1752 Book(s) Related to tyrant wants a better life chapter 1

"What is the meaning of this?" I questioned still in disbelief. Where had it all gone wrong? We were happy, he respected me and so did I...I even fell in love with him so how could he do this to me?
"It's exactly what it says in the paper, Ciara"
"And what is that?" I stubbornly inquired.
Ryan had uttered those words I so desperately dreaded,"I want a divorce, Ciara"
Ciara is the heiress to her father's company but she left all of that to be in a contract marriage with Ryan. It was supposed to be a 'no-strings-attached' kind of feeling but, she couldn't help but fall in love with him. Just when she wanted to start a clean slate on their first anniversary, she was handed a divorce paper.
Ryan is a billionaire and a man with a hardened heart. He never saw Ciara as something more than just a 'fake wife' who was willing to help him out with a case. Deciding that he had had enough, Ryan hands Ciara a divorce paper setting himself free from her but 5 years later, he seems to have a change on heart and wants to win Ciara back at all cost.
But on his way to the office of the new investor of his company he is overcomed by a welling shock that the name of his new investor was Ciara. The same Ciara he'd known and once loved.
What happens when this two dual meets for the first time since their rough divorce? Would they rekindle their feelings or would they leave it at that?
Could second chance love prevail?

Meet Kim Huxley, a twenty-five-year-old CEO of a modeling company to which he got transferred. He is heartless due to his heart being shattered by his first love, Jane Crimson but then he met Riele Grants who helped him heal his broken heart with her charm until his first love, appeared in his company to work as a model.

Meet Riele Grants, a twenty-two-year-old lady, vibrant and cheerful. She works as Kim's assistant. She hated Kim because of his cold personality but when she got closer to him, she found out he was a cold jerk with a warm heart and slowly she found herself falling deeper in love with him. She thought she saw those signs visible in him too not until his first love came and he became a different person.


"I told you several times, I don't have feelings for you anymore," Kim answered her.

She finally got him to talk after pestering him for a long time. How does a person change in such a matter of time? She wondered. "What about everything we shared? The love? The..."

"You were nothing but an obsession to me, Riele." he cuts in.

Riele looked at the lady beside him who was holding his hand as if her life depended on it. "Are you saying all this because of her? If you..." before she got to finish her words, he pulled Jane closer and kissed her.

She got the answer she needed. She was nothing but an obsession he is trying to get rid of. She shouldn't have trusted her heart to handle this situation. She should have used her head instead.

Rayna: Why?, why did i agree to Marry Aridan Wolfe?. REVENGe thats why. I thought by doing that i would be repaying my sister and parents for the shit they put me through but no. what started as a contract ended up being more. Adrian made it clear he wanted me but i didn't want him. a few months ago i returned to the house i was kicked out of to seek help from my parents to save my grandfather. I ended up in a car crash that i couldn't remember and who did i hit?. Manfred Wolfe. From going to jail and marrying Adrian all to prove i wasn't guilty. I thought i was free but life had other plans for me. my sister Camry wanted Adrian and I was out for revenge so i took him away but what i didn't expect was for him to drop the act and be real with me.

Adrian : Her careless and don't give a fuck attitude bothered me. when it was confirmed she wasn't responsible for the accident , i let her go but truth be told she had gotten under my skin. When I saw the chance of having her i took it. i could help that I had fucked her sister months prior. her family wanted me to leave her and marry her sister but that wasn't happening and they weren't going to stop. Some of my family members decided they wanted the family business and thought they could use Rayna to get to me but little did they know , the woman I married was a fucking demon and she was out for blood, her family and mine.

I looked at her laying in my arms and couldn't help but smile. she was finally mine.

The night before the engagement, Rosaline was tricked by her cousin. She was drunk and sent to a stranger’s room. She broke free from their control, went to the next room through the window, and had a one-night stand with a mysterious man.

She didn't want to have anything to do with him, so she matched wits with him and finally escaped. The man stared at silhouette with a smile: "You will never escape from me."

It was five years later when they met again. Neither of them recognized each other, but she was stopped by him in a dramatic way,
"Sir, anything can I do for you?"
"Yes."
"So, what's the matter?"
"I need a wife." He looked at her, and his lips twitching slightly.
"Sir, I don't quite understand what you mean."
"I needed a wife, and you are just the right one for me."
"What! Why?"
"I don't like women who are too beautiful or too smart."
“...”
"I'll see you at the Bureau House at ten a.m. tomorrow."
“...”
What?Was she proposed by the richest bachelor in this City!

“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.

"NEXT DOOR is full of completely unexpected twists—you will read it on the edge of your chair. It is Blake Pierce at his best! Another masterpiece of suspense and mystery. I highly recommend it to the permanent library of all readers that appreciate an excellent thriller, full of psychological suspense and with a completely unexpected ending. This is the first in what promises to be another excellent series. I can hardly wait to read the sequel."--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto MattosA NEIGHBOR’S LIE (A Chloe Fine Mystery) is book #2 in a new psychological suspense series by bestselling author Blake Pierce, whose #1 bestseller Once Gone (Book #1) (a free download) has over 1,000 five-star reviews. FBI Violent Crimes Division Special Agent Chloe Fine, 27, still reeling from the secrets of her past, finds herself thrown into her first case: the murder of a nanny in a seemingly perfect suburban town.Immersed in a world of secrets, of unfaithful couples, of pretense and artifice, Chloe soon realizes that anyone—and everyone—may be guilty. Yet at the same time, with her own father still in jail, she must battle her own demons and unravel her own secrets, which threaten to bring her down before her own career even begins.An emotionally wrought psychological suspense with layered characters, small-town ambiance and heart-pounding suspense, A NEIGHBOR’S LIE is book #2 in a riveting new series that will leave you turning pages late into the night. Book #3 in the CHLOE FINE series will be available soon.

He wanted an open marriage. I gave him exactly what he asked for—with the three men he fears most.
"You gave your body to a man who didn't know what to do with it," Cane murmured, his breath hot on her skin. "Let us show you what it means to be wanted… by three."
Riley gave everything to her marriage until she walked in on her husband and his stepsister cheating on her.
The betrayal shattered her… but only for a moment as she proposes to the one thing he's always wanted: an open marriage. He thought she'd crumble.
Instead, she chose revenge. And nothing stings more than the fact that she picked his three best friends to help her get it.
Three ruthless bikers.
Three men who don't share unless it's worth the risk.
Three Alphas who made Riley theirs the moment she said yes to them.
Now every night, she gives them what her husband took for granted—moans, surrender, and something dangerously close to love. He watches from the sidelines. Burning. Regretting but it's too late.
Because she's not just taking back her power—she's making sure he feels what it's like to be replaced.
And the worst part? He never expected she'd fall for them. And that they'd fall for her. And Riley? She's only just started.

“I’ll give you anything, Elsa—money, a car, a house, jewelry—just agree to the transplant. Ria really needs it.” I couldn’t believe his audacity. Was this really my husband, trying to bargain my body to save his fiancée?
“Sorry, I’m pregnant. I can’t donate a kidney,” I said, my voice shaky but determined. Anger boiled inside me, but I knew he was powerful. The pretend marriage was over, and his true colors were revealed. Afraid of what he might do to me, I didn’t yell or fight him. I just wanted to escape this nightmare, to break free from this cage I was trapped in.
But his reaction was even more chilling. He looked at me with no emotion.
“We’ll have an abortion.” His words hit me like a bomb. I couldn’t believe how coldly he spoke about ending his own child’s life.

“The perfect romance or beach read, with a difference: its enthusiasm and beautiful descriptions offer an unexpected attention to the complexity of not just evolving love, but evolving psyches. It's a delightful recommendation for romance readers looking for a touch more complexity from their romance reads.”--Midwest Book Review (For Now and Forever)THE WITCHING PLACE: A FATAL FOLIO is the debut novel in a charming new cozy mystery series by bestselling author Sophie Love, author of The Inn at Sunset Harbor series, a #1 Bestseller with over 200 five-star reviews.When Alexis Blair, 29, is fired from her book publishing job and breaks up with her boyfriend on the same day, she wonders if life is urging her to make a fresh start. She decides it’s time to pursue her lifelong dream of opening a bookstore of her own—even if that means leaving Boston and accepting a job in a curious bookstore in a small seaside town an hour away.But the odd shop, Alexis soon learns, is from more than just a rare, occult bookstore. Something strange is going on in the shop’s secret back room, with its eccentric owner, and in the small town itself.And when a dead body appears, Alexis, with her beloved newfound cat, may find herself right in the middle of it all.A page-turning cozy, rife with the supernatural, mystery, secrets and love—and centered around a small town as odd and endearing as its shop—A CURIOUS BOOKSTORE will make you fall in love and keep you laughing out loud as you turn pages late into the night.“The romance is there, but not overdosed. Kudos to the author for this amazing start of a series that promises to be very entertaining.”--Books and Movies Reviews (For Now and Forever)Books #2 and #3 in the series—MURDER BY MANUSCRIPT and A PERILOUS PAGE—are now also available!

"You're an omega?!" he asks gruffly.

I shake my head quickly, "N-no, sir!"

I don't know how I got here, in this moment. I tremble slightly. Because I can FEEL Mr. Logan's pheromones. I've never felt pheromones before in my life, so don't ask me how I know that that's what this is I'm feeling. But I feel them brush over me like a physical touch. I tremble again.
"Look at you shaking like a leaf in the wind."
"You're responding to my pheromones. If you were a beta, how would that be happening?"
I shake my head again, "No s-sir, I'm a beta! I don't know what's going on; this has never happened before!"
Mr. Logan leans in close, running his nose up my neck. He grips my neck lightly as he says, "Tell me, if you're not an omega, why do you smell so fucking good?"

Liam Payne is an Omega; however, that wasn't something he was aware of. He's lived his life as a beta, but that all changes when he starts to work for Chase Logan. Chase Logan is a rich, powerful, dominant alpha. After just a month working with Chase, the changes in Liam are becoming noticeable. This is problematic because Chase dislikes omegas, does not want them working for him, or even near him. So what will happen when Chase notices the changes? Will he believe Liam when Liam tells him he really didn't know he was an omega?

TW: Attempted SA, R*pe

It's a slow burn story!

Arianna:

The day was meant to be filled with joy and love, but he twisted it into a nightmare. I'm still searching for what I could have done to deserve his anger. He forced me to swear to never appear before him again, and I obeyed... until now.

XANDER:

She was everything to me, the very essence of my existence. But then it all fell apart. The night before we were to unite forever, I discovered her betrayal and saw her true colors. Broken, I severed all ties and made her promise to vanish from my life. For two years, she stayed away... until now.

Is it a sin, a forbidden love… when two cousins find their hearts drawn to each other?

Does that make Cathy and Adrian sinners when they cannot resist the temptation between them?

Cathy Stewart had always thought that stepping into adulthood meant freedom and new beginnings, until her cousin Adrian coker arrived. He was calm, confident, and impossibly handsome.

he shouldn’t make her heart race… But yet every glance, every touch pulled her in, stirring feelings she knew were forbidden.

Adrian felt the same. They couldn’t resist, even though they knew it was wrong.

How far can desire go when it’s forbidden? How long can they deny themselves when every stolen look and accidental touch sparks longing? How long before they cross the line, giving in to a passion they shouldn’t feel?

It’s a love that’s forbidden, and a desire that could destroy their family’s reputation and image.

What happens when love is at stake, and the heart fights what the mind knows is wrong?

She’s the fashion world’s fiercest storm—Zephyra Lione, the woman who turns scandal into power and enemies into ashes. He’s the billionaire who doesn’t need to raise his voice to end a career—Kairo Draven, cold, commanding, and untouchable.
When a public scandal threatens to destroy them both, they strike a dangerous deal: a fake marriage, perfectly curated to fool the world and protect their empires. One year. No love. No real touch. Only the illusion of passion. But every photoshoot becomes a power struggle. Every whispered word drips with tension. Behind the flash of cameras and polished smiles, they fight for control—and somewhere between the staged kisses and midnight standoffs, lines blur.
Then their secret contract leaks. The world learns the truth, and everything they built shatters overnight. Betrayal cuts deeper than either expected. Pride turns to obsession. And the only thing more dangerous than their hatred… is the fire neither of them can extinguish.
Because their perfect lie started a war—and surrender was never an option.

He screamed in despair, furious about the small clause in Müller's will (marriage) that had halted what was already destined. After waiting two years to determine who would inherit everything, Adal Müller found himself desperately searching for the perfect candidate who could help him achieve his goal of "completely obtaining the inheritance."

In a fit of desperation, he asked his secretary to marry him, assuring her that it would be temporary. However, she refused, confessing that she planned to marry her boyfriend and was not interested in his lucrative proposal. Yet, all was not lost. She had a brilliant idea: introducing him to a friend who might be willing to accept his proposal in exchange for money.

Who is this friend? Who is Gisela Fischer? Would she agree to marry the great magnate Adal Müller?

The secretary continued to reassure him, promising that her friend would accept, and both would win; one would gain the entire inheritance, and the other would receive the extra money she needed.

Chiara Benedetti thought her wedding day would be the start of her freedom, instead, it becomes her descent into hell. Before she can say "I do," the chapel doors are torn off their hinges by Nico Ferraro, the brutal Don of the Ferraro family and her father's greatest enemy. He doesn't come for blood; he comes for his property.

He reveals a chilling truth: three years ago, her father sold her to him in a blood debt, and her entire life has been nothing but a fraud to hide the transaction.

Nico doesn't want a wife. He wants a possession to break. He expects Chiara to cower, to beg, and to kneel but Chiara is made of the same iron as the men in her world. She fights, she provokes, and she talks back, turning her captivity into a psychological battlefield. Her defiance doesn't disgust Nico, it intoxicates him. What begins as a cold exchange of power spirals into a dark, erotic obsession that neither can control.

As Nico introduces Chiara to the darker edges of his desire, scenes of rough possession and degradation, she is terrified to realize she doesn't just endure him; she craves him. When a rescue attempt by her former fiancé offers her a way out, Chiara makes a choice that shocks everyone: she stays. Not for love, but for the dark intensity only Nico provides. Caught between a secret rebellion within Nico’s own family and a rival family demanding her head, Nico must decide if he will sacrifice his empire to keep the woman he swore was just a debt. In a world where love is a weakness, their mutual destruction might be the only thing that makes them feel alive.

“THE SORCERER’S RING has all the ingredients for an instant success: plots, counterplots, mystery, valiant knights, and blossoming relationships replete with broken hearts, deception and betrayal. It will keep you entertained for hours, and will satisfy all ages. Recommended for the permanent library of all fantasy readers.” --Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos The #1 Bestseller! From #1 Bestselling author Morgan Rice comes the debut of a dazzling new fantasy series. A QUEST OF HEROES (BOOK #1 IN THE SORCERER’S RING) revolves around the epic coming of age story of one special boy, a 14 year old from a small village on the outskirts of the Kingdom of the Ring. The youngest of four, the least favorite of his father, hated by his brothers, Thorgrin senses he is different from the others. He dreams of becoming a great warrior, of joining the King’s men and protecting the Ring from the hordes of creatures on the other side of the Canyon. When he comes of age and is forbidden by his father to try out for the King’s Legion, he refuses to take no for an answer: he journeys out on his own, determined to force his way into King’s Court and be taken seriously. But King’s Court is rife with its own family dramas, power struggles, ambitions, jealousy, violence and betrayal. King MacGil must choose an heir from amongst his children, and the ancient Dynasty Sword, the source of all their power, still sits untouched, waiting for the chosen one to arrive. Thorgrin arrives as an outsider and battles to be accepted, and to join the King’s Legion. Thorgrin comes to learn he has mysterious powers he does not understand, that he has a special gift, and a special destiny. Against all odds he falls in love with the king’s daughter, and as their forbidden relationship blossoms, he discovers he has powerful rivals. As he struggles to make sense of his powers, the king’s sorcerer takes him under his wing and tells him of a mother he never knew, in a land far away, beyond the Canyon, beyond even the land of the Dragons. Before Thorgrin can venture out and become the warrior he yearns to be, he must complete his training. But this may be cut short, as he finds himself propelled into the center of royal plots and counterplots, ones that may threaten his love and bring him down—and the entire kingdom with him. With its sophisticated world-building and characterization, A QUEST OF HEROES is an epic tale of friends and lovers, of rivals and suitors, of knights and dragons, of intrigues and political machinations, of coming of age, of broken hearts, of deception, ambition and betrayal. It is a tale of honor and courage, of fate and destiny, of sorcery. It is a fantasy that brings us into a world we will never forget, and which will appeal to all ages and genders. It is 82,000 words. Books #2--#17 in the series are now also available! “[An] entertaining epic fantasy.” —Kirkus Reviews “The beginnings of something remarkable are there.” --San Francisco Book Review “Action-packed …. Rice's writing is solid and the premise intriguing.” --Publishers Weekly “A spirited fantasy ….Only the beginning of what promises to be an epic young adult series.” --Midwest Book Review

I am a hero. The saint's husband.
A country boy chosen by the temple.
I fight, I fight, I fight.
All for the saint, for the temple.
But it wasn't until I was drained of blood and dying on the altar that I finally heard clearly what the saint and her childhood sweetheart were saying:
"If you become a hero and marry the saint, you'll have to surrender your soul to the temple. I don't want you to lose your soul."
"Then let's just find some country boy to be the hero. It won't matter if he dies."
Oh, so that's how it is.
You should have said so earlier.
I can defeat the Demon Lord just fine without the saint.
When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the wedding ceremony.
This time, someone else should be on the altar.

Ruby Steele, 30, beautiful, fit, seems just like any other ex-pat hiding out in the Bahamas and playing local bartender. But unruly patrons find out the hard way: Ruby is a mixed-martial-arts pro, and not one you’d want to cross.In fact, Ruby would be a champion if she hadn’t been forced to walk away and hide out in the Bahamas.Because Ruby knows too much. She knows where the bodies are buried. And she knows when it’s time to get out of town.But what Ruby doesn’t know is why there is a dead tourist in the dumpster behind her seedy bar.Or why, she, of all people, had to find it.Or why this guy was out at 3am when he had a pretty fiancé waiting in a hotel room a mile away.Or why the local cops are pinning her.Or why she’s gonna be forced into a choice: find the killer, or do hard time herself.For Ruby, good choices have never been her strong point.And this one’s definitely not going to be good…Welcome to the Bahamian world of Ruby Steele, replete with her local dive bar, her wily pet monkey, her major drinking problem, her (way) too many fights, her inability to get herself out of trouble, and her fists made of stone. Ruby’s life is a complete wreck. But there’s one thing she’s good at: capturing your heart.ON THE ROCKS (A RUBY STEELE COZY MYSTERY) is the debut novel in a page-turning cozy mystery/thriller series, one that will linger with you long after the last page is read. Books #2 (EXTRA DIRTY) and #3 (FULL-BODIED) in the series are also 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) NEXT DOOR (A Chloe Fine Mystery) is book #1 in a new psychological suspense series by bestselling author Blake Pierce, whose #1 bestseller Once Gone (Book #1) (a free download) has received over 1,000 five star reviews. FBI Evidence Response Team intern Chloe Fine, 27, finds herself forced to confront her own dark past when her troubled twin sister needs her help—and when a body turns up dead in her small, suburban town.Chloe feels life is finally perfect as she moves back into her home town, and into a new house with her fiancé. Her career with the FBI looks promising, and her wedding is on the horizon. But, she learns, all is not as it seems in suburbia. Chloe begins to see the underside—the gossip, the secrets, the lies—and she finds herself haunted by her own demons: her mother’s mysterious death when she was 10, and her father’s imprisonment. And when a fresh body is found, Chloe soon realizes that her past, and this small town, might hold the key to solving both.An emotionally wrought psychological suspense with layered characters, small-town ambiance and heart-pounding suspense, NEXT DOOR is book #1 in a riveting new series that will leave you turning pages late into the night. Book #2 in the CHLOE FINE series will be available soon.

He was my boss and then my downfall. I gave Alan Wood five years of my life. Five years of taking his calls, running his empire, and putting up with his cold orders and smug smirks.And one night? I almost gave him a hell of a lot more.Now I’m locked in a twisted deal I never saw coming.I don’t know what’s worse, his secrets, his control, or how badly I still want him.

I thought inheriting a forgotten farmhouse in the middle of nowhere would solve my problems.

Instead, it shattered everything I believed about myself.

After losing my job and the life I'd built in Los Angeles, I travel to rural Indiana to claim an inheritance from a grandfather I never knew existed. The plan is simple. Sign the papers, sell the land, and leave.

Then I discover the town isn't on any map.

The locals already know my name.

The wolves watch me like they're waiting for me to remember something.

And the dangerously handsome man who was supposed to be my attorney looks at me like I've belonged to him my entire life.

Every answer uncovers another secret. My family history is built on lies. The strange dreams I've had since childhood were never just dreams. The wild instinct growing beneath my skin is becoming impossible to ignore.

I came here expecting a fresh start.

Instead, I found a destiny written in blood, a pack that refuses to let me go, and a truth that could destroy the only life I've ever known.

Some stories begin with once upon a time.

Mine begins the moment I discover I was never human at all.

In this apocalyptic world of extreme heat, I fight for water in the underground black market, and I risk my life to hoard supplies.
My internet-famous roommate enjoyed my efforts while hiding in the air-conditioned room, panting softly in front of three fill lights: "We need to slow down and reconcile with nature."
Later, she stole my supplies and sold them to drug lords, causing me to be roasted alive on the riverbed.
After being reborn, I turned and left.
"Don't you like a slow-paced life? Stay here and enjoy it."
The end times have only just begun.

I spent fifteen years taking beatings in the Bronx hellhole — beatings meant for my mother.
She's a Manhattan heiress now. Chanel suits, a daughter on her arm, and eyes full of disgust whenever they land on my hollowed-out frame.
"You're just like your disgusting father. A sewer rat. You've always reeked of something rotten."
What she doesn't know: on that rainy night fifteen years ago, I wrapped my arms around that man's legs and let him kick me half to death, so she could run.
What she also doesn't know: the tumor in my stomach has spread. I won't survive the winter.
I'd made my peace with dying alone, quietly, so I wouldn't disturb the perfect life she'd built. I swallowed the blood rising in my throat and started walking toward the dark.
Then came the dinner party, a few months later. Her daughter shoved me off a second-floor balcony.
I hit the ground at her feet like a broken doll. Dark red blood flooded across her white heels.
I watched the color drain from her face. With the last breath I had, I apologized.
"Don't be scared. This piece of garbage won't dirty your eyes anymore."

For months, my stepsister Mia stole my taste, my nutrition, and my vitality with a mysterious system. While I wasted away to skin and bones, she glowed brighter, stole my career, and took my fiancé.
She thought she could feed on me forever.
But she forgot her fatal allergy. I turned every meal into her poison.
I starved her system, broke her perfect facade, and took back everything she stole. Now the parasite is dying… and I’m alive again.

Two truths and one lie.
I gave my hot boss a blowjob.
I'm a stripper when I'm not working as a secretary.
My boss is an irritating, self-centred narcissistic dickhead that no one wants to work with.
Oh wait. I forgot to add the lie.
Hazel Montgomery has survived five years as the only secretary Alan Wood couldn't break. She's memorised his schedule, smoothed over his disasters, and learned exactly how dangerous it is to be noticed by a man who treats people like toys.
So when she finally quits, she expects freedom. She gets an ultimatum instead.
"If you want your life back, Hazel... you need to marry me."
Excuse you?!
"By tomorrow. You need to marry me tomorrow."
A six-month contract. A billionaire's inheritance war. And a man who doesn't understand the word no, not when it comes to his company, his legacy, or the one woman he's decided belongs to him. Hazel signed to save her future. She never expected to lose her heart to the same monster she swore she'd escape.
But the cruelest truth? The real lie was never about her boss at all. It was about how badly she wanted to believe he could change.

Flora Everhart discovers her husband’s affair on their anniversary, an unpleasant sight for the eyes and it shatters her world. In the aftermath, she encounters Marcus, her estranged brother-in-law, only for him to be critically injured protecting her from the mistress. As Flora faces heartbreak and betrayal, the Moon Goddess Selene offers her a second chance—traveling between worlds to collect life force by living out the fates of women who died tragically. Flora soon uncovers a powerful secret: Marcus’s soul is scattered across dimensions. As Flora’s journey begins, she must choose between love and redemption, and the price of both.

At my boyfriend's exhibition party, I went into anaphylactic shock after eating the cake Mia handed me.
I stumbled, reaching for my EpiPen, only for Mia to snatch it out of my hand and crush it under her heel.
"Give... it back..." I choked out, grabbing onto my boyfriend's arm.
He just shook me off, disgusted. "Chloe, can you stop being so dramatic? It's not that big a deal."
"Yeah, Mia's basically family," one of his friends chimed in. "You're being way too jealous and controlling."
Nobody was listening to me anymore.
With the last of my strength, I pressed down on the hidden button on the side of my watch — the one I'd never had to use before.

“Bro, it’s not a big deal. I’m just fucking her.”

My heart stopped.

Kendall’s voice replied, “But man, what would people think if you made her your girl? That’d be crazy work.”

“I’m not stupid,” Jalen said flatly. “I’d never make her mine. It’s only sex, nothing more. And honestly? It’s not that good anymore. I was gonna let her down easy before break.”
......

Aria, a plus-size beauty, thought her scholarship and condo arrangements were a dream until she met her roommate, Talia. Rich, spoiled, and instantly cruel, Talia made Aria's life miserable.

Talia’s new boyfriend, Jalen, was the campus golden boy. When Aria and Jalen were paired for a project, they clicked in ways neither expected from late night talks to shared secrets and undeniable sexual chemistry.

On Halloween night, during an all campus party, Aria sees Talia cheating on Jalen. One emotional night led to an affair that changed everything… until Jalen says some really damaging words to his roommate that were unforgivable and also heard by a once happy but now upset Aria. Disappointed, fed up, and heartbroken, Aria leaves campus and never looks back.

TEN YEARS LATER
Aria returns for the ten year reunion, confident, stunning, and a self-made CEO. Jalen is still gorgeous… but stuck in a miserable marriage with Talia.

She ignores him. Talia tries to humiliate her. Aria wins the room.

As she leaves, Jalen kisses her. She lets herself feel it, then slaps him and walks away.

THE BUSINESS MERGER

Jalen’s cruise line needs Aria’s brand to revamp their image. She agrees, reluctantly.

Now they’re forced to work side by side, trapped between old wounds and new sparks.

Some love stories never die. But some can burn you twice.

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

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

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

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

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

I tried to explain.

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

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

He never once looked up.

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

Amelia Dolivo has known her whole life that she would one day be the Alpha of her pack; thus making her the first female Alpha in history. The journey to get there has been long and full of hardships, but a true Alpha never backs down from a fight; a true Alpha never accepts defeat.

Whether it be enemies plotting in the shadows to bring her down, or her own soulmate who questions her very capabilities as a woman; Amelia will take them all head-on. She will show them all why you should never underestimate a woman.

A Queen Among Alphas is the first book in the Queen Among Series/The Gods' Saga. This is an interconnected series, and to see how the overall story ends, I recommend reading the full series.
Here are the books in the series in reading order:
A Queen Among Alphas - Book 1
Bite-Size Luna - A Queen Among Alphas Prequel (available under the A Queen Among Alphas book)
A Queen Among Snakes - Book 2
A Queen Among Blood - Book 3
A Queen Among Darkness - Book 4
Whole Again - A Queen Among Alpha's spin-off (available under the A Queen Among Alphas book)
A Queen Among Tides - Book 5
Valor, Virtue, and Verve - A Queen Among Tides Prequel Spin-off (coming soon)
A Queen Among Gods - Book 6
Runaway Empress - A Queen Among Snakes Prequel (coming soon)
A Queen Among Tempests - Book 7
Dark Vocation - A Queen Among Darkness spin-off (coming soon)
A Court of Arcane Souls Anthology (short stories focused on side characters within this universe, exclusive to Ream)

“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) MURDER (AND BAKLAVA) is the debut novel in a charming new cozy mystery series by #1 bestselling author Blake Pierce, whose Once Gone has over 1,500 five-star reviews.When London Rose, 33, is proposed to by her long-time boyfriend, she realizes she is facing a stable, predictable, pre-determined (and passionless) life. She freaks out and runs the other way—accepting instead a job across the Atlantic, as a tour-guide on a high-end European cruise line that travels through a country a day. London is searching for a more romantic, unscripted and exciting life that she feels sure exists out there somewhere.London is elated: the European river towns are small, historic and charming. She gets to see a new port every night, gets to sample an endless array of new cuisine and meet a stream of interesting people. It is a traveler’s dream, and it is anything but predictable.But when a wealthy, high-maintenance passenger suddenly turns up dead outside of Budapest, the cruise has become a bit too unpredictable. Even worse: as the last person to see her alive, suspicion falls on London, leaving her no choice but to solve the crime (with her new sidekick, an orphaned dog), and save her cruise line and herself.Laugh-out-loud funny, romantic, endearing, rife with new sights, culture and food, MURDER (AND BAKLAVA) offers a fun and suspenseful trip through the heart of Europe, anchored in an intriguing mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat and guessing until the very last page.Book #2 (DEATH AND APPLE STRUDEL) and book #3 (CRIME AND LAGER) in the series are now also available.

From the #1 Bestselling author of Death By Honeymoon, comes a new romance series....Nestled among trees and hills, set alongside a winding river, the small town of Tom’s River, Wisconsin, so beautiful and protected, is a place where everybody knows each other, a place where nothing ever changes and where people can feel safe. But one day, all that changes. Megan’s husband has gone missing, and no one can find him. As the search deepens, Megan discovers the truth not only about her husband, but also about the secrets he’s been hiding in their marriage. Her world is shook as she realizes she’s been living a lie, has been in a relationship with a man who’s been living a secret life, a man she never really knew. Some months after his disappearance, as the snows of winter melt, Hunter, a handsome, magnetic stranger, arrives in Tom’s River. A loner with a mysterious past, he is content with his solitary job at the lumber yard. But as a tornado ravages the town, he is destined to cross paths with Megan, as she seeks help to repair her damaged home. Once Hunter and Megan meet, nothing is ever the same again. As he repairs the roof that blew off her home, the two cannot hold back their feelings for each other. They fall madly in love. Yet Megan cannot, once again, live with a man who is keeping secrets from her: she needs Hunter to open up about who he is, about what he’s running from. And that is not something Hunter may be ready to do. As they face a crucial crossroads in their affair, a shocking and dramatic twist hits the town: one that will test their love, and will test the town. Nothing will be the same in Tom’s River again..

A bully, a bad boy, and the person she hated most. ONCE AJERK__ALWAYS A JERK? "Marry me. This is the only way you can survive in this world."" He could marry anyone but all he wanted was her, a married woman. Scared but she didn't want him to save her. ""I'd choose de... death rather than be.. being your wife."" She said in a trembling voice. ""Then how about me giving you the sweetest death possible?"" He walked towards her, making her step backwards. ""What?"" Suddenly he kissed her in front of everybody out of nowhere. In the spotlight, he pronounced in front of everyone that she belonged to him but why?
Two years passed, but he did not change at all. How about her? Why did he come back to her life again? After everything that she went through because of him, was not it enough for him? Why did he show up when she was happy and he offered her a contract? She knew that Preston Adam Collymore never had any interest in her then why...

"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

When Carolina, an obsessed, lovesick lesbian, gets her heart broken by the lady she wants to spend the rest of her life with, she wants to take revenge on the man who stole the love of her life. Surprisingly, this “man* turns out to be her stepbrother whom she abhorred with her life. She begins a mission to stalk her stepbrother, get him obsessed with her, then dump him so she can get back with Angelina, her ex girlfriend. What starts as fake admiration and obsession eventually turns into something real and Carolina realizes that she may not be a lesbian after all. Maybe bisexual. But she was definitely into men. And one of them… is her stepbrother.

Eight times. That's how many boyfriends my best friend Sera has "tested" for me. Eight times she's proven they weren't good enough by stealing them away with her perfect smile and fake concern.
"I'm just looking out for you, Lia," she always says. "If he really loved you, he wouldn't be tempted by me."
But this time is different. This time, it's Ryan—my boss, my almost-something, the first man who's ever made me believe I might be worth loving. When Sera comes back to town asking about my love life, I panic and lie. There's no one, I tell her. Nothing happening at all.
Big mistake.
Now she's got her sights set on him, and I'm watching her work her magic all over again. The late-night texts, the red lace lingerie, the hotel room invitation. I should just accept it like I always do. Let her prove once again that I'm not worth fighting for.
But I'm done being the girl who hands over everything she wants. This time, I'm fighting back.

Dirk wakes up in a magical world with low stats and a bag full of ordinary Earth items. He completes strange quests, gains friends, and uncovers secrets, others begin to realize his hidden power is far beyond anything the realm has ever seen. While Dirk believes he's weak, the truth is—he might be the strongest of them all.

One hundred years married to Everett, and I've learned one thing: whenever he wants to push me into a corner, he throws the mate bond dissolution agreement in my face. Whenever my parents want me to cave, they hold the family name over my head.

They've always wanted the same thing — for me to hand over everything I have to my twin sister Rosalie, who's been sick her whole life.

I've fought it. I've grieved over it.

But when the doctor slid the diagnosis across the desk — Blood Depletion Syndrome, late stage, less than two weeks left — something in me just went quiet.

What's the point of fighting when you're already dead?

The day I secured the finale at New York Fashion Week, my adopted sister was in a car crash that left her completely blind.
And so began a ruthless campaign to destroy my life.
Listening to me prepare for the runway, she touched her heavy gauze bandages and wept bitterly. "You're so brilliant, Valora. Not like me... I'm just a useless, blind burden."
To placate her, our brother burned my core design sketches to ashes.
On the day of the show, my finale haute couture gown was maliciously slashed to ribbons. My reputation was left in ruins, and every single sponsor pulled their funding.
Later, she live-streamed her suicide attempt from a rooftop, sobbing that a disabled girl like her didn't deserve to be loved.
My husband dropped to one knee in front of the entire world and slipped the custom diamond ring—my ring—onto her finger.
That very night, I was dead-bolted inside my roaring, fire-engulfed studio.
With toxic smoke searing my lungs, I dialed my husband's number for help, only to be met with his frustrated, impatient voice:
"Serafina is blind! The fire alarms have her terrified! Stop being so damn petty and jealous right now!"
When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day of her accident. The day she faked her blindness.

“Shades of THE HUNGER GAMES permeate a story centered around two courageous teens determined to buck all odds in an effort to regain their loved ones. But the true strength in any story lies not so much in its setting and events as in how the characters come across, come alive, and handle their lives--and it's here that ARENA ONE begins to diverge from the predictable and enters the more compelling realms of believability and strength….ARENA ONE builds a believable, involving world and is recommended….for those who enjoy dystopian novels, powerful female characters, and stories of uncommon courage.”--Midwest Book ReviewD. Donovan, eBook ReviewerThe #1 Bestseller! New York. 2120. American has been decimated, wiped out from the second Civil War. In this post-apocalyptic world, survivors are far and few between. And most of those who do survive are members of the violent gangs, predators who live in the big cities. They patrol the countryside looking for slaves, for fresh victims to bring back into the city for their favorite death sport: Arena One. The death stadium where opponents are made to fight to the death, in the most barbaric of ways. There is only one rule to the arena: no one survives. Ever. Deep in the wilderness, high up in the Catskill Mountains, 17 year old Brooke Moore manages to survive, hiding out with her younger sister, Bree. They are careful to avoid the gangs of slaverunners who patrol the countryside. But one day, Brooke is not as careful as she can be, and Bree is captured. The slaverunners take her away, heading to the city, and to what will be a certain death. Brooke, a Marine’s daughter, was raised to be tough, to never back down from a fight. When her sister is taken, Brooke mobilizes, uses everything at her disposal to chase down the slaverunners and get her sister back. Along the way she runs into Ben, 17, another survivor like her, whose brother was taken. Together, they team up on their rescue mission. What follows is a post-apocalyptic, action-packed thriller, as the two of them pursue the slaverunners on the most dangerous ride of their lives, following them deep into the heart of New York. Along the way, if they are to survive, they will have to make some of the hardest choices and sacrifices of their lives, encountering obstacles neither of them had expected—including their unexpected feelings for each other. Will they rescue their siblings? Will they make it back? And will they, themselves, have to fight in the arena? “Grabbed my attention from the beginning and did not let go….This story is an amazing adventure that is fast paced and action packed from the very beginning. There is not a dull moment to be found.” --Paranormal Romance Guild {regarding Turned} "I will admit, before ARENA ONE, I had never read anything post-apocalyptic before. I never thought it would be something I would enjoy….Well, I was very pleasantly surprised at how addicting this book was. ARENA ONE was one of those books that you read late into the night until your eyes start to cross because you don't want to put it down….It is no secret that I love strong heroines in the books I read….Brooke was tough, strong, un-relentless, and while there is romance in the book, Brooke wasn't ruled by that....I would highly recommend ARENA ONE.” --Dallas Examiner ARENA ONE is Book #1 in the Survival Trilogy, and is 85,000 words. Book #2 in the series, ARENA TWO, is now also available.

My five-year-old son had never hugged me first.

Whenever I reached for him, Ian stepped back, lowered his eyes, and politely told me I could go.

I thought he didn’t want me.

Then, on the night I was supposed to die, a mysterious reader thread appeared on my phone.

Look at him pretending he doesn’t care.

He wants his mother to stay so badly—but if he gets too emotional, his wolf ears will appear.

I canceled dinner and crouched in front of him.

“I’m staying home tonight.”

Hope lit his face before he could hide it.

Then he asked the question that broke my heart.

“Only tonight?”

My Alpha, Ryan, not only cheated but also declared that our marriage was "open" and told me not to interfere with his relationship with Beta Emily. I was both furious and heartbroken. In order to get back at him, I followed the advice of the rogue wolf Luke and made him my "fake boyfriend" to provoke Alpha Ryan. Just then, the young and beautiful Omega Alex stormed into my life like a whirlwind, fervently pursuing me. I’m determined to take back what’s mine and make those who have hurt me realize that I, Julie, am not someone to mess with!

To get the only targeted drug for my sister's sudden rare disease flare-up, I knelt before the city's elites in a grease-stained janitor's uniform and barked like a dog. My wife in name only glared at me with absolute disgust, cursing that I was worse than a dog. The chaebol heir even crushed the medicine bottle under his shoe, forcing me into a "no fighting back" death match in the underground black market.

Enduring the agony of broken bones, I survived ten brutal rounds, only to be handed swapped poison and witness a monstrous fire engulf the clinic.

Watching my sister's life-support indicators gradually fade in the sea of flames, and looking at the female doctor whose legs were shattered while trying to protect her, I shed no tears.

I calmly pulled a glass shard from my ribs and took out the black satellite communicator I had kept hidden and sealed away for three years.

"Command received, Supreme Commander."

Tonight, I will make the chaebols of this city completely vanish from the face of the earth.

Noah Clayton
He's one of the best young cardiologist in New York. He's a genius and he handled his patience really well. Despite taking care of people's heart, he has a cold heart and attitude. It was hard to reach him that his family has to make a move for him.

Jaclyn Rae
Rae Motor Industry's heiress, she's currently running the company as the person who incharge with all the distribution and the branch manager. She's a hard-working person but despite dating her job, she's basically dating her sports cars.

A fateful meeting in deep space.A journey to a distant world to hunt the ultimate game: Dragons.Two young soldiers search for a lost family heirloom.Honeymoon bliss turns into a fight for survival on a remote moon.The Champion of Light battles the Champion of Dark to determine the fate of the universe.Tales of Adventure is a collection of five science fiction and fantasy novelettes and novellas: Passing in the Night, So You Want To Be A Dragon Slayer... , Grandfather's Pendant, Delphinus, and The Champion.