Contemporary Stories

Meet Tara, daughter of renowned businessman, a determined and ambitious young woman studying at a prestigious college. With her striking beauty, radiant confidence, and unwavering intelligence, she effortlessly captures the attention of everyone around her. But her life takes a dark turn when she unwittingly becomes the object of obsession for a powerful and enigmatic man in the city. As Tara juggles the complexities of her studies and social life, the wealthy man's relentless pursuit threatens to suffocate her freedom and dreams.

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]]

Selena is a mean girl, the villain destined to lose her hot-shot boyfriend to the shy, overlooked nerd. Everyone watches in silent awe as he replaces her in the name of love. It was the perfect fairytale ending, just like the movies... But not for long. In real life queen bees don't lose so easily, and for Selena, this breakup evokes the attention of admirers long held back, particularly one who's made her his quiet obsession. One who grows to be far more successful than her ex...and far harder to resist. -

WATTPAD BOOKS EDITION How do you trust the ground when all you've known is flight? In this breathtaking debut, Leigh Ansell has created a compelling, heartbreaking, and truly engaging story about a young girl used to flying high only to be faced with living life with her two feet firmly on the ground . . . Seventeen-year-old Corey Ryder can't remember a time when she wasn't gliding through the air of Cirque Mystique's big top. As a trapeze artist in a traveling circus, Corey wakes up every day in a different place, buzzing for the moment she can suspend gravity during the night's performance. When the circus pulls into small-town Sherwood, California, everything seems normal - aside from meeting the exceptionally cute Luke Everett at a local diner. But that night, in the midst of the performance, tragedy strikes and flames overtake the tent. While Corey narrowly escapes, in the ashes of the circus pitch lies the only home she's ever known. Repeatedly thrown out of her comfort zone, Corey must learn how to push toward her future without forgetting her past, what it means to be a daughter to a mother she's never known, and how to navigate the confusing magic of first love, even as she performs the high-wire act of being true to who you really are.

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]]

Mira finds herself stuck in the city of love with Jake, the playboy athlete she can't stand. What she doesn't expect is for major sparks to fly on their 24-hour adventure. But can this newly-found love last beyond the magic of Paris? ***** 24 Hours in Paris is now published as a Paperback & E-book by W by Wattpad Books As a Wattpad reader, you can now access both the Original Edition and the W by Wattpad Books Published Edition here upon purchase (PS: a review on Amazon (and also Goodreads) would be very much appreciated, to help get this POC rom com in front of more readers! All the review page links are on my Wattpad profile page :-) ) In the new Published Edition of the book, the characters of Mira and Jake will be older and wiser co-workers in the corporate world, who miss their flight and get stuck spending an extra 24 hours in Paris. They'll start off annoyed with each other, but you know how the story goes... "Adorably sweet and a brilliant read! It made me feel like I was roaming the streets of Paris without having to leave my couch." - Grace @HQ ***** On the last day of their class's college trip to Paris, Mira and Jake get tangled up in a debacle that causes them to miss their flight home to New York. Which means they're stuck in Paris until the next available flight that's 24 hours away! Mira is witty and a lover of art history and good cheese. Jake, on the other hand, is your All-American frat boy with a killer smile. Translation: they can't stand each other. As they visit places they could never have imagined, Mira and Jake go from mortal enemies to star-crossed lovers with sizzling chemistry. But can their spark last without Paris' cheese and charm to keep it going? [[word count: 50,000-60,000 words]] Cover designed by Ray Gardener

ORGINALLY A 'PAID' STORY. NOW PUBLISHED ON AMAZON/KU *** 4 CHAPTER SAMPLE HERE *** After a great loss, Jake Bryant finds himself in Las Vegas. To fill the void in his heart, he searches for a woman's missing daughter and finds more than he bargained for. ***** Two years after his daughter was kidnapped, Jake Bryant meets a woman in desperate need of help. Seeing the opportunity to redeem himself, Jake probes Las Vegas's seemly underbelly to find the pimp responsible for abducting her daughter. But navigating Sin City's sex trade business proves tougher than Jake thought, and he finds himself digging his own grave at gunpoint. Can Jake find a way to escape? Or will his mistakes lead to more death? [[word count: 70,000-80,000 words]]

Tyler is being hunted by the Grinning Man and flees to Marble Springs, where he teams up with Serling and Price, real estate agents who sell haunted houses. ***** After his brother disappears and a burial mound explodes, high school student Tyler Graves starts having strange visions. His brother warns him that something is coming for him. Soon, Tyler's entire family is slaughtered, and he's being hunted by an otherworldly entity known as The Grinning Man. Fleeing to Marble Springs, he meets Serling and Price, real estate agents who specialize in selling haunted houses. It's up to this unlikely trio to stop a madman from destroying the world - by literally unleashing Hell on Earth! (Sequel to Apartment 239.) [[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]

ORGINALLY A 'PAID' STORY. NOW PUBLISHED ON AMAZON/KU *** 4 CHAPTER SAMPLE HERE *** Jake Bryant must stop the criminal mastermind who orchestrated the murder of his best friend from killing his new family. ***** More dark secrets from Jake Bryant's past come to light. Dolan, the criminal mastermind who ordered the hit on Jake's best friend, Tom, is searching for evidence Tom collected against him for another murder - evidence Tom hid with his widow before his death. Desperate to bring Dolan to justice, Jake finds himself in a race against time to save the lives of those he loves. But with allies double-crossing him left and right, Jake must discover who he can trust before Tom's family is destroyed along with the evidence. Can Jake win the race or will he die just like his friend? [[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]]

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]]

ORGINALLY A 'PAID' STORY. NOW PUBLISHED ON AMAZON/KU *** 4 CHAPTER SAMPLE HERE *** When the biker gang calls in a Jake Bryant's debt, he has no choice but to hunt down an old friend by any means necessary and retrieve their stolen drugs, even if it cost him the woman he loves. ***** Time has run out for Jake Bryant. The Devil's Hand motorcycle gang has cashed in the debt he owes them. Jake must hunt down his old friend, Rick, to retrieve the million dollars worth of heroin he stole from the gang. Soon, Jake finds himself double-crossing both Rick and the Devil's Hand, but his true loyalties will be tested when his girlfriend becomes a bargaining chip. After failing the other women in his life, will Jake finally be able to save someone he loves? [[word count: 70,000-80,000 words]]

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]]

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]]

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]]

Easton was Luna's closest friend until a family tragedy tore them apart. Five years later, a mysterious invitation brings them back together - and Luna's life will never be the same. ***** It's been five years since a deadly fire took the lives of Luna's parents and Easton's father-destroying Luna and Easton's friendship in the process. Now, Luna's looking forward to a brighter future. But when she encounters Easton at a party, she discovers that although she's come to terms with her past, Easton's is tearing him apart. As Luna tries to help Easton heal, she soon realizes that her past and her future might be more intertwined than she thought. [[word count: 80,000-90,000 words]] Cover designed by Ashley Santoro

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.

"Entwined" is now published as a Wattpad Book! As a Wattpad reader, you can access both the Original Edition and the Wattpad Books Edition upon purchase. On her eighteenth birthday, Avery Montgomery will discover who the Greek gods have chosen as her soulmate. But what if it's not the boy she's fallen in love with? ***** Seventeen-year-old Avery Montgomery doesn't want a soulmate, but she doesn't get a choice. As a descendant of a minor Greek goddess, it's her destiny to meet her other half after her eighteenth birthday and hear his thoughts inside her head -- just as it's the destiny of everyone else like her, born as part of an Ancient Greek race known as the Hellenicus. But Avery has never had a romantic bone in her body, and while there's a chance her soulmate might be Carlos, her dreamy new crush, or Adrian, her long-time childhood crush, there's also a chance...no, her soulmate couldn't possibly be her best friend's annoying older brother Vladimir. Right? Content/Trigger Warning: self-harm, violence against children [[People Choice Awards 2019 Winner for Best Teen Fiction]] [[The Wattys 2018, Longlist]]

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]]

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.