A Lesson Before Dying Barnes And Noble Novels & Stories

In the glitzy world of Ryan Barnes, Sofia finds her soulmate. But can their love survive the clash between his superstar life and her next-door charm? Sparks ignite, but will they burn bright or fizzle out?

"Rule 1! I don't want to see your filthy hands on my kids, make sure you are clean before touching them." "Rule Two! I don't want you close to me. People like you are nothing but gold diggers." Those were the rules Lucas Maxwell, the renowned billionaire gave to Scarlett Barnes before she was finally accepted into the big mansion as a nanny. She had long dreamed of a high-paying job to foot her bills, and she finally got one. Without considering the terror she would face from Lucas, being the father of the kids she bonded with. Scarlett thought it was the beginning of a new life, without realizing it was another phase of woes for her. Fortunately, an opportunity came and she got into a contract marriage with Lucas, she gradually falls in love with him, but then secrets are revealed. Would she be able to stick with Lucas even after discovering his secrets? What happens when she herself discovers her true identity?

After the death of her estranged grandmother, Ayla inherits a crumbling estate—and a ring etched with runes she can’t read. But the moment she slips it on, the barrier between the mortal world and the realm of night cracks. Enter Lucien, a vampire noble exiled for treason, bound by oath to protect the bloodline that nearly wiped out his own. And Ayla? She’s the last of that bloodline—and possibly the key to restoring or destroying his dying realm. Ayla doesn't want anything to do with vampires, ancient wars, or cursed magic. But when hunters come for her, and she starts hearing voices in her sleep, Lucien becomes her only protection—and possibly her greatest threat.

My father's adopted daughter was only locked in the cramped storage closet for around fifteen minutes, yet he punished me by tying me up and throwing me inside. He even sealed off the ventilation with towels. "As Wendy's older sister, if you can't take care of her, then you should also experience how scared she was," he declared coldly. He knew I was claustrophobic, but my desperate pleas for mercy, my terror, were met with nothing but heartless reprimands. "Let this be a lesson on how to be a good sister." As the last sliver of light disappeared, swallowed by the oppressive darkness, I struggled helplessly. A week passed before my father finally remembered my existence and decided it was time to end my punishment. "Let's hope this week served as a good lesson for you, Jennifer. If this happens again, you will no longer be allowed in this house." He would never know that I had already taken my last breath in that suffocating room. My body had begun to rot in the darkness.

My Vampire fiancé, Vincent, was the powerful prince of New York's most influential coven. He had lived for centuries and was notoriously ruthless, yet he bestowed upon me, and only me, every honor imaginable. But one month before our Union Ceremony, he suddenly insisted on postponing it. The reason was his childhood friend, Camilla, was dying from a rare condition known as Bloodline Degeneration. To repay a life debt from long ago, he wanted to hold a mock wedding with her to fulfill her last wish to wear a wedding gown. I refused outright. It was a flagrant violation of coven dignity. But he pressured me relentlessly, using a supposed ancient code of honor as emotional blackmail. Then, two weeks before the ceremony, I received an anonymous email containing an advanced blood analysis report. Only then did I learn that he hadn't just been preparing a wedding; he had already secretly formed a Mutual Blood Bond with her, a pact that would bind their lives together for eternity. In that moment, I finally understood. My two centuries of devotion to him had been nothing more than a joke. And so, I called off our union and set fire to everything he had ever given me. On the day of the ceremony, I traveled to Europe's Supreme Institute for Vampiric Research in Italy and took charge of the Institute's most secret and critical project. From that day forward, I would have nothing more to do with the noble prince. We were finished.

Despite being the Daughter of the Beta of the BloodRose Pack, Alexandra Pearce has never believed in Mates or First Love. Her life revolved around three life goals; To protect her family, her pack and to enjoy life with her best friends. But the Moon goddess had other plans for her. With the emergence of her stoic, possessive and bad boy mate, Alexandra is thrust into a world unlike the one she had planned for all her life. Old secrets are revealed. Pandemonium is unleashed upon her life and to top it all off, she is in the middle of a conspiracy that threatens to destroy them both...to destroy their story before it really begins. All her priorities shifted when she met Rhys and now, she was willing to sacrifice everything to protect him and their future. All Rhys Hayden has ever trained for was to become the Alpha of his Noble Family Pack. As the son of one of the most important Noble families in the Werewolf Royal lineage, his life has only ever been about securing his position. Not until he meets his quirky mate who changes his life in unimaginable ways. Cold and unfeeling before, everything that meant something to him before becomes nothing in the wake of her arrival. She is the only reason he drew breath and he would protect her with everything he has

My mother was dying. Her only wish before she passed was to see me married. For 27 days, I begged my girlfriend, Monica Teller, and she finally agreed to register for marriage with me on the 27th day. I waited at the courthouse until closing, but she never came. That same day, her childhood sweetheart, Gurney Barnes, posted their marriage certificate on social media. [Time sure flies. Three more days, and we'll have been married for a month.] It was then I finally realized that she had married her childhood sweetheart since the first day I started begging her. Not long after, an apology text from Monica buzzed on my phone. [I'm so sorry, Lincoln. Gurney's family was forcing him into marriage. I couldn't stand by and watch him get shackled to a stranger. Just give it three days. We'll file for divorce. Three days later, I'll marry you." Three days later, she showed up at the courthouse in a wedding gown, But the only thing waiting for her was my message. [Goodbye, Monica. May we never meet again.]

Five years ago, Anastasia Hansom was framed by her family and barely escaped with her life. Now, after five years, she returns with a pair of sons, determined to find her daughter. However— "Mommy, Daddy said it's a buy-one-get-one deal. If you want me back, you have to marry him," Qin Anchun stated with great seriousness. Anastasia Hansom looked at the man kneeling before her. He was strikingly handsome, noble and elegant, and incredibly wealthy.

At the recording studio of a divorce reality show, when Logan Barnes, the superstar, catches a fallen headset for me, he subconsciously takes my hand and kisses it. The thing is, the livestreaming camera is still rolling. The kiss leaves the entire Internet in chaos. After all, I'm not Logan's ex-wife in this reality show. Everyone can't wait to see me break down and get jealous to the point that I'll keep pestering my actual ex-husband, Eddie Hancock. But right after the reality show is over, Logan and I become the most envied Internet couple.

Marrying the love of her life was a dream come true—until Kassia found out he couldn’t stand virgins. Terrified of ruining her marriage before it even began, she turned to a secret establishment that promised to teach her how to satisfy a man like a pro. But she didn’t expect to meet Derrick…her dangerously irresistible instructor who lit her body on fire with a single touch. What started as a lesson turned into an obsession. Now she’s married, pregnant… and the baby isn’t her husband’s. With guilt eating her alive and two powerful men fighting for her, Kassia must face the truth. One owns her heart, the other owns her vows… She's stuck between two powerful men, with a child caught in the middle. And it’s only a matter of time before it all explodes.