Contemporary Stories

"Bridget Jones with a lot more wine! This story is hilarious, feel-good and relatable in all the best ways!" - Grace K @ HQ. She's just quit her high-flying job, and her marriage is coasting on fumes. Can Alice find a sense of purpose in the wreckage? ***** Alice's life isn't going to plan. She's tied to her phone, pointlessly managing PR for a sinking corporate megalith. She's become a bit player in her kids' lives, and her marriage is coasting on fumes. Forcing herself into action with a rash resignation, Alice sets out to make a positive impact on the world around her. But how? Meditation leads to napping, and her attempts to get closer to her teenage daughter result in the discovery of a secret that leaves her at a loss. As the months tick by and a sense of purpose continues to elude her, Alice finds herself forming bonds with the most unlikely characters: the young woman who panhandles outside her old office; the homeless boy who sits cross-legged outside the liquor store with his ginger cat; her own dog walker who, it turns out, knows a thing or two about developing a good crema. Testing the limits of marriage, motherhood and the Toronto subway system -- can Alice find her way into a purpose-driven life? Or will it all be one giant hangover? [*Wattpad Editor's Pick 2018*] [[word count: 70,000-80,000 words]] Readers say: "This had me laughing so loud that my sister came to check up on me to see if I'm OK!!!" "...the new Bridget Jones, a working woman's take on the digital age." About the Author: Working mother and red wine enthusiast, Renee lives in Toronto with her flawed but wonderful family (seriously, who left socks on the kitchen counter?) in a flawed but wonderful house (what *is* that smell in the basement?) where she writes flawed but wonderful stories about what it is to be a woman today.

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]]

#2 in YOU series UTKARSH x SAKSHI "Utkarsh, how do you justify locking me in our bedroom?" My voice trembled, drained from yet another argument that seemed to go nowhere. He stood across the room, his eyes dark. "I did what I had to... to keep you safe!" he snapped, as if raising his voice made it noble. I blinked, heart pounding. "Safe? You locked me in, Utkarsh. You kept me prisoner in our own home. I missed a crucial meeting because of your jealousy!" "Oh, right," he scoffed. "Your precious meetings. That's what matters most to you?" "Don't twist this!" I snapped. "This isn't about a meeting. This is about you trying to control me for the past four months. This isn't love anymore it's toxic." He turned away, voice low, bitter. "You always make me the villain. Sakshi, agar tum meri ek baat maan leti, toh yeh sab nahi hota." I stared at him, "I can't keep sacrificing parts of myself just to keep you from exploding." He didn't answer. Tears filled my eyes. "Being with you used to feel like home. Now it feels like a prison. I can't breathe here anymore." His voice cracked. "You don't mean that sunshine." "I do," I whispered. "I'm done." His face fell, then twisted with rage, and without a word, he stormed out. 3:12 A.M. He still hadn't come home. Utkarsh never stayed out late not without calling. Not like this. Worried, I checked the old tracking app we never deleted. His location blinked at Hotel Le Grand. Maybe he just needed space. Maybe he was safe. I had to be sure. The hotel staff gave me the key without question. Room 407. I opened the door. There he was. Utkarsh. Naked. Asleep. With his arm wrapped around her, his secretary. Her head on his chest. Their clothes scattered. Lipstick on the wineglass. They didn't even try to hide it. My breath caught. The man I'd worried about was already gone. I closed the door quietly behind me. I had worried about him. Loved him. But this time, I walked away for me.

A heartbroken fashion designer escapes to Tokyo to be an assistant on a movie set, only to get caught up in an illicit, whirlwind romance with the lead actor. ***** After discovering her fiance is cheating on her, heiress and fashion designer Lily Porter is whisked away to Tokyo to help a production company adapt one of her great-aunt's novels. She isn't thrilled about lying about being her aunt's assistant until it throws her into the path of the movie's lead actor, who is enough of a distraction to keep her mind off her ex for good. But can there really be a future for them when their relationship is built on lies, false identities, and a secret engagement? [[Wattys' Longlisted]] [[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]

WATTPAD BOOKS EDITION. You have to step off the trail to find your path . . . When her mother unceremoniously dumps her at Camp Mapplewood for the summer, Emma Lane's hopes of repairing their fractured relationship are gone with the wind. Now she's stuck in the wilderness facing her worst fears. Trees? Terrifying. Spiders? Even worse. And don't even get Emma started on how she feels about camp activities. But Emma's got a plan, and she will do anything in her power to get kicked out of camp, from sleeping in to playing practical jokes on her fellow campers. Yet when Emma draws the attention of her illusive and attractive camp counselor Vivian Black, she has to come to terms with the fact that how her summer starts isn't necessarily how it might end. Will Vivian be the key to unlocking Emma's fears once and for all?

WATTPAD ORIGINAL EDITION Finished high school, Emma's forced to spend her summer at a camp. But a striking counsellor, Vivian, changes her plans from escape to together forever. ***** Seventeen-year-old Emma Lane usually lives with her dad, but she's once again being forced to spend the summer with her homophobic mom. This time, however, instead of spending a summer on the beach, her mom drops her off at Camp Mapplewood while she heads off on a cruise with her new husband. Emma hates the camp and tries to escape, but she is caught by a camp counsellor Vivian. She's drawn to Vivian's voice and her charm, while Vivian is fascinated by Emma's instinct to protect others and to feel with her whole heart. The two grow close, but the end of the summer looms. Can they find a way to stay together when they have to return to their normal lives? (Has a sequel: My Pretend Summer.) [[word count: 50,000-100,000 words]]

WATTPAD ORIGINAL EDITION When her initiation into her college's History Club goes awry, Sol has to come face to face with Ethan-the cute guy whose house she just broke into. ***** Soledad Gutierrez, or Sol to her friends, decides to join the History Club at her Community college. However, this club is not like other clubs: they have an initiation process and a slew of other 'extracurricular activities.' In order to join the club, Sol must break into the oldest house in her small Californian town and steal one of their forks. The club members provide all the materials to break in; she just needs to take the utensil, take a selfie in the kitchen, and get out undetected-with the fork, of course. The problem is: Ethan Winston spots Sol in his grandparent's house, and he's determined to uncover the reason behind the break-in. However, both he and Sol are thrown for a loop when feelings begin to develop between them. And as Ethan becomes suspicious of the History Club, he and Sol get tangled in an adventure none of them were expecting. [[word count: 90,000-100,000 words]] [[Wattys 2019 Winner for Young Adult + Being Published by Wattpad Books in Fall 2020]]

While falling in love with a drug kingpin, Tikera must prove she can survive in his dangerous world - and convince him their relationship is worth fighting for. ***** After dropping out of university and setting her sights on traveling to Europe, twenty-three-year-old Tikera Copeland is desperate for a job. So when she innocently applies for a gardening position and immediately gets hired, she's shocked to discover that her "real" job will be tending to a bunker full of thriving, (definitely) illegal weed plants. Intrigued by this world she knows nothing about, Tikera agrees to stay, but her growing feelings for "The Boss" -- the mysterious drug kingpin who owns and grows the plants -- quickly complicate things. He's falling for her too (and she knows it, even if he won't admit it), but breaking through his icy exterior won't be easy. And with thieves, vengeful hitmen, and rival kingpins threatening them at every turn, will they even survive long enough to find their happily ever after? [[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]

ORGINALLY A 'PAID' STORY. NOW PUBLISHED ON AMAZON/KU *** 4 CHAPTER SAMPLE HERE *** When Jake Bryant's daughter is kidnapped for ransom, he's forced to gamble with her life in order to discover which of his enemies has taken her hostage and to what end. ***** Jake Bryant's daughter, Sam, is in trouble. Her all-star quarterback boyfriend gave her pills to help her study for a test, but the pair are caught on school grounds with the unprescribed drugs. Since Sam's grandfather is a district court judge, she gets off with a slap on the wrist. Austin isn't as lucky. But with Austin's precious future at stake, his brother attempts a Hail-Mary pass by kidnapping Sam for his release. Can Jake rescue her before time runs out, or will they both pay for her mistake with their lives? [[word count: 70,000-80,000 words]]

After falling in love with a younger and much less successful man, can Yiwen convince herself and her parents to accept him into their wealthy family? ***** When Yiwen Wang suddenly finds herself 30 and single, she lets her well-meaning best friend talk her into a blind date with the handsome Zi'an Li. And not only is he plucked straight out of a movie screen, his witty banter over dinner also convinces Yiwen he's exactly the type to make her toes curl. Yet, by some wicked twist of fate, he's five years younger than her and has no house, car, or stable, high-paying job. So how is she ever going to convince herself and her parents that he's the right choice? Especially when her new, attractive boss makes it very clear that he's interested in her? [[1st Place, Flower Awards, Chicklit Category]] [[1st Place, The Golden Awards, Chicklit Category]] [[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]

WATTPAD BOOKS EDITION There are imperfect moments in every life-but sometimes, there are perfect accidents . . . What's the point of pretending nothing has changed when everything has? It's the last summer before college, and Jonas Avery knows he should be excited. Instead, he hides out at home, avoiding his friends, his family, and everything that resembles his old life. Because nothing will be normal again-because of The Accident, when everything started falling apart. Brennan Davis knows she needs to stand up and face her anxiety-the deep, dark, debilitating dread that rules her everyday life. Because what stops her from going out into the world and just living is going to get a whole lot worse. She's leaving for college in the fall, where she'll be confronted with even more to worry about. To get back up sometimes you have to fall down, hard . . . When Jonas crashes into Brennan-in a harmless, albeit embarrassing fender bender-the two teens connect in ways they never expected. As friends, they help each other overcome their biggest falls and faults, and soon discover that while love can't fix everything, it's sometimes a place to start. Sensitive, wry, and unabashedly authentic, The Opposite of Falling Apart isn't about finding perfection in another person or fixing the things we think are broken. Instead, Micah Good has penned an enchantingly honest novel about accepting the very pieces of ourselves that make us unique, whole, and undeniably human.

After a tragic accident that completely changes her life, Annie and her twin brother, Austin, are taken in by the Emersons, a family of seven (drop-dead gorgeous) boys. But Annie never expects to fall for one of the boys...let alone two. "A delicious series of twists and turns." - Grace @ HQ ***** Annie Cassidy has always had a simple life. She lives with her mom, dad, and her twin brother, Austin, in Indiana. She's always been close to each of them; a bond nobody could break until one fatal night when Annie's parents are killed in a head-on collision. She and Austin have no other family nearby and are taken under the wing of their father's best friend, Derek Emerson. They move from their small, comfortable hometown in Indiana, to the giant city of Los Angeles, California. Not only are they shocked to find out that the Emersons are rich--but that they also have seven kids. And they're all boys! As Annie begins to settle in, the last thing she expects is to develop feelings for one of the brothers, let alone two. It's safe to say that her new life in LA is about to get a whole lot more complicated. Content warning: mature scenes, depictions of a car crash, and mentions of grief. [[Word count: 60,000 - 70,000 words]] Cover designed by Gillian Goulet

After the accident, Noah Archer built a wall around himself. But Riley Dawson is curious about him, and she's determined to meet the man behind his defenses. ***** Riley Dawson has always noticed Noah. He was the most popular guy on campus, until he lost his parents in a car accident. Now he's withdrawn and silent. Mustering up the courage to give her condolences, the two end up talking, and Riley grows determined to help Noah find himself again. Every time she coaxes a smile from him, she can feel the ice around his heart melting. But Riley knows that Noah's loss is still close to him. She's opening up her heart, but can Noah do the same? He's got so much to lose, but now, so does she. [[word count: 70,000-80,000 words]]

EPILOGUE WILL BE FREE STARTING JUNE 29TH, 2023! Diana wakes up in pain, tied to a bed and unable to escape. She's been trapped by a group of surgeons with a twisted passion and she's their next victim. ***** Diana Slater, a typical University student, wakes up in pain, tied to a bed and unable to see. After a mysterious figure, known only as Dr. Sweeney, nurses her back to health she finds out the truth. The Doctor has kidnapped her and given her a cat's eyes as part of a larger ploy to turn humans into collectibles. Now she's being trained by Ben, another patient, with the skin of a snake, on how to behave. Diana and Ben are forced to work together to try to escape the murderous doctors - until she discovers Ben might not be the victim he makes himself out to be. The only person Diana can trust is herself, and if she fails, her eyes won't give her another nine lives. [[Winner of the 2018 Fiction Awards for Best Horror Story]] [[word count: 80,000-90,000 words]] Cover designed by Holly Thurston

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 . . .

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?

Alison's sister disappeared filming a reality show, so she goes undercover as a contestant, discovering that in some cases reality tv is all too real. ***** Alison's sister disappeared while shooting a Survivor-style reality series, so when the show gets a reboot, Alison gets herself cast as a contestant. Arriving on the island, none of the organizers seem to be giving her straight answers. Forced to manipulate the situation to stay on the show, she starts an uneasy alliance with the handsome and physically capable Travis. They even act like they're falling in love, hoping their romantic appeal will keep them on the show. But as more challenges take place, and contestants go from being injured to dying in front of the camera, Alison and Travis realize that something is wrong. They have to win this game, or they won't make it off the island alive. [[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]

Anne De Ville is a do-the-same-thing-every-day kind of ordinary. On the one day she chooses to try and do something different, she ends up dropping her shoes down several flights of stairs, right onto the head of her crush-and her brother's best friend-Hunter Denegan. Will her Prince Charming look for the girl who lost her shoe? [This book is going to be published with Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group in the Summer 2025] [[word count: 20,000-30,000 words]]

WATTPAD BOOKS EDITION. It only takes one moment to change your life forever . . . After her mother's deportation last year, all Soledad "Sol" Gutierrez wants is for her life to go back to normal. Everything's changed-new apartment, new school, new family dynamic-and Sol desperately wants to fit in. When she joins her community college's history club, it comes with an odd initiation process: break into Westray's oldest house and steal . . . a fork? There's just one problem: while the owners of the house aren't home, their grandson Ethan is, and when he catches Sol with her hand in the kitchen drawer, she barely escapes with the fork intact. This one chance encounter irrevocably alters her life, and Sol soon learns that sometimes fitting in isn't as important as being yourself-even if that's the hardest thing she's ever had to do.

Ella is falling apart trying to live a "perfect" high school life. Then she meets Ren, who can see past her scars. Suddenly perfection isn't her only option. ***** Ella Volkov is a gifted music student, but she's depressed and starting to crack under the pressure of high school. Her overbearing father won't even let her choose what instrument she plays. Then she finds herself alone at a party with Ren, her best friend's crush. She'd always thought he was rude, but after that night he's all Ella can think about. Now she's trapped. If Ella dates Ren, it will ruin her friendship with Jenny. But if she stays true to Jenny, she's losing the one person who can see past her scars. It's up to Ella to decide if she will forge her own path, or stay in the "perfect" box designed for her... Content and/or Trigger Warning: depression, anxiety, self-harm, violence, sexual assault. [[word count: 50,000-100,000 words]]