University Of Southern California Libraries

BLURB: Four years ago, Belle Moreno shattered Cassian Thornwell’s heart with a brutal lie, and disappeared without a trace. He was her best friend, her first love, the heir to a billion-dollar empire. She was the housekeeper’s daughter, never good enough in his mother’s eyes. So, she walked away. Now, fate brings them back together once more—older, colder, and harboring scars the other can’t see. Cassian needs a wife. A contract marriage to save his empire’s image. And when he sees Belle again, he offers a deal—one year as his wife. Should she say no? Should she run? But her secrets are catching up and her heart never learned how to stop loving him. Living under the same roof, sparks fly, wounds reopens, and the truth threatens to explode. Because he doesn’t know she’s hiding more than the past… He doesn’t know she’s hiding his son.

When Kira Jones finally decides to take a sixweek summer vacation, her best and only friend, Samantha, drags her into a trip out of California. What awaits in the way is something Kira has never fathomed at all, as her life gets a serious turn. She meets a mysterious ranch owner whom her friend already has eyes for, and Kira finds herself drawn near him in a very strange way. What will win in the end between the power of love and friendship?

University of Love is a reverse harem fantasy romance. The college experience is supposed to be an eye-opening introduction to the real world. Well, it doesn’t get more eye-opening than going for Rain than to go from only living among werewolves to being on a campus with multiple species. If balancing college life in this new social circle wasn’t challenging enough, life keeps throwing romantic entanglements at her, including her ex. How will she balance these new males with her studies? What happens when she discovers the secrets her father kept from her? Will she be able to handle everything that will be thrown at her this year? **Warning: This book contains lots of steamy scenes and is a reverse harem.** **Sequel to the this book is titled The Ember in the Dark** *********************************************** What is your problem?!" I all but yelled at him. He looked down at me a bit surprised, but pushed me aside, walking past me. My body was screaming in anger. I felt like I was losing my mind. I chased after him as we exited the building. He knew I was following, and led me into the woods where we had met the night before. "Would you stop?" He finally turned around and spoke to me. "Not until you give me answers or reject me." I stomped my foot, crossing my arms, giving him the angriest look I could muster while staring at that handsome face.

The beach was crowded as it was summer and many families tend to camp and have fun during this period. A young tanned skinned girl of about eight years, sat on the sand a little bit far from her family. She had a darkblue hoodie on and a headphone over her head. Her beautiful grey eyes seem to shimmer as she stared with keen interest at the water, while humming a song softly and enjoying the quiet. However, her little peace and privacy was shortlived as a lad of about ten years old, endowed with curly jet-black hair, ran along. He stopped however, on seeing her. She turned to see the one invading her quiet only to see the boy staring at her. She looked at him without saying a word, holding his gaze. Time seemed to fly by as they both continued their staring match which was eventually interrupted, when another lad of same age as the boy came by. "Jordan! There you are. Come, Mom calls for you." The blonde haired lad said, looking at the girl briefly before dragging the other along who continued to stare at the girl from his shoulders until she was out of eyesight. "Hey Elle!" A little girl of same age as the grey eyed, called as she ran towards her. "Come see the sand castle that Rosalie and I built." "Jordan," the grey-eyed girl whispered.

When Nadia Marlowe attends the annual writers’ conference in California, all she has in mind is a break from the regular activities back home, an autograph from her favourite author, and the desire to connect with writers from around the world. That is, until the air conditioner in her hotel room starts spitting hot air, and a technician is sent in to fix it. Suddenly, the conference no longer matters. The goals she arrived with disappear into thin air, replaced by an undeniable awareness of the extremely handsome technician standing across from her. One thing leads to another, and a simple repair session turns into an intense encounter that leaves Nadia shaken to her core. Disgusted with herself for crossing a line she never thought she would—married, with children—Nadia leaves California after the conference determined to bury the experience and pretend it never happened. But fate has a sense of humour, and Nadia Marlowe becomes its favourite recipient. Her husband’s longtime friend arrives for a business discussion, and to her horror, that friend turns out to be Fabian, the same technician she had mouth watering sex with back in California. Lost for words, Nadia struggles to survive his stay in her home. But fate isn’t finished yet. Fabian’s visit stretches longer than planned. To make matters worse, he is trapped in an on-and-off relationship, and also has a daughter. He knows the damage he’s causing. He knows that after everything Nadia’s husband has done for him, betraying him this way is unforgivable. Yet the pull toward Nadia is something he cannot control. What began as a single reckless moment spirals into a dangerous affair, one filled with desire, guilt, and secrets, threatening to destroy marriages, friendships, and the perfect life Nadia has built.