Elara Soledad de Merced thrives in attention and affection-being the youngest and only daughter, never once did she experience being set aside and treated as someone deemed unworthy. All her life, she was treated with utmost care and love. The princess with a perfect life who had never gone through hardship. Boys dream of her. Girls look up to her. Some hate her. Whatever she does, everyone follows. Second to none, rejection was something she was never familiar with, until him-her first love and the only man who ever rejected her. But not even her first rejection could stop her, so she pulls out her highest heels and her sparkly little dress, because what Elara wants, Elara gets. Luis Silvino Prodigalidad is what she wants, and she will get him, even if it means painting his hurricane into pink skies.

Adrienne Lace's life was a mess. A big mess. A 22 year old college student who was not only financially struggling, she was emotionally struggling too, a girl with no friends other than her novels and thoughts which unfortunately did not make for good company. She had so much to pay for, always had so much to do, helping her mother, her grandmother and herself all at once. She was drowning, sinking so damn low, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to swim back up anymore. That is until she's paired up with her antithesis, Karsen Krist, for an assignment that will cost them most of their grade in their final year of college. Unlike Adrienne, Karsen was rich, happy, the college's star football player who as she spends more time with realizes is not as horrible as she thought he'd be, and actually, is just as human as she is. Except that he is much too talkative, too flirty, too smart, too sweet and unfortunately, a little too... desirable. But when you've been in a box so long, it becomes your new home, whether it's comfortable or not. Will he be able to get her out of that box? Or will all their potential end up going in vain? *** #1 in books #1 in art #1 in reversegrumpyxsunshine #1 in collegeromance #1 in player #1 in forcedproximity #1 in flirty #1 in grumpygirl #1 in project #1 in opposites #1 in growth

Amid hidden pain and unexpected challenges, two hearts cling to love, navigating a fate they never chose. Essence Series: First Installment. start: 07/21/2025 finish: 02/07/2026