Sometimes all you really need is a place to call home. *** Claire is lost and scared and utterly alone. Her family is in shambles after the death of her older sister Ina, and she's left to pick up the broken pieces of herself as her life heads into a downwards spiral of loneliness. Her heart leads her to 5:48, a little cafe by 33rd street, where she finds her new home. With a broken heart and a speech disability, Jasper has his heart and mouth sewn shut by the winding threads of hurt and fear. Painting and serving coffee in cafe 5:48 are one of his last few saving graces, but the smile he's been painting on himself will soon fade away as everything he's ever held dear slips away from his grasp. Ezra is out-of-sync and oddly cold by the way life has treated his young self. Abandoned by his single mother at an early age, he has grown up thinking that he is a mistake. His constant shaking hands are a reflection of what he often thinks of himself, but the delightful pastries he bakes for 5:48's customers are a reflection of what others see of him. Drew is a quirky rarity. He is a dash of loud, a pinch of exuberant, and a cup of eccentric - just like the meals he serves in the cafe as the only chef there. Behind his playful grins and outlandish clothes, however, are his jutting ribs, hollowed cheeks, and too-thin arms. Sometimes he cannot stomach being in his own skin as much as he cannot stomach food. This family has gone a long way from finding each other, and they'll be going a long way together too as reality comes catching up to them, threatening the newfound happiness they've found with each other. Secrets are revealed, pasts become presents, and lives are changed. Slowly but surely, they find their way back home. *** NOTE AS OF 08/2026: This is the old version of the story from 2012, posted in FULL. Another story that will be considered a reprise of this old version is in the works, and will be posted under the name "Hiraya House."

Sam is the most promising swordsman among this year’s crop of Paladin trainees...and knows it. Brash, cocky, and unbeatable with a sword (well, almost), Sam is the kingdom of Thule’s best hope against the violence wrought by demons. The only problem is that Sam is really Lady Samantha, daughter of the seventeenth Duke of Haywood, and if her father has his way, she’ll be marrying a Paladin, not becoming one. But Sam has never held much interest in playing damsel-in-distress, and so she rescues herself from a lifetime of boredom and matrimonial drudgery. Pity that Tristan Lyons, the Paladin assigned to train her, is none other than the hero of her childhood. He hasn’t recognized her as Lady Samantha--yet-- but if he does, he’ll take away her sword and send her packing. Sam is not the only trainee hiding secrets: Braeden is a half-demon with a dark past that might be unforgivable. Sam, Braeden and Tristan set out for the western coast, charged with rooting out an infestation of demons that has made the West unlivable. As they travel, they uncover a deep-seated corruption of power that threatens to derail everything they stand for. Rebellion stirs, led by a rival faction of warriors who tempt Sam to join them with an irresistible offer. A war between men is coming, and Sam must pick a side. Will saving the kingdom cost her life -- or just her heart? Reminiscent of Mulan, but with a medieval fantasy twist, Paladin is a tale of adventure, action, and romance.

Born with a damaged heart, Leanna Weston has lived a sheltered life with little chance at adventure. When she hears that Finvarra's Circus is coming to her small town, she sneaks off to witness the magic first hand, sure that this is her only chance at experiencing true magic-even if the frightening rumors about the heartless Ringmaster, Finvarra, are true. Caught by Finvarra, Leanna is given one chance at survival: she must join the circus. As slowly she becomes part of the strange family, Leanna learns that there is more than magic to this circus, but an ancient curse that has tied Finvarra's life to its rings. If the circus fails, he dies. Leanna vows to save the circus, but when a ruthless enemy emerges, set on destroying it and Finvarra, will Leanna be able to save them both, or will her broken heart fail her just when she needs it most? Cover Artist: Lisa Rhodes

'Watching your brother go down for rape sounds like a difficult task, right? Try being the girl in the witness stand, the victim.' Most people ignore Kat Price and go straight for her perfect, confident and attractive older brother, Finn. The day that Finn goes down for rape, Kat's in the spotlight, Kat's the one with the answers. She also just wants to be left alone, remain invisible and live happily with her mum and her horse without the gossip and drama. So, what happens when a brooding boy with beautiful eyes and a love for horses is thrown into the mix? Eli is the proud new owner of Finn's old mare, Tempest. He doesn't know about Kat's haunting past or why she's so skittish. All he knows is that he's desperate to help. Headstrong and broken is how Eli describes Kat when he first see's her. But is her past too shattered and her heart too destroyed for Eli to fix?

Epic, mind-bending, and as sweet as it is vicious, Lani Lenore’s Nevermor is a dark fantasy based on the legend of Peter Pan, geared toward a more mature audience. Recommended for 16+ – In 1873, 15-year-old Wren longs to escape her life in a London orphanage. Prompted by a world she sees in a dream, Wren begins to believe in a world called Nevermor, an island at the edge of the universe, where all dreams go. She discovers the Rifter, a wild and volatile but handsome boy, who guards the realm of dreams from terrifying nightmare creatures. Wren begins to desire her own life there – to escape with her brothers without fearing that anyone will separate them. Wren falls in love with Nevermor – and with the Rifter – and yet the more she learns of a conflict between the Rifter and a wicked, black-hearted man called the Scourge, the more she comes to realize that Nevermor is not a place for children.

Smile, nod, and follow. That's slightly most of Elea's life living in the shadow of her beautiful best friend Marilyn--naturally second place to this first place kind of girl. When she meets Liam, the tall, sweet smelling, not to mention good-looking guy Marylin is friends with things might look up. Or not. Through time and distance, Elea will finally find herself and maybe even have her own happily ever after.