[thewattys2025 SHORTLIST] "You're nothing. Just a sad, pathetic girl hiding behind your books. Maybe if you weren't so weak, you wouldn't be such an easy target."-Ethan "I don't care what you think of me, Ethan. I never have."-Mira

"𝔼𝕍𝔼ℝ𝕐 𝔽𝔸𝕄𝕀𝕃𝕐 ℍ𝔸𝕊 𝕊𝔼ℂℝ𝔼𝕋𝕊" - - - "My name is Hazel, but most people call me Ze. I'm from Melbourne, and love Taylor Swift." I cringe at my own words, and think back to a time where Fletcher was one of the only people calling me Ze. "Does anyone have questions for Miss. Bolivi?" Fletcher asks, and I hate the way my father's last name sounds on his lips. Lots of students raise their hands, and I feel overwhelmed. People actually want to learn something about me? "Yes, Miss. Abbott. Ask away," Fletcher says to one of the girls who is seated at a table at the front of the class, with other kids who all look bitchy like her. "Are you related to the Bolivi brothers?" Her disgustingly sweet voice pukes out. "My last name is Bailey," I say coldly, hating how that was her only query about me. - - - Hazel Bailey. She's your typical Australian teenage girl. From going out with friends every Friday night, to crushing on university boys. But what happens when this seemingly normal girl experiences the loss of her mother? Fearing that she's going to go into foster care, Hazel begins to stress, but she quickly discovers that she's not going to go into the system. Instead, her five older brothers have gained custody of her. The same five older brothers she never knew existed. Something about them seems off, and Hazel can't help acting wary. But they're not the only ones with secrets. Join Hazel in a journey of lies, love, attachment, and humor.

Serenity [Sir-ren-ity] : The state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled. Chaos [Kay-os] : Complete disorder and confusion. ♕♕♕ With being the Don of one of the biggest and baddest mafia families Luciano was never at ease with himself. He never felt like he was sane. Always shedding blood, murdering, selling drugs, robbing banks. He was so much chaos. He needed peace. Serenity's life was agonizingly calm. She thought it was boring with her simple routine of wake up, eat, read, sleep, maybe- if she's lucky, go out with friends, then repeat. Boring cycle of truth. She wanted some spice. Some chaos. ♕♕♕ "I just told you that I'm making you come with me to Italy- a whole other country and you're response was 'YES' ?" Luciano watched me with admiration in his dark grey eyes. I shrugged, "Yeah. I'm bored. Like..painfully bored." Luciano's eyebrow stayed raised and his eyes stayed admiring my words. "Aren't you a little crazy thing huh Bella..I'll keep that in mind." ♕♕♕ Ever since that 1 night Serenity went out with her college friend group and ran into a murder/torture fight in the tight alley way of Chicago, she's been on Luciano's mind. As him, on hers. The two were attracted to each other because of good and bad things. Luciano's attraction to Serenity was simply because her aura radiated that she was sane. Safe. Serenity's attraction to Luciano was the complete opposite. Call her crazy if you will but, a tall, handsome, Italian mafia Don was exactly what she was craving for. 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘 & 𝐋𝐔𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐎 ♕♕♕ STARTED - March 18, 2022 ENDED - February 12, 2023

The Kings' and Monroes' lost their everything in a span of one night. Their parents were killed leaving the King's little brother and the Monroe's little princes to be taken under the cover of the dark. Years later the two powerful families have joined their forces and would stop at nothing to bring their little prince and princess back home. But what they don't know is that Greyson and Genevieve have been caring and protecting each other through their darkest and toughest times. So what will happen when the dark nights are finally o ver and they both return home to their families with the arrival of an unexpected guest with them!? Read to find out! (Complete) ------------------------------ #2 ~ mafia family (01-06-22) #1~ brother (20-08-22) #1~ friends to lovers (27-09-22) #1 ~ orphan (25-07-22) #1~only girl (25-09-22) #1~ sister and brother (25-06-22) #1~girlfriend (07-08-22) #1~mafia family (22-08-22)

★★★ 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 Imani was only working there for necessary means, only for Kazimir to come and change it all. Forced to face reality with her past, discoveries, and open fresh wounds, A developing partnership with Kazimir. What could go wrong? The Ex-Queenpin of the Sinaloa Cartel and The Russian Mob. Possibly everything. ★★★ Once you're in you can't get out, that's how it is when you're involved with crime. There is no easy way to get out, but I did get out or so I thought.

|MOVING TO GALATEA| Love was dangerous. The mafia even worse. She never expected to face both at once. Being kidnapped by her ex-boyfriend and becoming a mafia wife was never on Catalina's bingo card. But surviving the Mafia Games isn't just about playing deadly-it's about becoming the danger. With secrets lurking in every shadow and loyalties as fragile as glass, Catalina soon discovers that winning these games-and following her heart-may be the least of her worries. ~Book 1 of the Mafia Royalty Series~

Thalia Kennedy is a positive ball of sunshine, she likes dirty jokes and smiling whenever. When she meets a man, the complete opposite of her she immediately takes a liking to him and wants to be the one to teach him how to enjoy the little things is life. Heath Jackson was a complicated man in many ways, from his complicated past to his guaranteed complicated future, he was never able to run away from his silent fears he'd face alone. He was closed off and hated the thought of even interacting with people, until someone was heavenly brought in to save him. --------------------------- "I'm thinking" He tells me and I frown. Is it really that hard to think about something nice about me? "I like your lips" He finally answers with a sly smirk on his face thinking he did something. "Which ones?" I ask before I could stop myself and bite my lip. "Don't you dare answer that" I point my finger at him, the smirk still on his face. ----------------------- #3 in cold 7/11/22 #1 in sarcasm 8/10/22

Arcadian (adj.) idyllically innocent; simple and untroubled by fear or worry. Harper Flores is the human embodiment of a ray of sunshine. She's kind, understanding and always willing to put other's needs in front of her own. To the outside world Harper is seen as naive and innocent, without a care in the world but she's hiding a secret. The girl that loves everyone unconditionally hates herself. Her mother, not wanting to deal with Harper's declining mental health ships her across the country to a secluded boarding school in the small village of Cartmel, England. Due to her late arrival half way through the school year, Harper is forced to stay in the boy's dorm and share a room with six roommates. Keeping a low profile is almost impossible, especially when she catches the eye of all six boys. Lucian Cruz, an arrogant, rude fuckboy who feels no remorse for the girls he's used and ignored. After being sent to Willow Hall Academy with his twin brother Emilio two years ago by his parents who were trying to protect them from the dangerous realities of being involved in the mafia, Lucian's behaviour takes a rapid downfall. Ignoring school work to party and smoke, Lucian really has no care in the world. That is until a bubbly ball of sunshine moves into his room, disrupting his peace.

Academic Rivals to Lovers in a Boarding School ..... "You wanna know the really dumb meaning behind my name?" He muses and I walk ahead of him. "Nope." "Basically, it means the transporter of goods by cart or wagon, it's from an old french word I believe. You wanna know yours?" "You looked up mine?" I question, hiding the small smile on my face, because I'm mad at him or whatever. For... I don't know why but I'm mad at him because I am. Carter catches up to me, grinning to himself. "Emilia means rivals, it's derived from the root of some latin word. Isn't that strange?" That's just a coincidence, he's probably lying anyway. "Yeah, real peculiar." I reply. ..... #2 - onebedtrope 16/06/22 #1 - mila 16/06/22

[COMPLETE] "Who said I like you? I hate you." Ares brought my face closer. For a moment I looked at his shapely lips. Of course, he noticed that. "Is that so?" I swallowed. I quickly put my face backward. "Yes. Don't imagine anything." "A few days ago, you stretch your neck for me, so I could kiss you more, and now all of a sudden, don't you find me attractive?" I find him very attractive, but I can't say that because I can never admit it to myself, otherwise nothing happened between us I shook my head. "Use your words, love." He gently grabbed my chin and turned me to him. "No, I don't." I tried to say. --------- They hate each other more than anything, but why can't they stop thinking about each other? They are different, not even a bit comparable except for the strong feeling to push their love for the other away. They try to stand it and forget the other, but it's not easy, Not even a bit. Is the hate stronger to resist the love or The love to resist their hate? I