A stranger to her own existence, Kayla moves to a small town with the hope of finding comfort in a fresh start. But as she steps inside the unfamiliar classroom on the first day, standing in front of the class is a mysteriously familiar face, one that rouses memories of a time she believed had gone by. With past baggage catching up in the most intrusive ways, she stumbles upon unexpected comfort of friendship, unconditional love of found family, and a beautiful yet complicated bond between two hesitant souls. "This book was like a warm hug, and I might believe in love again." "I would give everything, especially my soul, to have the opportunity to read this book for the first time again." ────── CW: Substance abuse, harsh language, sexual content, mention of self-harm and suicide. ────── Started in January 2018. Re-published in November 2022. First draft (this version) finished in April 2023. ────── Copyright 2018 © Renee Steinberg All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced, copied, translated, or republished in any form without the author's permission, except for brief quotations or reviews with proper credit.

Stephanie Walker is eighteen, moving across the country from Los Angeles to New York to begin her dream: law school at NYU. A new city, a new home, new friends, new everything. She's excited, but sleepless nights, old wounds, and quiet struggles follow her everywhere. She wants to live like any other college student, to blend in, to feel normal, but life hasn't been simple, and surviving on her own is harder than she expected. Every late night, every study session, every solitary drive home reminds her that life doesn't come with easy answers. Some nights, she leans on quiet habits she'd never tell anyone about, just to make it to morning. Elena Shay is thirty-two, NYU's Dean and a respected law professor. Her life is built on control, precision, and endless responsibility. At work, she's commanding, elegant, untouchable. Outside it, she's soft, warm, and human, but never careless. Elena doesn't date casually; she doesn't waste time or energy on anything that isn't worth it. She's deliberate, certain, and careful... Until Stephanie. Stephanie isn't just another student. She's sharp, captivating, and unafraid to be herself in a way that draws Elena in deeper than it should. Suddenly, the carefully maintained line between professional and personal life begins to blur. The rules, the expectations, the life Elena's worked so hard to control all scream that nothing between them can ever happen. And yet, the pull becomes impossible to ignore. As their worlds collide, Stephanie discovers a side of life she's never dared to touch: warmth, comfort, attention, and desire from someone who sees her fully, not as a girl with a "rough" childhood, but as a woman. Together, Elena and Stephanie fall into chaos, vulnerability, and longing they didn't know they were missing. Every glance, every touch, and every moment carries risk. Risk of exposure, of judgment, of everything crashing down, all shaped by the choices resting in their hands.

At 42, Vivienne Hart is a literary legend-brilliant, ruthless with words, and impossible to get close to. It's been a decade since her last book, and she's made one thing clear: she has no interest in finishing it. Enter Emily Carter-28, sharp-tongued, and entirely unimpressed by Vivienne's reputation. She's been hired to do the impossible: get Vivienne to write again. Their partnership is a disaster from the start. Vivienne is cold, impossible, and infuriatingly controlled. Emily is reckless, relentless, and knows exactly how to get under her skin. What starts as creative clashes and late-night rewrites turns into something far more dangerous. A stolen glance. A lingering touch. A night that should never have happened. ___________________________ completed: 9th march'25

Valerie Stone is a visionary, a billionaire, and a terrifying boss. She can negotiate a merger in her sleep, but she can't name her daughter's favorite color. ​Chloe Davis is her executive assistant. She is underpaid, overworked, and currently heartbroken after her girlfriend dumped her for being "married to the job." ​For six years, the dynamic has been simple: Chloe knows everything about Valerie. She knows her coffee order, her ex-husband's trigger points, and exactly how to calm down Valerie's son during a panic attack. Valerie knows nothing about Chloe. Not her dreams, not her heartache, and certainly that Chloe is into women. ​But when a crisis forces the Ice Queen to rely on her assistant for more than just spreadsheets, the walls begin to crumble. Valerie is about to discover that the woman holding her life together is the only mystery she can't solve-and the only one who can melt the stone around her heart.

En la prestigiosa Universidad de Willowbrook, la profesora Amelia Smith es temida por su severidad y misterio. Nadie conoce realmente su vida, y los rumores sobre ella abundan. Isabel Aird, una estudiante brillante pero impulsiva, choca constantemente con Amelia y la odia. Una noche, impulsada por una apuesta entre amigos, Isabel acepta el reto de acostarse con la implacable profesora por tan solo 400 dólares. Pero lo que empieza como un juego se transforma en algo mucho más peligroso cuando Isabel ingresa a la casa de Amelia y toma fotos de su diario, descubriendo así sus secretos más oscuros, sus fetiches más perversos y sus fantasías mas extremas. Lo que parecía una simple apuesta se convierte en un peligroso juego de atracción que pondrá a prueba sus propios límites. ⚠️‼️Advertencia ‼️ ⚠️ • Este libro contiene escenas explicita. 🔞🔞 • No apto para personas sensibles. • No se acepta ningún tipo de adaptación, ni copia de esta obra.

Grace's dream had always been to become a famous actress. She dreamt of doing what she loved the most as a job, the film sets, the award shows, everything about it. So when she unexpectedly lands a role in a high-budget movie, she knows her life is about to change forever. But maybe, not in the way she thinks. Her encounter with Isabella, a worldwide famous actress with a reputation for having a cold attitude, will impact her more than she thinks.

Amara Alonso is 22 years old and is in her final year studying English literature at NYU. She's smart, kind and gentle, she always has been. But she carries a quiet sadness that most don't see. After losing her mother and sister in a tragic car accident 8 months ago, she was left with an alcoholic father who she blames for their death. She promises herself to push through her last year of college but soon falls into a cycle- skipping classes, tear-stained eyes, and an empty stomach. Emilia Zayed is a 29 year old creative writing professor. Emilia is poised, intelligent and emotionally guarded. She keeps everyone at arm's length- students, colleges, friends, and especially family. She doesn't trust people and shows no intention to. She shows no interest in anybody around her, until a soft brown eyed girl enters her lecture with a look of hurt deep in her eyes that she can't seem to stop thinking about. Emilia notices Amara's writing first. There's something about her work-so raw, so aching, so lonely. It touches something in Emilia she thought she'd buried. Never has a student's piece of writing made her feel this way. They shouldn't get close. They can't get close. But they do. And it's slow, quiet, and deeply emotional. It's Amara showing up during Emilia's office hours not just to talk about writing but about life. It's Emilia realising Amara needs more than feedback-she needs someone who sees her. And it's Amara finally finding someone who doesn't leave. The two form an unspoken bond they can't explain. It's forbidden in the eyes of everybody else. But they can't help but feel softer around each other. Will they ever act on it? Will Amara's hurt or Emilia's closed offness prevent them from ever truly opening up and giving in?

As Diana Coopers prepares for the pressure of her senior year, she seeks comfort in a book she's been trying to find for months. And just as she finally spots it, someone else snatches it right out of her hands. Diana's annoyed to say the least, until she realises this stranger might end up changing her life in ways she's never even imagined.

Juno Kelly, una actriz que comenzó su carrera a una edad muy temprana y era una estrella en ascenso en la industria del cine, retoma su carrera tras un tiempo fuera de cámaras debido a un escándalo que la llevó a ser objeto de juicios y acoso mediático. Su único motivo para regresar a la gran pantalla; ser elegida para el protagónico de la adaptación a película de su trilogía favorita de libros. La emoción palpita en su pecho como nunca antes al momento de aceptar el papel. Sin embargo, su emoción empieza a tener fisuras de frustración cuando conoce a la escritora detrás de aquella saga, conocida por su seudónimo "E.M.W". Una enigmática autora que se niega a mostrar su cara al público o revelar su verdadero nombre, sumergida siempre en un halo de misterio. A medida que trabajan juntas en el set de filmación, su relación se vuelve cada vez más tensa y conflictiva, como una cuerda que se estira hasta casi romperse. Las sombras del pasado emergen, atormentando a la joven actriz y llenando el aire de secretos y reproches. Detrás de cada mirada de desdén y cada palabra afilada, empieza a surgir una atracción innegable. Sus corazones, otrora enfrentados, comienzan a latir al unísono en una danza delicada entre el deseo y la razón, entre el amor y el temor. Es en esos momentos robados, en esas miradas fugaces, donde ambas se encuentran y se pierden, cuestionando sus propias emociones y anhelos en un torbellino de sentimientos encontrados.

Athena Sinclair, 37, is cold, distant and shady. She has her walls are built strong, bricks of secrets and mystery untold. Nobody gets in and she never gets out, especially after finding out that her ex wife cheated for two years of their marriage. What will happen when she stumbles across Rosetta (21), a calm and happy student whose aura only irritates her? How can one person be so full of joy? Or is this a façade? Rosetta puts up a front outside of her home. After her dad died, her family life went down hill. How much is too much and what will happen when prim and proper Rosie begins to fall for her ice queen of a teacher? TW: SA Alcohol abuse Smut/ BDSM Age gap Abuse