Finn went in expecting an easy jailbreak. Now he's escaping feds, fighting mafia bikers, facing past demons and trying to figure out why the girl with the gum-bomb doesn't return his side-glance. *** Mercenary Finn Spayne's young accomplice King had one job. Crack the code of his cuffs and he strolls out of prison. But the kid ends up sabotaging the whole system. Finn finds himself in a war zone alongside a runaway mafia princess, a ruthless assassin, a goofy heist master and an old friend. Together, they must hatch an escape plan out of Neon City and to safety. But it gets even more dangerous when feelings start to develop. Because in a world where humans are reduced to their utility, feeling is the worst crime. *** CONTENT WARNING: Rated 18+ for graphic violence, strong language and heavy themes.

Five years ago, Teia Cloto left Naples after a three-day romance with the deliciously charming Alden Colle, determined not to dwell on him again. Or fall for men like him, especially when her ancient dating history suggests they rarely keep their promises. Teia now has a successful career and a carefully constructed life built on sensible choices. But beneath the surface, the threads holding her ordered world together have quietly begun to unravel. When Teia returns to Italy to visit relatives in Turin, the worst thing she believes could happen is a bit of family drama with her espresso and cannoli. What she doesn't expect is for old ghosts and old feelings to resurface among medieval villages and ancient ruins. And Alden. As the past begins pulling at threads Teia thought she'd long since severed, she finds herself questioning whether certain people ever truly leave us, or whether some love stories wait patiently for a second chance to be told. **Some scenes are of a sexual nature, though not explicit. There are also mythological references to self-harm.

Gabriella, betrayed by her family, has finally decided to leave them behind in Italy and follow her dreams of studying in England for a year abroad. She arrives and is captivated by the blonde, nice guy Rory who is always happy to help. Before she can unpack her suitcase he takes her out with his friends to a trendy theatre night. There she sees Elliot, the well-spoken and striking looking actor and they immediately connect. But Elliot is also Rory's best friend... Scents Of Clementine tells the story of a girl in a new country trying to leave her past behind while being swept off her feet by two charming Englishmen. WARNING THIS STORY CONTAINS: mature/sexual content; explicit language; family dispute; alcohol and drug consumption.

Born to be a monster, Daemian acts like one - cruel, ruthless, feared by all. But when he saves Lune from a ritual sacrifice, his defiance sparks a rebellion that could topple his mother, the Blood Queen, and rewrite her world built on fear. In a kingdom ruled by prophecy, mercy may be the deadliest power of all.

Teresia knows sleeping with the pastor's son is a terrible idea. In 1984, eighteen-year-old Teresia is stuck at The Well Fellowship with her mother and stepfather, surrounded by people who mistake obedience for virtue and gossip for concern. She knows how to play along when she has to. She knows how to stay quiet. What she does not know is how to stop wanting Charles Connors. Charles is the pastor's son. Beautiful, experienced, and far too used to getting away with things, he comes with a reputation Teresia understands immediately. He is the last person she should get involved with and the first person who makes her feel fully seen. What begins in secrecy turns into something deeper, more dangerous, and harder to contain. As their relationship intensifies, the walls around Teresia begin closing in. The church is watching. Charles's family already has their doubts about her. A secretive writing group offers the possibility of another life, but even there, jealousy and gossip have teeth. Every choice she makes pulls her further from the version of herself everyone wants, and closer to the one she might have to destroy everything to become. Set against the heat and pressure of a Southern church town, Teresia is a dark coming-of-age romance about desire, power, shame, obsession, and the cost of wanting freedom more than forgiveness. ❤️ REVIEWS ❤️ Your story still pops into my head. I loved it. So different from everything I've read before - Eleanor of Corrupt Romantics

#ONC2026 |🏅Round 1 Ambassador Pick | Speaking to the dead is permitted, but raising the dead is forbidden. After discovering an unlikely copy of The Necrotic Guide, budding necromancer Emelie is both delighted and disgusted by the powers the book promises. Will it be enough to speak to her lost love again?

Book 1 of the Terran Restoration Series ⋆ ✦ ⋆ Formerly called Dark Night. Forensic Biologist Dr. Lark Whitmore is part of a survey team sent to planet M51-VCS‑6‑N1 one month ahead of a group of new residents. At first, the mission seems simple: study the land, catalog resources, identify profit regions, and ensure a smooth landing for those who will follow. But as the team explores breathtaking landscapes and discovers alien wonders, cracks begin to show. The planet is unpredictable, the corporation is profit-driven, and this dream "paradise" is far more hostile than anyone imagined. Stuck together under an impossible deadline, the researchers clash, compromise, and realize that trust-and perhaps something more-may be the only thing keeping them sane. A story of exploration, corporate greed, and moral compromise, where the frontier is beautiful, dangerous, and unforgettable. ⋆ ✦ ⋆ Best Ranks: #1 in Forensics #3 in Science Fiction-Space & Serious #4 in Coworkers #5 in Galaxy & Corporate #10 in Romantasy ⋆ ✦ ⋆ Themes and TWs: ememies to lovers (disagreeing corporate coworkers to lovers?), corporate greed and politics, death, gore, horror/thriller elements, suffocation, drowning, electrocution, gunshot, combat/military, forensics ⋆ ✦ ⋆ The cover of this book is composed of two of the Hubble Space Telescope's photos: the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) surrounded by a border of galaxies within the Hubble Ultra Deep Field.

In dedication to a boy with a purple pen: In therapy, they give me free cookies. A trickster's exchange of gluttony for my soul. They taste delicious. *** Qualified for 2 Rounds of ONC - I did NOT submit for the third/final round. I've opted to flesh this out for the Watty's ;)