Sixteen-year-old Danica has always flown under the radar-quiet, observant, with her head buried in romance novels and her heart tucked safely behind well-built walls. After transferring to a new school, she's relieved to finally escape the judgmental stares and mocking whispers of her old one. She's not here to stand out-just to survive. But then she meets him. Xavier Moreau is everything she's not-charming, magnetic, and universally adored. The golden boy of the school. The one who makes her laugh in English Lit, steals glances when he thinks she isn't looking, and somehow knows she likes apple juice and purple highlighters. She tells herself it's nothing. That he treats everyone like this. That a guy like Xavier doesn't fall for girls like her. Except... maybe he does. As whispered rumors swirl and lines blur between friendship and something more, Danica must decide if she's willing to risk her carefully guarded heart-or let it slip away in the name of playing it safe. Because sometimes love finds you when you least expect it. And sometimes... it writes a story all its own. A slow-burn, coming-of-age romance full of bookish banter, unlikely friendships, and that aching question: What if he actually means it?

𝐋𝐔𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐀 𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐋, a Year 13 track student in Ashbourne that has spent her life playing the role of the perfect girl- devoted to her training, focused on her future, certain of her dreams. Until life stopped her in its tracks. Two weeks in the hospital and a diagnosis for bipolar disorder changed everything, how people view her, and more importantly how she views herself. 𝐑𝐘𝐋𝐀𝐍 𝐁𝐄𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐓𝐓, a quiet artistic boy who's back after being in Harrowfield for a year, now trying to pick back up the pieces of himself after his mother left him and took more than she realised. With them both being back at Ashbourne Academy, a school full of kids with no remorse- an unexpected relationship forms. With past wounds resurfacing and feelings deepening, healing, hope and heartbreak collide in a story about the miles we run, and the ones we must walk to find ourselves. Started: 20/12/25

READ TAGS!! STRONG LANGUAGE SECOND CHANCE *this book is very detailed & descriptive at the beginning lmao* *not a mafia book*

Rule #1: Date within your circle. Rule #2: Uphold the family image. Rule #3: Never, ever get distracted. Carter Vanderbilt has followed the rules his entire life. As the golden boy of the conservative elite, his path was set: marry a suitable girl, run the family empire, and maintain the status quo. His current fling, Ashley, is the perfect "pick me" placeholder-until Meredith Bridges walks in. Meredith is kindness and light, a beautiful black woman who represents everything his world is not. And Carter can't look away. His fascination quickly twists into a dangerous obsession, making him question every belief he's ever held. Ashley isn't about to let some "sweetheart" steal her trophy. She's played the game too long to lose now. Watch as a man's entire world unravels for an obsession that was never part of the plan. He was taught to build walls. She's the reason they'll crumble.

In Savannah, Georgia Elle Sinclair, a refined Black debutante, and Luke O'Connor, a rugged White mechanic, come from two different worlds destined to remain apart. But when a chance encounter brings them together, their forbidden romance sparks a love connection that challenges them for the unexpected.

"I bet you do this to all your potential girlfriends." "Just the ones I actually like." - Nova befriends Kit Richardson who denies that he even likes her. Then she gets under Harvey's wing and it's an all out war.

bwwm, light enemies to lovers,18+

𝚛𝚎𝚍𝚊𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚢 (𝒏.) 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒄𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖; 𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍.

He's the shy one. She's the quiet one. A late night grocery run turns into a awkward moment. And a stare that says, "Relax. I got you."

-Book 1- The Normal Rules of Love Don't Always Apply, especially when the circumstances around those falling into it are far from normal. Matteo Leone is the head of the notorious Leone Family Dynasty of organized crime, he is cold, dominating, and the most wanted man in the country. There are debts to be paid, murders to be committed, and money to be made: the last thing on his mind is love. That is until he is left facing a life behind bars and he realizes that the best lawyer that money could buy was also a woman who,without much effort, was everything he never knew he needed. Kashera Daniels is one of the most gifted lawyers in the country. With a stellar track record, she is given a case that she quite literally can't refuse. Not knowing what to expect, Kashera leaps into the lions den without knowing that the decision will change her life forever. In the Lions Den time flows differently. Hearts beat stronger and faster. Love is shown, earned, and felt on a scale much larger than outsiders could comprehend. In this space, in this world, will Kashera and Matteo be able to find their way to survive? Or will they be unable to escape the piercing claws of The Lions Den with their souls and hearts unscathed?