To read
24 stories
The Blue Hour by cstahle
cstahle
  • WpView
    Reads 11,767
  • WpVote
    Votes 715
  • WpPart
    Parts 66
Inspired by true events, 'The Blue Hour' is a story of political intrigue and doomed love set in the dying days of the Ottoman Empire during the summer of 1876. All Prince Hamid and the Belgian glove-maker, Flora Cordier, want is to pursue their forbidden love. But how can they amid backroom dealings, deadly conspiracies, and when an ominous prophecy seals Hamid's fate as the saviour of the Empire? ***** It's the summer of 1876, and rebellion, corruption, famine, and the impending threat of war plague the Ottoman Empire. As European powers circle like vultures for spoils, the century-old dynasty fears Allah has abandoned it. Presiding over the decline is the deranged Sultan Abdulaziz. A prophecy emerges that Hamid, second heir to the throne, will ascend to sultan-hood by summer's end. Fearing for his life and haunted by an inner darkness, he flees the palace. Meanwhile, Hamid's step-mother Peresto, and his enigmatic tutor, Reshid, conspire to fulfil the prophecy by betraying the Sultan and Hamid's step-brother, Crown Prince Murad. Intoxicated by love and freedom, Hamid pursues a secret affair with Flora Cordier, about to marry a man she does not love to escape her past. Over a few passionate summer months, they fight for their forbidden love to become the persons they dream of being, in defiance of society and of the powerful forces of history that conspire to drive them apart. Intimate and intensely atmospheric, 'The Blue Hour' encapsulates eternal themes of love, power, and the struggle for freedom. Blending the epic romance of 'Doctor Zhivago' with the rich historical detail and political intrigue of a Jason Goodwin novel, it is entertaining and vividly immersive, with deep emotional resonance. COMPLETED.
From France to America: a Journey of Strength by Mlissa534070
Mlissa534070
  • WpView
    Reads 13,343
  • WpVote
    Votes 5,691
  • WpPart
    Parts 31
Hi, my name is Melissa. I've never considered myself a strong person, but I didn't realize that at the time. I always struggled to keep a job, never really understanding why happiness seemed so elusive. I thought I was content, unaware that I was, in fact, struggling. I know what you might be thinking, but please, keep reading. Something happened to me during my first year of working at 16 that changed my life forever. It hurt me in ways I couldn't fully comprehend, and while that pain has lessened over time, it shaped the person I've become-someone stronger than I ever imagined I could be. What I thought would destroy me instead pushed me to move to another country, a place where I barely knew the language. At just 24 years old, despite my parents' concerns and their insistence that I shouldn't go alone, I embarked on this journey by myself. Up until then, I had often hidden behind my parents, relying on them to face the world for me. But the events of my past forced me to confront life head-on. I didn't realize it at the time, but I was hiding from the world, keeping my head down, and avoiding the challenges that came my way. But now, I'm ready to share my story, lift my head, and face the world with courage. It's been a journey full of unexpected twists, and I promise you-it's going to get interesting.
Jodee by starsintheuniverse
starsintheuniverse
  • WpView
    Reads 540,102
  • WpVote
    Votes 13,913
  • WpPart
    Parts 63
Jodee has been living alone with her older brother and one of his friends for most of her life. The only problem is that Ace Chambers - her brother - is one of the most feared and dangerous men in the city. Ace is rarely home from work and when he is he doesn't say much nor engage in her life. His sister, however, is the opposite - Jodee is a shy and reserved 14-year-old-girl; always wanting to be out of the spotlight that her brother's mysterious life puts on her. She gets good grades, has a small friend group, and is content with her own company. Although the Chambers siblings are polar opposites they are very close. Jodee understands Ace like no other and Ace always has Jodee and her best interest at the top of his priorities. So what happens when her quiet - but different - life is turned up-side-down? Will Ace be able to protect her and save her innocence? Can Jodee handle this change? And most of all, will their little family stick together.
Confined by tlwidner
tlwidner
  • WpView
    Reads 241,958
  • WpVote
    Votes 5,373
  • WpPart
    Parts 32
"You know I can't let you go, right?" The man asked, voice gentler than I was expecting it to be. I looked up and he was staring right at me, eyes uncharacteristically kind. I nod slowly, whispering, "Go ahead." ~~~ Ava Williams is just trying to live a normal life, leaving her past behind her. She moves to a new city, starts a new job and everything is boring and mundane which is what she's been craving. Then one night it all changes when she meets Jaime Santoro, a dangerous man involved in a dangerous business. Her life is flipped upside down as she is swept up into his world.
In the Shadow of His Heart by Rosyyyyy17
Rosyyyyy17
  • WpView
    Reads 7,106
  • WpVote
    Votes 522
  • WpPart
    Parts 93
A cold, distant businessman, Royce Windsor, finds himself at a crossroads as his wife, an emotionally warm and hopeful woman, challenges everything he's built his life around. In a marriage that was never meant to be more than a contract, the lines between affection and duty blur as they navigate a world of high society, unspoken feelings, and emotional walls that may be impossible to break. Can love and understanding bridge the gap, or will their relationship remain stuck in an endless cycle of distance and misunderstanding?
Miss Perfect and Her Brothers (Part I&II) by werkapisze
werkapisze
  • WpView
    Reads 6,592,379
  • WpVote
    Votes 8,693
  • WpPart
    Parts 9
Young, innocent and always well-organized Hailie Monet under sad circumstances finds out about the existence of her five older, disgustingly rich, possessive and spoiled brothers. When she's forced to live with them, she discovers that their life is full of dangerous secrets which they are going to do their best to hide, especially from their little sister.
100 Days in Deadland (part 1 of the Deadland Saga) by RachelAukes
RachelAukes
  • WpView
    Reads 3,437,168
  • WpVote
    Votes 90,089
  • WpPart
    Parts 34
In one day, the world succumbed to a pestilence that decimated the living. In its place rose a new species: vicious, gruesome, wandering zombies with an insatiable hunger for the living. Still in her twenties, Cash has watched her friends die, only to walk again. An office worker with few survival skills, she joins up with Clutch, a grizzled Army veteran with PTSD. Together, they flee the city and struggle through the nine circles of hell, with nothing but Clutch's military experience and Cash's determination to live. As they fight to survive in the zombie inferno, they quickly discover that nowhere is safe from the undead...or the living. (100 Days in Deadland is a journey through the first poem in Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy, the classic tale on the horrors of hell... zombie apocalypse style!) (Note: This is a draft so please excuse any errors. The finished novel is available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook).
Hold the line Guardian Investigative Service Volume five by anthonyburns823
anthonyburns823
  • WpView
    Reads 359
  • WpVote
    Votes 59
  • WpPart
    Parts 41
When a family deemed as a cult holds up in a Colorado ghost town and holds two negotiators hostage, it leads the crew to take them down, and puts them back in contact with Hale Jalen and Kaylen Graden.
Scars Like Ours | Red View Romance #2 by CAITLlN
CAITLlN
  • WpView
    Reads 72,959
  • WpVote
    Votes 3,940
  • WpPart
    Parts 48
Cliff McAden hasn't been home in four years, and wasn't expecting to meet a woman as gentle and quietly beautiful as Annie Edwards when he finally came back. It's hard for him to believe anyone could be interested in a scarred, disheartened man like him--and thanks to the secrets he's keeping, it's impossible for him to believe he deserves it. * * * * * Being an ugly duckling isn't easy, and Annie Edwards knows that firsthand. Thanks to her new job in Red View, she's finally moved away from her hyper-critical family and is getting the hang of adulthood--but love, the one thing she's always wanted, still escapes her. She doesn't expect to fall head over heels for her best friend's older brother, the mysterious musician who's been away from home for years, and has no idea how to handle her new feelings. Cliff McAden hasn't been home to McAden Orchard in four years, not since he left the country for the most important audition of his musical career and ended up in an accident that left him permanently marred. By the time he comes home for his sister's wedding, the scars that litter his face and body have healed--but the emotional wounds are as raw as ever. Spending time with the orchard's newest employee Annie is the only thing that soothes the pain, and he wants her more than he's wanted anything in a long time. But if the truth about his accident is revealed, he doesn't think anyone will want him to stick around.
The Steward of Blackwood Hall by flights_of_fantasy
flights_of_fantasy
  • WpView
    Reads 1,031,320
  • WpVote
    Votes 60,756
  • WpPart
    Parts 29
Despite living thirty miles from London, Anabelle Latimer knows her chances of finding a husband in their sleepy village are as thin as cook's white soup. Then she discovers a kindred spirit in Mr. Fielding, the intelligent and handsome new steward from Blackwood Hall. It was a great shame that his position in life was so below her own, for he was exactly the sort of man she would have wished to marry. Anthony Fielding, tired of being the target of the ton's marriage-minded mothers, hopes to spend a relaxing week shooting and fishing in the country. Yet upon his arrival at Blackwood Hall he discovers an estate in chaos, and a friend in desperate need of help. He is quick to offer his knowledge and expertise, unaware that his generosity will have unexpected repercussions. The Steward of Blackwell Hall is a traditional Regency romance of approximately 66,000 words.