[2021 Wattys Shortlist] Monica Kelly returns to her hometown years after abandoning it, only to bump into and befriend Liam Belkin-who, despite his walls and issues, cannot help but draw himself closer to someone he can't have. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎✦ ✦ ✦ After being screwed over too many times, Monica Kelly ran from her hometown as soon as she graduated high school, leaving her brother and former life behind. But it isn't until four years later when she returns, and in need of money and a distraction, she gets a job at the local diner. She swears this isn't a forever thing-when the summer is done, she'll go get her masters and become somebody, far away from the people who screwed her over. But when Liam Belkin, the towns residential brooding man who hides behind a baseball cap, steps into the diner every night, she finds herself breaking down her one rule: don't get close to anyone. And although he doesn't talk, or even smile for that matter, he finds himself doing so every time Monica is around. But when two people with broken pasts come together, there's no telling if two wrongs can make a right-especially when betrayal is right around the corner.

The only thing Mia Hope has in common with Jake Carpenter, Artwood High's most popular quarterback, is a love for the coffee served at The Coffee Pod. He wants her to tutor him - and if she can do it without a single cup of coffee, he'll pay her triple. Easy. Nothing could go wrong, right? ***** When Jake learns he's failing English, he knows he needs to pull his grades up or he'll risk being kicked off the football team. He strikes a deal with the elusive Mia - the quiet girl with secrets. If she can't go without a single cup of coffee, she has to tutor him for free. If she can, he'll pay her triple, and with Christmas around the corner, there's nothing Mia needs more than money. But as the pair grow closer, Jake learns the real reason for Mia's bad habit, and what starts as an innocent bet between enemies grows into something more serious. Can the pair survive the next two months with their hearts - and secrets - still intact? Content/trigger warning: This story contains themes of assault and abuse. [[word count: 60,000 - 70,000]] Cover designed by Jenna Conrad The Coffee Pact now has a sequel: The Kissing Pact

"You just have no idea." His voice was thick with restraint. "W-what," I breathed. His gaze flicked to my lips as his thumb stroked again. The calloused pad against my soft flesh sent goosebumps down my arms. His once warm eyes were dark as they lifted and bared into my soul. "What you do to... men." His husky whisper weakened my knees. I almost fell but his other hand settled on my hip, pulling me closer to him. "What you do to me," he added on a breath. The hand on my jaw shifted. His fingers left trails of tingles as he slipped them back slowly, under my earlobe and into my curls. *************************************************** As a young girl, Charlotte Avery's favourite pass time was daydreaming about her Prince Charming: Archer Johnson. She never stopped to consider that Archer was her brother's best friend.. Or that he always appeared severely creeped out by her attention. On her 16th birthday, Charlotte received a harsh reality check. Realizing just how embarrassing she had been acting, she swore to never make a fool of herself in front of Archer again. The problem? She is about to head to college and unfortunately it's the same school where Archer is currently the star quarterback. Follow Charlotte during her first year at USC as she juggles new experiences, social anxiety, family drama back home, and avoiding Archer. These are the unintended consequences of an embarrassing childhood crush. *************************************************** Top Ranks: #1 - Hot #1 - Collegeromance #1 - Brothersbestfriend #1 - Football #1 - Brooding #1 - Slowburn #1 - Quarterback #1 - Athlete #2 - Newadult #2 - Player #5 - Badboy #73 - Romance ***************************************************

Explicit Context... Successful, hard working, and no tolerance for non-sense attitude made Khloe Sparks the sophisticated, and cold hearted woman people feared. She never minded the loneliness her hard image brought and preferred the unattached life, that is until she blurts to her family that she in fact does have a boyfriend. Desperate she turns to her flirtatious neighbor Wes, a well known womanizer. Determined not to look like a fool in front of her family she makes a deal with Wes to pretend to be in a relationship with her, except this player doesn't want money, he only wants one thing. Her.  Too deep to back down Khloe plays along while keeping the icy walls around her heart up but can she keep Wes from capturing her heart? 

Sierra Lancaster has had an agonizingly mediocre life. She grew up in a happy home, made loyal friends, graduated college, and is now pursuing her dream of running her own bakery. Boring, right? A story like this wouldn't be one for the books. At least not until you bring a hot neighbour into the mix. A tall, brooding, shredded (like, wash your clothes on those abs shredded), and wildly successful sports agent. Interested yet? It gets better. Said neighbour isn't just a rando, but Sierra's childhood nemesis that made her formerly chubby days a living hell. Now we're talking, aren't we? Holden Rey has always been the golden boy. Holden...golden...you following? You'd think the bitchy universe would do its job and throw some karma his way but to no avail. Not only has he got it all, but he knows it too. He also still has it out for Sierra and resumes being a jack-ass of epic proportions (and his ass ain't his only epic proportion) as soon as he realizes who the new girl next door is. It's the same old story with these two except this time, there's unwilling attraction and sexual tension underneath all the hate. Is it just lust or does the bitchy universe actually have a plan? So maybe this story is one for the books after all. *A hilarious, enemies-to-lovers, romantic standalone. Rated 18+ due to mature content. All rights reserved to TheFeveredBookaholic.*

UNEDITED VERSION When a social outcast who's harbouring secrets meets a stone-cold soccer player with an intense stare- sparks fly. The only question is whether they'll allow distance to come between them. ---------------------------- Eden Orlov has zero experience in the social department and is okay with it. She has no intentions of living life to the fullest and is quite satisfied with experiencing things through books. That all diminishes when the scowling Christian James barges into her life, demanding that she take life by the horns. They're both holding back, but little by little, their connection chews at the distance between them, bringing the two closer than ever. Eden and Christian become twisted in an adventure that she's only ever read about - falling in love. Book 2 in The James Trilogy [[word count: 120,000-125,000]] Highest Rankings: #1 in Trending #1 in College Romance