13 year old Eleonora hears her mother get murdered, officially making her an orphan. She gets sent to live with her five mysterious older brothers, of whom she has no memories. Of whom she didn't know exist. And once she's used to her new family, curiosity will kill the cat. Secrets will be revealed. Will she cope or break? ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Updates every (or every second) Sunday ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Start: 10/July/2020 End: 14/August/2022

The heatwave of 1955 didn't just bring cracked roads and heavy air to Maple Hill, it brought Kitty O'Callaghan. Instead of the quiet start she hoped for with her mother, Kitty finds herself trapped under the roof of her stepbrother Johnny - a brooding mechanic who sees in her every trace of the woman he resents. What begins as aggression soon turns to desire. Johnny soon wants more than her fear. He wants her softness, her trust, her heart. And nothing will stand in his way. Not her tears. Not her defiance. Not even her hate. ~ He lowered himself to the edge of the bed, the quilt dipping beneath the weight of his knee. His hand lifted, brushing the stray curl aside, fingertips grazing the smooth line of her cheek. Then he leaned in, his breath warm at her ear. "Kitten..." His voice slipped through the quiet. "Wake up." At first she only stirred, a small sound catching in her throat as her brow drew tight. "C'mon now. Look at me." His hand lingered near her face. Fingertips brushing her cheek once more in a slow movement. Her lashes fluttered once, twice. Then her eyes opened, heavy with sleep. For a second she only stared, unseeing, then the blur sharpened landing seeing his face so close to hers. Her whole body jolted, shoulders driving into the pillow as if to put distance where there was none. Her legs kicked under the blanket, the sheets twisting around her ankles. Her mouth opened, dragging in a sharp, startled breath as a scream began to claw its way up from her chest. But it never made it out, he was ready. His hand clamped down hard over her mouth. Her eyes filled with instant panic. She froze. Then fought.

14-year-old Aria is in the foster system and has what most people like to call "an attitude problem." In her eyes, it's not an 'attitude'-it's survival. Sarcasm is her shield, silence is her weapon, and if she rolls her eyes hard enough, maybe no one will notice the way her hands shake when doors slam too loud. She's been with her current foster family for the past five years, and their abuse has been the worst of them all. The kind that hides behind locked doors and perfect smiles for the neighbors. The kind that teaches you not to flinch in public, but never lets your bruises fade in private. ♬⋆.˚ Aria doesn't cry anymore-she learned young that tears only made them angrier. Instead, she grits her teeth, sharpens her tongue, and waits for the day she can get out. Her social workers call her "difficult." Teachers call her "disruptive." But really, she's just a girl with scars people don't bother to see, carrying secrets she's too smart to share. What no one knows -not even Aria- is that the blood running through her veins carries a legacy far darker and more powerful than anything this foster family could imagine. A legacy that comes with 5 brothers who would quite literally burn the world for her

Céline is an expert at disappearing. After years of abuse, she has learned to make herself small, starving away the body that drew unwanted attention, hiding behind silence, perfecting invisibility. When her mother finally escapes and reunites with her first love-the Don of the Italian mafia and Céline's biological father-Céline is thrust into a world of impossible wealth, fiercely protective brothers, and power she doesn't yet understand. But she doesn't expect him. Perceptive, powerful, and devastatingly attractive, the heir to the Russian mafia sees past every defense she has built. Falling for the dangerous son of her father's ally means navigating a world where the greatest risk isn't being hurt again, it's finally letting herself be seen. Some loves are worth destroying yourself for. Some are worth learning to heal for instead.

Saudade- a nostalgic longing to be near again to something or someone that is distant, or has been loved, then lost; "the love that remains" Marlowe Wanless, just 11-years-old has spent the better part of her life that she can remember in the house of her abusive and drug addicted stepfather. After he has been arrested for possession of illicit substances, Marlowe's custody has been shifted to her 7 terrifying older brothers who are surrounded by rumors regarding their line of work. The Valente's now juggle healing a mentally destroyed child while simultaneously sheltering her from lurking rival business' that will stop at nothing to harm the littlest Valente. Have the rival businesses just brought more danger then her stepfather? Who can be trusted? Or the bigger question, who can't?

Lost family book recs.

In a world swallowed by shadows, where ruthless hearts rule and evil walks freely, kindness is a rare bloom in a field of thorns. Among the chaos, where mercy is weakness and love is a forgotten whisper, a little light dares to shine. She is that light. But can a fragile beam of sunshine survive in a storm of cruelty? Can innocence find peace in a world built on blood and betrayal? Can love bloom in a place where it's never been truly known? Let's find out.

❝We are never going to be family.❞ • • • Three half-siblings, living in different situations, with enough hate to kill each other. By some joke of the universe, they find themselves in the same city. Meeting again under shitty circumstances, with a lot of shitty issues, they get themselves into more trouble than they are ready for. What happens when everything goes to hell in one single night and they run into each other on the corner of sixth street at half-past three? Well, gasoline never did go well with a raging fire, but they never did care if the world burned. ▫▫▫▫ ▫▫▫▫ ▫▫▫▫ Cover is made by me. Copyright © 2021 Josie Marie Any relation to other stories or characters is entirely coincidental and not intentional. Any credit for the #olderbrother trend goes to its appropriate writers/creators. All of my work is original, inspired by the #olderbrother trend.

When you see it, you are in too deep Two years and a half ago, Kate lost her sister. Six months laters, she became an orphan. And since then, in the care of her older brothers, she has been running from the pain and memories. Only now, Kate has no choice but to confront her past. There are doubtful circumstances around her sister's death and odd questions sorrounding her parents' passing, not to mention secrets her older brothers aren't willing to share--but someone is. The teen girl starts receiving sliver of evidence and she can't help but continue searching for the answers, without realizing her actions are about to spark a fire that will turn everything she knows--or think she does--into ashes. ---- Family drama mixed with nail bitting mystery and bittersweet coming of age. A tale of love and loss, sins and redemption, despair and hope [extended summary inside] [contains mature themes]

Luna Avante, a seventeen year old, who's lost more loved ones in her life than most people. Living with her three older brothers has never been easy, a house filled with testosterone and manipulation under the guise of love. Luna is about to discover the biggest deception orchestrated by her brothers. Five years have passed since her sister's death, and yet, it is only now that new secrets are arising from its dark corners. Just as hypocrisy is said to be the highest compliment to virtue, the art of lying is the strongest acknowledgment of the force of the truth. Random updates RANKS: #8 - DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY - 19/05/2024 #3 - DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY - 17/03/2025