The Reading Room
3 stories
Eternal Orchids by _LenaMiller_
_LenaMiller_
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When a beautiful but mysterious stranger offers nineteen-year-old Evelyn a fresh start, away from her tough life on the streets, desperation sees any initial doubts overruled by curiosity of the heart. But after arriving at Edenhall Park - an ancient, grand house where the young and beautiful appear to live wild and free - Evelyn soon begins to realise things are not quite as they seem. As Evelyn's heart starts to fill with love and desire, it soon learns to ignore her head and simply allow the beauty of Edenhall Park and its residents to consume her. One resident in particular, a beautiful but brooding boy named Arden, even more so than others. Can love really allow people to stay young and beautiful forever? Or are darker forces at work beneath the exotic blooms that grow with wild abandon throughout Edenhall Park's corridors? Within the confines of its secretive and seductive walls, it would appear nothing is impossible...
What If We Drown ✓ by brianamaewrites
brianamaewrites
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Ashlyn hasn't spoken a word since the age of eight, and her heart's never felt more protected. But, when the confident and ever so charming Derek stumbles into her quiet little world, her emotions-and forbidden desires-have never been so loud. ***** For twenty years, silence is all Ashlyn Holland has known. Haunted by the memories of her father, and the harrowing song of the ocean that stole him from her, Ashlyn maintains a safe distance from the rest of the world. Treading carefully the sea of fear and anguish that surrounds her, Ashlyn is determined to do all she can to protect her heart from such a tragic loss striking again. In silence, she grieves. In silence, she is safe. In silence, she finds the strength to breathe. But the silence can only last so long... Derek Moreno is charming and devoted, and quick to see through every wall Ashlyn erects. With his arrival in town, defences fold and walls begin to crumble, the songs of her heart reaching new heights. Together, they crest twin tides of fate, the silence she'd once sought engulfed by his gentle touch, and the whispers of a love thought impossible. For the summer, Ashlyn welcomes the noise. The disruption. But, the ghosts of Derek's past will no longer remain silent, and their deafening power has the potential to drag them both into a current strong enough to drown them amidst their heartache. 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟏 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ARCHER's VOICE x TEN TINY BREATHS meet in this journey through grief and the different stages of healing, finding love once thought impossible, and rediscovering one's voice.
Currents by tessalovatt
tessalovatt
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When Rosalie moves to the Outer Banks for the summer, sparks fly with the local lifeguard. *** British socialite Rosalie Harrington enjoys the power and respect that her position as Queen Bee brings, so she's horrified to hear that she'll be spending the summer in a remote American coastal town. With opportunistic friends and a rocky relationship, it's the worst time to leave London, and she drags her heels all the way to the Outer Banks. One day into her so-called holiday, a careless mistake has Rosalie fighting against a rip current. Fortunately, the local lifeguard is on hand to help. Brent might be an expert at saving troubled swimmers, but he is drowning in problems of his own and is far from impressed by this tourist's recklessness. The two of them couldn't be more different, but their attachment to the beach forces them together and sparks fly as they try to ignore the sizzling chemistry that soon develops. Rosalie and Brent are both about to learn that it's not just the ocean where there is more beneath the surface than meets the eye. Achievements: 2015 Wattys Winner #1 in Romance 𝗔𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗿: ❌ I do not use generative AI to write my books. ❌ I do not consent to my books being used to train AI models. ❌ I do not consent to my books being used to create AI-generated content.