Always willing to put herself last, Catalina Juárez has never rocked the boat. But that all changes when her father insists she marry a man she cannot stand to be near. Hopping into a carriage for hire, she spends the last of her money on a ride to nowhere. Because this mysterious carriage has one rule: you go where it takes you. Well, that was a waste of money, because she isn't even to the edge of town before she's unceremoniously dumped off at a train station. With no money to buy a ticket and no time to think of another plan, Catalina pushes through the crowd and onto the train. Marcos Caballero has never met a problem he didn't want to solve. Traveling alone on a ticket meant for him and a woman who didn't want to be with him, he's taken in by the scared, doe-eyed look of the woman in the dining carriage. She's ticketless and alone; he's lonely and has an excess ticket. Stepping in to save her, he claims her as his wife, not really expecting her to play along past the point of danger. But she quickly steps into the role with ease, acting as if they've known each other their whole lives. Somehow, it seems like they might have. But being on the run from troublesome and powerful fathers isn't without its struggles, and Catalina and Marcos are going to have to decide how much they are willing to risk to put love ahead of duty. ~ * ~ * ~ This is one of the five novellas I'll be writing for this year's ONC! You can find the rest (Hang it Up, Christmas at the Cabin, Love Lies & Red Eyes, and I Don't Want to be Queen) on my profile! For this story, I selected prompt 9. "There's an urban legend that's been circulating for years about a taxicab that doesn't take you where you want to go, but where you need to go. One night, you stepped into this cab." Except make it pre-car-era.

When a laid back and rudely gorgeous city girl comes for her farmer's market crown, Sabina's dream of joining the family honey business is threatened - and her heart may just get stung too. *** Now that she's graduated high school, Sabina is ready to join her family's honey business, but her parents are convinced that there's no future for her in her small town. They're set on sending her to university, which she knows will be less fun than getting swarmed by angry bees. To prove that her place is on the honey farm, Sabina plans to impress her parents by winning the Best Vendor prize at the summer farmer's market. Her quest for the sweet prize gets sticky when a pretty city girl steals her table at the market and doesn't even feel bad about it. Mel's family has been the enemy of Sabina's for generations, and now this otherwise easygoing girl seems determined to continue the feud by beating Sabina to the Best Vendor prize. The competition would be no problem for Sabina... if Mel wasn't also gorgeous and maybe even a little funny. Sabina didn't plan for feelings, and if she gives in to the temptation she may lose her honey farm dreams. But Mel's love might be the one thing sweeter than honey, if she can avoid the sting. *** Complete at 82k words. *featured on Wattpad's Cottagecore Cute and A Latte Love reading lists*

"Escort the Federation team. Keep them out of trouble." Those were Octavia Tiberius's first orders out of cryosleep. As a Guardian of the Amaranthian Empire, it was her duty to represent and protect her people. She expected it to be just like the simulations; guns, ships, explosions and the like. What she didn't expect was to fall in love. How does a cyborg soldier find a shoulder to cry on in the middle of a war? Is there room for a heart within the suit of armor? What is a person if not their soul? And what will it take to end this war once and for all?

Calla has no memory of her childhood except for some hazy, recurring nightmares. But she doesn't really mind. As a servant in Kiriong, the picturesque terrace-garden home to the Hennans, one of the most influential families in the radiant Kamphua Dominion, she's content to live a simple life, untouched by the troubles of the world. As long as no one finds out about the forbidden magic stirring under her skin. When the estranged first-born son of the family, Gray - a magic-user himself in servitude of the Queen - returns home while tracking a runaway mage, the secret Calla has kept to herself for so long threatens to break to the surface. And as the turbulent tides of long-forgotten magic draw the two of them together, she finds it harder and harder to deny the power inside her. But Gray knows more than what he admits. And although in the aftermath of a vile political plot targeting him, finding out what happened to Calla in those forgotten years might be their only chance to survive, that knowledge could break them both. It could break the entire world.

Overly cautious and hopelessly single Julie Kendrick is finally getting over her one failed attempt at love. But now she has to join her serendipitously paired off siblings for their annual family Christmas gathering in Quebec City. Alone. Unless her mother has her way and manages to pair her off with a local who, to hear her tell it, could solve Julie's man drought. Desperate to avoid the family matchmaking game, Julie enlists her friend Christian Xie to help her run interference, but he only agrees on the condition that they tell their families they are dating. And with her options looking thinner than a cookie sheet, Julie sees no other choice but to settle into a routine with Christian. But just as she's ready to take the fake part out of dating Christian, her first and only love, Ronan Tremblay, comes waltzing back into her life. Torn between a residual love for both men, Julie tries to keep up appearances with her family while allowing Ronan a chance to redeem himself. But going from dating no one to juggling two men at once might prove to be more than Julie can handle. Especially with her family still trying to set her up with that local gentleman. ~*~ Featured in @romance 's Hot for the Holidays reading list: July, 2022 ~*~ This story is now complete! Feel free to binge read at your leisure.

They would sing his name for generations: the man who conquered the continent. Undefeated in battle, Andar of Tyr stands on the precipice of uniting the world under his flag. The songs forget the shadowy truths and the crushed opposition that built the foundations of his empire. Educated and impulsive, brutal and loved, Andar fights to keep his conquests and his legacy. Yalira dao Eheia, High Priestess of the temple-city Antalis, is the youngest chosen by the goddess of truth. Gifted with visions of the future and the uncanny ability to sense lies, she alone fights to oppose the most powerful man in the world. Surrounded by jealous queens and conniving politicos, even goddess-blessed Yalira must challenge him the only way permitted: she must play his game better than anyone. Trapped in the heart of his empire, stolen as his ninth-wife, Yalira uncovers dark secrets in the battle to overthrow a tyrant. Behind each twisted truth live vipers and wolves, hungry to consume the world.

Sancha is no longer a Warbound soldier forced to serve The Warmaiden's Empire and their bloodthirsty deity, but the magic runes tattooed onto her arm will always remind her of who she once was. When evil forces commit an unholy murder, Sancha finds herself stuck at the heart of the investigation - headed by the god who once saved her. She must be willing to call upon the very magic she once cursed all while navigating her increasingly complicated feelings for the mysterious god of death-- made more difficult by Sancha's increasingly suspicious ties to the evil forces. Warbound is a queer fantasy adventure story starring friendship, magic, dead gods, and a dash of gay pining. Rated ~16+ for violence and horror! !! Beautiful Cover done by shinrili!! (Chapters with full name titles have gone through two rounds of editing)

Two queens. One throne. A diverse kingdom chocked full of hiding magic, beasts, and a landscape reshaped to benefit the rich and royal. Marie Rithorne finds herself caught in the middle of it all when an unstoppable power is forced on her to instill fear in Rivian's queen. Acting within reason, Marie makes a foolish mistake and comes face to face with her worst nightmare. Instead of death, she's given an alternative. To pin herself against Rivian's adopted prince. Cloak Terravale has fallen on hard times, and he might not admit it, but he needs Marie more than either of them realizes. While keeping a dark secret, Marie holds the prince's inner demons at bay and makes the brave decision to combat his magic-removing forces to protect her own kind, others with magic forced upon their souls. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Beautiful cover made by @Sinadana Rated Mature due to mild violence and mild profanity This story is mass-uploaded

[20 Chapter Preview of 2021 Edition. 2025 Edition coming soon to Amazon] Fearing for Will's life, Alex crosses the Rim to save him from the Rhean monarchy, but the dark truths awaiting her will make her question everything. ***** Two months have passed since the battle at Holly, and Alex has worked tirelessly to master her power. Training under the Command has taken a toll on her health, but she welcomes the distraction - anything to keep her mind off the elusive Rhean prince. No one has heard from Will since his departure, and while her peers implore her to wait for his return, Alex has never known patience. Accompanied by two unlikely allies, she ventures into Rhean territory, desperate to save her friend. But one rescue mission might just cost her everything. ***** (Book 2 in the Ephemeral Series)

Paladins Series 1: In the great kingdom of Vasconia, in the mountain city of Gwenael there is a group of powerful women known as the Paladins who seek to protect their people and their king with gifts given to them by their Lord. Colette Toinette lives far from all of that in a small border town. Though she has a great attitude and big dreams and a plan to join the military and fight for her people. She is going to enlist, no matter what she has to do. Then enemy troops attempt to invade her town and she has to prove her worth to the High Knight Nicolas Sacha in the real heat of combat. Though unwilling to accept her at first, he begins to see something in her that no one else has before, and he believes she is an unknown Paladin. War is on the horizon, and thousands of lives are at stake. Colette has never lost a fight before, she certainly doesn't plan on losing a war. But she has never been in a real batter before. And she has never felt her heart beating the way it does when she looks at Nicolas before. Can she overcome his dark past, and her own trials to protect her kingdom, or will she finally feel the sting of defeat?