{2022 WATTY SHORTLISTER} {18+ COMPLETED} England, 1842 Lady Hutton, otherwise known as Penelope Chapman, cares not that her husband has a wandering eye. That is, until he wanders away completely--all the way to the continent with his mistress, where he's been for the last five years. Abandoned, Penelope decides she shall not spend her life living without the occasional night of casual companionship. But then Penelope meets British naval officer Beckett Ash, and she realizes that there isn't anything casual about him. The man who has been assigned to protect her whilst uncovering a smuggling operation at her summer house party is strikingly handsome, and their connection is increasingly difficult to ignore. There are only two problems. Firstly, Beckett hasn't a clue that Penelope already has a husband. And secondly, his best friend and fellow naval officer is Penelope's protective half-brother. What happens when Beckett decides to marry an already married woman?

Book II of SEIZE THE DAY, Winner of the 2014 Wattys Instant Addiction Award. If you haven't read Book I, SEIZE THE DAY, please do! There are spoilers ahead! **** Lannie Brackenbury never thought she would be sent on a dangerous quest to save the world. But after she discovered her destiny as a Harbinger, that idea took a drastic twist. Bestowed with abilities that she is still learning to use, Lannie is sent on a journey that will take her across Etheia, where she must negotiate a peace treaty between the magical kingdom of Eremith and the human kingdom of Nor to break the vicious cycle of slavery. But making peace in the world of Etheia is not as easy as it seems. Therin, the bloodthirsty Drakain that ruined Lannie's life, is still moving in the shadows, convincing the world to doubt the existence of the Harbingers. And when a terrifying beast cloaked in darkness attacks Lannie, she realizes that defeating Therin is the least of her worries. Humans and magical creatures are on the brink of another war. This time, it is far more dangerous than Lannie could ever have imagined. There is a dark force at work that is bent on destroying not only Nor, but Eremith as well. And it will take everything that Lannie has to stop it. ---- Cover: Model © Ylenia Manganelli via PrincessandDragon.deviantart.com; Background © Sean & Ashlie Nelson via AshenSorrow.deviantart.com; edited by me

Charlotte Hampstead, a Baron's daughter, has absolutely no luck: especially in the husband hunting department. She can't play the harp, can't dance and certainly can't sing. Her only saving grace is the positively enormous dowry, but she refuses to marry any old fortune hunter whilst she's half in love with her childhood friend. Tommy Greene, Earl of Essex, is in a little bit of a pickle. He inherited a title, and all the debts with it. He's been in London for five whole years, but not one of the skittish schoolroom chits can he see as wife, and he needs an heiress desperately. Unless- there's been rumours of a priceless Shakespeare manuscript and the Essex family hidden around the Essex Estate: if he can find it, well there'd be more than enough money to pay off his Father's gambling debts and live in comfort. It's just the matter of finding it, and he not falling in love with his friend's little sister whilst doing so.

NOTE: I REVISED BEFORE YOU GO, SO THERE WILL BE SOME MISINFORMATION IN THIS ONE REGARDING LEON & ELIZA'S RELATIONSHIP. I WILL FIX IT SOON, THOUGH! * I would HIGHLY recommend reading BEFORE YOU GO and THE ONE YOU FIGHT FOR before you read this novel. This novel is a criss-cross between them and will include some major spoilers!* Leo Sangster has a bucket list tucked away safely, folded between the pages of his favourite book. And it's been there for nearly fifteen years. He hasn't tried to read it. He can't. He won't. Because that one piece of paper is a large piece of his father -- someone he's never met and never will be able to meet. But as Leo finds himself heading to Whistler, BC to explore where his father was born and who he was before he died in a car accident, he begins to wonder if that bucket list could give him any clues. Aria Madden is the daughter of the now-retired, famous NHL player, Luke Madden. Anyone would consider that a lot to live up to, but Aria is content with her current position. In January, she'll be competing in the Winter Olympics for Canada's women's hockey team. Over the summer, she's going to be training in Whistler, BC with the rest of the team, all while staying at her aunt's house. But even though it seems like she has everything under control, Aria is stuck in a whirlwind of anxiety. While she's happy and excited that her hard work has paid off, she's worried she won't live up to her father's legacy. When Leo and Aria cross paths on a fateful summer day, they're thrown into the chaos of an unforgettable summer adventure -- filled with charming and mysterious people, astounding views, and alpine air. But as the summer continues on and the heat is amped up, undeniable chemistry begins to brew between the two of them. But what happens when summer ends and they have to go their separate ways? Will they give up on the chemistry or will they find a way to make it work?

UNEDITED Gemma Alder is used to being the unlucky one in the Alder family: from a nasty rumour about her back in high school to inexplicable mishaps, she seems to be the comical target for unfortunate situations. But if there's one thing she's good at, it's acting. After she graduated from high school, Gemma remodelled herself and decided to pursue a career in acting-but not in the way you think. Gemma Alder has managed to keep a steady business going across Vancouver Island by playing the fake girlfriend for various customers. Her job is difficult and sometimes it blurs the lines between acting and reality, but it's the only job where she can handle taking orders from the boss: herself. And when a ghost from her past appears, the very ghost that destroyed her reputation back in high school, comes to her, begging her to play the part to get an investor for his company off his back, Gemma take the job without a second thought. Because she sees this as a prime opportunity for revenge. Jake Swift is surprised with Gemma's decision but he's desperate to stop Olive Garcia, a well-known investor, from throwing herself at him. All Jake wants to do is make money and provide for his little sister, Hanna. After their parents died in a car accident, Jake has been the sole guardian of Hanna since he was seventeen and he has no interest whatsoever in a romantic relationship until his little sister has graduated from high school. Long story short, Gemma's agreement is a blessing in disguise. Until, that is, things start to go terribly wrong during his company's two-week getaway to a campground in the middle of nowhere. From unexplainable food poisoning to waxing cream in a sunscreen bottle, Jake can't seem to catch a break, which Gemma is pleased with. However, as time begins to tick away, both Jake and Gemma notice a similarity between themselves which, inevitably, leads to something more. Can the two of them forget the past? Or will their relationship go up in smoke?

UNEDITED Best friends. Neighbours. And a spark that can't be ignored... Emyln Walker and Hainsey Stone have been best friends since grade five, but just after their relationship takes a big step, Emyln's parents divorce and she's moving to a different city, leaving Hainsey alone in the beautiful city of Whistler, BC. Five years later, Emyln returns to Whistler to meet her new family of strangers: a mom she hasn't seen in five years, a stepdad, and two stepsiblings. She's not particularly excited about the idea, but a strong tie from her past has enough of a hold to make her stay. The last thing Hainsey needs is Emyln turning up, bringing old memories with her and opening old wounds. But Emyln -- even better looking than Hainsey remembers -- seems determined to rekindle what she left behind; revive their friendship no matter how much Hainsey tries to push her away. Since her departure, he's been facing demons of his own. With a dad that walked out with another woman, and a mom that's a heroin addict, Hainsey has been struggling to keep his head above water for the past five years. Working two jobs, he barely makes enough money to pay the bills, let alone be the one who has to retrieve and pay for the drugs in order to keep his mom happy. Hainsey is playing a dangerous game that he doesn't want Emyln, his childhood best friend -- and sweetheart -- to know about. Forced to work together over the summer, Hainsey can't help but start falling for Emyln, and soon they're in the midst of a passionate romance that neither of them wants to end. But both Hainsey and Emyln know that if they want this relationship to last, they need to confront the past and the present -- both containing events and decisions that they want to stay buried.

Sloan and Ollie are cooking up something steamy in the kitchen, and it's not just the food. ****** MULLIGAN SERIES: BOOK #1 A one-night stand unknowingly lands Sloan in the bed of her new culinary instructor. Ollie's convinced their hookup was no coincidence, but blackmail-a power move to overcome his well-known and strict teaching tactics. That's until he learns of her depressing past. Ollie could be the one to break what little strength Sloan has left, or he could be the one to revive it. That is, if their salty attitudes don't get in the way of a budding romance. 🔥A one-night stand, to enemies, to friends, to lovers, romance🔥 ******** 🔞 Rated R • 18+ Only 🔥 Mature Sexual Content 🖕🏻Graphic Language Copyright 2019 © - All Rights Reserved. You do not have permission to use any written material, any character likenesses, or cover art from this story. Anyone found doing so will be reported and presented a DMCA. Appropriate action will be taken.

Workaholic wedding planner Sophia gets the surprise of her life when her new clients' best man turns out to be her ex-boyfriend. ***** When taking on new clients, Sophia Coleman expects the same old routine - wake up, go to work, go home, binge The Bachelor, go to sleep, repeat. What she doesn't expect is her ex-boyfriend, Carter Stone, to be the groom's best man. His sudden appearance throws her off, and she refuses to let anyone - let alone a guy - get in the way of her success. Especially not after the last time. Planning a wedding in three months is hard enough, but between cake tastings and dress shopping, there's Carter's cheeky smile and relentless charm. As the big day gets closer, so do Sophia and Carter, until all that's standing between them is their history. Can Sophia say yes to a second chance, or will this rekindled romance get left at the altar?

Romee Jensen She has always despised high school. Looked after by her older brother, she's constantly left in his shadow. Her brother was possessive, selfish and cruel, everything Romee wasn't. So the second she has the chance to leave his supervision she takes it. One night after being rescued by her brothers rival she learns the truth behind her brothers precautionary measures. Flynn Argent He was a mystery. He kept to himself and his close group of friends, who lived on the other side of the tracks. A troubled neighborhood many of the locals avoided. Romee was caught in middle and all she could do now was stay inside the lines.

Ara Hayden is a loud, noisy, chill, laid-back, heiress to a multi-billion company. Always had a feeling of being alone in her world surrounded by money, since her parents are all about work. And she's not just an heiress, she is also a Director in their company, but since that job was given to her, and didn't earn it, she took it for granted. Lucas Seo is a quiet, hardworking, workaholic doctor. Since he has no one to go home to, the hospital is practically his life, and he is rarely home. No friends, and always kept to himself. And he believes that everything should be worked hard for. Ara lost her job, her title to the company, and she even lost the company, her father disowned her. Then she meets Lucas, Do opposites really attract?