Javier has had a crush on his friend, Caroline, for the last two years. But he's never told her how he feels. One morning, Javi decides to take Caroline on an adventure he hopes she'll never forget, even if it might land him in jail. ******* It's the last summer before university, and Javier Giordano is in Monaco, spending most of his time on his dad's yacht. But for Javi, the best part about being in Monaco is getting to see Caroline. They're just friends, but he wishes they were more. One night, Javier throws a party on the yacht, and things were going well until he danced with a girl who Caroline cannot stand. It was a momentary lapse in judgment, helped by some beer, but now he wants to make it up to her. So while Caroline is asleep in his room, Javi comes up with a plan to go on an adventure around the Mediterranean Coast. But on their impromptu trip, Javier, Caroline and their friends discover more than they bargained for. ----- *Open Novella Contest 2020 Longlister* Open Novella Contest 2020 Based on Prompt #11: We woke up and had breakfast out on the deck; like we did every morning. And long story short, we are no longer welcome in Monaco.

Kennedy Carmichael never kisses strangers, let alone arrogant foreign exchange students from the UK but when her ex-boyfriend shows up to Hilton Prep Academy on the first day of senior year, hand in hand with her arch nemesis, Kenny does the unthinkable. Oliver Knight is in exile, living with his overbearing Aunt Bessie. After being kicked out of almost every private school in London, his parents ship him off to the US, hoping that Hilton Prep, with their strict schedules and world-renowned faculty, will whip Ollie into shape. After several turbulent encounters, Kenny and Oliver find themselves thrust into a mutually beneficial, yet mildly complicated friendship. They'll pretend to date to show Sawyer what he's missing, while at the same time demonstrating to Ollie's aunt that he can stay out of trouble. What starts off as a harmless charade soon spirals into something deeper, darker, and...real? With endless antics, bitchy mean girls, familial pressures, and spilled secrets, senior year just got a little more interesting. Will Kennedy and Oliver be able to overcome all the obstacles in their way or will their relationship remain a total faux? Warnings: Explicit language, snarky comments, sexual innuendos, and underage drinking/drugs.

After unknowingly saving a mafia boss from a botched bank robbery, Kiara accepts an offer to work for him as a translator, not realizing love may become part of the package. ***** Though Kiara Payne may be a genius when it comes to languages, what she knows of the real world largely comes from books and movies. But after foiling a robbery on her first day as a bank teller, Kiara finds herself thrust into a world of danger, her life resting in the hands of the infuriatingly sexy Italian mafia boss Milo Di Vaio. In exchange for her safety, Kiara agrees to serve as Milo's translator, accompanying him across Europe as he tries to clean up the mess his late brother left behind and save the reputation of the Di Vaio crime family. Cold, ruthless, and sinfully beautiful, Milo is hard to resist but even harder to love. As tensions rise and secrets are spilled, Milo and Kiara are both forced to question everything they thought they knew. Does love outweigh loyalty? And if so, is it worth dying for? [[Word count: 100,000 - 150,000]] Content/trigger warning: Contains mature themes and violence

Kitty Alcott has a reputation for being a tease. Many have tried to secure her hand but she will not relent. She loves dancing until dawn and being the object of all men's desires. But the rebuttal of a young naval captain confuses her. She doesn't know whether to be insulted or intrigued by Captain William Aubrey who isn't affected by her charm or beauty. She is faced with the dilemma of reflecting on her own behaviour and the possibility that she has to change...

Sabine Winchester has always had a too sensible head on her shoulders. Her unsuccessful seasons in London result in her being called things like 'boring' and 'dull'. Her limited interests stem to her beloved horse, Puissant. But in arriving home, she encounters the new Scottish stable hand, Connor McKenzie, who is everything she's not - relaxed, spontaneous, outgoing and humorous. Batting heads with the new stable boy causes a lot of friction for Sabine, but the man who is so different to her, might just save her from herself.

Being clever in a time where women were taught to sit on their hands has always plagued Jane 'Little J' Alcott. She has always been laughed at and has learned to accept that she will never reach her full potential ... until now. When her brother thinks up a brilliant plan, Little J begins to stretch her legs in the world of academia, a world only privy to men. And one man in particular, has caught her eye.

Ebony Seaver is the most talked about person in London. Not only is she stunning but she is starring as Elvira in the beautiful new opera I Puritani. Her soprano voice is angelic and she has captured the heart of every man in town - including Henry Alcott. As a dalliance begins between Ebony and Henry, he discovers that the beautiful, young opera singer has a few secrets. And some secrets are deadly.

To the unknowing eye, the exotic young woman making her way through the English countryside is just another poor girl, hungry and looking for work. But Elena Del Fuego is much more than that. She is the youngest daughter of the King of Spain and she is running from an arranged marriage he forced upon her. Elena learned of the betrothal when she was ten years old, and found out that it was to happen on her eighteenth birthday to a Portuguese Prince twenty years her senior. She had eight years to plan her perfect escape. Her escape takes her to Derbyshire where she finds work as a housemaid at a grand estate called Ascot. While Elena had always planned to keep her head down, she cannot help but notice the handsome heir to the dukedom, David Wilde. But life is not like a fairy tale. The handsome heir cannot marry the maid and turn her into a princess, for Elena is already that. She is a princess with two nations chasing her, two nations determined to keep Elena and David apart and to take Elena home.

Maggie Swift had always known something was missing from her life. She had everything an eighteen year old aristocrat could want - a title, wealth, a good family, and an incredible friend in Max Montgomery. What could possibly be missing? Many do not see past the audacious and joyous personality of Maggie Swift, the outspoken American child that Nate Swift, Earl of Montrose, adopted eleven years earlier. Many do not see the fact that she has always felt like an outsider, and that she truly believes that something is missing in her life. But a knock on the door of Montrose Manor will change Maggie's life. It will take her across an ocean to a life she never knew. But what Maggie has to decide is this: Who is she? Where does she belong? Who does she belong with? And most importantly, where is home?

Lady Imogen Wilde has lived her life in a body that does not work as it should. As she was born not breathing, Imogen has spent her life as the small and weak daughter of the Duke of Ascot. Nobody could ever understand, could they? Colonel Simon Spencer is a highly decorated, recently retired, soldier, who has made his fortune through various gallant and successful military campaigns. But the military has altered him, both mentally and physically, leaving him a changed man from the one his brother remembers, one who carries many burdens. But what if they met? Could it be, that after years of indifference, Imogen and Simon might finally find someone who understands? Or could there be other obstacles in their way, secrets that threaten to boil over?