Can beauty come out of ashes?

The Legardas Book One - Lynd's Story Lynd was a playboy, born a playboy's son, and raised a playboy. Isang normal na gawain na para sa kanya ang magpapalit-palit ng nobya. Kaunting bola lang ay kusa nang bumibigay ang isang babae. At kapag nagsawa na siya rito, agad na hinihiwalayan niya ito, and he would proceed to a new one. Ngunit iba talaga ang topak ng isang Shenise, ang kauna-unahang babaeng tumanggi sa kanya-isang babaeng pinaliguan ng sandamakmak na katarayan at isang babae na ni lamok ay matatakot dumapo rito. He planned to play with her. Mukha kasing masaya itong paglaruan. But his game turned out to be her game. Siya ang naakit nito, siya ang nahumaling dito, at siya ang naghahabol dito. Never pang nangyari iyon sa history ng mga Legarda. The moment his arms were around her, everything changed. He found... love.

A Legarda Series Spin-off - Mico & Sugar's story (I suggest you read this after Race Me to Your Heart) Galit si Sugar kay Mico. Iyon ay pagkatapos siyang iwan nito pitong taon na ang nakararaan na walang naging balita rito sa mga panahong iyon. Pero isang araw ay bigla na lang itong bumalik sa buhay niya at sinabing nais nitong bigyan uli ng pagkakataon ang relasyon nila. Tumanggi siya pero mapilit ito. Niligawan uli siya nito. Sinikap niyang bale-walain ang lahat ng efforts nito, dahil takot siyang mahalin ito. Hindi na niya kayang masaktan-especially for the same reason and with the same person. Pero kaya ba niyang panindigan ang desisyon niya gayong araw-araw ay palaging ito ang naiisip niya at unti-unting napapaniwala nito ang kanyang puso na mahal siya nito at hindi siya sasaktan?

Written: 2008 Published: 2009 under Precious Hearts Romances Ela hated Valentine's Day. Para kasing ipinamumukha ng araw na iyon na tigang ang kanyang buhay-pag-ibig-since birth. Habang ang kanyang mga kapatid at kaibigan ay masayang-masaya sa kanya-kanyang love life, siya ay nagmumukmok at tinatanong ang kapalaran kung kailan niya matatagpuan ang kanyang "The One." Hanggang isang araw, napansin niyang may nag-iiba sa kanya. Tinutubuan siya ng pagnanasa sa guwapong si Cyprien Sy. Nagsimula siyang maging aware dito at sa mga magagandang physical attributes nito na dati naman ay dead-ma lang sa kanya. Naiisip niya kung gaano kasuwerte ang babaeng magiging prinsesa nito sa resort na pamamahalaan nito balang-araw. Sa wakas yata ay sinagot na ng kapalaran ang tanong niya tungkol sa kanyang "The One." Okay lang sana ang lahat kung hindi lang nagkataong si Cyprien Sy ay ang kanyang best friend...

Written: 2010 Published: 2011 under Precious Hearts Romances The Serenity Band Series Book One - Rhyken's Story She wanted to be that person who would make him smile again, sweep him off his feet and make him head over heels in love with her. Marione was searching for her Romeo. Nakita niya kay DJ Dee, a love doctor who answered all the women's love problems, ang lahat ng qualities ng man of her dreams. He was perfect. He cured broken hearts. Maging ang problema niya sa puso ay naghilom din dahil sa programa nito sa radyo. She was sure she was in love with him. Hanggang sa nakilala niya si Rhyken, ang lalaking kabaligtaran ng dream boy niya. He was arrogant and he pissed her off every time they met. Ayaw niya rito. Naiinis siya kapag nakikita niya ito. He was the kind of man who didn't deserve to be loved. Pero hindi niya maiwasan ito dahil ito lang ang daan niya para makilala niya si DJ Dee. Ngunit nang araw na makakaharap na sana niya si DJ Dee, pakiramdam niya ay ayaw na niyang makita ito dahil nababaling na kay Rhyken ang pagmamahal niya.

Written: 2012 Published by PHR: February 2013 The Serenity Band Series Book Two - Jarvis' Story "Mahal talaga kita. Pinigilan ko, kinontrol ko at iniwasan ko, pero hindi ko nagawa dahil tuwing makikita kita, nakikita ko rin ang lahat ng rason kung bakit kailangang mahalin kita." Heather didn't know the exact meaning of love. Pero nang makilala niya ang isang Mark Jarvis Fuentes sa isang blind date ay para siyang hinampas ng pag-ibig sa kanyang mukha. He brought unexpected feelings to her-na para bang tuwing makikita niya ito ay biglang pumapasok sa isip niya ang "forever." He awakened feelings in her that she didn't know she could feel. Ang buong akala niya ay una at huling beses na makikita niya si Jarvis sa blind date na iyon. But destiny played a trick. He ended up pretending to be her boyfriend. She expected the attraction, she expected the spark, and she expected being bedazzled by his charms. Pero dapat ba niyang hayaang tuluyang mahulog ang loob niya rito?

The Legardas Book 3 - Ethan's Story Ethan Legarda didn't believe in love. For him it was a myth and at the same time, a curse. Isa pa, hindi niya kailangang ma-in love para lang magkaroon ng babae-mga babae-sa buhay niya. He had them voluntarily knocking at his door. Pero hindi yata sila pareho ng takbo ng isip ng isang Farrah Veronica Hearth. She stormed into his life like a rocket and hit his heart. Ngunit hindi lamang ang kagandahan nito ang kumalampag sa buhay niya kundi ang kagustuhan nitong pakasalan siya. All he was planning to do was to scare her off. Ngunit wala siyang natupad ni isa sa mga balak niyang gawin para lumayo ito. He kept reminding himself-Ethan Legarda was careless, emotionless, and insensitive. Pero iba siya sa piling ni Farrah. He knew he had no heart. Ngunit tuwing kasama niya ito, unti-unti siyang nagkakapuso.

When Bride Lopez loves, she does it with all her heart. It was her strength and her weakness. Kaya n'ong minahal niya si Slance Aquino ay alam niyang binigyan niya ito ng kakayahang saktan siya. Slance and she were from different worlds. He was one of the popular kids then and she was just...well, Bride. Slance Aquino was tired of pain. He was tired of going after every person he loved. He was tired of being run away from. He was tired of loving people who ran away from him. Kaya hindi niya alam kung bakit gan'on nalang ang kapit ng pagmamahal niya kay Bride kahit na isa ito sa mga taong tinakbuhan siya. Hindi niya alam kung bakit mahal na mahal niya ito kahit na ito ang taong may pinakamalakas na kakayahang saktan at sirain siya. He wanted to unlove her. Ten years later, fate decided to play a trick on both of them. They met again, now adults who were experiencing individual issues. Bride saw the meeting as a chance. Slance saw it as a means to closure. Bride thought that allowing herself to succumb to what she felt for him would ease the pain of longing she had for him. Slance thought that the only way to prevent her from hurting him again was to hurt her first. Both were wrong decisions that they had to suffer from because fate's game was just starting. Mula sa isang pagkikita ay nasundan pa iyon ng marami pa. Slowly, from one pain to another, Bride and Slance came to realize that the path to a perfect love was paved with pain. And no matter how much they try to run away from each other, their hearts were born to be one. © Mary Ruth Baloy Published 2015 by Lifebooks

Written: 2012 Published by PHR on August 2013 The Serenity Band Series Book 3 - Zhen's Story "I only looked at you once and I never looked away. It took me one blink to know you're beautiful. Two to know I love you. And three to make me want to marry you." Corinne Yelis swore she will never fall in love again. Not after she witnessed how her father hurt her mother and how the only man she loved fooled her for another girl. Para sa kanya, tapos na ang chapter na iyon sa buhay niya. Kumbinsido na siyang masaya siya at hindi niya kailangan ang isang lalaki para kompletuhin ang buhay niya. Pero mukhang hindi siya ang may hawak ng desisyon na iyon. Tatlong taon pagkatapos ng breakup nila, bumalik sa buhay niya si Zhen Cylix Ereje. He was three times more handsome; three times sure he still loved her and three times more determined to get her back. Pero desidido siyang tanggihan lahat ng ka-sweet-an na ipinapakita nito. In fact, she refused to see him at all! But destiny didn't share the same sentiments. Lagi sila nitong pinagtatagpo. Ano ang gagawin niya ngayong ang tadhana at si Zhen ay nagkaisa para muling mapaibig siya?

Lost Island Series #5: "Listen to the song, to the symphony of the sea and sail towards the love that was lost yet found again." Cathalina once called the palace her home, but now it feels like a cage. Sheltered, hidden, and controlled, she was nothing more than a puppet, obeying the commands of those who dictated her life. Lost and lonely, she realized it was time to break free and rediscover herself. When her parents announced her arranged marriage, she had reached her limit. She refused to let others decide her fate any longer. This time, she would make her own choice-to search for the man her heart truly longed for. Fleeing into the night, she found herself aboard a ship, where she met the tall, enigmatic, with striking midnight-black eyes, and handsome Captain Lucian Alessandro Castanier. Would their love rewrite a fate that's been sealed long ago? Could it defy fate? Could it defy the very forces that threaten to tear them apart-even death itself? As they sail together upon the endless sea, will they reclaim a love that was once lost? Or would the cruel destiny make history repeat itself? Book 5 of Lost Island Series Note: Please read the first four stories related to this series before this one. Or, you can read any of the first four then this if you prefer. But I suggest you'll read this last for more thrill.