[WATTY'S 2026 SHORTLISTS] Sophia Honey never expected college to mean sharing an apartment with her childhood nemesis. ~~~ Freshman Sophia Honey never imagined her brother would stick her with Theo Gray-his best friend and her childhood nemesis-as her roommate. But things get complicated fast. Theo, with his shirtless mornings, flirty remarks, and those intense stares, pushes all of her buttons. Just when Sophia thinks she can handle their awkward living arrangement, she discovers he's not just popular-he's one of the hottest seniors on campus. And as the star of the hockey team, his status skyrockets, forcing her to tread carefully around him to avoid drama. But drama comes knocking When Sophia lands a side gig with the seniors in her photography department to make some extra cash, she doesn't expect her first assignment to be Theo Gray shirtless in front of her camera. She definitely doesn't expect him to say yes with that smug grin-and one condition. What he wants in return? Not money. Something else. Something dangerous. As the photo sessions begin, so does the unraveling. Their banter becomes charged. His touches linger a little too long. Her defenses are violently slipping. ​Then comes the night the mask shatters. When Theo stumbles home drunk, his eyes glassy and his defenses down, he confesses a truth that breaks every version of him Sophia thought she knew. ​Gone is the boy who teased her growing up. This Theo is raw, complex, and beautifully broken in places she never noticed before. ​Suddenly, Sophia wants things she never dared to dream of. His kisses. His hands on her skin. His body-yes-but also his secrets, his pain... him. What started as a paycheck has become a dangerous line they can't stop crossing, forcing her to realize the most terrifying truth of all: ​What if falling for Theo Gray was the real assignment all along?

She is fiery, hot-headed and spontaneous. He is calm, composed and calculating. She is fire, burning every obstacle in her path. He is ice, numbing his enemies with a single glare. She is loud, not afraid of raising her voice. He is quiet, his silence speaking volumes. ******* Hazel Martin and Xavier Davis are like two opposite sides of a pole, with her fierce persona and his cold attitude. But one thing is common between them; their love and affection for their families. So what will happen when they are stuck with each other and they need each other's help in the middle of a crisis? ... Thank you @prettypink-ink for such a wonderful cover. Things are bound to get messy as their opposite worlds clash with each other.

He has everything and she has nothing at all. Cyra Adams has no family. At least not anymore. There is no one with any kind of connection to her anymore. Except them. Her Godmother and her son. Her childhood best friend. Her new foster brother. The most popular jerk in the high school. The boy that was once her everything but somehow made it his mission to show her how much he resents her. Rory Kadwell. And now she's forced to play with him. On the stage, it's pretend - nothing you can do could be held against you. Every kiss is just a kiss. It's fake, you know? But what are you do if it feels so real? The first book in the it's just a...series

Amanda has one goal: survive her final year at Earlwood Academy, keep her scholarship, and get into her dream university. That would be easier if Theo Anderson didn't exist.

She runs the school like it's her kingdom. Veronica Vale is the definition of a queen bee-rich, untouchable, and always ten steps ahead. She knows every secret, every rumor, and every way to make someone disappear without lifting a finger. People don't cross her. They orbit her. Then there's Noah Mercer. Laid-back, effortlessly popular, and completely unimpressed by her reign. He doesn't play by the rules of North Shore High, and worse-he doesn't fear her. From the moment they meet, it's war. Sarcasm, sabotage, and stolen victories. They are opposites in every possible way... and they hate each other for it. Until they don't. Forced into the same world, the same circles, and the same impossible situations, their rivalry starts to shift. Arguments turn into understanding. Tension turns into trust. And somewhere between late-night confessions and accidental softness, hate becomes something far more dangerous. Because falling for your enemy was never part of the plan. And at North Shore, love is just another power game.

Having everything revealed

"It's me. I'm the thing that needs to be handled. I'm the scandal. The best way to deal with a scandal is to shut it down."

A Maya and Tony Story

Zadie wasn't built for the streets, she was built to escape them. At 19, she leaves Philly behind and moves to Baltimore with her father, enrolling at Morgan University and focusing on her books, her business, and her future. Known for her flawless lashes and growing TikTok fame, Zadie keeps her circle small and her life even smaller. Because she knows exactly what the streets can do..she's seen it through her own family. Dakota, better known as Koda, is everything she's been taught to avoid. Over East, his name carries weight. He moves how he wants, makes his money how he knows, and stays connected to a world Zadie refuses to be part of. School was never his path but Morgan is still his territory through the people he calls family. When Zadie and Koda cross paths, it was never supposed to be anything serious. But in a city like Baltimore, nothing stays simple for long. The more Zadie tries to stay in her lane, the deeper she gets pulled into Koda's world and the harder it becomes to tell the difference between love and danger. Because in the 410... love don't come without consequences.

Nyla Carter has always been the quiet girl. The girl who sits in the back of the classroom. The girl who avoids attention. The girl everyone thinks they know but nobody actually does. After being hurt one too many times, Nyla decides it's easier to keep her guard up and focus on getting through high school unnoticed. That plan works perfectly... Until Amir Johnson walks into her life. Amir is charming, funny, and impossible to ignore. What starts as a simple friendship quickly turns into something neither of them expected. As their bond grows stronger, Nyla finds herself opening up for the first time in years. But not everyone is happy about it. With rumors spreading through the halls, friendships being tested, and Amir's jealous ex, Mya, determined to cause problems, Nyla and Amir's relationship is put to the test before it even has a chance to begin. Can the quiet girl finally let someone in? Or will fear, heartbreak, and high school drama destroy everything before it starts? "Maybe being the quiet girl was never my weakness. Maybe it was my greatest strength." Written by @layahxaurax_ ✨