*Wattys 2018 Winner / Hidden Gems* CREATE YOUR OWN MR. RIGHT Weeks before Valentine's, seventeen-year-old Kate Lapuz goes through her first ever breakup, but soon she stumbles upon a mysterious new app called My Dream Boyfriend, an AI chatbot that has the ability to understand human feelings. Casually, she participates in the app's trial run but finds herself immersed in the empathic conversations with her customizable virtual boyfriend, Ecto. In a society both connected and alienated by technology, Kate suspects an actual secret admirer is behind Ecto. Could it be the work of the techie student council president Dion or has Kate really found her soulmate in bits of computer code? She decides to get to the bottom of the cutting-edge app. Her search for Ecto's real identity leads Kate to prom, where absolute knowledge comes with a very steep price.

"Stop it, Dax." I wouldn't meet his eyes, I couldn't. His hot breath trailed up my neck, his soft lips ghosting over the exposed flesh. He chuckled when my back arched involuntarily, my cheeks flaring hot and pink. "It's Officer Rivera, to you." His deep voice rasped quietly in my ear. "Besides, you don't want me to stop, Princesa." "If you don't stop, I'll-" "You'll what?" He interrupted, smirking against my jawline. "Call the police?" Jane Kingsley is a Veterinary Medicine major at the University of California-Davis. If she isn't at school, she's either working or lounging around the house she shares with her best friend, Vivian Tyler. Everything in Jane's life was getting back to normal, almost boringly average. But then Officer Daxon Rivera moves in next door. Flirty, sexy, and a total asshole: Officer Rivera is everything Jane wants to stay away from. But can she? -Mature Content within- Ranked #32 in Romance [2-1-2018]

~12:03 am~ To: "sex god" Mikey i wish we could meet. ~12:07 am~ From: "sex god" Mikey one day, we will. Sequel: Connected

What would you do if you couldn't have the person you're in love with? * * * Charlie Landon had her future worked out until her mother died in a freak shark attack. Her father uproots their lives in favour of returning to his small hometown in America. Charlie meets Percy and Noah who unknowingly turn her life upside down. Both men are charming and quirky in their own ways, except Noah is Percy's uncle and he's their woodwork teacher. Things become messy when they both crush on Charlie and they have no idea.

"You had no right to do that," I snap, trying my best to out walk him. His chuckle was loud behind me and his hand griped on my forearm, stopping me. Something about his warmth gave me chills all over my body. Something I don't think I ever wanted in the first place. Especially from him and especially now. "Yes I did, and I still do." His hard grip around my arm loosened, and snaked up to lock his fingers through my hair. Oh Momma, what is happening? Being this close to him has been happening way too often for normal. Still, I couldn't break away from this close contact, I was frozen, shocked. "What makes you think that?" My question hit him with humor, and instead of fully responding, he leans his face closer to mine. The smirk on his face stayed once he noticed the affect he had on me. "Because," he whispers out pressing our bodies together. "I'm your Secret Santa," he licks his lips as if he's hungry, then continues, "I can give you anything I want to give you." His free arm wraps around my waist, and he lifts me up during the action before pressing our lips together. The main character is Kimberly. She's an accident prone person who wants nothing but to enjoy her winter. Her friends want the best for her after a terrible break up they witnessed. Every year they all hold the traditional Secret Santa. Somebody from the group believes that they are what Kimberly needs. This is about Kimberly and her crazy winter story about her not so Secret Santa.

Hannah Taylors finally gives in to her desperation and does one of the stupidest things a girl can do to grab her unapproachable long-time crush Jonah Gibbs' attention: spill soda on his white shirt and leave a motherfrigging red blotch on it. Accidentally... on purpose.