8723 Book(s) Related to how does shelley most clearly create suspense in the story

Synopsis: Dr. Camelia Hayes, a famous marriage counsellor has the perfect husband. He is handsome, kind, and successful.

Then one day, she receives an anonymous package containing photographs of seven women.
Each woman dated the same man and each woman disappeared after saying yes to his proposal.

The shocking news: Her seemingly perfect husband is the man in every picture.
The problem is...
The photos were taken years before he was born.

Lila Thompson’s life falls apart in a single night—betrayed by her boyfriend, sold by her stepmother, and hunted by a ruthless gang leader. With nothing left but a desperate promise to her late mother, she crosses paths with Nate Cole—a rich, mysterious stranger haunted by his past.

He thinks she’s someone else. She needs the money he could give.
What begins as a risky lie becomes a dangerous game of secrets, survival, and simmering attraction.

But as lies unravel and old wounds resurface, can they save each other from the storm—or will they drown in the wreckage?

A gripping romantic drama of trust, betrayal, and second chances.retract

Mara Bell writes cozy fantasy romances.

Unfortunately, she is very good at writing men no sensible woman should ever date.

Her most popular creation is Lord Soren Ravelle, the terrifying Duke of Duskryn. Obscenely wealthy, capable of shadow magic, feared by half the kingdom, and responsible for enough fictional murders that Mara stopped counting.

Readers adore him.

Then, while trying to finish the book at three in the morning;

Her laptop sparks.

The lights go out.

And Mara wakes up face-down in a flower bed.

In Duskryn.

Her own fictional kingdom.

At first, she is thrilled.

She knows which paths through the enchanted forest are safe. She knows where the castle's secret passages lead. She knows who the villain is, who gets the happy ending, and exactly which chapter everything goes horribly wrong.

There is only one problem.

Mara isn't supposed to be here.

She never wrote herself into the story.

And Duskryn seems to know it.

The plot begins changing around her. Characters make choices she never gave them. Events happen too early. And Soren, who is supposed to be falling in love with somebody else, becomes far more interested in the strange woman who knows things about him she couldn't possibly know.

Because Mara knows something Soren doesn't.

She didn't give him a happy ending.

She killed him.

Now the closer the story creeps toward the final chapter, the more desperately Mara tries to change the ending she wrote.

Which would be easier if Soren would stop looking at her like that.

Mara created Lord Soren Ravelle to be dangerous, impossible, and devastatingly romantic.

She just never expected him to become real.

She definitely never expected him to fall for his author.

And she really should have known better than to fall for the villain she created.

He is the most wanted international criminal and also the abandoned son of the Winston family, Leon, who was expelled from the house.
Ten years ago, his mother was poisoned, his father jumped from a building and died, and at the age of only seven, he was expelled from the estate on Christmas Eve like a dog. Ten years later, he returned wearing the cold-blooded mask of a killer and broke into the family meeting.
No one knows, this young man is the world's number one killer who scares criminals around the world
Everyone is waiting to see his joke.
Leon only wants to avenge his parents.

There were five of them. Piece of cake! I howled as I liked to make my presence felt. Their reddened eyes turned to me just as one of them tore at the man’s throat and grabbed the woman. I almost lost my mind with rage when I saw their damn claws at her neck. To my surprise, he didn’t sink his fangs in, instead, with full force, he broke her legs. Her desperate scream of pain echoed through the forest. The trees would be the only witnesses to the massacre I was about to make. In pain, she fainted. They messed with her. Big mistake!
.........................................
Her salvation came from him. His Luna was safe but how safe was the environment she came from? Follow Dominic Stone, the werewolf actor and secret agent as he fights for the truth and his love for Rebecca.

Noah was originally a world-class assassin who was injured in an accident and had no choice but to retire and live a normal life.
But one day, Noah unexpectedly received a letter from his old partner Brian, saying that he wanted to leave all his inheritance to Noah.
Realizing this was unusual, Noah went to Brian's house to investigate, only to find that Brian's daughter was unconscious and in a vegetative state. She was in danger, and Brian's company had been taken by someone else.
Noah returns to the pinnacle, seeking justice for Brian's daughter.

Celine Nelson approached a stranger in a bar to sleep with as a revenge for her husband cheating on her with his secretary. She thought that it would only be a one night stand but she ended up getting married to the man. Jared Walker had a beef with her husband and in order to revenge this he forced Celine whom he had been stalking to divorce her husband.
“Celine Nelson, I want you to divorcé your husband and marry me instead. I will pay you 10 million dollars. I know you need the money” Jared muttered without any hesitation.
“Alright I accept, but you are going to give me some time to get the divorce.”

Tripartite Love, Love Triangle

A situation whereby two guys fell in love with the same girl.

Love between Blood

Love between the rich and the poor

Then there's also WHS;

Wearous High School - From the name, WEAROUS..you should already know that it's an high school that welcomes mostly students from wealthy homes.

If you not rich or if you've got no connection or relationship with someone who's prosperous but you still prefer to attend that school, you'ld have no or few friends and of course; so many haters because, you would be disliked for no specific reason.

So in this school and it entire environment, the poor relates with the poor and the wealthy ones relates with their kinds.

"You know I’m using you, don’t you?"
"Yes, but I’m willing. I’m willing to be a pawn in your hands," Ricard said, his voice softer than ever.For four years, Lucia had only one thing on her mind: revenge. She loved the man in front of her, but so what? That love meant nothing compared to the deep-seated hatred in her heart.
Her father’s death, her mother’s insanity, and her family’s hospital being taken over — how could she let go of such a grudge?It was she who seduced him, approached him with all kinds of schemes to make him love her, all because he was the fiancé of the person who caused her family’s misfortune. And he, he loved her so much that he would do anything for her. His strength, intelligence, and resolve seemed to vanish completely before her.Perhaps the only thing he was lucky for in this life was being of value to her.

A year ago, I stood at the altar in my wedding dress, about to marry into the Vitale family.

We were halfway through the vows when my fiancé, Theo, turned and ran out of the church.

His adopted sister, Bianca, had climbed onto the roof of the estate and sworn she'd jump if he didn't come back.

The pews were packed with people from all the major families, and every one of them was waiting to watch me fall apart.

Then Theo's older brother stood up from the front row. Adrian Vitale, Don of the Vitale family.

He walked up to me slowly and slid the ring onto my finger himself.

At the family banquet the next day, the capos lined up to kiss my hand.

Adrian held on to my hand, his eyes on Theo.

"From now on, when you see her, you call her Donna."

Theo's wine glass shattered in his hand.

Everyone said an orphan like me had hit the jackpot. Dumped by the Don's little brother, then turned right around and married the Don himself.

I'd always believed that too.

Until today, when I stood outside the study door and heard Bianca whining, half in tears.

"You told me you were only marrying her so Theo would give up on her. Now you're protecting her every chance you get. Don't you want me anymore?"

Adrian's voice was low, tired but indulgent.

"If I didn't make it look real, how would Theo ever get over her?"

"Don't worry. She won't be standing in your way much longer."

I am trapped, there is no other way to go back and I will never be free from the bonds of fate that have been written in the record of my life.

I'm a big fan of fantasy stories, but never thought they would feel real at this point. As he moved quickly toward me, gripped my arm tightly and pulled me into his warm embrace.

"I found you!"

"What?"

"What's your name?"

"Hah?"

"Your name?!"

"Seline."

"Seline,"he let go of the hug, then looked at me fixedly. His slightly dark brown irises suddenly turned silver in a matter of seconds, then my eyes widened perfectly when he finished his sentence.

"Now, you're mine Seline! Only Mine!"

His lips immediately covered mine suddenly...

For a moment I heard a whisper, "Your destiny has begun my daughter."

Four desperate men—Adrian Kane, Liam Cross, Ezra Black, and Damien Hart—receive identical invitations promising unimaginable wealth in just thirty days.
There’s only one condition: survive.

Taken to a secluded estate and cut off from the outside world, they are thrown into a series of escalating challenges where failure is not an option—it’s a death sentence. What begins as a high-stakes competition for money quickly turns into something far more sinister: a controlled experiment designed by a shadowy organization that rewards ruthlessness and punishes hesitation.

Alliances form. Trust shatters. And every decision comes with a cost.

As the days grow darker, the truth becomes clear—this is not a game meant to be beaten. It is a system designed to break them, reshape them, and choose only one survivor.

In the end, only one will walk away.

And survival may be the worst fate of all

He reached down and found her clit and gently massaged it. She was a virgin, so he tried to control his urge to drive himself into her. He spread her legs even further giving her a questioning look. She smiled and nodded her head. He put himself into her and slowly and gently pushed, he did not want to hurt her.


Nirka is a hybrid, She is the ruler of her Realm. She learns that her father is holding a town meeting in the Royal Council Hall to discuss whether they should help the human race or let it destroy its self. She wants to save humanity, but she falls in love with Devon after rescuing him he is total infatuated with her.

Blurb:

TRIGGER WARNING: This book contains explicit scenes, mature themes and adult languages. FORBIDDEN DESIRES BETWEEN ADOPTIVE SIBLINGS, Intended only for adults (18+)

“I am already wet. Please don't tease me again”

"I want you even wetter. Now, put that finger inside you baby"

She slipped it through her folds and thrust it into her pussy with a sharp gasp.

Cursing, he tore open his zipper and pulled out his dick.

"Another finger, Cam," he said, sliding his fist up and down his hard shaft. "I want to see you shoving two fingers up there"

She added another and upped her pace, pumping and pumping and moaning.

"This is all mine," he growled, his eyes on her pussy. "No one else gets to see you like this, my virgin temptress. Only me"

She was going to cum….

"Stop"

She halted with a sound of complaint. "Why?"

“I don't want you to cum so easily"

Ugh.

He released his dick and crooked his finger. "Bring my pussy over here"

Camilla, an orphan, had grown up craving Maxwell, the brother who had raised her since she was six.

For years, her desire simmered and she had tempted him but he kept on resisting.

Now, he wants her… but she was giving him the cold shoulders.

But there was no way he would let her go after every sinful temptations she had put him through.

Emilia Rutherford thought she left her haunted past behind, until a car crash, a cryptic warning, and a bloody trail bring it roaring back.
Now, in a town that feels too quiet and eyes that watch too closely, she’s pulled into a world she never knew existed. Shifters. Blood feuds. Secrets buried under generations of silence. Asher, the quiet farmhand with eyes like gold, knows more than he says.
And Victor... the ruthless Alpha with a claim on Emilia’s soul will stop at nothing to make her his. But fate has its own plans.
And Emilia may be the key to unraveling everything. When destiny collides with survival, only one truth remains: THE ALPHA MUST DIE!

Boomer’s story is about a boy split into three lives — before, during, and after Penelope Vales. Before her, he was just a kid running from a broken past, enlisting in the army to prove himself and earning his nickname through failure, grit, and loyalty. During her, he fell quietly, painfully, for the girl he could never have, standing beside her boyfriend and forcing himself to swallow what he felt while still protecting her in every way he could. After her, and after things crumbled with Mila, he’s left adrift — no uniform, no love, no clear identity — and has to learn how to rebuild himself piece by piece, to stop defining his worth by battles or by people he couldn’t keep, and finally figure out who he is when all that’s left is him.

When Dorian Falco’s stepsister and secret lover was found brutally violated in a slum alleyway, the Mafia Don lost his fucking mind.
And he blamed me.
He dragged me into the manor's dungeon, throwing me to a dozen of his most depraved enforcers.
"Whatever Camilla suffered, you'll pay back a thousand times over."
I collapsed on the freezing floor, sobbing as I desperately clutched his pant leg. "I love you! I would never hurt her! Please, Dorian, believe me!"
Dorian only offered his cruelest sneer.
"Jealous that she gets the real thing? Fine. I'll make you filthier than she ever was."
He locked me in that blood-stained cell for seven days and nights.
His thugs, given carte blanche by the Don, whipped me with chains and violated me without restraint. I screamed Dorian's name in the darkness until my throat shredded.
Seven days later, Dorian returned with a recovering Camilla.
He stood outside the heavy iron door, his voice dripping with mock generosity.
"Crawl out here, Saoirse. Get on your knees, kiss Camilla's shoes, and maybe—just maybe—I'll let you live."
Silence. No answer.
Because three days ago, I had already died in that cell.

She was her own person and knew exactly what she wanted.
He owned the shit and thought he could do anything.
She had something he wanted, but she didn't know it.
He had what she'd always dreamed of, but she had no idea how to get it.
She lied for love.
He didn't forgive anyone.
She hated him from the first time she saw him.
He tried to destroy her in every possible way.
Bárbara Novaes never imagined that her peaceful life would suddenly turn upside down, when a deathbed request would make her main objective be to enter the life of the best known CEO in the country.
Heitor Casanova has never seen a woman as persecuting and insistent as Bárbara. But it didn't cross her mind that she didn't want the same as everyone else: "him".
The bond that united them would force them both to live under the same roof, with a single common goal: to protect what they loved most.
Was it possible for mutual anger to turn into love?
Would they admit the new feelings that arose, which they were not able to accept?
And they would overcome together all the obstacles that would be created to prevent this relationship from happening???

She was just a bitter college student defending a fictional villainess online. Now she's waking up as that villainess.

Trapped in the body of Silver Noir, the obsessive wife destined to be executed for a crime she hasn't committed. But survival requires becoming everything she was accused of being. She came here to survive. Not to collect a crown, a vampire, and every powerful man who underestimated her. But if they insist on falling?

She'll let them kneel. How far will she go to survive a story that was never meant to save her?

"No one has ever injured their eyesight from looking at the bright side" I tell him.

"Well then, I'm sorry to inform you that there's a rampant need for glasses today" he replies.


Lorraine Stuart, your not so normal typical young woman. With having to deal with the disappearance of her twin brother to trying to cope with her hot-tempered father whilst striving to find herself amidst it all. Things have definitely been difficult for her.

But what happens when she is thrown into a fake engagement with Alexander Wayne, a hazel-eyed cocky man whom she detests.

Not to worry, the feelings mutual. At least that's what they thought.

As feelings are emitted, secrets unraveled, mysteries solved, will she be able to hold herself firm?

Will those two begin to fall in love, or would it just be an engagement pact?

And most of all, would they be able to protect themselves just before the storm?

A freak storm has her sliding down the mountain...right into the arms of her ex.Eden McLaughlin is fed up with rich men who scoff at her outdoor product line. She's worked for Explore Getaway Bay for a long time, and she tinkers with making outdoor survival products in her spare time—and she can't get a single investor on the island to back her. Not even her employer, as no one knows who actually owns the company.So fine. She'll take a hike, literally.When an isolated storm causes a downpour and then a landslide, Eden has no choice but to go with the tons of rocks and mud—right off the side of a cliff and into the arms of her ex-boyfriend.Holden Holstein drags her under an overhang just in the nick of time. He has no supplies, which is super embarrassing as he owns the island's biggest outdoor company, Explore Getaway Bay, and he should know better. But he was just getting out of the office for a moment.He's thrilled to discover the mud-covered woman in his temporary shelter is his ex-girlfriend, who he's never gotten over. But he's not fond of the huge wound on his leg that's sending fire through his system, nor the fact that the landslide took out the only path back to safety.Eden has a few supplies--as well as only eyes for Holden. As they spend time out in the wilds of Hawaii trying to survive, their old flame is rekindled. But with secrets and old feelings in the way, will Holden be able to take all the broken pieces of his life and put them back together in a way that makes sense? Or will he lose his heart and the reputation of his company because of a single landslide?

Zephran Vespera was born into the most prestigious magical bloodline, yet his hands remain completely empty. While his younger brother is hailed as a prodigy, Zephran is branded a stagnant failure and a heavy burden on his family legacy.
What his parents and the entire wizarding world do not know is that Zephran is not weak. His magic was not lost. It was consumed.
Years ago, a desperate attempt to awaken his powers bound him to Vaelkar, an ancient and ruthless dark wizard who brought the continent to its knees centuries ago. Now, the fragmented soul of the fallen conqueror resides within Zephran, feeding off his magical core to survive.
Forced to enter the elite Aethelgard Arcanum as a pitiful mortal outcast, Zephran must endure the scorn of the magical society. But a dark pact has been made. In exchange for carrying the ancient entity past the school wards to reclaim the rest of his fractured soul, Vaelkar will teach Zephran the forgotten and forbidden arts of the void.
They thought he was a magicless failure. They were completely wrong. Zephran is about to forge a terrifying new path to power, and the entire realm will soon learn to fear the heir they once discarded.

There’s nothing more exciting than fate, nothing more desirable than forbidden love and nothing more consuming than the burning desire of a lover.

First daughter and pride of the Blue Hive, Clarissa Mark was a blessed girl loved by her father and every member of her pack.

Brought up in a happy home, she had everything she wanted and people who would do anything to provide what she needed. She was confident about her future and to make it more exciting, she found love.

A lover so passionate that he ignited feelings she couldn’t process and it made her feel like she was on top of the world.

The only problem was the man responsible for making Clarissa lose all her reasoning.

Clarissa believed she knew everything about her new lover, Gabriel Lance. She knew He was off bounds, being the heir of the rival pack- Blood Moon but she couldn’t listen to her head. She saw a good in him no one else saw and was determined he was not like everyone in her pack claims.

He was different, a charmer and a passionate mate and he loved her with all his heart.

She was so positive of his love for her but everything changed when she came back from her one month vacation, pregnant and mated to the one person she should never have had something to do with.

Her father, who loved her more than anything was willing to accept her back as long as she got rid of the forbidden child which she blatantly refused to.

Clarissa left the pack she knew as her home as she couldn’t bare to loose the child and her father couldn’t bare to raise such a shame and damnation in his house.

I was raised underground, hiding from the monsters who slaughtered my pack. The Blue Moon crest is the only thing I see every night before I close my eyes. Revenge is my only purpose on earth.

And then, I find him. Alpha Lucian of the Blue Moon Pack. The man who rejected me the moment he thought I was human. My mate. My enemy.

But fate twists crueller when I start my revenge. His Enforcer, Darius, carries the other half of my soul and the darker side of my bloodline. He knows how I am, but worse, he knows what I want.
In Blue Moon Park, nothing is as it seems. And if I don't kill the Alpha first, my forbidden second mate will kill me.

A witch’s forbidden curse robbed me of my body, pureblood wolf lineage, heir title and fated mate’s bond — lasting only thirty days.
In my past life, no one believed my truth. My pack locked me in the moon dungeon, labeled me a mad wolf, and Rain sold me to rogue wolves to die.
Reborn on day one of the soul swap, I know the curse’s time limit. While Rain steals my life in my skin, I am trapped in her frail wolf form and forced to watch her frame me and drive me from the pack.
She thinks she ruined me. Little does she know, she digs her own grave.

Perry Lake never believed in fate, especially not when it came to love. To take revenge on her cold, power-hungry father, she broke off her engagement to Richard Scott, the ruthless Alpha of the feared Bloodmoon Pack. Walking away from that world should have meant freedom.

But one impulsive night changes everything.

Perry walked into Richard's room to end things. She never expected to end up in the bed of a stranger—an Alpha who overwhelmed her senses. Even worse, the Moon Goddess has bound them as fated mates.

Now, torn between the desire to escape and the pull of a bond she can't deny, Perry must face a destiny she never wanted—with the man she tried hardest to forget. But can love bloom where betrayal and secrets still linger?

Suspense/Romance.
Rachael Sinclair is a half Native American (Lakota) Police officer with Red Ridge PD in a tiny town in Montana with a new identity because her father was the nation's first native American serial killer.
She is 30 years old and because of the disappearance of her mother, the abuse suffered by her father and the things she was subjected to seeing in his cellar, and testifying against him at his trial, Rachael has become a depressed alcoholic, attempting to self-medicate her pain away.

She has questionable behaviors for someone that is law enforcement and a stalker.

When one body found on her patrol route turns into another, each in the same manner as her father. The FBI is called in to assist with the manhunt for the copycat killer.

Enter Roman Hanshaw, The FBI agent assigned to help Rachael find the truth behind these murders.

Their relationship takes an erotic turn when Roman realizes he sees the real her and he could be exactly who she needs to help her heal.
One reckless decision helps Roman make his mind up about wanting Rachael, but will she feel the same way?
Who is the killer?
Why are they targeting Rachel?
Can Roman and Rachael uncover the truth in time?
Can Rachael handle the twists and turns life throws her while uncovering this truth?

Tropes and Triggers (minimum)
Depression
Suicidal ideology
Child abuse (mentioned)
Death and dismemberment
Abuse of a corpse (eyes cut out, chest marked)
Police officer FMC
FBI MMC
Twists and turns
Erotic novel, 5 chili peppers
Bullying (co-worker and mentioned childhood off page)
Snarky, minority FMC
He falls first
Breath play
Dirty talk
handcuffs
Slow burn
Slight enemies to lovers
He breaks down her walls
Betrayal
secrets
Stalker
serial killer
touch her and die
one bed

The day the Gryphon army marched home in victory, my sister's husband came back safe. My husband, Tobias, died on the ice.

Everyone pitied me, and I believed them. I mourned him for years, handed over every resource the Elven Realm had to offer to Crown Prince Nathaniel, and helped him lock down his claim to the throne.

It took me years to find out the man who came back wasn't Nathaniel at all. It was my "dead" husband, Tobias.

He killed his own brother, stole his face with forbidden magic, all so he could marry my sister Sabrina and make her his queen, official and out in the open.

"Sabrina and I are the real thing. Pretending to be my brother, that was for the good of the kingdom."

They framed me for treason and threw me into the Pit of Judgment. As I burned, I watched the two of them hold each other while the kingdom cheered.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day the army came home.

My sister begged me to stop grieving, tears in her eyes. "Nathaniel" swore he'd give me a life of luxury. The old king stood in front of everyone and promised to grant me anything I wanted.

This time, I didn't cry. I chose to remarry without a second thought.

Tobias thought wearing his brother's face was all it took to sit on that throne. What he didn't know was that without me, he never stood a chance of getting there at all.

Abandoned by her mother, Vivian worked alone to raise her younger brother. Determined to change her life, Vivian becomes a cunning schemer when targeting Jaime Miro, heir to a fortune worth millions of dollars and a large company. When Jaime falls in love with Vivian and marries her, her life becomes tense when she discovers that the mother who abandoned her before is now Jaime's stepmother, and is about to become her mother-in-law. Vivian takes advantage of her marriage to get her way, but when Jaime discovers she only married him for money, the peace in the house is destroyed, and she is thrown out. That night, a fire broke out at Vivian's apartment complex. Jaime thinks she's dead, but two years later she reappears, will he get revenge?

I was never supposed to survive my sixteenth birthday. Born without the ability to shift into my wolf form like every other werewolf in my pack, I was branded a freak—a mistake that shouldn't exist. My parents tried to hide me, desperate to protect me from judgment, but isolation only deepened the wound. When they were murdered in front of me during a transformation I couldn't control, everyone blamed me. I blamed myself. The pack hunted me like the predator they thought I was, forcing me into the city where I shed my old name and became someone new.
For five years, I survived as a human nurse, helping people, trying to balance the blood on my hands with acts of compassion. But the past always catches up. When a dangerous man with cold eyes and secrets darker than mine saves my life, everything shatters. He knows what I am. He knows what I can do. And he's determined to use me for something that could destroy everything I've built. His name is Alex Bush, and he's not what he seems—a crime boss with connections to a world I thought I'd left behind forever.
Now I'm caught between two worlds—the pack that wants me dead and a man who might be the only one who understands my darkness. As I uncover the truth about my family's death, I realize nothing is what it seemed. My parents' murder wasn't the accident everyone claimed. There's a larger conspiracy, a network of people who knew exactly what I was and wanted me. Alex offers protection, but his price is steep: help him infiltrate an underground operation that traffics in rare supernatural beings, people. The real monsters aren't the ones who can shift into wolves. They're the ones who hide behind human faces.

I kicked the door open they both jump out of their skin I grab the bitch by the hair and put her up against the wall. I then growl out “mine.”

“What the fuck are you doing, get the fuck out of my room.”

The rage that is overcoming my body feels amazing as the little she wolf tries to defend herself. My father trained my brother and as kids to defend ourselves. She has know chance of defeating me when she realizes it she runs over to him.

“Ivan are you just going to let her do that to me.”

“What your just his little whore you could never give him the pleasure that I could give him.”

“That is enough get the fuck out of my room.”

“Fine you want to play that game two can play this game let's play.”

I walk out of his room, I see Sam, I grab a hold of him and drag him behind me. We go into to my room.

“What is going on are you okay.”

“Do you have a girlfriend?”

“No!”

My lips connect to his as my body I am burning up with lust, his touch feeling more amazing than I could ever imagine.

“Wait are you doing?”

“I'm making the Alpha jealous he is fucking some bitch, so I'm going to fuck you is that OK with you.”

“So you're using me?”

Sophomore year housing glitch throws them back into the same cramped dorm room they barely survived freshman year and the unspoken tension that almost broke them.
Theo Kane is the golden overachiever star architecture major, design club president, always three steps ahead, glasses sharp and walls sharper. He treats emotions like distractions that could tank his future.
Jaz Reed is the campus chaos incarnate tattooed night-shift barista at the 24-hour bakery, sarcastic mouth, flour-dusted arms, lives for the moment because planning feels like a cage. He acts like nothing touches him especially not Theo.
They were roommates once. Late-night sketches, shoulders brushing, almost-kisses swallowed back because fear won. Theo ghosted after break; Jaz pretended it didn't gut him.
Now forced together again, the old spark detonates—meaner, hungrier. Theo's ice-cold "this isn't happening" cracks under Jaz's relentless filthy teasing. Jaz, who never chases, turns possessive as fuck the second Theo lets him close: 3 a.m. texts begging for attention, showing up at design critiques growling "mine," hands everywhere like he'll vanish if he lets go.
But Theo's landed a killer Chicago summer internship that could launch his career—and rip him away for good. Jaz's life is rooted here: family bakery, siblings who need him, no escape plan. As stolen hookups in the bakery back room turn raw and desperate, they face the truth: keep pretending it's just sex and graduate safe, or risk blowing up their futures for the one person who makes control feel like bullshit and chaos feel like home.

I am the lead architect of this massive virtual sandbox world.

To save my NPC wife from a fatal car crash, I enabled a cheat code for her and lied, claiming she was a "VIP player" paying to experience an immersive life-simulation game.

She bought it completely. Not only did she openly flaunt her wealth to buy off a male assistant in front of the whole company, but she also trampled all over me, treating me like a "low-level NPC."

"I am the absolute main character of this world, and the system will always bail me out. As for you, you're just a line of junk code. Get out of my sight immediately."

Watching her face become twisted and arrogant from the illusion of privilege, the last trace of warmth in my eyes completely died out.

I calmly signed my resignation, revoked all her financial shields and vitality armor with a single click, then logged off and returned to the real world.

I knew that the moment I left, stripped of my protection, she would be instantly swallowed alive by the brutal laws of survival.

On the night of Reeve’s birthday, I drove to his family’s coastal estate with a premium ribeye and a bottle of Pinot Noir, ready to give him a romantic surprise.
But the rug was shifted three inches, and a single drop of dark blood hid in the floorboards. Before I could run, a gun barrel pressed against the back of my head.
The man was impeccably dressed and terrifyingly calm. Upstairs in my bathtub lay the corpse of his pregnant wife.
He ordered me to help him dispose of the body and cover up the crime. My only thought was to stall until my husband got home.
That is, until he spoke—and revealed the root of this massacre. Everything was my husband's fault.

Criminal profiler in training (and newlywed) Jessie Hunt, 29, discovers that dark secrets lurk in her new suburban town; when a body turns up dead, she finds herself caught in the crosshairs of her newfound friends, her husband’s secrets, her serial killer caseload—and the secrets of her own dark past.In THE PERFECT WIFE (A Jessie Hunt Psychological Suspense Thriller—Book One), Criminal profiler-in-training Jessie Hunt is sure she's finally put the darkness of her childhood behind her. She and her husband, Kyle, just moved from a cramped downtown Los Angeles apartment into a Westport Beach mansion. Kyle's promotion has them swimming in money. And Jessie is on the verge of getting her Master's degree in forensic psychology, the last step in her dream of becoming a criminal profiler. But soon after their arrival, Jessie begins to notice a series of strange developments. The neighbors—and their au pairs—all seem to be hiding secrets. The mysterious yacht club Kyle is desperate to join is rife with cheating spouses, and with troubling rules of its own. And the notorious serial killer being held at the psychiatric hospital where Jessie is completing her degree seems to know more about her life than is normal—or safe. As her world starts to unravel, Jessie begins to question everything around her—including her own sanity. Has she truly uncovered a disturbing conspiracy buried within a sunny, wealthy Southern California beach town? Does the mass murderer she's studying really somehow know the origin of her private nightmares? Or has her tortured past finally come back to claim her?A fast-paced psychological suspense thriller with unforgettable characters and heart-pounding suspense, THE PERFECT WIFE is book #1 in a riveting new series that will leave you turning pages late into the night.

To make his "cousin" happy on Christmas Day, my husband brought home a cat.
The cat jumped into my mother's arms, triggering her allergies and causing an immediate asthma attack.
I frantically rushed her to the hospital emergency room,
only to witness my husband feeding medicine mouth-to-mouth to his "cousin."
While my mother lay unconscious, he didn't even ask about her condition.
Watching their retreating figures, I thought of the invitation letter in my email inbox offering a million-dollar annual salary job.
It seemed our five-year marriage had finally run its course.

Laura Brown was a plain nerd in the most prestigious high school in New York City, mocked for her looks and bullied for her poverty.

But when she is betrayed and loses everything she held dear. Her dignity. Her future. Even her memories… she swore to get revenge on everyone that hurt her.

Eight years later, she reappears as a tech empire queen. A Billionairess.

Untouchable. Powerful.

No longer the weak nerd they could hurt so easily, but the woman that will ruin them. One by one.

When she called her husband to tell him their son was dead, all she heard on the other end was laughter—him, his mistress, and their child, living like a happy little family.
Her heart turned to ash.
Terminally ill or not, she would find whoever killed her son.
But her husband didn't believe her. Her own family turned against her. They were all protecting the killer.
She was locked away. Threatened. Kidnapped.
When the truth finally clawed its way to the surface, they came crawling back with apologies.
But did it even matter anymore?

[HIS SERIES BOOK #3]

"You're my light, my love, and my shelter." -Gabriel Elizar.

He chose to chase her. From the moment he laid his eyes on her, he began to fall deeper. But not all love story deserves a happy ending. Things ended up so bad, resulting into a multiple heartbreaks.

As Gabriel finally realized that the woman he loves wasn't destined to him, he decided to give up. He came back to his unselfish shelter, the woman he never thought of as his love. The woman who is willing to provide a home for his wrecked heart.

A mysterious professor. A curious heart. A forbidden love that will change everything.


"Now, you'll just follow my command." As he told me, I nodded my head meekly, sitting on the desk. "Professor wants his favorite student to stand up and come to him."

As he commanded, I stood up and sauntered to him. My heartbeat was accelerating with every step I was taking toward him.

"Now remove your top for your professor, my favorite student." As he ordered, I flushed, moving my eyelashes down.

"Do it fast, Princess. I'm waiting." As he spoke, I moved my eyes up at him shyly. He pointed his finger at my top. I held the hem of my green top and pulled it over my head, gazing at his handsome face sheepishly.

"Now give it to me." As he said, I instantly gave my top to him, and he inhaled my scent from the top, closing his eyes.

"Your scent is exquisite, Princess." He whispered after opening his eyes.

He kept my top on the table. "Now this." He pointed his finger at my bra, asking me to take it off. I blushed hard before taking my hands behind me and unlocking it. This was really increasing my excitement.

As I removed it, he moved his eyes down at my twins and then up at me. "You're really beautiful, Princess." He complimented me, touching my heart.

He pulled out his hand, and I gave my bra to him. Then like this, I pulled out my jeans and undies too and gave them to him. This was arousing my desires more.

He was gazing at my body like he was gazing at the stars. "I like you like this. You are so beautiful, Princess. For me, your body is perfect from every corner."

Welcome to The Wonderland Club.

Here you can explore all your darkest fantasies and strangest dreams. No wicked thought or outlandish request is too much. Free yourself from the shackles of reality and join us in this fantastical world. Let loose and go a little mad because we're all mad here.

My name is Alicia. I'm trapped in the Wonderland Club, a slave to the ruthless owner Wendel and his red queen Lilith. I had a debt with them and when they decided to relocate for better business options they took all of us who owed them a debt with them.

Now we're stuck in this place we can never leave, and none of us know when I debt will be paid. Because there is no rules in Wonderland.

When someone is killed outside the club though all hell breaks loose. Suddenly our club is under a microscope and the cops are banging down the door. Why they don't know is they won't find answers here, no one knows the truth about this place. That means no witnesses for them to talk to and no evidence to help their case.

That doesn't seem to deter Detective Rowan King. He sees things he shouldn't and the first time he looked at me I knew I wouldn't be able to hide. There is a spark between us which means he might be the one to finally break me free. Now I just have to convince him and my other guys not to kill each other long enough for us to escape.

This is going to be messy.

*this is a reverse harem story which means the female main character will have more than one love interest.

*TW: Blood, violence, language, sexual content, crime, and descriptions of crime scenes

I'm Lilly. After my rescue from a rival club, the Reckless Renegades gave me a new start. I was just getting my life on track when my past comes back to haunt me. With a newfound passion for singing will my old guardian who is set on selling me ruin the future I am building. After an accident that my guardian set up in a kidnapping attempt, I lose my vision. I have to learn how to live my life differently. I need to overcome my new challenges and give up on my dream. Will I rise to the challenge? Will my guardian win? Will I get to find love and happiness despite everything that has happened to me?
I'm Tank. I fell for her hard but I don't deserve her. She is light and innocent. I'm a dark biker. She deserves more than me. When her past comes back I need to step up and claim what is mine.

Merigold is a single mom who was just supposed to meet the brother she just found. She didn't expect to be thrown into a world of motorcycle clubs and danger. Her father started the club and her brother now runs it. She is the heiress to the club. She didn't expect to fall in love with not one but two club members only to have her heartbroken. She wasn't supposed to get pregnant. Who is the father? Do I tell them? And there was no way she was supposed to get kidnapped by a rival club. Will she be rescued in time to save her life and the lives of her babies.

Xavier Banks has always fought his way through life. Fighting from his authoritative father's influence, fighting his way up the entertainment industry without his family's support but after getting to the top, he's not sure what he wants anymore.

All people see is the Xavier in front of the camera – 25 years old, A-list actor at the top of his game. Tall, handsome, charismatic and successful. The Xavier who has the perfect family and the perfect life. The Xavier who was born into luxury and made his own riches and has never lacked anything in his life.

But this is only what the public sees. When news about the truth surrounding Xavier's birth is made public, this image is shattered and so is Xavier who didn't know about this.

Mia Henshaw, who is trying to find her place in the world after spending most of her life in foster care. She is an average 21 years old college student. She works two jobs to provide for her daily expenses and goes through life's challenges with an optimistic attitude and a smile on her face.

Though she is independent, cheerful and chatty, she is afraid of trusting people and fears being abandoned. She channels her energy into baking and one day dreams of owning her own bakery.

They are from two different worlds yet their parallel lines intertwine when Xavier needs an escape from his reality.

Through their misunderstandings and challenges, they couldn't help but be attracted to one another.

But life, or rather Xavier's Dad doesn't want them to be together. Will they manage to end up together? Or will Xavier's Dad make them part ways forever?

The night a gunman opens fire in her diner, she doesn’t think—she acts.

She shoves him.

She survives.

But that single moment pulls her into the violent world of the Russian Bratva—and into the arms of a man as dangerous as the empire he commands.

In his world, loyalty is everything.

And she’s about to belong to him

Roxanne never imagined her life would be reduced to a transaction. At sixteen, her parents abandon her, trading her for money to the household of her father’s older brother and his elegant wife, a childless couple desperate for an heir.

Though disguised as family duty, Roxanne knows the truth: she is nothing more than a solution to their problem, a sacrifice to preserve a legacy.

Yet it is not her uncle’s cold, watchful eyes that linger in her thoughts, it is his wife. Alexandra Romanov, with her graceful and composed demeanor, effortlessly embraces privilege, yet a quiet, aching loneliness lurks beneath her poise.

Unsure how to treat a teenage girl, unsure even how to be a mother, Alexandra turns to bedtime stories, whispered tales meant to comfort a frightened child. But in the stillness of the night, the stories deepen into something far more dangerous: unspoken desires, tender confessions, and an intimacy neither woman dares name.

As Roxanne struggles with her role as pawn in her uncle’s scheme, she finds herself bound to the one person she was meant to call stepmother. Love blooms in shadows, hidden in hushed words and stolen touches, but in a household ruled by control and appearances, every moment of tenderness risks exposure.

Trapped between duty, desire, and her longing for freedom, Roxanne must decide whether her “bedtime story” with Alexandra will remain a secret dream or spark a rebellion that could unravel the family’s fragile facade forever.

I'm Kelly. Everyone calls me Speed. I'm all about control. I'm in control on the racetrack. I'm in control of my car. I'm in control of how I fought to raise my deaf little brother. I live for being in control. Except in my personal life, I have no control and I don't know how to handle it. I don't know where I fit. Should I go with what I have been taught all my life as normal or should I give in to myself and let my true desires come out.

I'm Brick. When I first met Speed I could see instantly she needed someone to take control. She needed the Dom in me to help her safely explore her needs and desires. She needed to submit to me and to her true self. She needed me to guide her as she explores who she is and what she wants. She needs a safe place only I can give her to step past what was drilled into her as right and follow her heart.

I'm Gretchen. I'm a bunny for the Renegades. I was good with that until I met Speed. She is everything I could ever want. Before I can make my move she finds out I'm a bunny and won't talk to me. For Speed I'm willing to give up being a bunny and working with Brick to get Speed to bring down her walls. I'm willing to share Speed with Brick so she gets what she needs from both of us. Speed needs us together. We just need to win her heart and get her to accept her true self.