AMBY AWARDS TOP PICK 2024 ❤️ The knocking continued. And she continued to lie prone on the floor, her heart thudding desperately in her chest. Her brain was telling her something she couldn't allow herself to believe. Because there was only one thing she'd left in her garden. And it couldn't possibly be the thing that was trying to get her attention right now. "Hello?" A male voice shouted pleadingly all of a sudden. "I'm cold. Holly?" It couldn't be. Could it? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Holly Sprigg hates Christmas. It's forced fun at its very worst. It's the best way to bankrupt her. And it's a chance to feel even more alone than she usually does. But when she takes her nephew to see Santa, her life takes a bit of a turn . . . And suddenly, she has somehow created her dream man. Out of snow! What is the purpose of the mysterious "faux man"? And can he help Holly regain some of the festive spirit she lost so long ago?

Half of me was fantasising about the idea of Joe just throwing me, caveman style, on that pool table and having his wicked way with me, while the other half was already realising how hard it could be to get over him if that did happen. Maybe the moments of anticipation are better than the follow-through. Maybe I need to protect myself and see this as just a flirtation and nothing more. And, yes, maybe I need to stop overthinking every bloody thing . . . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When Sienna Norton decides to surprise her boyfriend, she's the one who ends up surprised - and heartbroken - when she discovers him with another woman. Her best friend Kate convinces her they should go on holiday abroad to help her move on . . . But once they reach the beautiful Greek island of Kefalonia, Sienna somehow ends up abandoned once again. Things start to look up, though, when she meets Joe, and they make an agreement to spend the rest of their holiday together. Joe is gorgeous, smart, and funny, and there's absolutely no denying there's chemistry between them - but Sienna hasn't expected to feel . . . *things* so soon, and Joe . . . well, there's definitely something he just isn't telling her. Will there be a chance for them to be *more* than just holiday buddies?

Remember when I said earlier I was glad there hadn't been a spark between us when we shook hands? Well, it must have just been on a temporary loo break or something because energy is now throbbing in the small space between us. Once again, I can't look away from him. Heat pulses through the hand he's holding. There's a look in his eyes too that I've never noticed before. And his pupils are rapidly dilating. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Socially awkward Chloe West prefers to live very much within the border of her own tiny comfort zone. The last thing she wants to do is go on a traditional Glasgow Subcrawl, but she's determined to be a good friend . . . even if it means she's a stressed mess the whole day. But let's not forget the following points . . . 🥂 The self-appointed subcrawl coordinator is determined to force fun on them whether they like it or not 🥂 Chloe's ex is going to turn up at any moment, possibly with his new girlfriend in tow 🥂 And, Liam, the guy who has always rubbed Chloe up the wrong way? Well, *he's* already there... Can she make it through this nightmare unscathed and complete the subcrawl? And will she find something unexpected in the process?

A Steamy, Small Town Romantic-Comedy Rated mature for explicit smut and language. Love forged in winter never withers... A sudden blizzard cancels Emilia's holiday plans. Stranded in her apartment, a string of bad luck ensues and complicates her day even more. Just as her festive spirit threatens to fade, her handsome neighbor, Lucas Sinclair, offers her a warm place to stay until help can arrive. With no other options, she reluctantly accepts his invitation to share his home for Christmas. As the snow piles up outside, Emilia discovers there's more to the grumpy man next door than she assumed. Their playful banter and a series of unexpected mishaps bring them even closer. Emilia must confront her growing attraction and decide if she's ready to embrace the surprising romance blossoming amidst the chaos of their winter wonderland. --- While this book starts at Christmas time, it's not a Christmas book. After chapter 10, it moves through the seasons. Dual POV. Heavy on the romance, lighter on the smut. There are three smut scenes and those chapters are marked with a fire emoji. Grumpy/BroodyxSunshine. He's Scottish, She is American.

When Christmas comes to the sleepy town of Hillbury, so does a love letter for Holly Ambrose - a love letter from a secret admirer. Amidst the yuletide balls and Christmas cheer of Victorian England, Holly vows to uncover the source of the letter, but will the self-avowed intellectual fall in love in the process? This Yuletide novella is twelve chapters long, with a chapter posted each day until Christmas beginning on Sunday the 14th. It's just a little christmas present to all my wonderful Wattpad friends.

Friends, Fumbles & Falling in Love Ethan Maxwell never put much stock in matchmaking-or Christmas miracles-but his best friend, Olivia Hart, thrives on both. Determined to find him the perfect partner before Christmas Eve, Olivia devises a plan: twelve dates, each with a woman who seems ideal on paper. But as mishaps, near-misses, and unexpected moments pile up, Ethan begins to realize that perfection was never what he was looking for. Meanwhile, Olivia starts to question if her determination to find him love was less about him and more about her own heart. As Christmas approaches, they'll have to decide if risking their friendship is worth the chance at forever.

Silence and Honey I talked enough for both of us. He listened like he might never let go. Runerth Castellion was the boy with the sharpest eyes and the quietest heart. He didn't talk much-didn't smile much either. But he always showed up. For me. I had known him since we were twelve. Since I decided I was going to be his friend, whether he wanted one or not. I was the chatterbox play school teacher who sings songs about dinosaurs and glue sticks. He was the grumpy heir to a mafia empire no one talks about out loud and a CEO of a heritage company. We were never meant to fit but we did and we did not at the same time. All that until the fate tested us. Tested me. In a world where healing feels impossible, our bond became a refuge, a promise that no matter how dark the night, dawn was waiting. This is a story about the strength found in vulnerability, the power of a patient heart, and the beautiful, messy journey toward a love that saves. Credit to the original owner of picture used in cover. I do not own it. 7 in comfortcharacter on 20th August, 2025.

When Penny Hale's not-so-imaginary friend shows up in her bedroom, he pulls her into a whirlwind summer adventure of magic and bees and romance. This short story first appeared in @RebeccaSky's Sunkissed Summer Fantasy Anthology.

Ulla Sensson has just turned over a new leaf in her life. She's given up her punk rock aspirations, has gotten a job as a low level editor in a publishing house, and is secretly harbouring the hope to see her own novel in print someday. When her boss, the publishing mogul John Holyoake, asks her to help his younger brother with his book, Ulla is hardly thrilled, but agrees nonetheless. Instead of a spotty teenager and a 'George R.R. Martin wannabe,' Ulla is presented with the most good-looking, well-mannered, and considerate man she's ever encountered in her life. So, where's the catch? He can't possibly be that perfect - and what is this weird feeling she's getting? Good thing, Ulla is over dating, romance, and even simple one-offs, otherwise being stuck with this specimen in a tiny cottage might become awkward - considering she keeps making one wrong assumption about him after another!

Jocelyn Burns returns to the county of Fleckney after ten years of building her teaching and education administration career in Bristol. She's divorced, disillusioned in romance and any sort of closeness, and set in her ways. When she's approached by a former pupil of Fleckney Comprehensive, Alexander Fergusson, a wunderkind mathematician and an owner of several lucrative businesses, including an ice cream parlour; Jocelyn is determined to resist the temptation, despite the magnetic attraction between them. How does one avoid melting in the arms of a man who is proficient in sugar and spice, and masterfully handles the cold? {The story is set in the imaginary county of Fleckney, just as the rest of my stories; but can be read independently}