Smalltown Stories

NEEDS EDITING THIS IS A FIRST DRAFT He built a fortress around his heart. She brought a wrecking ball and a secret. Elias Thorne is a mystery in Oakhaven, A solitary figure and the owner of a successful tattoo franchise, his wealth is as carefully guarded as his silence. He is the quiet grump the whole town wants to decipher, but no one ever gets close. Elias likes his life neat, organized, and utterly empty of anything that could remind him of love and loss. Then June Hayes arrives. Burnt out from the new york art scene and pregnant via a donor, June is determined to create a peaceful, new life for herself and her baby. To the locals, she's just a sweet, new artist. They have no idea she's also viral sensation with over a million followers who sells her work to the A-list. June sees Elias's grumpy exterior and smiles. She needs a friend, and she has decided the broody, ball cap wearing man (no seriously I never see him without a hat on - June) across the street is it. She invades his quiet space showing up at the inkwell every Tuesday and spending the day, sharing her music, and poking at his meticulous order. Elias fights it all, clenching his jaw and pulling his cap low to hide the truth: he fell for the Wildflower the minute she crashed into his life. As June begins posting subtle, faceless photos of him, their reluctant friendship turns into an online viral romance that threatens to expose both of their secrets. How do you guard a heart that already belongs to a Wildflower, a baby, and a life you swore you'd never have? And what happens when the most careful grump in Oakhaven blurts out, "That's my wife," just to stay by her side? Tropes: - Grumpy x Sunshine - He Falls First - Protective - Pregnancy - Small Town - Forced Friends - Friends to lovers - Secret Identity CAN BE READ AS A STANDALONE

Naina Verma never imagined her first job posting would bring her to the unfamiliar streets of Haryana. Far away from her small town, family, and comfort, she struggles to adjust to a place filled with silence, fear, and strangers who never feel safe. But everything changes when she crosses paths with Daksh Lohchab - Daksh is exactly the kind of person Naina should stay away from. Yet behind his rough exterior lies an unexpected calm... a strange sense of protection she cannot explain. In a city that scares her every day, Daksh slowly becomes the only thing that feels safe. A story of fear, loneliness, protection, and a love that begins where comfort ends.

WATTPAD BOOKS EDITION. There are some friends you never forget. It's the summer of 1955. For Ethan Harper, a biracial kid raised mostly by his white father, race has always been a distant conversation. When he's sent to spend the summer with his aunt and uncle in small-town Alabama, his blackness is suddenly front and center, and no one is shy about making it known he's not welcome there. Enter Juniper Jones. The town's resident oddball and free spirit, she's everything the townspeople aren't-open, kind, and accepting. Armed with two bikes and an unlimited supply of root beer floats, Ethan and Juniper set out to find their place in a town that's bent on rejecting them. As Ethan is confronted for the first time by what it means to be black in America, Juniper tries to help him see the beauty in even the ugliest reality, and that even the darkest days can give rise to an invincible summer . . .

WATTPAD ORIGINAL EDITION In 1955, mixed-race Ethan Harper leaves his progressive hometown for a summer in Alabama where he's not welcome, except by resident free spirit, Juniper Jones. ***** After getting himself into a bout of trouble, 16-year-old Ethan Harper's parents send him to Ellison, Alabama, to live with his aunt and uncle for the summer. But the year is 1955, and Alabama is a far cry from his beloved home of Arcadia, Washington. As much as it's hotter in temperature, it's colder in every other way, and Ethan learns the hard way that people see his mere existence as a threat. Amidst all the mayhem, a fiery, free-spirited, oddball walks into Ethan's life. Her name is Juniper Jones. She is the first person in Ellison who seems unfazed by their racial differences, and she promises to give Ethan a summer he will always remember, filled with endless adventure and discovery. With Juniper, Ethan can breathe, he can be, despite the incessant attention and bullying their newly formed friendship attracts. Can the two survive the summer, run in the light and block out the noise of the outside world? [Published version comes out June 16, 2020 with Wattpad Books!] [[word count: 70,000-80,000 words]]

Fallon Hayes thought she was dating Colorado's golden quarterback. She didn't know Easton Avery had a wife, three kids, and an entire life waiting for him at home. After ending their relationship and discovering she's pregnant, Fallon's world begins to fall apart - until a sweet NHL player named Luca Bennett unexpectedly steps into her life and shows her what real love looks like.

Aubrey Collins thought she had the perfect life-until she caught her fiancé with her best friend. Now she's back in her hometown, hiding a secret... and trying to stay away from the one man she's never been allowed to want.

A guarded single mom moves to a small town for a fresh start, determined to keep her world small and safe for her and her son. But her plans unravel when she unexpectedly comes face-to-face with a man from her past-a steady, quietly intense police officer she once shared a one-night stand with-who now becomes part of their everyday lives. What begins as awkward encounters and undeniable tension slowly deepens into something neither of them planned for. As her son grows attached to him and the town begins to take notice, she's forced to confront her fear of things falling apart, while he proves, again and again, that he's not someone who walks away. Their relationship doesn't unfold perfectly-it's messy, realistic, and shaped by miscommunication, vulnerability, and growth. They learn each other slowly, through small moments: shared mornings, difficult conversations, quiet support, and showing up when it matters most. As her past resurfaces and challenges their stability, they must decide if what they're building is worth the risk. At its core, the story is about healing, trust, and the kind of love that isn't loud or dramatic, but steady-one that grows through everyday choices and ultimately creates a found family that feels like home.

WATTPAD BOOKS EDITION. The past always resurfaces . . . Five years after almost drowning, Olivia Cathart returns home to Caldwell Beach determined to face her fears and take some risks-not just by swimming but by opening her heart. Hoping to rekindle her friendships, she's excited about a carefree summer with her best friends Keely and Miles. But life in the sleepy town has changed, and no one and nothing is as it seems. When a series of startling crimes threaten Olivia's fragile state, she is plunged into a terrifying game of cat and mouse. Her only solace from the chaos is West, Miles's disowned and ruggedly handsome brother, but even he can't answer the question on everyone's minds-is Olivia really in danger or is it simply all in her head?

WATTPAD ORIGINAL EDITION When a summer of fun turns upside down, Olivia must figure out whether her paranoid imagination is playing tricks on her or if she's being followed - and by who. ***** It's been years since Olivia nearly drowned in Caldwell Beach, and after moving away, she's back for the summer to reconnect with old friends. However, not everything-or everyone-is the same. Her childhood best friend, Miles, is still sweet and carefree, but his older brother West is not. Disowned and working at the local garage, he's distanced himself from everyone, until Olivia accidentally uncovers the reason why. But as the two grow closer, strange things begin happening to Olivia. She can't stop seeing shadows and hearing voices, but as she slips into a downward spiral of obsessiveness and paranoia, she must fight to uncover the truth behind who is after her, and why. [[word count: 60,000-70,000 words]]

Kelly just wants her business to succeed, and getting involved with a bodyguard is not part of her plan - but he is the only one who can keep her safe... ***** Kelly Harris is determined to make her antiques business a success. She won't let Tanner, a bodyguard who likes first edition poetry books, interfere with her life. But winning a mystery box at an auction changes everything. With Tanner working alongside her, they decipher the code in a forgotten journal, uncovering a young girl's journey to freedom and a powerful family's secret. Working for a high-profile security company, Tanner has seen the worst that humanity can do. He doesn't believe in love. But when disaster strikes, he finds himself doing everything he can to keep Kelly safe - even if that means letting her into the most vulnerable part of who he is. Leeanna Morgan is a USA Today Bestselling Author.

WATTPAD BOOKS EDITION Griffin Tomlin is dead. And Clara's sister killed him . . . Four months after the murder, the entire town of Shiloh is still in shock. For Clara Porterfield, the normal world has crumbled around her in a million chaotic pieces. Now Clara lives in a new reality, where her sister awaits trial for murder, her mother obsessively digs in a dead, frozen garden, and her father lives and breathes denial. At school, Clara is haunted by her classmates' morbid curiosity-and all of the unspoken questions they won't ask. But none of them knows what she knows . . . Now Clara's sister wants something from her-the one thing in all of this that Clara isn't ready to face: the truth about what really happened that night. Because this story didn't die with Griffin Tomlin. There's another story that needs to be told. And sometimes, the lies we're told are nowhere near as deadly as the lies we tell ourselves . . .

When Hayley falls for a bodyguard whose secret is more dangerous than her own, she must decide how much she is willing to risk for love. ***** Tank has spent his life protecting people. He works for one of the most successful security companies in the world, makes more money than most people see in a lifetime, and has a past that no one can ever know about. Hayley Elliott will do anything to keep her mom safe. Her sister has found a cure for Alzheimer's and their mom is living proof that the supplement works - but hiding from the people looking for the supplement's formula is impossible. When the threat to their lives becomes deadly, she has no option but to trust a man who's living with a secret more dangerous than her own. With more at stake than their own lives, Tank and Hayley have to decide what is more important: protecting the past or risking everything for love. Leeanna Morgan is a USA Today Bestselling Author.

Claire Donovan spent ten years believing she had been abandoned. When she was eighteen, her mother disappeared without a trace, leaving behind nothing but unanswered questions and a town that refused to talk about it. Now twenty-eight, Claire has learned to survive on logic, routine, and the certainty that some wounds never heal. Then Elias Hart arrives. Wealthy. Reserved. Impossible to read. As Claire's new boss, he seems to know things he shouldn't - details about her life, her habits, and a past she barely remembers. When inconsistencies begin surfacing around her mother's disappearance, Claire is forced to confront a terrifying possibility: What if her mother never abandoned her? What if the story she'd been told her entire life was a lie? And what if Elias Hart has known the truth from the very beginning?

Regrets take over Cooper's life. Literally. As a radio host, she spends her days reading anonymous letters about heartbreak and regret on her segment Regret Radio, immersing herself in other people's stories to avoid facing her own. But no matter how far she runs, her past is always there, reminding her of the mistakes she's made. One of those regrets? Losing her childhood best friend. And it doesn't help that he's no longer just a memory, he's global superstar Harry Styles. He's everywhere. And just when she thinks she can escape through Regret Radio, a letter arrives that drags her straight back into the past.

Eleanor Stevens had a good life. Loving parents, good friends, good grades. Her future looked bright... Until they saw the tree. Having lived in the town of FROM for almost 2 years now, she had adapted to life there. Everyone stuck to the rules, stayed inside at nighttime and worked together like a community. But what will happen when the Matthew's family arrive and everything starts to fall apart...? 🚨DISCLAIMER🚨 I do not own any of the characters in this fic, the only character that I own is Eleanor Stevens. I do not own the plot either. The story and concept belongs to MGM+!

For the past eleven years Lacey Collins has spent every summer helping out at the Henderson family's boat rental business in Rosewood Cove, a small town on a beautiful lake - and she's had a crush on Nick, the Hendersons' son, for just as long. Since this summer will most likely be the last one she can work this job, Lacey wants to enjoy her time in Rosewood Cove to the fullest. But that's not so easy because her feelings for Nick are stronger than ever, yet a future together with him is impossible... "Something Like This" is a cozy romance story set in a small lakeside town during summer with a comfy vibe, stunning nature and lots of sparks in the air.

"Eltűnt a nővérem. Azt mondták, csak megszökött." De Jenna Hills tudja, hogy ez hazugság. Amikor Lana nyomtalanul eltűnik egy kisvárosból, Jenna nem tud tovább várni a rendőrségre. A saját kezébe veszi a nyomozást - és minden lépéssel egyre sötétebb titkokra bukkan. Egy barát, aki túl sokat tud. Egy gyerekkori ismerős, aki visszatér a városba. És egy igazság, ami talán jobb lett volna, ha soha nem derül ki. Mert Lana nem az első volt. Figyelmeztetés! Előfordulhatnak benne trágár kifejezések, erőszakos cselekedetek.

Maddy never expected to end up in a quiet care center for young adults in Vermont... especially not after losing her best friend. She thought the walls would bring her peace. Instead, they brought questions, silence... and a mysterious letter hidden inside a worn copy of Wuthering Heights. Signed by no one, it speaks directly to her grief, her secrets... and maybe even her heart. 💌 If you want to buy the full book it's available on Amazon. It's "Unspoken letters" by Lily Grace. Trigger warning: themes of grief, mental health struggles, and loss. All Rights Reserved

Sam Christensen doesn't sleep much these days. When she does, he's there - a man with yellow eyes, waiting in the dark. He's followed her through dreams since her sixteenth birthday, whispering threats she can't explain and promises no one else believes. But Sam knows the truth in her bones: he's real. And on her eighteenth birthday, he's going to kill her. At school, Sam drifts through the days on autopilot, keeping her secrets close. Between a crumbling home life, a mother too broken to protect her, and the pressure of pretending everything is fine, she's barely holding herself together. Then there's Lily, her best friend, whom she's harbored feelings for for most of her life. Now Sam has more questions than answers. What's real and what isn't? Why does the fear feel sharper with every passing day? And how do you fight something that only exists when you close your eyes? Lavender & Ashes is a quiet descent into the mind of a girl unraveling; a haunting exploration of trauma, young love, and the dark spaces between love and fear, sleep and waking, truth and madness.