Tessa Young is an 18 year old college student with a simple life, excellent grades, and a sweet boyfriend. She always has things planned out ahead of time, until she meets a rude boy named Hardin, with too many tattoos and piercings who shatters her plans.

Free to read! 19-year-old Jane, newly-single, moves to London to work for her friend, Kitty. But Kitty is hiding something about the café - and about Jane and Kitty's past. ***** If you looked at her Instagram, you'd think Jane had the perfect life. But a family tragedy and a big break up shatters that illusion, prompting Jane to drop out of university and move to London. She gets a room above a bookstore and a job as a barista, thanks to her childhood friend Kitty. Struggling with feelings of loneliness among the happy staff, Jane feels further ostracized when Kitty refuses to discuss Matt, who used to live in the bedroom Jane took over and who left under mysterious circumstances. As Jane struggles to find herself, and get the attention of the cute bartender, Harper, she discovers that the Brew Books café is brewing with dark secrets. [[word count: 70,000-80,000 words]]

|| Featured FREE story with exclusive paid chapters - previously a paid story || When Haley discovers the truth behind Xavier, whose silence holds a deeper meaning, she sets her mind on making his life better one small step at a time. ***** Haley Rosamond is happy with her simple life, content under the wing of her father. Well-protected, she has no idea of the darkness surrounding Xavier Hunt, with his all-black attire and infrequent presence in school-accompanied by his bruises and scars. That is, until Haley catches a glimpse of Xavier's reality and is made to question everything she knows about family and life in general. The truth, she realizes, couldn't be more different from everything she has heard. Supported by her father, Haley sets her mind on helping Xavier any way she can, and what begins with tutoring sessions, free food, and random acts of kindness blooms into friendship and something a little more. But when Haley's admission into her dream college and another tragedy in Xavier's life threaten to undo everything she has worked for, Haley needs to decide if she'll stick by Xavier or simply be another person in his life that disappears. [[word count: 80,000-90,000 words]] Cover designed by Holly Thurston

I glare at him, yanking at the bonds. He laughs softly. "Oh princess, you're so delicate. Do not struggle, we wouldn't want you to break, would we?" He whispers. I snarl at him but he's right, I'm sick and weak at the moment and the cold rain isn't helping matters. I turn away, coughing and choking on blood, but swallow it quickly, not wanting anyone to know my state. He smirks slightly. "Why are you so cruel?" I ask curious at his behavior. In the Castle I was kept away from the outside world by my parents, who told me of the dangers that lurk in it. However the servants and the cooks, who lived outside the protective wall of the Castle, always seemed like good people. "Cruel," he scuffs. "I am not cruel. Your kind is. Sitting in your castle, while families starve, homes burned to the ground because the blasted taxes are too high to pay. Cruelty, my dear Princess, is a word you and your family are all too familiar with." His words felt like a slap in the face. He can not be speaking truth. The kingdom loves my parents and they would never allow their people to starve. #384 in Historical Fiction 3/27, #361 in Historical Fiction 3/28, #312 in Historical Fiction 3/30, #291 in Historical Fiction 4/8, #287 in Historical Fiction 4/9, #285 in Historical Fiction 4/10, #265 in Historical Fiction 4/24, #256 in Historical Fiction 5/7, #225 in Historical Fiction 5/13. #218 in Historical Fiction 5/15, #119 in Historical Fiction 5/17, #112 in Historical Fiction 5/26, #95 in Historical Fiction 5/27, #83 in Historical Fiction 5/31, #67 in Historical Fiction 6/1, #53 in Historical Fiction 6/15, #26 in Historical Fiction 6/23, #20 in Historical Fiction 6/25, #16 in Historical Fiction 6/26, #13 in Historical Fiction 7/2, #10 in Historical Fiction 7/8, #5 in Historical Fiction 7/10, #12 in Historical Fiction 9/2, #13 in Historical Fiction 9/4, #7 in Historical Fiction 9/5, #5 in Historical Fiction 9/6, #7 Historical Fiction 1/8