Thorns & Roses - Zalene Fox - Wattpad

Story cover for Thorns & Roses by JDr912

Thorns & Roses

Reads 544
Votes 38
Parts 9
Time 1h 16m

Reads 544
Votes 38
Parts 9
Time 1h 16m

agegap bwwm divorcerecovery familydrama gardening independentheroine singledad smalltownromamce steamyromance

When recently divorced Marcus Blake moves to the sleepy town of Millbrook with his rebellious 12-year-old daughter, the last thing he expects is to find a gorgeous woman tending roses in his overgrown backyard at sunrise.

Zara Williams is everything Marcus didn't know he needed-fierce, independent, and absolutely stunning. She's been secretly caring for the century-old rose garden on his inherited property, and she's not about to let some grumpy white man from the city destroy her labor of love.

What starts as a tense misunderstanding quickly turns into a reluctant partnership... and then something much more dangerous. As summer heat rises and roses bloom, so does the undeniable chemistry between them. But in a town where whispers travel faster than wildfire and old prejudices run deep, their forbidden attraction threatens to uproot everything they've worked for.

Marcus's manipulative ex-wife wants him back. His daughter wants Zara gone. The town council wants to shut Zara down. And everyone's watching to see if the divorced dad and the ambitious Black businesswoman will crash and burn.

But some roses are worth fighting for, even if you get pricked by the thorns.

🌹 Single dad romance  
🌹 Small town drama
🌹 Forbidden attraction
🌹 HEA guaranteedAll Rights Reserved

agegap bwwm divorcerecovery familydrama gardening independentheroine singledad smalltownromamce steamyromance

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9 parts

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The Mistress of Windmere by kinkycow19

In the town where reputation is everything, the truth is the most dangerous thing of all. Windmere is a coastal jewel-where fortunes are old, homes are older, and secrets are passed down like heirlooms. Caroline Whitmore has long reigned as the town's most envied woman: poised, powerful, and perfectly curated. But behind the iron gates of the Whitmore estate, her world is quietly unraveling. After years of failed pregnancies and public pressure to produce an heir, Caroline makes a decision that defies generations of tradition. She will find someone else to carry the future of the Whitmore legacy-someone discreet, someone controlled, someone who won't threaten the delicate house of cards she's built. But when a soft-voiced girl from nowhere enters their lives, everything begins to shift. The girl is too pretty. Too poised. Too perfect. And as Caroline watches her husband grow more... attentive, the edges of Windmere's glamour begin to sharpen. And soon, it's not just Caroline's future at stake-but everything she's ever claimed as hers. ⛔️Trigger Warning ⚠️ This novel contains sensitive content that may be distressing to some readers, including infertility, SA, pregnancy loss, surrogacy, emotional manipulation, infidelity, and arson. Reader discretion is advised.

The Chauffeur [Complete] by jj31030

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Next Girl | 🥇 2023 Amby Winner by SueLou66

On steamy, hot summer days, the parched soil cracks like ice into jagged lines resembling lightning blowing up the midnight sky. Summer craves to be quenched and begs to feel the invigorating shower that only rain can douse. It takes what it can get from rain without considering the possibility of destruction. Rain is a necessary evil. It's prayed for yet cursed and hated. It brings forth destruction and life simultaneously. Rain is a refreshing sprinkle and an overwhelming flood. It's elusive, and it alone decides when and where to release its precipitation with no regard to the impact of its power. *** Summer breezed into McGrath's Pub like a breath of fresh air. Despite her miserable day and the tepid rain dampening the streets of Harrisburg, she lit up the bar with her bright smile the moment she entered. Rain is looking for a warm body to take to his bed. He spots Summer and immediately approaches her. She has no clue about his plans for her, and he's determined to bring those plans to fruition. Summer's heart and soul were destroyed by the torrential storm that is Rain Grant. Summer is determined not to let what happened to her happen to the "Next Girl." *** "Next Girl" I bet you probably met him at a bar Let him walk you to your car I bet he said he never fell this hard Yeah, I remember that part He knows how to say all the right things Knows how to get you outta that dress Knows how to make you think you're thе best thing But I know what happens next, girl Co-written and performed by Carly Pearce *** Cover by: @zmswift 1st Place 🥇 The Carnival Awards 2021 Chick-Lit Featured in WattpadShortStory's Realistic Fiction Reading List Qualified for Round 3 of the 2023 Amby Awards

Closing Melody by LaurieRhys

Eight years ago, Eloise Montgomery left her cozy hometown of Evergreen County because her crush proposed to her best friend. Running away to New York shaped Elle into a new woman. She morphed from a chubby nerd girl into a sophisticated businesswoman. She's erased all ties to her hometown, including her last name. Eloise Montgomery is a ghost of her past, a reminder of who she wants to forget. Finding love in NYC was a bonus, but becoming America's Homewrecker was not. There are always two sides to every story, but her story is one no one wants to believe. Leaving New York wasn't on the list of goals she set for herself. Neither was going home to the small town of Evergreen County. Now that she's back, she's facing parts of her past she thought she was over. Secrets always find a way of exposing themselves, and she should know that better than anyone. Jake Ryan is no longer the boy band singer he once was. He is now a single father, trying to cope with the sudden loss of his wife and trying to raise his daughter alone. The accident came out of nowhere, and now he's uprooted their lives, moving from Los Angeles to the small town his wife grew up in. A tiny place nestled two hours north of Los Angeles, called Evergreen County. He wants to give his daughter the same community his wife had. He and his daughter are both deep in their grief and need help. There are only so many takeout and burned frozen pizzas one can endure. His former boy band manager's wife might have the connection he needs to get his life back on track. But the nanny he hires to watch over his daughter might be more trouble than she's worth. Or she might be exactly who he's looking for. Welcome to Evergreen County, a small town where everyone knows everyone. A place where even your secrets have secrets. Jake and Elle are the first in the series. Join them on their journey through love, loss, acceptance, and forgiveness.

The Tides That Change Us by Bee_Anne

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Tangled Hearts by sweet_desire2005

She thought she was just taking a job. He thought he was losing everything. But neither of them expected what came next. When Elise Monroe, a kindhearted young woman with a talent for calming even the most anxious child, accepts a live-in nanny position for a reclusive millionaire, she believes it's the chance of a lifetime. A beautiful estate, a quiet four-year-old girl, and generous pay-it all seems too good to be true. And it is. Sebastian Hale is in the middle of an unraveling. His wife, Caroline , has fallen out of love with him but keeps him dangling with just enough affection to break his heart over and over again. She wants nothing to do with their daughter, only showing up when it benefits her image. Elise walks into this fractured home unaware of the emotional minefield she's about to cross. But secrets, jealousy, and ghostly memories of an ex-wife threaten to tear them apart before they ever truly begin. In a mansion filled with whispered regrets and tender moments, will they fight for the family they never knew they needed? Loving someone who's still clinging to a ghost can be the most dangerous love of all.

Life and Emery by SueNell001

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Slide 1 of 9

The Mistress of Windmere cover

The Chauffeur [Complete] cover

Next Girl | 🥇 2023 Amby Winner cover

Closing Melody cover

The Tides That Change Us cover

Tangled Hearts cover

Life and Emery cover

Walk With Me cover

The Mistress of Windmere

In the town where reputation is everything, the truth is the most dangerous thing of all. Windmere is a coastal jewel-where fortunes are old, homes are older, and secrets are passed down like heirlooms. Caroline Whitmore has long reigned as the town's most envied woman: poised, powerful, and perfectly curated. But behind the iron gates of the Whitmore estate, her world is quietly unraveling. After years of failed pregnancies and public pressure to produce an heir, Caroline makes a decision that defies generations of tradition. She will find someone else to carry the future of the Whitmore legacy-someone discreet, someone controlled, someone who won't threaten the delicate house of cards she's built. But when a soft-voiced girl from nowhere enters their lives, everything begins to shift. The girl is too pretty. Too poised. Too perfect. And as Caroline watches her husband grow more... attentive, the edges of Windmere's glamour begin to sharpen. And soon, it's not just Caroline's future at stake-but everything she's ever claimed as hers. ⛔️Trigger Warning ⚠️ This novel contains sensitive content that may be distressing to some readers, including infertility, SA, pregnancy loss, surrogacy, emotional manipulation, infidelity, and arson. Reader discretion is advised.