The Valentinos have always been a family full of energy and passion, but more often than not, these emotions get twisted into the wrong circumstances. What happens when a new face worms it's way inside the household, disturbing the familial foundation and most importantly, attempting to replace what, or who, was lost?

When thirteen-year-old Maddie's world is shattered by her mother's sudden death, she discovers the existence of six older brothers she was separated from at the age of three. As she grapples with the unravelling of her once-familiar life, her brothers strive to protect her from lurking dangers. Amidst a dangerous terrain rife with secrets and threats, Maddie draws strength in the unbreakable bond of family as she navigates the shadows of her past to forge a new future. This the rewrite of 'Their Sister, Their Strength'. You'll notice that despite the same characters and world, there are several key differences. This is inspired by @werkapisze's Rodzina Monet which I'd highly recommend to read if you haven't already.

"You wanna stay alive?" The old man asks, eyes fierce with conviction as he speaks to me, "Real world or underground, be aware of the Blacks, kid. It's the best advice one can give." I hide a grin. I live with them, after all. "Be aware?" I ask in response, "Not be beware?" "Both," The old man nods solemnly. ~~~ Alina Black, the eldest of the Black siblings, is consumed by the future. Aurora Black, the youngest and most unaware, is obsessed with the past. Both sisters wake up and go to sleep with the same word on their lips: survival. Their seven brothers stumble through the present, recklessly, in ignorance of the word. Finally reunited, the siblings must reckon not only with themselves and each other, but also the chaos of human existence - especially their family's extravagant, immoral one. ~~~ OR more briefly: The one where a long lost sister returns to her mafia family (by stalking them) with a very not cliche plot (right from the beginning, because she's proactive and stalks them) but some cliche moments that everyone loves (like the second oldest brother being the gentlest with her).

Two years ago, the Kingston family learned what it meant to stumble through hell with battered hearts and betrayal running deep inside their veins. After barely making it out alive from the devastating consequences of a family history founded on lies and deceit, they slowly begin to pick up the shattered pieces of their lives in efforts to feel whole again. But as the remnants of their dark pasts continue to haunt their healing hearts, they are forced to come to the realization that sometimes, the aftermath can be just as deadly as the nightmare. [This is the spin-off to Caged + Freed, it cannot be read as a stand-alone] • • • Contains sensitive material (no cliches). Copyright © 2021 by luxedreams. All rights reserved.

Be careful what you ask for. When digging deep, you may uncover bodies. Maisie's life has been falling apart since her older sister went missing years ago without a trace. With a dead father and a mentally unstable mother, the teenage girl has been left in the care of her older brothers. When she bumps into hidden boxes in the attic, a web of lies and secrets unravel between her fingers. Pieces of what happened to her sister wait to be put together. And the complete puzzle might give Maisie more answers than she bargained for. Not just a mystery, a story about the ties that bind a family and have the power to break one. [extended summary inside] [contain mature themes] #1 littlesister #1dysfunctionalfamily

When an intruder breaks into her house, Tarryn's life is flipped upside down. Soon, she discovers her parents aren't the people she thought she knew and that their dark past that has caught up with her family, including a killer determined to cause chaos for her and her siblings.

Heartbroken after the betrayal of those who once meant everything to her, Isabella begins to pave her own path to freedom as she realizes that shared blood doesn't always mean family. And family doesn't always mean love. [This is the sequel to Caged. It cannot be read as a stand-alone] • • • Contains sensitive material (no cliches). Copyright © 2021 by luxedreams. All rights reserved.

****THIS IS A SEQUEL. To be able to follow this story, please read "Unravelling" first**** Lily has started into the new year with a mixture of confusion, curiosity, anticipation - and dread. Ever since her oldest brothers revealed some of the truth about their family's past, the 12-year-old soon-to-be-teenager is struggling to come to terms with all the new and partially heart-breaking information. For the first few months of the year, Lily has tried to stay true to her word and not dig any further into their past, at least not until Alex, her guardian, is willing to share more details with the younger kids. However, Lily's patience is slowly running out. So many things are occupying her mind. She is convinced that there is still a lot more to discover about her family, and she is not willing to wait much longer. What is their father's story and can she locate him? How did her sister die? When will she see Finn again? Why is Sean really moving back home? And what is the reason behind her brothers' weirdly secretive behavior? With the help from her friends and some of her siblings, Lily continues her journey of gradually unravelling her family's secrets. Will she be successful? Will the implications of her discoveries slowly dissolve her family or is she able to save these fragile relationships before it is too late? Join Lily once again as she juggles school, friends, family (meetings), the general challenges of growing-up, creepy stalkers, some tragedies and maybe even her first encounter with something akin to a crush in these rather eventful months of her life.

Young, innocent and always well-organized Hailie Monet under sad circumstances finds out about the existence of her five older, disgustingly rich, possessive and spoiled brothers. When she's forced to live with them, she discovers that their life is full of dangerous secrets which they are going to do their best to hide, especially from their little sister.

They will claim to be her salvation as they take her through hell. Left in the care of her brothers, Isabella starts to realize this as the truth begins to crack the surface of all that she has left and she realizes there is no escape. • • • A thriller/mystery based book about family. Contains sensitive material (no cliches). Copyright © 2020 by luxedreams. All rights reserved.