2785 Book(s) Related to it's not all downhill from here a novel

He was supposed to be a stranger.

A bruised, scarred, filthy-mouthed stranger who pinned me against a bathroom wall and made me forget the boy who broke my heart 20 minutes earlier.

I walked away first without his name or number, and I didn't look back.

Then I found out my mom was engaged. To his dad.

Rhys Maddox. Number seventeen. 6'3" of tattoos, bruised knuckles, and the kind of jaw that makes good girls do stupid things. The most dangerous player to ever step on our ice.

My one-night stand.

My new stepbrother.

He doesn't follow rules - he breaks them. On the ice. In my bed. Against every surface in our parents' house while they eat twenty feet away. He calls me "sis" just to watch me squirm. He watches me like he already owns me.

And the worst part? He does.

Publicly, we're fake dating - a deal to keep my ex-bestfriend away. Privately, we're a stepbrother and stepsister who can't keep our clothes on the second we're alone. It's our biggest secret.

Now the boy who I once considered my best friend suddenly wants me back. And the stepbrother who wasn't supposed to mean anything won't let me go.

One wants to protect me.
One wants to destroy me.
And I can't tell which is which anymore.


For readers 18+ who like their men possessive, their romances FORBIDDEN, and their chapters dripping with filthy, unapologetic spice.

"Sign the papers, Gadreel. Consider it my anniversary gift to you—our divorce."
For five years, Ivory Remington played the perfect wife. She nursed her comatose husband back to health, endured his family’s disdain, and smiled through the rumors that she was just a placeholder for his beloved stepsister. But when Gadreel awakens—only to coldly declare their marriage a business arrangement—Ivory’s last shred of hope shatters.
On the night of their anniversary, a vicious video arrives: Gadreel and her stepsister, tangled in sheets that should’ve been theirs.
Enough.
Ivory files for divorce with a parting shot that strikes his ego where it hurts most.


"You dare call me impotent?" He drags her against him, his breath hot on her lips.
"Let me remind you exactly what your husband is capable of."

Julia loves reading BDSM erotic books. Her husband catches her reading one of those books and then they both try out playing sex games where Julia gets to be a slave and she loves playing these love games with her husband. But will these games affect their marriage? Let's find out by reading how it all started and how it's going!
This is book 02 of the slavery series.

Julia loves reading BDSM erotic books. Her husband catches her reading one of those books and then they both try out playing sex games where Julia gets to be a slave and she loves playing these love games with her husband. But will these games affect their marriage? Let's find out by reading how it all started and how it's going!
This is book 03 of the slavery series.

Five years of marriage, and he never once looked at me with love. He called me a gold digger. He forced me to take birth control. And on our last night together, he moaned another woman's name in my ear.
I left with nothing but my dignity—and a secret I didn't even know I was carrying.
Six years later, I'm back. Not as the doormat wife he discarded, but as an award-winning scientist with a five-year-old son and a powerful family behind me. He's still engaged to his precious first love. And neither of them knows that the little boy calling me "Mommy" has his eyes.
He wants me back. He says he regrets everything.
But regret doesn't undo the past. And this time, I'm playing by my own rules.

Betrayed and divorced by her husband, Lara Montgomery was chased out of her home on a cold night with a child in her womb.

Lara thought it was all over for her. That she had lost everything.

But she hadn't.

Not when the handsome billionaire—Damien Otto found her and refused to let her die on his curb.

To Lara, he was her savior. She has found reason to believe again, to hope again.
But has she?

What happens when she finds out that the man who rescued her on that cold night was just being paid to save her and might have his ulterior motives?

Lara would get everything back. Rebuild her life from the scratch but the journey to the top is not always an easy ride.

Stay tuned for a ride through betrayal, regrets and second chances.

Adira was the weakest Omega of the Crimson Pack a frail, mocked outsider who dreamed of joining. But her world came crashing down when Caspian, the strong Alpha and her fated mate, openly rejected her, thinking her unworthy to stand by his side. Betrayed by her own blood and blamed for a crime she didn’t commit, Adira was cast out, left to die in the wild.

When all hope seemed lost, destiny intervened. Granted a second chance by a strange force, Adira rises with a power she never knew she possessed. Stronger, smarter, and more determined than ever, she returns to the Crimson Pack under a new name, ready to uncover the web of lies, face those who betrayed her, and take payback on those who wronged her.

But as her path crosses with Caspian again, sparks flare, and old scars reappear. Caught between love and revenge, Adira must decide whether to trust the mate who once refused her or make her own path as a queen in her own right.

With enemies hiding in the shadows, truths about her past coming to light, and the fate of the pack hanging in the balance, Adira’s journey is far from over. Can the once-weak Omega rise to become the Crimson Pack’s best Luna?

She was spoiled and the only daughter of Italy’s most feared Mafia empire. But I was never supposed to fall for the one man paid to protect me.
Luca Bianchi. My father's most trusted bodyguard. A man with secrets darker than his tailored suits and eyes that have haunted me since I was sixteen. When threats close in and betrayal strikes from inside our mansion, my parents send me away with the one man I swore I hated.
But this isn’t just about stolen glances and red lace. Because someone is hunting me.
And Luca might be the only one who can save me.
He’s the bodyguard. I’m the heiress.
And in this deadly game of bullets and betrayal…
I might just be the one who gets claimed.

When the lights go out, the sins begin.
Sinful Nights isn't one story—it's many. A collection of steamy, adult tales where desire rules and temptation knows no limits. From forbidden encounters to irresistible passion, these nights are anything but innocent. Slip under the sheets and let the heat consume you.

Violet loses her parents as a young child and is brought up by an elderly aunt. As she approaches her 17th birthday her life is turned upside down when her Aunt tells her that the life she has built with her must end - she has to go and learn about the background of her father. Secrets have been kept and those secrets turn Violet's life on it's head!

Not only does she have to accept that her father wasn't who she thought he was, but she too, is something she didn't even realise existed! It seems a whole plan had been in place for if something happened to her parents, including learning of her heritage and all it means.
So, Violet is sent to Autumn Moon Pack, where an elderly relative of her father's still lives to give Violet chance to be surrounded by others like her. In truth, she plans to learn what she needs to learn what she needs to and leave to live alone like her father before her.
But will meeting the handsome Beta, who seems quite taken with her, change her mind? And could there be yet more secrets to be revealed?

"As you make your bed so you must lie in it. Pretty noble to sell your body for your brother. And you nearly lost your life for your cheap friend? A sacrifice must be your life motto. Who do you think you are? A saint?"

He captured her, and no way to escape this devil. In his peculiar way, both tough and gentle, she can only accept it and lower her guard down.

He was looking for someone who stole his disc and took someone who's just an ordinary and young supermarket staff. Her life totally changed since she met him.

He forces everything, including a three-year contract, to be his woman. Her enchanting beauty captured him, and the love-hate journey started.

Thirty-eight year old Levy a successful business owner and bike finds himself lost and lonely after his wife, Lilly has passed away. It's been two years and despite all the efforts of his close friends, Levy just isn't ready to date anyone or let them close. He's frightened to love and lose again. He doesn't think his heart will ever be the same.
That is until he starts to notice his son's ex girlfriend, Harper. At just twenty she knows her own mind. And Levy is all the man that she wants. And when Harper wants something she usually gets it. She makes no bones about letting Levy know that she is interested in him leaving him reeling.
Levy is blown away by her, he can't stop thinking about her but will he risk his relationship with his only son to chase love, friendship and happiness with a young woman, 18 years his junior?
Only time will tell.
A heart-warming, spicy, age gap romance.

They said it was just a phase. A crush. A mistake she'd forget by morning. But obsessions don't fade. They grow.
In Filthy Obsessions, lust doesn't whisper, it grabs hair, rips buttons, and leaves bruises in its name. These stories are not sweet. They're soaked in sin. A sex therapist who doesn't use words to fix broken marriages. A judge who sentences two sisters to submission, then joins them. A father's best friend who doesn't just watch,he waits, dark and patient, until she begs for his cock. An art professor who sketches her body in secret... then ruins her innocence on the altar. These men aren't heroes. They're cravings in human form. And the women who fall for them? They never recover.
If you've ever whispered "Daddy, begged for it, screamed through it, or touched yourself thinking, "What if…" Filthy Obsessions was written for you.

Jessica Miller. Five years ago, Ethan Blackwood shattered my world.
He believed the lies, accused me of cheating, and watched me walk out of his life, pregnant with his child. The plane crash that followed made sure he thought I was gone forever.
Now I live under a new name, as Mia Stone, the perfect wife of Alex Stone heart. Together, we built a quiet existence, until fate brings Ethan back. He's richer, colder, and standing across from me at a business meeting.
He doesn't know that I'm the woman he buried.
He doesn't know the little girl calling someone else "Daddy" is his own.
The man who once ruined me is back…
And this time, he's not leaving without the truth.


Ethan Blackwood. Jessica Miller was everything I never knew I needed. And I destroyed her.
I let envy and doubt blind me. I believed the wrong person, pushed Jessica away, and the next time I tried to find her, she was gone. Dead.
For five years I lived with that guilt, building an empire, burying myself in work, trying to forget the woman I loved more than my own soul.
But she's alive. She's standing across from me with a new name, a new life, and the same eyes that once looked at me like I was her world.
She thinks she can keep her secrets. She thinks she can stay hidden.
But I've already lost her once, and I won't make that mistake again.
Even if it means tearing down the life she's built to claim what's mine.

"Only one woman leaves alive. Choose, Jared."

My husband didn't even hesitate. He rushed past me, untying his weeping mistress, Natalie. "I choose her! Take Danika!" he screamed, refusing to look at me as I sat bound to the chair. He walked away, leaving me alone with the man paid to rape me. The monster laughed, unzipping his pants, thinking I was a broken doll. But he forgot I had nothing left to lose. As he forced himself on me, my hand found a pen in his pocket. I didn't beg for mercy. I plunged it straight into his eye socket.

Danika, the perfect wife of upcoming businessman Jared Fox is known to the world as a naive, beautiful wife who loves her husband to the core, however, no one knows just how dark her life is.

Enter Lysander Laurent-Ashworth, cold, disciplined, and feared across the business world for his ruthless precision. To everyone else, he is untouchable. To Danika, he is the stranger who saved her, and the man who seems determined to shield her, even from the truths she can’t remember.

Bound by a dangerous agreement neither of them fully understands, Danika finds herself drawn into Lysander's world but Lysander might just do anything to protect her. Absolutely, anything.

Emily Brooke (twenty-two years old) fell in love with Jacob years ago. Years later, she finds out that her parents are discussing an arranged marriage for her with the man she loves.

Jacob Jefferson (thirty-five years old) starts a new life and becomes a successful billionaire, only to find he is in an arranged marriage. Though he doesn’t like it at first, he changes his mind as soon as he meets Emily.

However, the chance for a happily ever after is broken with a harsh reality when Emily finds out the real reason why Jacob accepts the arranged marriage. Later, Emily also knows about Jacob’s secret identity as a mafia’s leader.

When everything is messed up, Emily meets with her savior, Harold Montgomery. But then, Harold also has a complicated background.

With Jacob and Harold later fighting to win her heart, who will Emily choose in the end? Will she find a happily ever after?


The book is a crossover (combination) of Billionaire/Romance and Mafia genre) and a spin-off of The Billionaire’s Contract Marriage, but both books can be read as stand-alone. For the most enjoyable reading experience, please read The Billionaire’s Contract Marriage first.

"You really intrigue me, Nara," He flashes another smile, but it disappears just as fast.

A confession that makes my cheeks burn.

"I intrigue a lot of people." I try to control my breathing. "Most are always bad."

He shakes his head slowly, not wanting to pry his eyes away from my rising chest. "You intrigue me in a different sense."

"And what sense is that?"

"In the sense that I ask myself... why is it—" His neck bobs as he swallows hard, the tip of his finger now grazing the side of my uncovered thigh."—That I always find myself so drawn to you?"


For Naralía Ambrose, hunting and trapping creatures aren't enough for her. Not when she knows dreaded dragons and shifters such as the one that killed her father still lurk in the depths of Emberwell.

Moving to the infamous City of Flames and becoming a part of the queen's dragon Venators, is all she dreams of in order to continue her father's legacy.

So, when an attack occurs in her village, and this opportunity finally arises for Naralía, she quickly finds herself uncovering secrets to the city. Ones that will make her question her views over the world she lives in and whether she can trust the people around her...

With a burning desire to hunt dragons, an impertinent thief she must capture, and a tempting romance brewing, Naralía will soon question where her loyalties truly lie.

Dedicated three years to marriage, I shed the aura of the genius venture queen, pouring all my connections and resources into helping Simon Coldridge, who had nothing, ascend to the position of CEO. I thought this was a testament to our love, until that stormy night when he hung up on my call for help, yet gently opened the car door and styled the hair of the poor student I had funded.
When I confronted him, he disdainfully said, “You’re Mrs. Coldridge. Don’t take her seriously.” He might have thought I would continue to tolerate it like before. When I threw my ten-carat wedding ring into the trash and withdrew funding from the project he valued most, he finally understood that the Aurora Montague who loved him to the point of losing herself was already dead.

“I don't care about getting married, all I want is you even if this is the first time you are seeing me. I have always loved you since when I can remember. Can't you please be my groom?"
She said and I almost burst out laughing.

This bitçh must be crazy. The sex was really great. She is really good in bed but I am no lady's groom. I'm a free bird and I will always be free...

Meet Lee Chun, the son of a billionaire, he is super handsome and oh yes! He is a sëx freak.
Lee Chun's many sexual exploits with the ladies has earned him then nickname Sëx God.
He is a real time player who doesn't believe in love....
Meet Ji-a, a beautiful bold orphan girl, who has no one but herself and her lovely heart.
What happens when these two very different souls meet? Find out in this blockbuster novel.

"I've seen the way you've been staring at me, doll and I know you want me "He said his voice so cold as always , sending shivers down my spine. His frosty gaze bore into mine, void of any warmth or emotion, as his hands traced a deliberate path from my chest down to my belly button, sending a shiver down my spine.

"You can't escape from me doll, so I'll advice you to be submissive. Besides..... You're mine now"He said his eyes digging deep into mine,so cold..... devoid of any emotion.

"You think I don't know you've been drooling over me??"He said and I gasped loudly immediately.

“I…I…I don’t know what you’re talking about, Master,” I stammered, attempting to project confidence. However, my trepidation seeped through, and he let out a hearty laugh that echoed in the cold air.

"You don't?....You know how much I hate lies doll"He said and chuckled loudly.

“It seems you’ve forgotten, sweetheart, that I can quite literally hear your thoughts,” he continued, and I instinctively bit my lip,avoidind his eyes....... He hates it when I look at him directly in the eyes.

"I can hear your heartbeat too Doll..... So loud and clear and guess what...... It's beating like a party drum."He said and pushed some strands of hair from my face.

“I... I’m truly sorry,” I managed to whisper, my voice trembling slightly. Lowering my head almost instinctively, I averted my eyes from his piercing stare, knowing that it was the safest course of action in this fraught moment.

"I hate that word 'sorry' and you know it"He said and I bit my lip immediately shivering.

"I crave you and I want you now"He said and smashed his lips on mine leaving me helpless.

In "Powerless Hearts: A Tale of Survival and Love," the world as we know it changed drastically on April 1, 2023, when a global blackout plunged civilization into chaos.
With power outages worldwide and communication systems failing, society began to collapse. Amidst the turmoil, Gabriella, a college student trapped in her dorm, faces immediate danger and desperation. She is saved from a threatening situation by Andrew, a compassionate rescuer with a solar-powered home.

As the world outside grows increasingly chaotic, Gabriella and Andrew form a deep connection, evolving from a bond of survival into a passionate romance. They find solace and strength in each other amidst the crumbling remnants of their former lives. Their love becomes a source of hope as they navigate the challenges of their new reality, including the constant threat of violence from desperate outsiders.

Their relationship flourishes in the face of adversity, marked by tender moments and intense intimacy. Yet, despite their personal happiness, the community they inhabit faces growing external pressures. The struggle for resources and the mounting anger from those outside their safe haven create an ever-present tension.

As the story progresses, Gabriella and Andrew confront not only the external threats but also the internal fears and desires that come with living in such a fractured world. Their journey is a powerful exploration of love and resilience, proving that even in the darkest times, the human spirit can find light and connection.

In this gripping tale of dystopian romance and survival, "Powerless Hearts" highlights the strength of love and the enduring hope that drives people to fight for their future.

"In our six years of marriage, you never named me Luna. You gave me nothing other than the position I maintained from when we built this company."
"My affair is my business. Your job is to shut up and obey your husband," Rune spat with a nonchalant look.
"No, I'm not built like that," I replied softly. "I can't be your slave, Rune. My love for you made me a fool once but no more."
"Where do you think you are going? It's one thing to build but it's another to have your people by your side. You are an Omega! A rat!"
"The document on your table is our divorce papers. Sign it and have it sent to the Salvatore's mansion in Echo City."


She was the humble wife of the Alpha, and also the mysterious rival who bankrupted him; when the scumbag took her job with his mistress, she threw out a divorce agreement: Sorry, this company is mine, and my father is the richest man in the world.
After divorcing her unfaithful husband, billionaire Silver seeks solace by returning to her home pack, hoping to start fresh and reconnect with her roots but home is not what it used to be.
Her father's legacy has left behind a tangled mess of debts, secrets, and enemies lurking in the shadows.
Caught in the storm, Silver is drawn to the pack's new young Alpha, a man wrapped in mystery, danger, and an intensity that unsettles her heart.
Their paths collide in ways neither of them expected, forcing Silver to face not only the darkness in her family's past, but also the forbidden spark threatening to shape her future.
Now, she must decide: will she fight the chaos consuming her world, or surrender to a desire that could destroy everything?

Eva Fransis had everything—until the people she loved most took it all away.

Drugged and betrayed on her 18th birthday by her best friend, Eva's perfect life crumbled in a single night. A desperate escape led her into the arms of a stranger, and one forbidden night left her pregnant and alone.

Forced into a marriage she never wanted, Eva endured years of abuse, humiliation, and heartbreak—all while her husband lived off her family's wealth. The final blow? Catching him in bed with the very woman who destroyed her life.

Now, Eva is done being a victim.

She wants a divorce. She wants her freedom. She wants to give her children the life they deserve.

But her husband refuses to let her go—not out of love, but greed.

And just when she thinks things can't get more complicated, a powerful stranger appears, claiming to be the real father of her children.

He wants them back.

He wants her back.

She spent years protecting her heart. Now she must protect her children—even if it means facing the man from that unforgettable night.

Can she break free from her past? Or will she be stolen by the man who already owns a piece of her?

A collection of passionate and provocative short stories where desire, temptation, and attraction collide.
Wet Hot Desire brings together intense encounters filled with chemistry, emotional tension, and unforgettable moments. From unexpected connections between strangers to rekindled sparks between former lovers, each story explores the powerful pull between people who struggle to resist what they truly want.
With captivating characters, irresistible attraction, and passionate encounters, this collection delivers steamy romances where every choice has consequences and every desire reveals something deeper.

“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery! The author did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side that is so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.”--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)ONCE LURED is book #4 in the bestselling Riley Paige mystery series, which begins with the #1 bestseller ONCE GONE (Book #1)—a free download, with over 500 five star reviews!Women are turning up dead on a lone stretch of highway in Delaware. Some go missing for an inexplicable length of time, while others are turning up dead, their bodies left out for display in bizarre and mysterious ways. When a pattern is discovered, it becomes clear to the FBI that a twisted serial killer is on the hunt—luring girls in devious schemes—and that he won’t stop killing, ever.The FBI, desperate to crack the case, urges Special Agent Riley Paige to take it on. But the brilliant Riley, still reeling from past cases, has finally found peace in her home life, and is determined to help her daughter April get back on her feet. Yet when the murders become too disturbing, too urgent—and when her former partner Bill implores her—Riley finally realizes she can’t say no.Riley’s hunt leads her deep into the unsettling world of hitchhikers, of drifters, of women that no one else cares for. When she discovers that several women are being kept alive and that there is still time to save them, she realizes she will stop at nothing, obsessing over the case and driving herself to the brink. Yet Riley realizes her own life is falling apart, and her own fragile psyche can barely handle the strain. In a frantic race against time, she will have to plunge deep into the killer’s mind to save these women—and to save herself—from collapse.A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, ONCE LURED is book #4 in a riveting new series—with a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night.Book #5 in the Riley Paige series will be available soon.

“A dynamic story line that grips from the first chapter and doesn't let go.”--Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Once Gone)“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery! The author did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side that is so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.”--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)Women are turning up dead in the rural outskirts of Virginia, killed in grotesque ways, and when the FBI is called in, they are stumped. A serial killer is out there, his frequency increasing, and they know there is only one agent good enough to crack this case: Special Agent Riley Paige.Riley is on paid leave herself, recovering from her encounter with her last serial killer, and, fragile as she is, the FBI is reluctant to tap her brilliant mind. Yet Riley, needing to battle her own demons, comes on board, and her hunt leads her through the disturbing subculture of doll collectors, into the homes of broken families, and into the darkest canals of the killer’s mind. As Riley peels back the layers, she realizes she is up against a killer more twisted than she could have imagined. In a frantic race against time, she finds herself pushed to her limit, her job on the line, her own family in danger, and her fragile psyche collapsing.Yet once Riley Paige takes on a case, she will not quit. It obsesses her, leading her to the darkest corners of her own mind, blurring the lines between hunter and hunted. After a series of unexpected twists, her instincts lead her to a shocking climax that even Riley could not have imagined.A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, ONCE GONE marks the debut of a riveting new series—and a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night.Book #2 in the Riley Paige series is now available!

For three years, Christina hid her identity as a billionaire heiress, believing she had found true love. Instead, she discovered she was nothing but a cheap stand-in for her scumbag boyfriend's first love. Faced with his arrogance and cruel humiliation, she dumped him without a second thought. The time for playing poor was over!

Returning to elite high society, she reclaims her mega-fortune and accepts a marriage alliance with Gabriel—the most powerful, ruthless billionaire CEO in Aurora City. Known to the world as a cold-blooded tyrant, this untouchable man has only one exception: her. He spoils her beyond measure.

When Christina’s true identity is finally exposed, her pathetic ex is paralyzed with regret, dropping to his knees to beg for a second chance.

Nestled safely in her powerful fiancé’s embrace, Christina looks down at her ex with a cold smirk. "Sorry, but trash like you isn't even qualified to step foot through my family's gates!"

“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery! The author did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side that is so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.” --Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone) ONCE PINED is book #6 in the bestselling Riley Paige mystery series, which begins with the #1 bestseller ONCE GONE (Book #1)—a free download with over 700 five star reviews! Men and women are turning up dead in the outskirts of Seattle, poisoned by a mysterious chemical. When a pattern is discovered and it becomes clear that a twisted serial killer is on the hunt, the FBI calls in their best asset: Special Agent Riley Paige. Riley is urged to return to the line of duty—but Riley, still reeling from the attacks on her family, is loath to return. Yet as bodies mount, and the murders become more inexplicable, Riley knows she has no choice.The case takes Riley deep into the unsettling world of nursing homes, of hospitals, of drifting caretakers and psychotic patients. As Riley delves deeper into the mind of the murderer, she realizes she is hunting the most terrifying killer of all: one whose madness knows no depths—and yet who may just appear shockingly ordinary.A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, ONCE PINED is book #6 in a riveting new series—with a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night. Book #7 in the Riley Paige series will be available soon.

Fans of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum and Jana DeLeon's Miss Fortune will find a new character to love in Holly Hands!Holly Hands. 29. Single mom. Disgraced, former boxing pro. Repo woman.Repossessing Lamborghinis and other exotic toys from criminals is second-hat for Holly.But finding a dead body—and solving a murder—is not.Luckily, Holly has Lucky by her side—a neglected pit bull she found on the wrong side of a job, who refuses to leave her side—and who, like her, has nowhere to go but up. Together, maybe they can crawl their way out of the urban hell of their bad slice of Baltimore, where coming home at night is even more dangerous than going to work. Maybe Holly can manage to get her young daughter the medical treatment she desperately needs, and manage to get her out of her dangerous public school and into the private school of her dreams. Just maybe, she can fall in love with that private school Dad from the other side of town and start a whole new life.Or maybe not.Life has never been easy for Holly. And if the past few days—and the dead body in her trunk—are any indication—it’s about to get a whole lot worse.KNOCKOUT (A HOLLY HANDS COZY MYSTERY) is book #1 in a riveting new cozy mystery series, a page-turning thriller that grabs you from page one and does not let go. Get ready to find yourself reading all night, bleary-eyed, and falling madly in love with a new character who will fight her way into your heart.Book #2 (SUCKER PUNCH) and Book #3 (BELOW THE BELT) in the series are also available.

“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery! The author did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side that is so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.” --Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone) ONCE FORSAKEN is book #7 in the bestselling Riley Paige mystery series, which begins with the #1 bestseller ONCE GONE (Book #1)—a free download with over 700 five star reviews! When Special Agent Riley Paige finally decides to take a well-needed rest from the FBI, a request for help comes from the most unlikely source: her own daughter. April’s best friend is devastated by the death of her sister, a freshman at Georgetown. Worse, she is convinced that the suicide was staged, and that her sister was murdered at the hands of a serial killer.Riley reluctantly looks into the case, only to discover that two other freshman girls at Georgetown recently killed themselves in the same grotesque way—by hanging. As she realizes foul play may be afoot, she brings in the FBI. The case takes Riley deep into the privileged campus of one of the world’s most esteemed universities, into the unsettling world of the wealthy and driven families that pushed their children to succeed. In time she discovers that this case is far more twisted than it seems—and that she just may be up against the most psychotic killer of her career. A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, ONCE FORSAKEN is book #7 in a riveting new series—with a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night. Book #8 in the Riley Paige series will be available soon.

Kieran Silvermane was never supposed to be mine.I was the girl he paid to finish his assignments, fill his attendance, and disappear when his real life walked in.So when the Moon Goddess bound us together—choosing me as the Alpha heir’s mate—I believed, for one foolish moment, that I was finally someone’s first choice.I was wrong.He rejected me under a full moon. In front of his pack. In front of everyone who already thought I wasn’t enough.Shattered and unable to even shift, I was ready to leave Northcrest and never look back.Until his father made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.Now I live under the same roof as the man who destroyed me—the man who swears he rejected me to save me.Because Kieran Silvermane is cursed.And loving me might be the one thing that kills us both.

Betrayed and creatively blocked, erotic artist Lucia Lane has sworn off love until her infuriatingly gorgeous new neighbor crashes into her life. NHL bad boy Noah Lawson is loud, arrogant, and impossible to ignore… especially after he saves her from a violent attack and the world mistakes them for lovers.

A fake relationship should be simple. No feelings. No rules broken.

But Noah isn’t just hockey’s golden god he’s a cursed Alpha werewolf hunting a killer and fighting a destiny written by the Moon Goddess. From the moment he catches Lucia’s scent, his wolf knows the truth: she’s his fated mate.

As hate turns to scorching desire and secrets about Lucia’s bloodline surface, their pretend romance becomes dangerously real. Under the full moon, one bond could break his curse… or destroy them both.

“Hide! Hide!” I yelled, striking Greg violently in the butt. I sensed his astonishment but I didn’t give a damn. If he loved me, he'd understand I was in a precarious situation. “What the hell's happening?!” Greg screamed but I still pushed him into my wardrobe anyway as Fred's voice echoed through the house. I can't imagine the torment I'd face if I was caught in a relationship with a man. 7 years ago, I worked for the Richardson family with my mother and when I lost her to cancer, I decided to drop out of school. However, luck was on my side or so I thought. The Richardson adopted me as their own but when I thought my life was starting to get better, Fred the true son of the family came into my life. It went downhill from there. I became a sex toy for him and it even got worse when my adoptive father joined his son to make my life a misery. I became traumatic. Not even the sweetest prince charming could woo me into liking him. To hell with every man! I hated them all until Greg came along. He loved me more than I loved myself but what could I do? Both father and son of the Richardson family had issued me a stern warning to shut every man out – I was an exclusive property. Would I ever get a shot at true love when my life’s a living hell?

I came across a viral local post while scrolling through my phone.

LIVE: My fiancée is cheating on me. I’m in her house right now. Should I end her for good?

When I tapped into the post, what I read made the blood in my veins turn to ice in an instant.

I put a monitoring app on her phone. I’ve been listening for almost two weeks, and every single day she’s on the line with some random guy, flirting and talking dirty. She says yes to marrying me to my face, but she’s been cuckolding me behind my back. Tell me, bros—does this bitch deserve to die?

The comment section below had completely spiraled out of control. Hundreds of replies were all outright egging him on, not a single person telling him to stop. Every line oozed with the vicious glee of people who lived for drama and cared nothing for the consequences.

Hell yeah she does. You got cucked this hard, why keep her around?
Bro, stop all talk and no action. Go live, we’ll send you gifts. Rape her first, then kill her if you’ve got the balls.
You in Haicheng? Drop the address. Me and the boys will come over and help you out. My fists are itching for a fight anyway.
Pfft, and I thought you were tough. You’re already in her house and still dragging your feet? I bet you don’t even have the guts to kill a dog.

My fingers were shaking violently. Driven by a sick, twisting dread, I tapped into the poster’s profile—and with just one glance, every hair on my body stood on end.

This account belonged to Xiao Ming, the blind date my relatives had forced on me when I went home for the Lunar New Year.

His entire profile was filled with posts about me, spanning a full two weeks, starting the very day we’d met for that blind date.

He’d taken secret photos of me, paired with captions full of disgusting, delusional ramblings:

My fiancée went on a date with me today. She wore a white blouse with the neckline open so low, it’s obvious she was trying to seduce me.
She told me she works the front desk at a hotel. That’s her way of hinting I should take her to a room for the night. All women say one thing and mean another.
She says she has a boyfriend, but it’s just playing hard to get. She’s been dying to marry me this whole time.

But I’d said it loud and clear, right in front of the matchmaker, on the very day of that blind date: I’d been in a committed relationship with my boyfriend for three years.

That blind date was nothing more than a way to appease my family. I’d been polite but distant the entire time, and I hadn’t even accepted a single glass of water from him.

As for that nonsense about a hotel room? It was complete and utter garbage. I’d only casually mentioned that my job was working the front desk at a hotel, nothing more.

Just as a bone-deep chill washed over me, the post refreshed. A new line had been added to the main post, timestamped just three seconds earlier:

Truth is, I’m hiding in her house right now. She’s lying in bed scrolling through her phone, and she has no idea she’s already dead meat.

The very second that line finished loading, a clear, soft rustle of fabric came from the wardrobe right behind me.

"Ivory's six months pregnant. She needs to get back more than you do."

When my husband Donovan said those words at a South African mining disaster site, I knew my marriage was over. Two helicopter seats, three British nationals. He chose to save his mistress instead of his pregnant wife.

"I'm pregnant too," I told him, my voice shaking.

"I know," he replied without emotion. "You're only three months along. You'll manage."

He knew. He knew I was carrying his child, and he was still choosing her over me. Over us.

"You'll manage. You're stronger than anyone," he told me as he left me in a war zone, helping his precious Ivory onto the helicopter like she might break.

Three months pregnant and abandoned, the stress nearly killed me. I had no choice but to terminate the pregnancy – the last tie connecting me to the man who betrayed me.

But I discovered something deeper than just adultery. Something that would destroy them both.

"Is lying the only skill you have left? Don't play dead until you actually land in a coffin!"
That was what my billionaire brother roared as he crumpled my stage-four cancer diagnosis and threw it at my face.
To him, I was a spoiled brat who needed a brutal reality check.
He engineered a fake DNA test, gave my identity to a manipulative orphan girl, and watched me get dragged to a disciplinary camp.
Now, he offers me an arrogant ultimatum: Stay quiet and wait half a month, and he’ll graciously allow me to come home.
I clutched my agonizing stomach and laughed until I cried.
Wait half a month?
I can't even guarantee I'll wake up tomorrow.
But I can't wait to see his face when he finally decides to forgive me, only to realize I've already been dead......

On the day of my marking ceremony, my mate, Ryan Mercer, is caught kissing my sister, Paige Frost, in the dressing room. The whole pack gets to laugh at my humiliation.

Then Alpha Ethan Vale steps forward. With everyone watching, he gives me his mark.

Once we're married, Ethan couldn't be kinder to me. But we can't conceive a pup. At last, I try IVF, and I finally get pregnant.

He becomes even more devoted. He calls me “darling” in his sleep, and I tell myself the Moon Goddess has blessed us.

Then one day, I overhear him talking to his Beta.

“How could you do that, Ethan? Luna Claire loves you. She does everything for you. And because Paige is afraid of the pain of pregnancy, you had her eggs substituted for Claire's? You made your own Luna carry Paige's pup without telling her? She's due in two months. What's your plan?”

For a moment, Ethan says nothing. Then he gives a quiet sigh. “When he's born, I'll give him to Paige. She'll have the pup she's always wanted, and I'll tell Claire he was stillborn. She's an Omega whose mate threw her away. I'll stay with her for the rest of her life. That should more than make up for it.”

Every bit of tenderness, every loving word—it was an act.

I book an abortion. I don't want this filthy pup, and I won't stay in this lie of a marriage.

Being an Omega doesn't make me theirs to use.

As I collapsed in a pool of my own blood, the mate-link deep in my mind flared with the thoughts of my Alpha husband, Cullen:
 
'I only had my men give Ayla ten lashes to let Selena vent her frustration. How is she bleeding this much?'
 
'She must be using fake blood again, trying to guilt-trip me into coaxing her.'
 
What he didn't know was that those ten lashes had claimed the life of our two-month-old unborn baby.
 
Nor did he know that I had just been diagnosed with terminal Wolfsbane Necrosis. I had permanently lost my werewolf healing abilities.
 
This wasn't the first time he had hurt me for Selena's sake.
 
When Selena suffered from insomnia, he extracted my heart's blood to use as her cure; when she needed to vent her temper, he turned a blind eye as his guards held my head under the freezing waters of the icy lake.
 
And this time, Selena had caused an absolute catastrophe, provoking a savage pack of rogue wolves.
 
Cullen looked down at my curled-up, trembling form, his tone leaving no room for argument:
 
"Since you are the Luna, you should bear the responsibility. Go to the rogue camp and take the fall for Selena."
 
"With a werewolf's physique, taking a beating won't kill you."
 
He didn't know that Selena had already bribed those rogues to torture me to death.
 
But I didn't cry and beg for myself like I usually did. I simply leaned against the wall and forced myself to stand.
 
"Fine. I'll go."
 
For a split second, a flash of astonishment crossed his eyes. He had no idea that those words were my final goodbye to him.

Three years ago, I saved the life of Alessandro Gambino, New York's most powerful mafia boss.

He fell in love with me, a bartender.

His family was dead set against us, but his love won out. We got married.

After we married, he disappeared every month for "punishment day," claiming his family beat him with sixty-six lashes for breaking their rules by staying with me. Watching him suffer tore me apart.

Actully, I'm Sloane Lucchese, sole heir to the largest arms empire on the East Coast, hiding from a family war. I decided to reclaim my family name as soon as possible, so his family would finally accept me.

Finally, on our fifth wedding anniversary, I found out I was pregnant, and my father called to say they'd announce my return in two weeks.

I was going to tell Alessandro everything that night, both pieces of good news.

But that same day, I stumbled onto a secret—one that would destroy me completely.

After three years of agonizing IVF, I was forced into three abortions. The reason? My mafia in-laws’ pet bird stared at my belly and shrieked, "End it."
Even when I was carrying healthy twins, my own parents held me down and forced abortion pills down my throat. My husband—the man I once took a bullet for—watched coldly. "Listen to the bird. Abort."
Lying in a pool of blood, I finally discovered the horrific truth. There was no "sacred bird." My marriage, my ruined womb, and all the IVF tortures were actually part of a terrifying conspiracy.
On my fourth pregnancy, the bird finally decreed, "Keep it!"
As the whole family treated me like a queen and rejoiced to welcome their precious heir, I quietly walked into the operating room.
Armed with lethal evidence, I crashed their grand succession ceremony.
You want an heir? I’ll send you all to hell instead.

"Forty dollars. That's all the inhaler I needed to breathe cost. But in our house, nothing comes easy. 'Fairness first. Roll the dice — highest number wins.' I've rolled my whole life. I've never won. Not once. Tonight, lungs burning, vision blurring, I rolled for my medicine money against my sister. She got a six. I got a two. 'You lost, Hazel. Now go to the attic and think about your selfishness.' The door locked behind me. My chest is closing up. And no one is coming to check."

"My sister threatens to take my mate. And I let her keep him."
Born without a wolf, Seraphina is the disgrace of her pack—until a drunken night leaves her pregnant and married to Kieran, the ruthless Alpha who never wanted her.
But their decade-long marriage was no fairytale.
For ten years, she endured the humiliation: No Luna title. No mating mark. Just cold sheets and colder stares.
When her perfect sister returned, Kieran filed for divorce the same night. And her family was happy to see her marriage broken.
Seraphina didn't fight but left silently. However, when danger struck, shocking truths emerged:
☽ That night wasn't an accident
☽ Her "defect" is actually a rare gift
☽ And now every Alpha—including her ex-husband—will fight to claim her
Too bad she's done being owned.


Kieran's growl vibrated through my bones as he pinned me against the wall. The heat of him seared through layers of fabric.
"You think leaving is that easy, Seraphina?" His teeth grazed the unmarked skin of my throat. "You. Are. Mine."
A hot palm slid up my thigh. "No one else will ever touch you."
"You had ten years to claim me, Alpha." I bared my teeth in a smile. "Funny how you only remember I'm yours... when I'm walking away."

He was the Alpha who refused to claim me. He became the man who couldn't live without me…
On her 18th birthday, Morrana, the Omega of Shadowcrest discovered the cruelest joke of her life-her fated mate is Alpha Caius Varro, the very man whose family destroyed hers.
Caius refused to acknowledge their bond, choosing a political alliance over his unwanted mate. He gives Morrana one rule above all others: never let another man touch her.
But Morrana refused to spend her life as his secret.
She faked her death and left Shadowcrest behind, unaware that the weak Omega everyone despised carries the blood of the lost Moon Wolves, a legendary lineage believed to have disappeared centuries ago.
When Caius finally realized what he had lost, Morrana was no longer waiting for him.
The mate he refused to claim may become the one woman he can never get back…

"She was MINE before. How could I have known she would find another man so quickly?"
Dresden Wade was pretty sure the goddess was punishing him. Married for half a decade to his childhood sweetheart without a child, he is desperate for a chance to fight his wrongs when he sees her again.
His TRUE mate. The woman he scorned and humiliated all those years ago.
Except that now, she is standing holding hands with another Alpha.
Mara Reid wants nothing to do with the surly, arrogant Alpha that used to be her mate. He had made the earlier parts of her adulthood traumatic to say the least.
So why did meeting him again feel like coming home?
Why did her traitorous heart skip whenever he called her name?

"You will keep teleported back if you choose to want to be with him, remember it!" The kindest man turned into a villain.

"I won't lose you to him again!" The ruthless man turned into soft.

In between them, Choi was bewildered to choose her right future partner.

While she was anxious between them, her family members tried to kill her for the property that was going to be her.

Who will she choose? And the teleportation will keep turn the table again and again to make her life worse?

Let's see in the chapters!

She lost her mother to him. Then her father. Then her crown.

Then the night came when she lost everything else.

Valdris is not a man who waits. He has fought the same war for three hundred years, buried generals, toppled kingdoms, and never once blinked. He takes what he needs and he does not apologise for it.

He needed a witch queen.

He did not expect her

But something far older than their war is moving through the south, and it is not stopping. It does not negotiate. It does not retreat. It has been feeding on the earth itself for centuries — slowly, quietly, the way a fire feeds on a house before anyone smells the smoke.

Malachar the Demon Monarch has been patient for three hundred years.

He isn't anymore.

Dragon fire won't touch him. Armies won't slow him. Every wall between him and what he wants has already begun to crack — and he knows it. The only question left is whether the two people who can stop him will destroy each other first.

A prisoner who has every reason to let the world fall.

A king who has never once asked for help.

And a demon lord who is already inside the walls.

Some enemies you can fight.

Some you were always meant to face together.

The hard part is surviving long enough to figure out which is which.

The second the graduation ceremony ended, my parents took us all to the nicest restaurant in town.

They said they wanted to properly celebrate having "two graduates" in the family.

Pierce, my boyfriend of four years, showed up last with a huge bouquet of champagne roses in his arms.

I'd just gotten up from my chair when he walked right past me and handed the whole bouquet to my friend Brooke. "Happy graduation. No crying, okay?"

My mom was all smiles, going on about how thoughtful Pierce always was.

Then he caught my eye and hesitated. He tugged one rose free from the bunch and held it out to me. "You're not really into this kind of thing anyway, right?"

So that was my graduation gift from my boyfriend. One stem he'd pulled out of another girl's bouquet without a second thought.

Once we sat down, the conversation quickly turned to jobs.

Brooke looked miserable as she told us she hadn't heard back from a single place she'd applied to.

Pierce put down his fork and knife right away. "Come work at my family's hotel. Pick any job you want. I've got you."

My brother leaned in too. "My company's hiring right now. I can refer you. It's literally one phone call."

My dad gave her a sympathetic look. "Don't stress. You're so talented, good companies are going to be fighting over you."

The three of them crowded around her with ideas, each one trying harder than the last.

I'd just graduated too, but when it came to me, my dad barely gave it a thought. "Clara can just grab whatever job she can get. It's not like she can afford to be picky."

My mom nodded. "If anybody's willing to take you, just be grateful."

I stuck the rose in the water glass in front of me. The stem was too long and the glass was too shallow, so it slumped against the rim. No matter how I set it, it wouldn't stay up.

Just like me in this family. However hard I tried, I could never find my footing. Whether I was there or not, it made no difference to anyone.

Fine. Then I'd leave.

I'd go somewhere as far away from them as I could get, and this time I wasn't coming back.

I am the top algorithm genius on Wall Street.
When my wife's first love got into serious trouble, she didn't hesitate to cut off my daughter's medical expenses and force me to go to jail for that scumbag.
But she didn't know that without me, her multi-billion dollar empire was just an empty shell that could explode at any moment.
She could never have known that the little girl she cursed as a "bastard" and who was driven to her death by her own hands was actually her own flesh and blood, whom she thought had died at birth.
When, a few days later, I, who should have been dying in prison, suddenly arrived with short-selling capital and a top-secret paternity test... I wonder if this high and mighty queen will still be able to laugh.

My daughter begged me, tears in her eyes, to take her to gymnastics camp—just the two of us.

I thought it was her way of proving she loved me.

I was wrong.

In that hotel room in Toronto, I overheard my husband's voice—with another woman.

“Don't worry, Sophia will find a way to stay a few more days. I promised her that blue limited-edition leotard.”

“Her body now… after giving birth, it's ruined.”

In that moment, my world collapsed.

I thought I'd only been betrayed by my husband.
But the daughter I raised with everything I had—she was his accomplice.

The child I nurtured with my own hands kept clearing the path: so that woman could sleep in my bed, wear the lingerie I could no longer fit into, sneer in front of the mirror at every single mark my body earned from bringing life into this world.

I once believed that giving up my career would be enough to hold my family together.

But they joined hands to tell me: my sacrifice was never honored. It was a joke.

When a woman who has given everything to her family finally wakes up—

Her revenge will make every single one of them remember exactly what they did.