Carol's list

Why do I want this job? Because my sister is in foster care. Because I’m broke and can’t find a decent-paying job. And because I’m seriously on the verge of a breakdown if things don’t start looking up soon.

Mr. Reed opens my eyes, and my body, to the unspoken world of the Academy. I’m powerless to deny him anything. He owns me, and he knows it.

But someone else knows. Someone determined to take both of us down.

Will I survive long enough to get out with my heart intact?

Scarlett Jackson has spent years perfecting the art of disappearing. The daughter of a rock star mother and a powerhouse talent agent father, she knows better than anyone how the spotlight can burn. After a devastating betrayal in high school, she retreated into a quiet life. Preschool teacher. Suburban house. Four cats. No boyfriend, no music, no public profile. Safe, predictable, invisible. Then Xavier Smith comes home. Scarlett has always known Xavier as the moody family friend who made her teenage years a misery. What she didn't know is that he's spent the last five years as Vax — the brooding lead singer of Going Nowhere, the band whose music has been the secret soundtrack to her carefully constructed quiet life. The rock star she's had pinned to her wall is the boy she always despised. Except he isn't that boy anymore. Xavier is older, tattooed, and carrying guilt so heavy it has shaped every reckless decision he's made since leaving town. He sees straight through Scarlett's careful disguise — the girl who pretends she's ordinary, who flinches at cameras, who swears she hates music. And Scarlett begins to see past his armour to the man who wrote a love song about her years before she even knew he existed. But wanting each other and being good for each other are two very different things. Xavier is convinced he's a liability, and every time Scarlett gets close enough to matter, he runs. Meanwhile, Scarlett — who has spent years protecting herself from being used and hurt — is finally learning to stop hiding and start living. A secret talent. A hidden past. A stalker with a twenty-three year grudge. And a father who interferes with equal measures of love and damage. Going Nowhere is a slow-burn romance about two people who have spent their whole lives running from themselves, and the moment they finally stop — and run toward each other instead.

Guinevere lives a gentle, quietly bright life, totally unaware that Asher—an intense, brilliant tech recluse with a talent for slipping into places he shouldn’t—is already tangled up in her world. He watches her with a devotion that feels dangerous, yet disarmingly focused, as if he’s been waiting for her to breathe in his direction. When he finally steps out of the shadows, Guinevere feels the ground tilt in the most thrilling way. Is he a threat… or the one person bold enough to challenge the fire she keeps tucked away? Their collision sparks a pull she can’t ignore, pushing her toward a choice she never expects.

She grew up in a house where love died with her mother—and two months later, cruelty moved in wearing a smile.

By senior year, Ariana Hale is invisible on purpose: straight-A genius, self-taught in computers and science, stacking scholarships in secret while she cooks, cleans, and survives a family that treats her like a burden. Then she overhears the truth—her father is planning to marry her off the moment she graduates.

So Ariana runs.

A fake graduation date. A passport lie. A one-way ticket to Italy and a future she built with her own hands.

Freedom lasts one flight.

The plane goes down in the wilderness. Only three survive. One dies. And Ariana is left with a broken arm, a brutal landscape, and a dangerous, silent first-class stranger—Matteo DeLuca—who turns out to be everything she should fear…and the only reason she stays alive.

Six weeks of hunger, rain, and raw honesty forge a bond neither of them can explain. Then rescue comes, and they separate with unsaid words and a secret that follows Ariana into the next decade.

Years later, Ariana is back in Italy, thriving in medicine, guarding her peace—until the family she escaped discovers she lived.

A hitman. A kidnapping. A child who becomes the target.

And a man who never planned to have a family—until he finds out he already does.

Now Matteo isn’t chasing love.

He’s chasing justice.

And anyone who comes for Ariana will learn the difference.

Seven years should be enough to forget a first love, but Cassidy knows better. She builds a life that looks steady on the outside, carefully stitched together with routine and quiet resilience. Then Matteo walks back in, no warning, no mercy, and very much not alone. Now their worlds overlap in ways that feel almost unfair, where polite smiles hide old sparks and every glance carries a little too much history. Cassidy tells herself she has moved on, that she can handle this, that time has done its job. But love like theirs doesn’t fade politely. It lingers, teases, and tests every boundary she thought was solid. And as the past presses closer, she begins to wonder… can you really outgrow the one who once felt like forever?

Tatum isn’t ready when her father announces he’s remarrying—until rehearsal dinner delivers the real shock: Liam Hays walks in with his two best friends and freezes. He knows her. Too well. Weeks ago they hooked up, and now she’s about to become his stepsister. Their friends know, their circle is watching, and their dirty little secret is about to catch up fast. Between forced smiles, stolen looks, and rising tension, Tatum and Liam must survive the wedding chaos without letting their forbidden spark burn everything down.

"“Relax your legs. Let me in.”

My breath hitches when his hands press between my thighs, pushing my legs apart as he leans in. His thumbs brush just under the hem of my exercise shorts and I swallow a moan, half pain, half pleasure.

He smirks like he knows exactly what he’s doing to me. “I’ll have you feeling the burn…”

Hannah is the big girl no guy ever looks twice at. Except for Jordan, her physical trainer, who never seems to take his eyes off her. Does he simply see her as a challenge, or something more?"

My sexy-ass stepbrother is going to be the death of me.

When my mom decided to marry his hillbilly dad, I was pissed.

I mean, their woodsy cabin doesn’t even have Wi-Fi. Not kidding.

But then I actually met my new stepbrother, Sam. And fuck… He’s totally hot. And into me.

Which is totally gross. Even if his abs are to die for. And his smile is amazing. And he’s good with his hands. And who am I kidding? He’s an adonis.

It’s no surprise that, after our parents’ wedding, we slipped up and ended up making out on the living room floor. Now I’m screwed. I’m addicted to his sculpted body.

And that was before I learned his furry secret.

Who would have known the beast between his legs wasn’t the only surprise in store?

Age Rating: 18+ (Kidnapping, Murder)

Six-year-old Estella Graham stood traumatized at the edge of the forest, weary of the wolves that approached the fiery car wreck that had claimed her family. But there was something comforting about the scent of Max, as he transported her to the safety of his pack house. She never wanted to let him go. Max Kinsky didn’t want a mate, content to pursue his medical calling and play the field until the night his wolf identified his mate in this girl who stood in the smoke of a car fire. Unfathomable, but if true, he’d have to wait years until she was old enough to fulfill The Moon Goddess’s plans for them. Until then, he’d have to carry the secret of their destiny, and hope her life wouldn’t lead her away before it was appropriate to tell her.

We had never done anything like this before. And I liked it. A lot.

From childhood friends to star-crossed lovers, Dorothy and Ace’s bond is undeniable.

But when secrets of werewolves and dangerous enemies threaten their love, will they be able to overcome the odds?

As Dorothy navigates her feelings and the dark truths surrounding Ace, she must decide if their love is worth the ultimate risk.

Can their love survive the trials of destiny and danger?

Sloane Heathrow was never supposed to apply. It was a joke — a late-night click on a dark web ad offering one million dollars for one virgin. But when a black-and-gold email lands in her inbox with an interview time and location, the joke stops being funny. The offer is real. The contract is binding. And the men behind it are hidden, impossibly wealthy, and completely untouchable. Suddenly, Sloane is pulled into a world built on luxury, secrecy, and control, where every rule is carefully designed to keep her in line. What begins as a bold decision quickly becomes something far more dangerous as boundaries blur, emotions deepen, and the arrangement becomes harder to escape than she ever expected.

Thirty days.

Three men.

One secret she can never tell.

When her ex-husband divorced her after a misunderstanding, Coral found herself pregnant and alone. She spent years rebuilding her life without Nikolai Giovanni...until she returns to LA and runs into him again. Will she allow him back into her life? And into the life of their daughter?

Savannah is on a mission for justice, driven by the murder of her loved one. With the help of her allies, she infiltrates the Hell Raiders’ compound to confront Mathias, the man responsible. As she navigates a world of biker gangs, intense confrontations, and personal vendettas, Savannah's determination and cunning are put to the test. Along the way, she discovers the strength of her chosen family and the depths of her own resilience. Will she find the justice she seeks, or will the cost be too high?

Damon takes me by the shoulders and flips me on my back. I hate myself for it, but I am so turned on. I moan as his lips begin to suck on my neck. ~It feels so, so good.~

Savannah, scarred by her past, steals from a local biker, Damon. Her act sparks a fiery tension. Can she hide who she is from this risky man? Or will her bold move plunge her back into a world she's terrified to face?

Age Rating: 18+

Bexley Evans lives for the ice, pouring everything into figure skating. For years, she’s quietly loved Michael, the charismatic captain of her university’s hockey team—until that crush costs her the unthinkable. Michael is her sister’s boyfriend, and wanting him fractures a bond Bexley never meant to break. Jeremiah Redd, Michael’s best friend and the team’s strongest defenseman, arrives from Tennessee chasing his own hockey dreams and a place on the national stage. He’s also been in love with Bexley far longer than she realizes. Caught between loyalty, ambition, and buried feelings, Jeremiah knows one truth she doesn’t yet see: she’s skating toward the wrong man—and the right one has been beside her all along.

Emily’s perfect world shatters when the love of her life, Charles, suddenly breaks up with her. Hurt and furious, she decides to hit back the only way she can—by fake dating the one guy Charles can’t stand: Adrian Mackey. He’s the school’s ultimate troublemaker—skips class, starts fights, and couldn’t care less what anyone thinks. At first, it’s just revenge. For Adrian, it’s a chance to mess with his rival. But the longer their act goes on, the more real it starts to feel. Between rumors, stolen glances, and unexpected sparks, Emily and Adrian might be faking their relationship… but their hearts aren’t playing along.

Chloe’s world falls apart after a devastating break-up, and she finds herself living with her old crush, Adam. Their history is complicated—he still harbors anger over how she broke his heart. Yet, as time passes, Adam becomes the only person who can help her heal the pieces of her shattered heart. Can Chloe prove that she’s changed, and can Adam let go of the past to be the one who mends her broken spirit?

She swore she’d never cross that line.

He was off-limits—her best friend’s brother, her longtime secret crush.

But one kiss changes everything.

Mia made a promise: no falling for her best friend’s brother. Easy... until she comes home for the summer and sees Storm again—older, inked, and every bit the heartbreaker she used to secretly dream about. One kiss ruins her good intentions. One night makes everything complicated. The boy she wasn’t supposed to want is now the man she can’t resist. Every touch is a secret, every glance a risk. But what started as a fling becomes something neither of them can ignore. Breaking the rules could cost Mia everything—her friendship, her peace, even her heart. But denying how she feels? That might destroy her.

Having a massive crush on your brother's best friend is so cliché, right? But what if that best friend comes back into your orbit after six years? And what if he's even dreamier than you remembered and presents you with a deal that you simply cannot refuse? There's a girl he wants, and he's asked you to help make her his—finally. Yeah, it sucks that the girl isn't you, but he's desperate and mouthwatering, and he'll do anything you want him to do to make you say yes...so you agree. The deal is set; you teach him to nail the girl of his dreams (literally), and he'll teach you how to pick up guys. It's simple, right? Because you both get what you want? So then, how does it go so wrong?

After moving to a different school to escape a scandal, Liz Chapman starts her senior year as the new girl. Falling for the arrogant yet appealing James Stepford provides a welcome escape from her loneliness, despite the warnings from her other new friends. After a terrible tragedy, Liz decides to throw in her lot with the Stepford family, for better or for worse…but she has no idea how bad “worse” can be.

Lauren wakes up in a hospital with no memory of her past, only to discover she was in a car accident that left her with amnesia. As she navigates her recovery, she meets people who claim to be her friends and family, but she struggles to connect with them. When she learns that a man named Mason, who was also in the accident, is in a coma, her journey to uncover the truth about her life and relationships begins. With each revelation, Lauren must decide who to trust and how to rebuild her life from the fragments of her forgotten identity.

Mason Campbell, a powerful billionaire, is hiding dangerous secrets that could destroy his family. When his wife, Lauren, starts noticing strange men watching her and receives blackmail from her estranged father, their lives spiral into a web of deceit and danger. As Mason and Lauren navigate threats from all sides, they must rely on their love and trust to protect their family and uncover the truth behind the sinister forces at play.

“What are you willing to do to get what you want, Ms. Hart?”

I looked up at him, those stormy grey eyes devoid of emotion. My heart pounded in my chest, my throat dry with fear. He was offering me everything I needed so desperately. But what would it cost me?

“I won’t ask again.”

I closed my eyes and signed away my soul to the most dangerous man in England.

“Anything.”

Mason Campbell is cold, hard, and unapologetic. He’s envied by men and wanted by women. Lauren Hart has just landed a job as his assistant and is constantly on the receiving end of his hatred. Unfortunately, Mason doesn’t have eyes for anyone but Lauren and is about to make her an offer she can’t refuse.

Alex Thompson is working on her third master's degree, she has three *very* protective older brothers, and she's never thought of herself as the "hot friend." Oh yeah, and her brother's best friend is Knox Carter, an NFL quarterback and the Sexiest Man Alive. She and Knox have always hated each other, but has that conflict been hiding deeper feelings?

Riley Adams is what high schoolers would call a nerd: booksmart and shy, with zero fashion sense. Tristan Harris is the exact opposite: captain of the football team, and the hottest guy in school by far. To say they don’t get along is putting it mildly… But then Riley starts offering private lessons to make some quick cash. Sure, they might despise each other, but it’s a thin line between love and hate.

Sumner arrives at the lake house determined to keep her heart locked tight. This summer is about fixing her life, not reopening old wounds. Then Corbin walks in with that familiar grin and zero respect for emotional safety plans. He is her brother’s best friend, her first crush, and the mistake she never quite forgot. Confined spaces, shared memories, and long summer nights stir feelings she swears are buried. Corbin challenges every rule she makes, while Sumner fights the pull between comfort and chaos. Old sparks crackle with new heat, and resisting him starts to feel like the hardest rule she has ever made. Falling again feels reckless… but what if it is exactly what she needs?

Tara steps into her new apartment expecting peace, only to find Sebastian—her longtime campus nemesis—standing there with that maddeningly smug smile. He calls her Barbie. She calls him Nerd. They clash on sight, sparks flying in ways neither of them wants to admit. But beneath their bickering sit secrets sharp enough to cut, shadows neither of them can outrun alone. As forced proximity softens their edges, the heat between them shifts into something far more tempting… and far more dangerous. With every moment together, their walls crumble, leaving them to wonder if the person they hate is exactly the person they need.

“You’re looking for good in a bad man. That’s a dangerous thing to do.”

Zara is trapped, tied, and desperate to escape. The men holding her are ruthless, but it’s their leader who unsettles her most. He’s sharp, cold, unreadable—and the only one she can’t look away from. Every stolen glance chips at her resolve, every dangerous word pulls her deeper into the storm. She knows it’s reckless to search for softness in someone built of shadows, but her heart won’t listen. The lines between fear and longing blur until she can’t tell where danger ends and desire begins. Survival demands distance, yet every moment close to him feels like a secret she’s not ready to give up. Is she falling for her captor—or is she just losing herself?

From New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Rachel Van Dyken comes the Elite Bratva Brotherhood Series.

Pretty things aren't meant to be broken but I broke her, and now we both have to pay the price. I'm her

nightmare, I'm her savior and now that I have her signature on an ironclad contract, I own her body and soul.She doesn't remember me, she will. It's inevitable because as much as I know I need to stay away, for fear of unlocking the memories I helped her father bury--I can't.

She was the apple in the Garden, dangled in front of me, her core so tempting and sweet. A voice whispered. Just. One. Bite. I bit, I tasted, I fell.Welcome to the world of the Russian mafia, where death is your only future.

Chelsy Holmes has been neighbors with Nathan Sharles since they were both toddlers, and she’s hated his guts the entire time. Unfortunately, since he’s best friends with her brother, Max, Chelsy is stuck seeing him almost every day. But as annoying as he is, Chelsy can’t help but admit that he’s pretty cute. When she finally scores a date with the guy she’s been crushing on forever, she grudgingly asks Nathan for some advice. But now that she’s dating Brad, why can’t she get Nathan’s blue eyes out of her mind?

Age Rating: 18+