Twentysomething Stories

Three days after heartbreak, Loriah Griego has officially given up on love. Okay, maybe not forever. Just long enough to focus on herself. After one too many failed relationships and enough red flags to start her own parade, Loriah is determined to spend her time focusing on work, church, friends, and the life she's building for herself. No dating. No crushes. No overthinking. Simple. At least, that was the plan. Then a coworker casually informs her that a guy named Juan has a crush on her. A shy guy. A sweet guy. A guy who is, unfortunately, exactly her type. What follows is a whirlwind of awkward conversations, lingering smiles, broken phones, late-night texts, workplace butterflies, and more overthinking than should be legally allowed. As Loriah navigates heartbreak, healing, faith, friendship, and the possibility of something new, she discovers that some of life's best stories begin when everything seems to be falling apart. Filled with humor, heart, honest reflections, and unforgettable moments, The Juan Chronicles is a story about trusting God's timing, learning to be patient, and finding hope in the most unexpected places. Because sometimes the chapter you never planned for becomes the one that changes everything.

This book is a raw, reflective journey through fear, self awareness, faith, and healing. Told through quiet moments, spontaneous drives, music, and inner dialogue, it explores what it means to sit with discomfort instead of fighting it and to slowly learn self compassion. Blending personal experience with spirituality, autism, and mental health, the author reflects on how fear can shift from a burden to a guide, and how presence, honesty, and small perspective changes can lead to meaningful growth. This is not a story of perfection or instant healing, but of learning to move forward gently, imperfectly, and with faith.

Sometimes, second chances work out even better than the first because you learn from your mistakes. Life throws you down only to help you get up strong and confident. Aniyra has fallen once . Will she be able to grasp her second chance and look through it? Her second chance has eyes she cannot forget.

It's summertime in the idyllic New England town of Greyport, and Diana should be happy, but her twenties are proving to be more lackluster than she expected. Her career and social life are not where she wants them to be. Following a particularly dreadful date, Diana runs into an old friend; but this isn't any old friend. This is Delmar Lennox, her childhood crush and first boyfriend who left their hometown eleven years ago under mysterious circumstances. Can things go back to the way they were, or have they been too changed by mythical and human forces outside of their control?

What does it take to live with a divided heart? Cleo Twain is sure she has found the answer. It takes rules. It takes keeping the thoughts of what could have been separate from the path she chose. It takes putting aside past dreams of bohemian escapades with Wolfe for a solid paycheck and a stable home with Griffin. Okay, so what if every now and then, she makes an exception? She can indulge in a few nostalgic emails with Wolfe, because her days and nights are anchored in a good life with Griffin. She's learned to forgive herself for the stolen moments, getting back on track every time she slips. Because in the real world, her troubled former best friend and her super-solid fiancé do not cross wires. In her brain, or in her heart. Wolfe and the creativity he inspired within her is a dear part of her past, but her future belongs to Griffin--the best man she knows. Until Wolfe writes a novel about Cleo that is not so easily compartmentalized, causing Griffin to doubt the foundation he's built with her. Just when Cleo's rules are needed more than ever, Wolfe suffers a severe bipolar episode and Cleo can't bring herself to abandon him. Through his vulnerability, she rediscovers the tender beauty of her own soul. Sometimes, the exceptions to the rules become the most exceptional part of your life.

Love these days BOOK 3.

***Published in the US with Wattpad Books and in the UK under the title 'LOVE, LOCKED DOWN' -- out now in ebook and paperback, and also audiobook in the UK!*** When the London Lane apartment block is put on lockdown, its residents are in for a whirlwind week. Imogen's stuck living with a one-night-stand in Number 14, and has to face the reality that maybe it's time to grow up. Upstairs, Isla and Danny are still in their honeymoon period, and this could make or break their new relationship; meanwhile, Zach and Serena's steady relationship is on tenterhooks, and pineapple on pizza might actually be the last straw. At Number 22, Olivia's Maid of Honour duties are really pushing her to the edge as a wedding-planning weekend has turned into an entire week... And speaking of weddings, this whole thing has made Ethan realise he wants to spend the rest of his life with Charlotte - if only he can surprise her with the perfect proposal. Follow these five stories of twenty-somethings through their week of quarantine, where romances will blossom, friendships fracture, and relationships are forged that could last a lifetime. Disclaimer: This is a fictionalised and dramatised story inspired by real events that are happening right now. For the most up-to-date FACTS on Covid, you can check out https://support.wattpad.com/hc/en-us/articles/360040903132-A-message-about-COVID-19

Welcome to the other side of the mirror...

AN UNDERWHELMING LOVE STORY, told in a series of personal essays that spell out a shitshow. Can 'shitshow' be part of a description?

Sadie knows there's nothing worse than constantly being overlooked. Even now, hundreds of miles away from her small hometown, she's still pining for the approval of her parents and the attention of her brother's best friend. So when the promotion she's worked the better half of her twenties for is given to someone else, she finds herself back in Westfort confronting childhood wounds in hopes of moving on. But the road to healing has never been easy and when old sparks fly between her and Jack Moore, will she finally be seen and loved for who she really is?

Arden Willows is your average twenty-something. Struggling with work, relationships and independence is only compounded by the fact that Arden is a witch. Reluctant to return home to her unusual family, she finds their eccentrisities are exactly what she needs. And re-connecting with a high school crush is not so bad, either. But things are not quite so easy, as an unexpected visitor threatens to ruin the life she has chosen to continue in her hometown.

(first chapter only) alex has just checked in for an extended stay at heartbreak hotel. shortly after being dumped by her high school boyfriend she is trying to navigate her twenties in the windy city. luckily she has her best friend sarah who forces her on a date with Kyle. Will she learn to love again?

Twila Jones comes from a dark, difficult past. She manages to escape it, but it comes back to haunt her at night. Until one day she meets a beautiful stranger, Elijah Graham, who comes to her shop in Grand Lake, Colorado. Sparks fly and the nightmares stop. But their relationship is put to the test when Twila's demons resurface. How long will their relationship last? IF YOU READ IT PLEASE COMMENT WHAT YOU THINK. IM NEW AT THIS STORY IS COMPLETELY MADE UP OF DIARY ENTRIES UPDATED EVERY THURSDAY

22-year-old Emery was already feeling directionless before the pandemic hit, and now that it's in the midst of the spring of 2020, things couldn't get much worse. She's laid off, single, and living with her older sister's family while dealing with her annoying (but also kind of cute) sister's brother-in-law, who's always hanging around. She wasn't prepared for any of this. But the thing she's LEAST prepared for? Motherhood. **If you're looking for a SLOW BURN romantic story, this is the Wattpad book for you!** Content Warning: mentions of depression, discussion about suicide, pregnancy, sexual situations Cover created with Canva Pro. © Kate Marlene 2022

Funambulist- a tightrope walker. Oliver Yates and Jeana Connors are a couple in their early twenties. Like many young adults, they live in a city apartment trying to make ends meat. Along with struggling to make a living, they each have their own emotional and mental baggage. Dealing with poverty, identity, and mental health, Oliver and Jeana walk a very a thin line with only each other for support. The question is, will they make it across or be sent spiraling into the abyss?

AUTHOR'S NOTE Thank you for taking the time to read my story! If you want to learn more about me and my other books please visit my website, marychrisescobar.com (there's a link in my profile). DESCRIPTION Carolyn’s life has gone pretty much according to plan. She’s followed all the rules. Her star is rising at work, she’s just gotten engaged to an amazing man and she lives in a perfectly decorated apartment. A delayed flight throws her life and plans off schedule. What she learns, stuck overnight in the airport, has her questioning everything and puts her face to face with her own missed connection. Follow twenty-six year old Carolyn’s quarter-life coming-of-age story, the demise of her life as she knows it and the discovery of her own truth. PRAISE FOR DELAYED "I don’t know how Mary Chris Escobar did it, but she basically renewed my faith in the saying, 'Love is lovelier the second time around.'" - coffeebookmom.wordpress.com "The story renews your faith in forgiveness and the power of love." - Amazon review

Poems Form A Twenty-Something Year Old Just my 4am thought and my breakdowns for those who need to know they are not alone.

A musing of my tales, my own struggles to let go, and the deepest thoughts and dreams of a twenty-something-year-old. The stories, poems, and musings are in no particular order. This means each chapter or portion is written as both an extension of myself and of my innermost thoughts. Some memories and musings come to me at random and to piece them together like a mosaic would take the fun out of writing for me.

- A collection of poems that relate to loss, love, and discovering yourself in your twenties. - #26 in #twentysomething (09/27/2023)