When the unthinkable happens, nine-year-old Oakley Miller is thrust into a world no child should have to face alone. With her mum in a coma and a trail of buried secrets left behind, Oakley is sent to live with a father she's never met-and four half-brothers who feel more like strangers than family. But Oakley carries more than just a suitcase. She carries the weight of what happened. She carries the truth she's too scared to tell. And she carries a plan-one she wrote herself-to protect the only person who's ever loved her. To survive, Oakley must lie. To protect, she must pretend. To stay safe, she must not let anyone in. Not her new family. Not her social worker. Not even the quiet boy with glasses who sits beside her at lunch. But as more darkness begins to grow around her-and questions start to surface-Oakley begins to wonder: How long can she keep everything hidden? What happens when her story starts to unravel? She's only nine. And the truth? Might be the most dangerous thing of all. For the full story, go visit my Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/author/gracesmith.author

Free Sample: To the world, Oakley Miller shines. She's a rising track star. Fierce. Focused. Untouchable. With the Olympics in sight, she has no time for distractions-especially not the kind with tattoos, a bad reputation, and eyes that seem to see through every wall she's ever built. Justin Walker fights for a living. In the ring, on the streets, against the demons that never quite left him. Fame came fast and left scars. He doesn't do soft. Doesn't do complicated. And he definitely doesn't do girls like her-the kind that look like they've got everything, and yet carry a silence heavier than fists. But when Oakley becomes part of Justin's world, the collision is instant. They challenge each other. Hurt each other. Need each other in ways neither of them are ready to admit. Underneath the tension is something real. Something dangerous. Because neither of them has ever known love that didn't come with bruises. In a world obsessed with perfection, Oakley is slowly unraveling. Haunted by a past she won't speak of, and a future that demands more than she has left to give. And Justin-he's the only one who sees the cracks beneath the gold. But loving someone who runs isn't easy. And trusting someone who fights to push you away might be impossible. Golden Doesn't Glow is a gritty, emotional romance about two broken souls drawn together by pain, pulled apart by fear, and held together by something neither of them fully understands. It's about trauma that lingers, healing that hurts, and the fight to be loved without falling apart. Because not every golden girl wants to glow. Sometimes, she wants to survive. For the full story, go visit my Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/author/gracesmith.author

Nora Peterson's one goal is qualifying for and winning the National Ice Dance Competition. With her mom's health deteriorating, getting the cash prize at the NIDC is her only shot at saving her. She's focused and has her priorities straight. But in comes Nikolas Valentino: tattooed, brooding, and so not her type. Each having their own dark pasts, the two get to know each other and start to realize that maybe there's more to life than loss. Highest Rankings (so far): #1 in Icedance #1 in Coldplay

This is your standard girl-leaves-home-state-to-go-to-college-and-meets-the-boy-of-her-dreams-story. Except that it's not. It's more girl-leaves-home-state-meets-a-boy-and-goes-through-the-worst-trauma-of-her-life story. The girl in question is me, Carter Pruitt. The home state is New York, NYC actually. The college is the University of Minnesota. And the boy? Well, we'll get to him.

Started: 11/6/2020 Completed: 12/26/2020 "I hope you remember what I said, Atlas," he said. He went back to his firm tone of voice now that we were alone. He glanced up at me as he packed three pairs of jeans into the bag. I was too busy trying to figure out how the hell I had three brothers who suddenly wanted custody of me after all these years of me being in foster care that I didn't even remember what Mr. Harris had told me last night, but it clicked. He had told me those things because he knew that I was leaving him today. "You will never be loved by them if they find out what you are, what you've done. And if they do find out, I'm sure they'll send you right back here to me where you belong," he said calmly as he placed the rest of my turtlenecks next to the jeans and lastly put in a coat. He zipped the bag that he had apparently finished packing for me and I looked around the room. "Let's go," he said firmly holding the bag in his hand as he walked out of my room. I didn't know if I should be happy or scared to be leaving Mr. Harris. I never imagined that I would be leaving him. Ever. He had told me last year on my birthday that he was going to marry me when I turned 18 and aged out of the system. *** For Atlas Bishop, moving in with three older brothers she never knew she had meant a chance at freedom she believed she didn't deserve. But there's no rest for the wicked. Every decision she must make in her new life will hide the fact that she was harboring the devil inside, deceiving everyone around her so she doesn't get punished ever again. Ace Innocenti has never been in love before, but he's certain he's in love with an innocent angel, the new girl Atlas Bishop. He's determined to keep his anger issues in check and his illegal activities at bay to keep her that way. But, innocence has a dark side that lies and cheats, and Ace learns his lesson the hard way.

(Complete) Something bad happens to Dahlia when she reunites with her long lost sister in Sapphire Cove. And the only one who notices? Her sister's best friend- the annoying handsome, irritably arrogant, popular boy who Dahlia just happens to hate. This story in now in paperback and kindle ******

Trying to escape her home life in order to save her little brother, Skylar must decide between keeping secrets or saving herself. With the help of Beckett, her first love, and his family Skylar might be able to break the cycle and stop from becoming everything she hates. Preview: I gritted my teeth when I saw that Beckett was still sitting there. I released Waylin's hand and pulled Beckett up from the chair and across the hall. "What do you want?" I asked harshly, trying not to raise my voice. "Nothing, I just thought you might need somewhere to stay. You said that you didn't have any relatives in the area, and I figured you and Waylin could stay at my house. My parents wouldn't mind." I rolled my eyes and took a deep breath to compose myself. "What makes you think I would want to stay with you? Huh?" I asked. He didn't flinch at my words, but looked sadly down at me. "Please, just put the past aside and do what's right for Waylin." "Don't you dare tell me what is best for Waylin! I've been taking care of him pretty damn well his whole life. You have no right to assume otherwise about my decisions." He put up his hands in surrender and sighed. "Look, I don't know why your mom is in the ICU, I don't know anything, okay? I just know that you're going to need somewhere to stay where there are actual adults because you aren't his guardian, and I don't see any social workers around. So, what? You told them you had a family member coming to get you, right?" I rolled my eyes and he continued. "Right. So, what are you going to do when they send social services to your house?" What Readers Are Saying: "I loved this book! You are a beautiful writer!" -Gliterrrtears

Leonardo Giovanni became a father at the age of twenty. The new mafia Don was a closed off cold man that left people shaking in fear. He loved his daughter Maggie so much. He changed his ways for her. Leo wanted the best for his little girl. But one morning all of that changed. When he went to wake her up his bright bubbly baby was not in her crib. Her window was wide open and all of her baby stuff, including her little elephant stuffy was gone. Fourteen years later little baby Maggie is running from the cops for the third time that month. The cops are sick of her and even more sick of trying to locate this girls mother. Finding no luck they dig through the system hoping that someone can claim this mischievous teenager. One day at work Leo gets an unexpected call from a police station on the other side of the country. When he finds out it's his daughter he jumps right on to the opportunity of seeing her. Maggie has a lot of secrets and a bounty on her back. How can the friendly, bubbly, talkative girl escape her demons? How can Leo a cold mafia Don raise an energetic fifteen year old? How will Leo get Maggie's trust? Will their fiery attitudes clash? What happens when Leo finds out about his daughters past? TW - Abuse, Drugs, SA, Alcohol, Fighting Not edited. Started: 01/15/2022 Finished: 05/03/2022

"Go ahead and be mad at me, but when you, someone I care about is at risk, even the slightest bit of danger, I'm going to do and say whatever I want to protect you. I rather have you safe and hating me than hurt and being okay with me." When fifteen-year-old Arabella Diaz tries to protect herself from her abusive mother, she decides to confront the issue from the source. Little did she know the "issue" will be her savior and only chance of happiness. WARNING: Story contains strong language and abusive and depressing scenes, possibly a trigger for some. "i genuinely loved this book, it was so wholesome !! i loved how their father-daughter relationship progressed !! & i am so proud of them both !! i love them so much <3." "This was such a satisfying read. Thanks for sharing the story of Arabella and Tobias" "Absolutely loved this book definitely going to the same reading list as your other book, I can't wait to see your future work as well" "This book is so underrated" Post on May 11, 2022 50k on July, 2022 100k on September 24, 2022 150k on December 25, 2022 200k on April 4, 2023

"People you trust? What about her? What happens when she's stuck with people she doesn't trust?" When William Granger agreed to babysit for a few hours, he didn't know that he was agreeing for his whole life to turn upside down. After finding out that seven-year-old Agnes Hensdela was abandoned by her parents, William knows what he should do, but is he strong enough to grow as a person and fight for what's missing? Some chapters are boring, some will make you cry or scream or laugh. Read and find out which is which. WARNING: This story contains strong language. "I am sad that the book's over but it was so precious! And I am definitely mad that it has still not received much acknowledgement!" "bro why heart feel so heavy to end this book but overall this book is SO GOOD, i love their bond so much, how Will face all the struggles to be a dad ugh he should get award or smtg love this book <33 i'll come back later" "PLEASE THIS BOOK IS SO000 GOOD WHAT THE HECK I LOVE THIS SO MUCH IM CRYING" "my heart is in a million pieces" "i'm literally in tears right now" "I LOVE THEIR BOND SO MUCH" Post on March 21, 2021 50k on January 22, 2022 100k on July 24, 2022 150k on April 11, 2023