret between them, everytime Patrick touch Dasy they shine and everything shakes as a strong equark around them. They must to keep their secret on safe, that they actually are shooting stars living as humans being otherwise they could finish being apart forever, because their love is too strong but as deep as dangerous.

I am the Seer of the wolf pack, the Alpha’s wife, yet I have never truly known love.

My parents called me a bastard; my sister stole everything from me, even my husband’s heart.

Now, she blinds herself and frames me, forcing me to give up my own eyes.

No one knows that when a Seer loses her sight, she dies.

I thought that making the ultimate sacrifice would finally earn me a shred of affection. But even as I lay dying on the operating table, they gathered around my sister, laughing.

Only when the truth came out did they realize—I was their real daughter, and my sister was the one who schemed to take everything from me.

But by then, it was far too late.

In the delivery room, my husband Ronan fumed that having a male doctor was a disgrace. My mother-in-law Coralie griped about the hospital bill. His sister Ophelia clung to his arm, pinching her nose and mocking the smell of the room.
In my previous life, today was the day the doctor ordered an extra blood test due to my in-laws' history of blood disorders. Two Type-O parents had somehow produced a Type-B daughter.
Coralie pointed at my nose, calling me a whore. Ophelia fueled the fire, sneering, "Just admit it, Sabine." Ronan slapped me off the delivery bed, demanding the name of my "lover."
I died having no way to prove my innocence, losing both my life and my daughter, Sorrel.
It wasn't until moments before my death, when I pushed open the master bedroom door, that I finally understood: the two people tangled naked in my marital bed were my husband and his own sister.
I opened my eyes. I was back to the morning after giving birth to my daughter.

My name is Nora Monroe. Thirty-two weeks pregnant, ready to pop anytime.
This morning, my husband Everett left town, leaving me and my cat, Piper, alone at home.
Deep into the night, a strange woman called. Her voice was gentle, apologetic—she said my cat Piper had somehow wandered downstairs. She was severely allergic to cat dander and couldn't bring her up to me. I grabbed my coat, ready to head down, when the baby suddenly gave me a vicious kick. The pain sent me collapsing back onto the sofa, unable to move.
The woman on the phone urged me over and over. I looked up, my eyes falling on the corner of the living room.
Piper was sitting right there, staring unblinkingly at me...

My brother was jealous after I won a $50 million lottery jackpot, so he tricked me into believing an extreme ice-age apocalypse was coming.
Because I trusted him, I spent every last dollar my parents and I had—fortifying the house and stockpiling supplies.
Two weeks later, he told me that there was no coming apocalypse. It had all been a lie.
Just when I was drowning in despair, hail started falling in the middle of summer.
The deep freeze apocalypse had really begun.

I straighten up after three back-to-back all-nighters, my stomach aching so badly I can barely stand up straight. At one in the morning, I head to the twenty-four-hour diner below my studio for a bowl of soup, just to keep myself going.

Steam rises off the bowl, and when I look up, my blood goes cold.

Beckett Wexford, my husband, head of the Wexford Group and a man with a serious germ phobia, sits right there, completely out of place in this greasy late-night diner.

He patiently picks the onions out of her burger, one piece at a time, while the girl next to him laughs, bright and carefree, her profile eerily close to what mine looked like at twenty.

"Beckett, you're so bad at this. It's just an onion."

The man who's been ice cold to me for years has a look in his eyes I've never seen before, soft, doting, like she's something precious to him.

"Hold on, almost done."

Eight years of marriage, and I turned myself into some neurotic housekeeper. Turns out all that tenderness was just going somewhere else.

I pull out my phone and open the divorce agreement I drafted a while ago.

Eight years. It's time to get myself out of this.

They kept me shackled before the Gates of the Abyss, force-feeding me toxic sludge and draining my final drop of blood, all to maintain their hypocritical "order." They called me the "Ultimate Anchor," unaware that the moment a watchdog decides it’s done playing the dog, the beast in the cage finally wakes up. From the very second I seized the laws of physics, this entire headquarters of the Defense Bureau became my private mausoleum. Your high-and-mighty Director? He’s currently kneeling in my cycle, begging for the sweet release of death. As for that Void Rift that makes the world tremble? Sorry, I just ate it for dinner.

I swear, I hate my husband.

At my birthday party, my husband whispered to his mistress in French that he missed her. His voice was low, but I heard it all—the black lingerie, the bit about how pregnancy makes you more sensitive. His French clients around us were laughing. He turned and put his arm around me, claiming he was just helping his clients come up with sweet nothings.

He doesn't know I understand every single word. Just like he doesn't know that inside my body, I'm carrying his other surprise. And his mistress—she's pregnant too. Two wombs, one secret.

Confrontation would be too cheap. Tears are worthless. I quietly started cataloging the hidden networks my father left behind, activating the Swiss accounts.

In seven days, Zoey Smith will cease to exist. And what will my husband's reaction be?

“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. Strongly recommended for the permanent library of any reader who enjoys a very well-written thriller.”--Books and Movie Reviews (re Almost Gone) A MURDER IN PARIS is the debut novel in a charming new cozy mystery series by USA Today bestselling author Blake Pierce, whose #1 bestseller Once Gone has received 1,500 five-star reviews.Diana Hope, 55, is still adjusting to her recent separation when she discovers her ex-husband has just proposed to a woman 30 years younger. Secretly hoping they would reunite, Diana is devastated. She realizes the time has come to reimagine life without him—in fact, to reimagine her life, period.Devoting the last 30 years of her life to being a dutiful wife and mother and to climbing the corporate ladder, Diana has been relentlessly driven, and has not taken a moment to do anything for herself. Now, the time has come.Diana never forgot her first boyfriend, who begged her to join him for a year in Europe after college. She had wanted to go so badly, but it had seemed like a wild, romantic idea, and a gap year, she’d thought, would hinder her resume and career. But now, with her daughters grown, her husband gone, and her career no longer fulfilling, Diana realizes it’s time for herself—and to take that romantic year in Europe she’d always dreamed of.Diana prepares to embark on the year of her life, finally turning to her bucket list, hoping to tour the most beautiful sights and sample the most scrumptious cuisines—and maybe, even, to fall in love again. But a year in Europe may have different plans in store for her. Can A-type Diana learn to go with the flow, to be spontaneous, to let down her guard and to learn to truly enjoy life again?In A MURDER IN PARIS (Book #1), Diana hopes to kick off her journey, and find new love, with an unforgettable night at the Versailles ball. But when the dramatic night takes a harrowing turn she could never expect, Diana realizes she will have to solve the crime—or else have her trip end in disaster.A YEAR IN EUROPE is a charming and laugh-out-loud cozy mystery series, packed with food and travel, with mysteries that will leave you on the edge of your seat, and with experiences that will leave you with a sense of wonder. As Diana embarks on her quixotic quest for love and meaning, you will find yourself falling in love and rooting for her. You will be in shock at the twists and turns her journey takes as she somehow finds herself at the center of a mystery, and must play amateur sleuth to solve it. Fans of books like Eat, Pray, Love and Under the Tuscan Sun have finally found the cozy mystery series they’ve been hoping for!Book #2 (DEATH IN FLORENCE) and book #3 (VENGEANCE IN VIENNA) in the series are now also available!

When the ocean begins to decay, a siren princess is forced to leave the depths and seek salvation from the very predators who once hunted her kind. The nocturnal empire thrives on sea-blood to sustain their immortality, and instead of diplomacy, she finds herself captured—her voice coveted as a weapon capable of enslaving even the undead. Assigned to guard her is a vampire lord untouched by her deadly song, a mystery that draws her closer to him despite the danger. But as the tides creep onto land and corpses surface along the shorelines, she uncovers a devastating truth: the curse poisoning her kingdom is tied to her own power—and to the vampire whose existence may be the only thing keeping her world from collapsing.

If her voice can save her people but destroy the world above, will she choose her kingdom… or the one heart she was never meant to claim?

If you had the chance to escape from your bullies and from your unholy home... Won't you grab it?
Avara is a victim of bullying and a toxic home. She goes through a lot, yet no one, not even her so-called parents, care about the pains she faces at school. One faithful day, she joins her mate on a school trip to the museum, to soak in the tales of supernatural beings that once roamed the land, only to get chased by her raging bully, Stella, who's desperate to make her pay for something she didn't do. To escape Stella's wrath, Avara hides in one of the museum's special room, only to be stunned by what she saw next. A large portrait of a beautiful queen/Luna was hanging on the wall. And the beauty? She looks so much like her! A janitor, who shows up, sees Avara and happily shares the tale behind the queen, revealing she's a Luna from a werewolf kingdom, said to be missing for over four hundred years. The werewolves searched for her but found nothing. So, they began a ceremony every hundred years to search for a new queen, inviting every maidens from far and wide to come. To the janitor, it's just a myth. But to Avara, this has to be real. Unable to bear her sorrowful life anymore, Avara does the most childish thing ever and sends a letter to the werewolves, clinging on to hope that she'll escape her problems soon. And as faith may have it, she gets a shocking response from the supposed none-existing kingdom, inviting her over.
Thrilled, she runs away from her toxic home, excited to start life far away. Only for her to realize that the response came from Stella, not from the werewolves! Scared, poor Avara flees into the woods, getting chased by her enemy. Just when she thought she's done for, she sees what looks like the shadow of three men up ahead, and she runs up to them for help. But as soon as she draws closer, a mysterious force pulls her into a magical entrance, tossing her right into the arms of these men. Stella was gone. Like she just disappeared out of existence, leaving Avara confused. She soon gets herself at the sound of the men's groans, but freezes at what she saw. Their eyes were glowing under the moonlights and their ears were long and furry. Even their manly figures looked nothing like a mere man's body!
That's when it hits her.
They're not humans.
They're werewolves!

Angela Leventis is one of the most notorious assassins in the criminal underworld, earning her the nickname "Angel of Death." She's infamous for her ability to carry out hits without leaving a trace behind.

One night, she hits up a club in Las Vegas with her sister and unexpectedly crosses paths with mafia heir Nikolai Vasillios. To her shock, she wakes up the next morning in his hotel room, with a ring on her finger.

Nikolai Vasillios is the most feared mafia boss out there, known for treating women like disposable items. What chaos will ensue when he discovers he’s married to the woman he partied with the night before? And what about the fact that his father has already picked out a bride for him?

Can Angela escape this drunken marriage and keep her true identity under wraps? Will Nikolai stand up to his father and reject the bride chosen for him, or will the assassin and the mafia don find themselves falling for each other?

“Evelyn, I can make you feel more fucked and satisfied than your ex-husband ever could.”

As the rhythm of our bodies quickened, I groaned and grasped the hair of the man above me. Ryan’s hand gripped and tormented my breasts, his thumb teasing my nipple, while his other hand pressed urgently against my clitoris.

“No matter who you were in the past, you belong to me now. Only to me.”

——

Evelyn had planned to announce her pregnancy on her wedding anniversary, but what awaited her was only the betrayal and humiliation of her husband, Damian.

Evelyn chose to walk away and pick up her drawing pen once more, reclaiming her lost glory in the fashion design world step by step.

But Damian quickly regretted his actions. Unable to control himself, he called her, yet the person who answered was not Evelyn—

“Hello, I am her current husband. You are interrupting us having sex.”

——

Evelyn thought she would never love anyone again. But the mysterious and powerful man known as Mr. K, who pulled her from the abyss, provokes her senses and challenges her emotional boundaries again and again.

"This pup belongs to me," he growled, his voice thick with power.
"Who do you think you are to claim him?" I shouted.
"I am your father and your king."
When Sophie's twin sister dies mysteriously during childbirth, she makes a promise—to protect the baby no matter the cost. But that vow thrusts her into a world she never believed existed, one ruled by savage wolves, dangerous secrets… and a cursed Alpha King who now claims her nephew is his heir.
"You… You're the father?"
"Yes. Therefore, the pup belongs to me."
"No! I promised my sister I'd protect him. I won't let you take him—not even if I have to fight to the death!"
Attacked. Bitten. Marked.
Now Sophie is changing into something she never wanted to be—a wolf. And the ruthless Alpha King who once hunted her now claims she is his destined mate, chosen by the Moon Goddess herself.
Torn between her human emotions and rising wolf instincts, Sophie must fight to survive the excruciating transformation, uncover the truth behind her sister's betrayal, and protect the child who may be the key to breaking a deadly curse.
But when passion ignites beneath their deadly rivalry, Sophie faces an impossible choice: reject the monster who marked her… or embrace the terrifying power awakening inside her.

Syria has always obeyed. Not because she wanted to but because disobedience meant punishment. Or worse, death for the only person she still loves. Controlled by her uncle, silenced by fear, she's spent her life surviving. But on the day of her cousin’s wedding, something inside her finally snaps.Dressed like a bride, paraded like property, she was meant to smile and stay quiet. Instead, she picks up a brush and paints a nightmare, exposing the truth in front of the entire pack. It was supposed to be her rebellion. Her first and final act of defiance before disappearing forever.Then he sees her.An Alpha, cold, powerful, and dangerous, drawn to the fire. And for the first time in her life, Syria chooses something for herself. Something reckless. She asks for one night with him. One night to feel free, to feel like she belongs to no one but herself.But freedom comes with a price.Now they’re bound by more than just heat and instinct. And Syria realizes it was too late…

"Thank you for saving me again,i whispered, ‘’but please can I see your face? Just this once,I want to know who's been protecting me."
The grip loosened slowly and the person removed the mask.
It was Minho….

the industrial, fog-drenched city of Sasha, Han, a former lieutenant from the grueling Loren War, lives a double life as a refined antique dealer. He harbors a dangerous secret: he is the last of the werewolves. His fragile peace is shattered when his old comrade, Joe Manny, arrives with a stolen relic from the "Holy Grail Order," a sinister organization that uses necromancy and steam-powered technology to control the living dead.

Han is forced into a deadly game of survival where he must protect his identity while being hunted by professional werewolf hunters. As the shadows of the Grail lengthen over the city, Han must decide whether to continue hiding his beast within or unleash it to destroy the dark conspiracy that threatens to consume the world.