"Because you're the fucking Queen," he said as though it were obvious. "And I don't just mean the title of it or your birthright. That display today, you leading the attack on those men... you're more of a Queen than your brother will ever be a King. As much as I would have loved to see you cower before the men running at you in an attempt to kill you, the fact remains that you battled them with more ferocity than even my own Second. You deserve someone who matches that, someone who will treat you with such equality and recognizes your true core. You deserve nothing less than someone who would burn this kingdom to the ground for your salvation."

[WATTYS 2016 WINNER!] [COSMOPOLITAN Featured!] Trapped in her white trash hell, Layla Danner is failing at life. Her friend Peyton? Everybody thinks he's perfect, a staggeringly rich, handsome, and well-mannered story book prince. But they don't know what Layla knows. And she'll never tell. Jake? Jake's trouble. A down and dirty charmer, this one's got a devil-may-care attitude and a mouth to match. Everything goes to hell in a handbasket when he shows up to town one summer. Layla never meant to fall in love. All she wanted to do was finish her senior year, get the hell out of this town and never, ever look back. But when mysterious secrets from the boys' past refuse to stay buried, Layla must decide how far she'll go for a chance at a once in a lifetime love. Follow three unforgettable characters in this captivatingly melodramatic, soap-operatic, and larger-than-life tale of first loves, loyalty, intrigue and the magic of growing up. ♦️WARNING: This writer is a hopeless romantic with a filthy mouth and a dirty mind who loves to re-work cliches. The style of the story reflects this. Also, some dark themes. ♦️