"𝚒 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗'𝚝 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚜𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚝𝚜" 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚊𝚒𝚍 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚊 𝚜𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚌𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚍.... "𝚗𝚘𝚠, 𝚒 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝚒 𝚍𝚘" 𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚙𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝚋𝚒𝚝𝚎.... 𝑆ℎ𝑎ℎ𝑧𝑎𝑚𝑎𝑛 𝑀𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑘 𝑋 𝐼𝑙𝑚𝑎 𝐴ℎ𝑚𝑒𝑑

Valedictorian and Ivy League-bound, eighteen-year-old Hayat Amanullah seemed to have it all-until her oldest brother died in a car crash. Since then, the tight-knit Amanullah family has crumbled; now her mom never leaves her room, her dad buries himself in work, and her middle brother Ihsaan-once the carefree jokester-is withdrawn as he battles his own demons. Seeking comfort in her new role of caretaker, Hayat grows closer to her best friend's brother, Rameez Khan, whose attention offers her a temporary but troubling escape from the weight of loneliness and responsibilities. Further complicating her emotional turmoil is the inexplicable connection she feels towards her late brother's best friend, Mikaal Zaman, whose kindness and shared grief draw her in deeper. As Hayat struggles with loss and identity, her strained bond with Ihsaan begins to shift-gradually but meaningfully. And when picking up the pieces of her family is no longer enough to outrun her own grief, she's forced to confront the one question she's been avoiding all along: who is Hayat Amanullah after losing the version of herself that died with her brother? ~ #2 in revival: 3/26/24 #6 in startingfresh: 8/13/22

To the world, Allena Draknos is a cold, teenage model who doesn't care about anything or anyone. In reality, she's trying to protect herself and younger sisters from the wrath of their abusive uncle. To the world, Luca Romano, is Italy's golden boy. Rich, good looking, everything a girl wants. In reality he's the heir to a mafia he doesn't even want, and under control of his strict father. The two don't have much in common except for two things: the fear of arranged marriage, and a disdain for each other. But, if they want to save themselves and the people they care about they have to push that aside and convince the entire world they're dating. EXCERPT "There's no harm in holding in this out, at least until the threat of an arranged marriage passes." He argues. "I can't decide what happens to my future until I'm eighteen, and legally get my inheritance. That's months from now." I retort. "And I can't decide until the business gets handed over to me in a few months." Luca adds. "We keep this up until then, and then we break it off." "And what happens when they ask why we aren't engaged?" I ask. "They won't. We just need it to last for a little." He continues. "Plus, we'd barely have to see each other. I'd be in Italy, and you'd be here. Occasionally we can be seen together, for the press and our family." "They'll read right through us." I mumble. "Only if we let them." "This is insane." I whisper. "Well, then what do you say, bellissima? Want to go to insanity with me?"