After a decade of chasing success in New York City, Emily Monroe's career in interior design is everything she dreamed of- until a failed project sends her back to her sleepy hometown of Riverbend to regroup. Tasked with restoring the town's historic library, Emily is ready to prove herself again. But when she discovers that the project's lead contractor is her high school nemesis, Jake Harper, sparks fly in unexpected ways. Jake has spent the last ten years building a reputation as the go-to craftsman in Riverbend, trading his wild teenage years for stability. Working with Emily means navigating their complicated past-and a growing attraction neither of them expected. As they rebuild the library, they'll have to decide: can two people with such different lives make room for love, or are some paths better left uncrossed?
The train screeched into the station with a sharp metallic wail, breaking the quiet hum of Riverbend's sleepy autumn morning. Emily Monroe clutched her travel bag, hesitating for a moment before stepping onto the platform. A gust of crisp air tugged at her coat, carrying with it the familiar scents of woodsmoke and damp leaves. The town looked exactly as she remembered-quaint, idyllic, and painfully slow compared to the whirlwind of New York City.
She adjusted the strap on her shoulder and took a deep breath. This wasn't where she wanted to be. The thought lingered in her mind like a bitter aftertaste. But after the disastrous fallout with her last client and her reputation teetering on the brink, she hadn't had much of a choice.
The sight of Lily Dawson waving from a beat-up red pickup jolted her from her thoughts. Her childhood best friend looked unchanged, with her wild blonde curls escaping from under a knit beanie and a grin that could light up the grayest day.
"Emily!" Lily bounded over, enveloping her in a hug so tight it knocked the air out of her. "Look at you! All fancy and city-chic. You're gonna make the rest of us Riverbend folk look bad."
Emily forced a laugh, the corners of her mouth twitching upward. "You're exaggerating. It's just a coat."
"It's a *designer* coat," Lily teased, stepping back to appraise her. "And heels. In *Riverbend.* Girl, you're lucky this is paved ground, or you'd be eating dirt by now."
Emily sighed, gesturing toward the truck. "Can we skip the commentary and just go? It's been a long trip."
Lily held up her hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. Grumpy already. Let's get you settled before you start scaring the locals."
The ride through town was a stark contrast to Emily's usual rush-hour commutes. Main Street was dotted with mom-and-pop shops, their wooden signs swinging gently in the breeze. The bakery still had its signature display of pies in the window, and the hardware store looked exactly as it had a decade ago.
Lily kept up a steady stream of chatter about town gossip, but Emily only half-listened, her thoughts swirling with the weight of her situation. Her mentor had called the library restoration project a "golden opportunity." She'd sold it as a chance to rebuild her confidence and portfolio. But to Emily, it felt like being sent to the minors after playing in the big leagues.
"Earth to Emily." Lily's voice cut through her reverie. "You're doing that thing where you stare out the window all broody. What's on your mind?"
Emily shook her head. "Nothing. Just... adjusting."
Lily raised an eyebrow. "Adjusting, huh? Well, don't get too cozy in your pity party. You're going to love this next part."
The truck slowed to a stop in front of the Riverbend Inn, a charming bed-and-breakfast with ivy climbing its stone façade. Emily stepped out, her heels clicking against the cobblestones, and surveyed her temporary home. It was quaint, picturesque even, but it only reminded her how far she'd fallen from her sleek Manhattan apartment.
Inside, the innkeeper greeted her warmly and handed over an old-fashioned brass key. Lily helped haul her suitcase upstairs, chatting nonstop about the library project.
"Wait until you see it," Lily said, grinning. "It's got character. You're going to work magic on it, Em."
Emily dropped her bag onto the bed and turned to her friend. "You're awfully optimistic about this. I haven't even seen it yet."
"Trust me." Lily gave her a conspiratorial wink. "You're going to love it."
---
The library was worse than she'd imagined.
Peeling paint, warped wood, and shattered windows greeted her when she arrived at the site the next morning. The once-grand building stood in a sorry state, its facade barely holding onto a sense of dignity. The town council must have been desperate to find someone willing to take on this project.
A deep voice interrupted her inspection. "Well, look who's back."
Emily turned, and her stomach sank. Jake Harper stood leaning against the frame of his pickup truck, tool belt slung low on his hips and a cocky smirk plastered across his face. He hadn't changed much since high school, except now he seemed taller, broader, and even more insufferable.
"Jake," she said curtly, keeping her tone neutral.
His grin widened. "Didn't think I'd see you back in Riverbend. Thought you were too busy conquering the big city."
"I didn't think I'd see you still here," she shot back.
He laughed, the sound grating. "Touché. Small towns aren't for everyone, I guess."
She turned back to the library, refusing to let him get under her skin. "Are you just here to gloat, or do you actually have a reason to be on-site?"
"I'm the contractor," he said, strolling up beside her. "Looks like we'll be working together."
Her head snapped toward him. "You're kidding."
"Nope." He crossed his arms, looking entirely too pleased with himself. "Guess you'll have to get used to me."
Emily pinched the bridge of her nose, cursing her luck. Of all the people in Riverbend, why did it have to be Jake Harper?
"Let's get one thing straight," she said, narrowing her eyes at him. "I'm here to do a job. I don't have time for games or... whatever this is."
Jake held up his hands in mock surrender. "Relax, city girl. I'm just here to swing a hammer and make sure this place doesn't fall apart."
Her jaw tightened, but she turned away before he could see how much he was getting to her. "Fine. Then let's keep it professional."
"Professional," he repeated, a teasing edge to his tone. "Sure thing, Monroe."
---
The day dragged on as Emily tried to assess the library's potential while ignoring Jake's constant presence. He seemed to take every opportunity to needle her, pointing out flaws in her initial ideas and challenging her design vision.
By the time she returned to the inn that evening, she was thoroughly exhausted. Lily was waiting for her in the lobby, a cup of hot cocoa in hand.
"You look like you've been through the wringer," Lily said, passing her the mug.
"Jake Harper," Emily muttered, sinking into an armchair. "He's impossible."
Lily snorted. "Still holding onto that high school grudge, huh?"
"It's not a grudge," Emily insisted. "He's just... infuriating."
"Well, get used to it," Lily said with a shrug. "Jake's one of the best contractors around. And deep down, he's not a bad guy."
Emily sipped her cocoa, letting the warmth soothe her frayed nerves. "We'll see about that."
Her friend smiled knowingly. "Something tells me this is going to be more interesting than you think."
When Amber Duvall moves to the secluded town of Shadow Creek, she's determined to leave behind the traumatic events of her past. But when a series of brutal murders in the nearby woods bear signs of a werewolf's attack, Amber is thrust into a world she thought was only mythical. As her connection to the town deepens, Amber discovers she's linked to its cursed history-and her own blood holds the key to either saving or destroying the pack of wolves that protect it.
When ambitious architect Olivia Harris is hired by the elusive billionaire Leo Caldwell to design his company's new headquarters, she never expects to become the center of his carefully crafted world. Leo is a man of mystery, known for his icy demeanor and ruthless business strategies. But as they spend long hours together, Olivia begins to see the layers of vulnerability beneath his powerful exterior. When Leo proposes a business partnership that blurs the line between professional and personal, Olivia is torn between her career aspirations and her growing feelings for the man who could make or break her future. But Leo's secrets are deeper than she ever imagined. As they navigate a high-stakes world of power, wealth, and betrayal, Olivia must decide if she's willing to risk everything for a chance at love-and whether Leo can truly let go of the shadows that haunt him.
The small town of Lakeridge has always been steeped in mysteries and whispers, but nothing could prepare it for the night the full moon brought a series of brutal attacks. For Lana Thorne, a recent college grad returning to her hometown to settle her late grandfather's estate, Lakeridge is home to bittersweet memories-and a dark legacy she never expected. As bodies pile up, she uncovers a family secret: her grandfather was the leader of an ancient order tasked with keeping the "Moonborn" at bay. Now, Lana must learn the ways of the hunters and face an enemy older than any legend, all while grappling with an undeniable attraction to the mysterious Aiden Wolfe, a loner with secrets of his own. But as the next full moon approaches, she faces a harrowing choice-sacrifice everything to stop the creatures or risk losing herself to the wolf within.
Billionaire CEO Julian Styles must merge his company with rival firm, Harrison Enterprises. But when he meets Harrison's brilliant and beautiful CFO, Avery Wellesley, Julian's focus shifts from business to pleasure. As they navigate the cutthroat world of corporate finance, Avery's hidden past threatens to derail the merger and their blossoming romance. Can Julian and Avery balance power, loyalty, and love?
In a world where memories can be implanted, edited, and even stolen, 28-year-old Kaelyn Rivers discovers her memories are false. Her entire identity is a fabrication. As Kaelyn searches for the truth, she's hunted by the sinister Organization that created her. With the help of enigmatic underground activist, Asher Monroe, Kaelyn must navigate the blurred lines between reality and deception to uncover the secrets of her past and the truth about the Organization's sinister plans.
When a quiet town nestled deep in the forest starts experiencing gruesome animal attacks, young artist Mina Sullivan finds herself drawn to eerie visions in her dreams. Her new neighbor, Alec, is hiding something monstrous-and his arrival coincides with the escalating violence. As she discovers her own mysterious connection to the werewolves haunting the forest, Mina must decide if her future lies in joining their world or fighting against it.
Lindsey's fiancé was the devil's first son. Not only did he lie to her but he also slept with her stepmother, conspired to take away her family fortune, and then set her up to have sex with a total stranger. To get her lick back, Lindsey decided to find a man to disrupt her engagement party and humiliate the cheating bastard. Never did she imagine that she would bump into a strikingly handsome stranger who was all that she was currently looking for. At the engagement party, he boldly declared that she was his woman. Lindsey thought he was just a broke man who wanted to leech off her. But once they began their fake relationship, she realized that good luck kept coming her way. She thought they would part ways after the engagement party, but this man kept to her side. "We gotta stick together, Lindsey. Remember, I'm now your fiancé. " "Domenic, you're with me because of my money, aren't you?" Lindsey asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Domenic was taken aback by that accusation. How could he, the heir of the Walsh family and CEO of Vitality Group, be with her for money? He controlled more than half of the city's economy. Money wasn't a problem for him! The two got closer and closer. One day, Lindsey finally realized that Domenic was actually the stranger she had slept with months ago. Would this realization change things between them? For the better or worse?
Rumors claimed that Fernanda, newly back with her family, was nothing more than a violent country bumpkin. Fernanda just flashed a casual, dismissive grin in response. Another rumor suggested that the usually rational Cristian had lost all sense, madly in love with Fernanda. This frustrated her. She could tolerate gossip about herself, but slander against her beloved crossed the line! Gradually, as Fernanda's multiple identities as a celebrated designer, a savvy gamer, an acclaimed painter, and a successful business magnate came to light, everyone realized they were the ones who had been fooled.
" Don't say anymore word than you already have, don't..." I stuck a finger out at him, sauntering away on my heels when a hand wrapped itself around my arm. Breathlessly he whispered, "You know that I do love you and...fine, what exactly was I supposed to do?" "Protect me and stand up for me. That is what you do for someone who you claim you love!" ************ Out to spite her ex-boyfriend after he had broken up with her on her birthday, Daphne slept with a stranger who turned out to be his uncle while trying to rebuff his words that she was unwanted by others. Was she ready for the wild chase that followed when he found out years later that she had been pregnant with his heirs and that she had been hiding the truth all this while? Faced with the ruthless CEO, known as the beast, who wasn't ready to back down, Daphne does everything possible to make sure her kids wouldn't be taken from her, but what happens when love gets in the mix of it all? Would she be able to conquer these weird feelings and give in her all amidst her scars? And with how deadly he turned out to be? And faced with her ex who still wants her back, what choice is she going to make?
Betrayed by her mate and sister on the eve of her wedding, Makenna was handed to the ruthless Lycan Princes as a lover, her indifferent father ignoring her plight. Determined to escape and seek revenge, she captured the interest of the three Lycan princes, who desired her exclusively amid many admirers. This complicated her plans, trapping her and making her a rival to the future Lycan queen. Entwined in jealousy and vindictiveness, could Makenna achieve her vengeance in the intricate dance with the three princes?
I pressed my lips against his and stole his sweet, savory taste, not ready to end the sweet moment. I licked my lips seductively and whispered. "Despite your age, I love you." Sarah was obsessed with the man of her dreams, despite knowing that their love was forbidden and would be disapproved by her father and others. She held onto the many beautiful dreams she had of being with him, wishing for them to come true. She found herself in love with her father's best friend, a very handsome man who had been rejected by his wife. Her desire was to show him what true love really meant. When her father received a job transfer,Sarah saw it as a perfect opportunity to be with him. The situation improved even more when she realized they would be living under the same roof.
Rejected by her mate, who had been her long-time crush, Jasmine felt utterly humiliated. Seeking solace, she headed to a party to drown her sorrows. But things took a turn for the worse when her friends issued a cruel dare: kiss a stranger or beg her mate for forgiveness. With no other choice, Jasmine approached a stranger and kissed him, thinking that would be the end of it. However, the stranger unexpectedly wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered in her ear, "You're mine!" He growled, his words sending shivers down her spine. And then, he offered her a solution that would change everything...