9 Ghosts

N.B This is the second Book in the Bonnet Family series but can be read as a standalone but I recommend reading the first book first Title: My Mate's Betrayal And Rejection ** Karen Lukeman has spent her life as an omega—unseen, unheard, and utterly disposable. When her arrogant first mate, Alex Scott, cruelly severs their bond before it even began, she flees, determined to carve out a new life far from the humiliation and heartbreak. The Shadow Moon Pack offers her sanctuary, a place to bury her pain and embrace her gift as a healer. But the moment she crosses paths with Jackson Bonnet, the young Alpha King with a reputation for not taking no for an answer, her world tilts on its axis. Having being raised in a loving home with siblings and parent who live for each other, Jackson dreams to find a mate he can completely dot on. The moment their eyes lock, the mate bond ignites with an intensity that terrifies her. Karen is determined to resist, convinced love is just another kind of surrender. But Jackson refuses to let her push him away. He’s a king who is determined to love what he wants, and what he wants is her—body, soul, and the shattered pieces of her heart. But as their passion deepens, so do the threats. Alex, consumed by regret and a twisted obsession, will stop at nothing to reclaim what he threw away. Rival packs circle like vultures, hungry for the power Karen possess, while dark secrets claw their way to the surface, threatening to destroy the fragile trust between Karen and Jackson. Karen must decide: Is she strong enough to claim her destiny? Or will the ghosts of her past devour her future before it even begins?

When disgraced journalist Elliot Dorne receives an anonymous invitation to Wintercroft Hall—a decaying mansion on a fog-shrouded island—he is promised the story of a lifetime. But upon his arrival, Elliot finds himself among six strangers, each with their own shadowy past. Their enigmatic host, the frail and reclusive Vivienne Ashworth, claims she has summoned them to reveal a deadly truth about the Ashworth family legacy. Before she can confess, Vivienne collapses, and chaos ensues. A violent storm traps the guests on the island, and the discovery of a gruesome murder sets paranoia ablaze. As Elliot uncovers cryptic messages, hidden rooms, and a chilling photograph that ties him to the Ashworth family, he realizes that nothing about this gathering is random. With the mansion’s dark history unraveling and secrets surfacing at every turn, Elliot must confront the ghosts of his own past to survive. But the deeper he digs, the clearer it becomes—someone inside Wintercroft Hall is playing a deadly game, and not everyone will make it out alive. When disgraced journalist Elliot Dorne is invited to the remote and crumbling Wintercroft Hall, he’s promised the story that could save his career. But the mansion’s sinister halls conceal more than just secrets—they harbor a legacy of betrayal, murder, and lies. Elliot is joined by six strangers, all summoned by the enigmatic Vivienne Ashworth. Frail and reclusive, she claims to know the truth about their darkest sins. Before she can reveal anything, a violent storm cuts them off from the outside world—and the first body is discovered. As cryptic messages and chilling clues emerge, Elliot realizes that his connection to the Ashworth family runs deeper than he could have imagined. Someone in Wintercroft Hall knows the truth about his past, and they’ll stop at nothing .

CLAIMING HER A wrong hotel room. A stranger’s arms. A secret she swore to bury. For years, Fiona Mendez endured a loveless marriage built on betrayal and empty promises. She clung to the hope that Aries—the man she once loved—would finally choose her. But fate had other plans. One mistake. One night. One moment of weakness. A wrong hotel room led her to Nagi Fujiwara—a stranger whose touch made her forget her pain. But when morning came, so did the horrifying truth. The man she thought was her husband was someone else. Before she could even process what happened, Aries shattered what was left of their marriage—not because he found out, but because he had someone else. Discarded and humiliated, Fiona fled to Cebu. She was ready to start over—until two pink lines changed everything. She was pregnant. And the father? A man she barely remembered. For two years, she raised her daughter Lizha alone, determined to leave the past behind. But peace never lasts forever. Forced to return to Manila for work, Fiona braces herself for the ghosts of her past. What she doesn’t expect is to come face-to-face with the man she swore she’d never see again. Nagi Fujiwara The father of her child. Her new boss. The ruthless, powerful, and dangerously possessive. A man who always gets what he wants. And this time, he wants her. Fiona may have run from him once, but now that fate has brought her back into his world, there’s no escaping him. And Nagi will stop at nothing to claim what’s rightfully his.

Richard Franklin has left his Midwestern roots behind to live on the coast of Maine with his family. But in the autumn of the year 2000, he must return to his Illinois birthplace on a sorrowful journey. His wife Michelle has been killed in New England by a hit-and-run driver who is never found, so back home he comes with her cremated remains, to fulfill a final wish and on her birthday scatter her ashes in the park along the river in Blackwater Valley—simply Blackwater Val to locals—the small town where they both grew up and fell in love. With him he brings his six-year-old daughter Katie who still grieves for her lost mother: Katie, who can sometimes guess who’s going to be on the phone before it rings. Who can stop all the clocks in the house, and break up clouds in the sky with her mind, and heal sicknesses, and who sometimes sees things that aren’t there...people who are no longer alive. All gifts she inherited from her mother. Only something isn’t quite right in the Val. Sinkholes are opening up, revealing the plague pits the sleepy hamlet was built over in the 1830s, when malaria and cholera outbreaks ran riot. Mysterious bird and fish die-offs begin to occur, and Katie can see ghosts of the dead gathering all around. But what she can’t see is the charred, centuries-old malevolence which has been waiting for her, and wants her for its very own. Or the pale Sallow Man who haunts the town’s nighttime streets...or the river witch—another Blackwater Val, of sorts—each of whom will be drawn one by one into the nightmarish bloodletting about to take place. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

His lips crashed into mine like he couldn’t stop himself. Like he had been holding something back for too long and it had finally cracked. I wanted it just as badly as he did. “I tried to ignore this,” he muttered against my lips, voice rough and ragged. “Tried to erase it.” His mouth returned to mine, hotter, hungrier, tongue sliding into mine, tasting me like I was something he needed to survive. “But you’re everywhere,” he breathed, kissing the corner of my mouth, then down to my throat. “In my head, my routine, in my f*cking sleep haunting every dream.” I couldn’t answer. “You’ve broken me,” he whispered into my skin, like a secret he never meant to say out loud. “And I can’t even bring myself to hate it.” My body trembled at the admission. I affected him as much as he affected me and that thought was heavenly. ********* She was the quiet shadow behind his magnificent empire, efficient, obedient, forgettable.He was the billionaire with the Midas touch of gold and power, untouchable, commanding, and always in control. But when Mark Rexona walks into his office and finds his seemingly shy and diligent secretary, Teresa Smith , with her fingers deep in a fantasy that stares something in him, something that destroys his control. Two worlds collide then collided, hers, filled with quiet but intense yearning and hidden heat and his, was ruled by dominance and untamable desire. What starts as one very stupid mistake behind a supposedly locked door spirals into an exciting and intoxicating game of lust, secrets, and power plays. He wants to own her and her pleasure and she is still haunted by the ghosts of her past.

Nora and Noah's story from contracted: Love in the Shadow. "Hey, Nora..." Noah tried calling her, she ignored him. He bit his lips in anger, as her hand touched the doorknob, he yelled, no, more like roared, "DANYON!" Nora immediately froze in place. She closed her eyes for a second, fighting back tears. that name--- Noah, seeing her wounded expression, took a deep breath, "Look, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to--" "Don't," she snarled, haughtily glaring at him. “Don’t you even think about it.” “Nora—" He began to say, but she turned her back on him and stormed out of his office, ignoring the many eyes that followed her. ** Nora Danyon wasn’t supposed to survive the crash that killed her husband and children. Stripped of everything—her family, her sanity, and her will to live—she’s forced to start over in a world that feels colder than ever. And just when the darkness threatens to swallow her whole, he shows up… Noah Bamford—her late husband’s best friend and the man she once secretly loved. But Noah isn’t the same boy from the past. He’s distant, guarded, and haunted by ghosts of his own. Still, his presence pulls her back to life—until one stolen kiss in an elevator changes everything. Now emotions are spiraling, old wounds are ripping open, and just when Nora starts to believe in love again… Noah betrays her in the most unforgivable way. Now Nora is forced to male a choice ------ In a world where nothing is promised, and love isn’t written in contracts, can two broken souls rewrite the rules—or will their story end in ruins? There is drama, there is hate, and there is love, and above all, do they deserve a second chance? Sit back and enjoy the ride.

The Heart Beneath the Thorn — A Modern Beauty and the Beast Retelling 💔 In a glittering city of fortunes and façades, The Heart Beneath the Thorn reimagines Beauty and the Beast through the broken glass of betrayal, redemption, and forbidden love. Emilia Grace, a fierce yet quietly bruised soul, is just trying to survive. Between juggling hospital shifts, family debts, and the ghosts of her past, she’s never had the luxury of dreaming. But fate has a cruel sense of humor when she’s assigned to care for Max Carter—the cold-hearted billionaire who once made her school years a waking nightmare. Max was the golden boy with the cruel smirk—the privileged heir with everything, except peace. Years later, a tragic accident leaves him scarred, not just physically but emotionally. Isolated and emotionally exiled, Max is now a man haunted by his past choices and a legacy wrapped in barbed wire. When Emilia walks back into his life, she's no longer the girl he mocked—she's the woman who might just be his undoing. Forced into each other’s orbit, what begins as a war of words slowly melts into lingering stares, late-night confessions, and an unraveling of everything they thought they knew. Max, the beast of her memories, begins to reveal the tender man beneath the mask—a man who collects poetry he never shares, who builds gardens no one sees, and who might have always loved the girl he couldn’t protect. But trust doesn’t bloom easily in thorn-covered soil. And when old enemies, buried secrets, and a scandalous inheritance come to light, Emilia must decide: can she love the man who once broke her, now that he’s the only one trying to piece her back together? A tale of enemies-to-lovers, second chances.

Raquel Renaud has spent her entire life overshadowed by the brilliance of her younger sister, Camille—the epitome of beauty and perfection. Raquel has long accepted her role as the family's overlooked daughter, enduring subtle humiliations and a constant sense of inadequacy. When her parents arrange her marriage to Alvaro Bernardi, a strikingly handsome and wildly ambitious businessman, Raquel dares to hope that this union might finally grant her a life of purpose and love. To Alvaro, Raquel is just a tool to fulfill his family's obligations. He hates her—her looks, her existence, even her audacity to love him. Alvaro’s contempt turns to betrayal when Raquel discovers the cruelest truth: Alvaro is having an affair with Camille, her younger sister. The betrayal shatters Raquel to her core. With her heart in ruins, she walks away from the wreckage of her marriage, keeping one devastating secret: she’s pregnant with twins. Five years later, Raquel returns—not as the woman once overlooked and discarded, but as a force to be reckoned with. Her beauty, strength, and newfound grace now turn heads, leaving everyone who once dismissed her in awe. Beneath her dazzling transformation, Raquel hides the wounds of a past that refuses to heal. When fate thrusts her back into the path of Alvaro—a man now consumed by the weight of his past mistakes—and Camille, who has woven herself deeply into Alvaro’s life, old secrets begin to unravel, threatening to tear everything apart. In a world where love is laced with regret and revenge, Raquel must fight her fiercest battle yet: to protect herself, her children, and the fragile happiness she’s painstakingly built. Will the ghosts of her past rise to destroy her, or will she finally take control and emerge victorious in the story of her own life?

Fiona Woods has spent five years being the perfect shadow—playing Darwin Solomon’s stand-in for a woman he could never have. Her life has been dictated by his whims, her own desires buried beneath layers of quiet endurance. But when she discovers she’s pregnant, everything changes. Determined to protect her unborn child and reclaim her life, Fiona walks away from Darwin and the toxic world he represents. But Darwin isn’t ready to let her go—and neither are the secrets and enemies circling them both. As lies unravel and hidden truths come to light, Fiona and Darwin find themselves drawn back together, forced to confront the ghosts of their past and the enemies determined to destroy them. Can love emerge from years of pain and betrayal? Or will their chance at happiness be crushed under the weight of secrets too heavy to bear? CHARACTERIZATION FIONA WOODS (FL) Age: Late 20s Traits: Intelligent, resourceful, quietly strong, yet deeply scarred by her years as Darwin’s stand-in. Her resilience comes from enduring pain without letting it break her. Darwin Solomon (ML): Age: Early 30s Traits: Proud, cold, and emotionally detached, but beneath his sharp exterior lies a man struggling with his own guilt and loneliness. BELLA ROBBINS (ANTAGONIST) Age: Mid-20s Traits: Ambitious, manipulative, and desperate to solidify her position by any means necessary. WILLIAM NEWTON (SECONDARY ANTAGONIST) Age: Early 40s Traits: Ruthless, shrewd, and motivated by a long-standing grudge against Darwin that drives him to play a dangerous game of revenge. THALASSA CAREY (FL’S BEST FRIEND) Age: Late 20s Traits: Outspoken, fiercely protective of Fiona, and always ready with a sharp wit or a clever plan.

Daisy Croft had it all—the fame, the fortune, and the man who adored her. But in her previous life, she took it all for granted, blinded by pride, bitterness, and jealousy. In a cruel twist of fate, she lost everything, including the one man who loved her unconditionally: Louis Grant. Now, given a second chance at life, Daisy is determined to rewrite her story. This time, she’ll fight for her love, her career, and her family. She rises through the entertainment industry like a storm, captivating the world with her newfound charm and maturity. Yet behind her success lies a secret, a past filled with regrets and betrayal. Louis Grant is a ruthless business tycoon, feared by many and respected by all. His icy demeanor and ironclad control make him untouchable—except when it comes to Daisy. His love for her is as deep as it is dangerous, and though he can’t forget how she shattered his heart before, he’s drawn to her new warmth and sincerity. But even he can sense that something has changed. As Daisy navigates the glittering yet perilous world of fame, dark forces from her past—friends turned enemies, and the mysterious mafia ties that once sought to ruin her—lurk in the shadows, threatening her newfound happiness. This time, she vows not to let anyone stand between her and the life she’s determined to reclaim. Can Daisy prove her love for Louis, protect him from the dangers she knows all too well, and finally find redemption? Or will the ghosts of her past once again destroy her only shot at happiness? A heart-stopping tale of love, second chances, and redemption, Reborn will sweep you off your feet and leave you breathless until the very last page.