**FAIR WARNING: YOU WILL HAVE TO BE PATIENT WITH CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, BUT IT IS THERE, AND WORTH THE READ. IF YOU ARE OVERLY SENSITIVE, DO NOT READ THIS BOOK* Logan Pierce and Noah Locke are sworn enemies. Both at the top of their class, holding themselves to the highest standards; both captains of their volleyball teams, Logan as the girls captain, Noah as the boys; and both constantly playing seemingly harmless pranks to get back at one another. Or, at least, they're usually harmless... If one thing is true, Noah Locke and Logan Pierce are not friends. But does that mean they could never be friends? Or transcend their title as enemies? Logan might take things too far sometimes, but there's a reason behind the angry front she puts on, and in order to get behind it, someone needs to show her that there's more to life than being the best at everything. Cue Noah Locke. When the two volleyball teams are sent away to a team bonding camp for a week over Fall break, Logan and Noah must learn to get along for the sake of their teams. Partnered up and made to do activities together and bond, the goal is for Noah and Logan to stop this ongoing feud. And when something happens at the bonding camp that brings Logan's vulnerable side up to bat, Noah is the one who has to bring her back. While Logan and Noah explore something other than hatred for one another, there are secrets and people who could be working in toll to bring them apart. But will they be able to transcend those factors and stop fighting for once? Or were they destined to be enemies forever? "Better Than You" challenges the idea that enemies have to stay enemies forever, and proves that if you don't run away from love, you may just find where you were meant to be.

At the age of twenty, Liam Dupont has too much on his plate. After the death of his parents, he becomes the guardian of his little brother and moves to Paris, determined to start over. His days follow the same pattern - work, gym, home... Until he meets Sky. Sky Sullivan is hiding lots of secrets behind the cheerful facade of a nineteen-year-old girl. After transferring to a university in the capital of France and renting an apartment she can't afford to pay for, Sky finds herself in desperate need of a roommate. Liam closed himself off to feelings. Sky has issues of her own. When Liam moves in with Sky, the friendship they form morphs into something much stronger and deeper. Surrendering to the undeniable chemistry between them has never seemed so easy. Giving their love a chance has never been so hard. Content warning: this story contains on-page depiction of sexual assault, violence and mention of DV that can be disturbing to some readers. Reader discretion is advised

UNEDITED Between his semi-committed addiction to smoking and his role as CEO of Elemental Coffee, Cassian Russell has spent the majority of his life running one of the most popular coffee shops on the Island with his best friend, Jake Swift. After an initial decision to expand their business, Cassian and his fellow investment partner, Penelope Montgomery, stay in West Kelowna to promote their business to a new winery. While Cassian's aware the head of the management team of Utterly Uncorked is someone he was madly in love with when he was a kid, he's not prepared for the unfathomable relationship that follows their reunion. Penelope Montgomery has been working double time to expand the horizons of Elemental Coffee since Jake and Cassian hired her, so when she's presented with the opportunity to help them open up shop in West Kelowna, with new responsibilities and additional incentives, she jumps on the job. Working with Cassian, the man she's been crushing on since they met during a business trip, is supposed to be easy, right? No. When Cassian reunites with an old friend and she sees the smouldering flame between them, things get harder for Penelope. How long can she watch the man she loves fall for another woman? After feeling out of place for decades, Penelope is more lost than ever. As time goes on, Cassian begins to realize the calamities of having a relationship with another big-corporation business person. Relationships come with a price, and he doesn't know if he's ready for the one he has to pay. And when a shocking new revelation comes to light, he's forced to make a choice between his company and the broody, cynical attributes of love.

UNEDITED Gemma Alder is used to being the unlucky one in the Alder family: from a nasty rumour about her back in high school to inexplicable mishaps, she seems to be the comical target for unfortunate situations. But if there's one thing she's good at, it's acting. After she graduated from high school, Gemma remodelled herself and decided to pursue a career in acting-but not in the way you think. Gemma Alder has managed to keep a steady business going across Vancouver Island by playing the fake girlfriend for various customers. Her job is difficult and sometimes it blurs the lines between acting and reality, but it's the only job where she can handle taking orders from the boss: herself. And when a ghost from her past appears, the very ghost that destroyed her reputation back in high school, comes to her, begging her to play the part to get an investor for his company off his back, Gemma take the job without a second thought. Because she sees this as a prime opportunity for revenge. Jake Swift is surprised with Gemma's decision but he's desperate to stop Olive Garcia, a well-known investor, from throwing herself at him. All Jake wants to do is make money and provide for his little sister, Hanna. After their parents died in a car accident, Jake has been the sole guardian of Hanna since he was seventeen and he has no interest whatsoever in a romantic relationship until his little sister has graduated from high school. Long story short, Gemma's agreement is a blessing in disguise. Until, that is, things start to go terribly wrong during his company's two-week getaway to a campground in the middle of nowhere. From unexplainable food poisoning to waxing cream in a sunscreen bottle, Jake can't seem to catch a break, which Gemma is pleased with. However, as time begins to tick away, both Jake and Gemma notice a similarity between themselves which, inevitably, leads to something more. Can the two of them forget the past? Or will their relationship go up in smoke?

Accidentally swapping phones with L.A.'s star quarterback upends reclusive author Mila's quiet life when they start to fall for each other. ***** Mila Lyne, published author and introvert by heart, tries her best to stay out of the spotlight. Then fate strikes, and she literally stumbles into Hayden's arms. Hayden Cross lives an extraordinary lifestyle that is the complete opposite of Mila's, but Hayden wouldn't be Hayden if he didn't chase what he wants. And right now, it's the mysterious brunette who accidentally fell into him and grabbed his phone. With only the power of words on display, the unlikely pair develop a connection that is stronger than it should be, one that has an unforeseeable impact on both Hayden and Mila's life. The question is: Will life and secrets get in the way, or are they strong enough to withstand the obstacles they're about to face?

They were a perfect storm; equal amounts of passion and ignorance ignited as one.

[STANDALONE] Jax Monroe is a teenage father. Before playing the role of a father he had the role of a player. He slept with different girls every night. One day his one night stand drops off his baby and leaves. It is now his responsibility to take care of his newborn babygirl. In school he is still considered the cold-hearted player but outside he's just a sweet father trying to make his daughter's life the best. Obviously with the responsibility with a child, it is harder for him to focus on school. He is behind and needs help. Brynn Knightly is a well known scholar. She isn't considered a nerd or geek. She's just known for all of her achievements. She is being offered community service time to help Jax pass all of his classes. Not everyone in the school knows that the player knocked up some girl and now had a daughter, but she will be the one of the first. Once she laid eyes on the 9 month old little girl, she can't get enough. What happens if she sticks around? What happens if Jax starts to gain feelings for Brynn? What happens is the little angel starts calling Brynn mama? 1MILLION: 01/01/21 2MILLION: 04/09/21 3MILLION: 07/09/21 4MILLION: 09/22/21 5MILLION: 12/12/21 6MILLION: 03/05/22 7MILLION: 07/05/22 8MILLION: 01/27/23 #4 in teen, #2 in highschool, #2 in tutor, #2 in player, #4 in badboy, #1 in teenparents, #38 in romance, #2 in football, #3 in teen, #1 in tutor, #3 in pregnancy, #2 in baby, #2 in friendstolovers, #1 in itsalwaysbeenyou, #1 in tutor

~ 2021 WATTY'S SHORTLIST ~ "I-well, I..." I hesitated with my response. I wanted to let go. To not worry about what would happen in the future. I'd always loved staring into fires. It hypnotized me with its beauty and danger. It was so tantalizing to look at, but one little touch could destroy. I knew the heat between Tyler and I was similar. It started off small but it had only grown in the weeks he'd been here. We'd fed it unintentionally, and it had gone from an ember to a crackling flame. Every nerve in my body wanted to reach out and touch it, even though I knew I'd get burned. *************************************************** Pia Callahan always lived a carefree life with no worries. Her only responsibilities were to attend her college classes (sometimes) and keep herself fed (on ramen). When tragedy strikes, Pia is all of the sudden thrown into a whirlwind of change. She has to grow up and take on more responsibility than she could ever imagine: the custody of her best friend's son. Pia may not believe she is the best person for the job, but she is determined to do it. She'll trade in frat parties for PTA meetings and beer-bongs for apple juice. But what happens when the ruggedly hot motocross athlete Tyler Westwood shows up in her small town? Tyler lives on the fast track, never caring too much about consequences. You can't when your job is to do backflips through the air. Sometimes, you just have to send it and hope for the best. From the second Tyler meets Pia, he knows he wants her. But she is determined to ignore their bubbling chemistry. She has priorities now and a summer fling isn't one of them. Will Pia be able to stay away from Tyler? Or will she decide to hit the throttle? ***************************************************

*Book One in the Every Other Memory Series* Elle Montgomery is a model daughter, student, sister, and friend with everything ahead of her. Her ambitious, A-type personality doesn't leave a lot of room for her to relax, and she struggles to find balance as life becomes more and more complicated. But when she finds herself drawn back to childhood friend and reluctant bad boy Greyson Pruitt, who she's loved longer than she can even remember, life as Elle knows it will never be the same - and neither will she. From the outside looking in, Greyson Pruitt has it all. A one way ticket to division one college hockey and fast track to the NHL, parents who are madly in love (emphasis on madly), and no shortage of girls who are interested in capturing his cautious heart. But no one can see his world crumbling around him as we watches his friend battle a potentially terminal illness, his sister move six thousand miles away, and his parents' unpredictable, rollercoaster relationship fracture. So when the girl he's looked out for all his life sees what no one else can, how is he supposed to say no to what she offers, what he's always wanted? The only thing standing in his way? The fear that his happiness will come at the expense of hers. Stay tuned!

Book 1 | Completed | My name is Hayden Price. I'm an eighteen-year-old senior in high school. Oh, and I'm the quarterback of the football team. My life has been basically mapped out since before I was born. Since my dad couldn't make it to the NFL due to an injury, his dream became my dream. He's been grooming me ever since my 3rd birthday. He put a football in my hands and BAM. Dream. Set. Match. It was all going according to plan for me. I was enjoying my life, partying, meeting girls, and planning my future as an NFL player. Then on the first day of my senior year, I woke up and something was...different. No, not something. EVERYTHING. Suddenly I was questioning what I wanted my life to be. I didn't feel the same. Then, there it was. That pivotal moment....when I saw her. Ranked #55 out of 10k stories! #featured Ignite Awards Participant #grandcafecommunity Awards Participant #dreamawards2k19 Participant Amazing cover done by @BitchIsMyReligion <3