Ann Patchett's "52 All-time Favorite Books From The Year I Turned 52"

“She danced to stay hidden. He paid to possess her. Neither expected obsession to feel like fate.” ~ She’s spent years building an empire behind a name that isn’t hers, dancing in the dark while running the fashion world in silence. He’s a ruthless billionaire chasing a contract, not realizing the woman he’s drawn to is the key to everything he wants and everything he thought he’d buried. One private dance ignites a craving he can't escape. One hidden identity threatens to unravel it all. In a world of secrets, betrayal, and lust, falling for the wrong woman might be his greatest mistake… or his only salvation.

Wounded Butterfly Series I "Letting go of someone you love is not a sign of being weak, it is really a sign of being brave enough of letting someone be free even if it means of breaking you." - Samantha. Mara Samantha Montesor Gilmore is a strong woman with a good heart. She'll definitely take the pain of being an unwanted wife than letting the man she loves be deceit by someone else. She would rather hurt herself for the sake of him, that's how selfless she is -- she even made a promise to herself that she will never leave him, that she will always stay even if it hurts like hell. But how could she keep her promise and just stay by his side when there's this one reason for her to run away and leave him?

I was diagnosed with cancer. After much deliberation, I called my husband. He fell silent for a long while. “Most of our mortgage is unpaid, and our children need money for school. You should go for conservative treatment.” I called my mother while weeping. “You’re so troublesome. None of my friends or family have cancer!” I stopped crying and started living for myself. God favored me and let me see reality early in my life. He even gave me a chance to start over.

Isabella is faced with emotional turmoil as her family sees her as a means to an end and Richard's parents thought she was after their wealth even though she sacrificed everything to be the ideal wife to their son. Her infertility made matters worse as she was unable to give Richard an heir. Just when she believes her marriage is at its lowest point, Richard betrays her by getting her cousin pregnant Now, as she confronts a brutal divorce and battles to reclaim her self-esteem, the question remains: Will Isabella find the strength to rebuild her life and rise above the betrayals, or will Richard's regret drag her back into the mess of marriage she desperately needs to leave?

⚠️ TRIGGER WARNING: This book contains scenes of psychological manipulation, emotional abuse, explicit content, and morally gray characters. Reader discretion is strongly advised. Not for the faint of heart. 🔞‼️ Cassandra Jenkins was blackmailed into marrying Trovian Blackwood to shield her sister from her father’s brutal brand of control. On the surface, she looks like a pawn. A delicate, obedient bride in a designer cage. But behind her silence is a woman quietly plotting. Trovian, ruthless and ice-blooded, believes Cassandra is her father's latest puppet. He wants vengeance, not vows. Every glance is a power play. Every touch is a calculated punishment. He makes her pay for sins she didn’t commit. But the more he watches her… The more he realizes that she’s hiding fire beneath her bruised loyalty. Their marriage becomes a battlefield of cruel words, broken trust, and tension so thick it borders on violence. Yet somewhere between the hate and the hurt, desire creeps in. Dark. Twisted. Addictive. When enemies from the shadows rise, Cassandra and Trovian must decide— Will they destroy each other? Or become the kind of monsters willing to burn the world down together?

Mr. Emeric saves Noelle from an embarrassing failed engagement where her boyfriend of over seven years gets on his knees for another woman, her best friend Mr Emeric who was serving as a waiter saves her embarrassment by proposing to her with an expensive ring, she is shocked but she accepts his ring right in front of Clayton, her boyfriend. Noelle finds out that Emeric was not just a waiter or a con man, he had been hiding his identity and she found herself falling for this mysterious man, falling recklessly into his world. Emeric falls harder even though he had sworn loyalty to his betrothed. What happens when Noelle finds out she has been played by another man, a man she loved. What happens when Emeric realizes his love for Noelle and risks losing it all including Noelle?

Vanessa was working as a stripper for a couple of years before she decided to call it an end and ran away from the man who she use to work for. She started a fresh life buy what happens when the past catches up on you and you developed feelings for a certain someone you shouldn't have?

A soul lost in time. A suspended love story filled with yearning and longing. Such is the tale of The lord of the Underworld and his only Beloved. There is a myth about a town every 100 years on Halloween night; demons from the very pits of hell come up to the earth and roam the streets, blending into the disguised populous searching for the perfect bride for their Prince—the Prince of Darkness himself. Although believed to be merely a myth, this tale, though not entirely true, hold some truth. Will the Prince eventually find what he seeks? Will his thirst be quenched and his search over? One can only be that truth within the pages of this unfolding tale.

Revenge: the only dish best served with a side of sass and a sprinkle of humour. ~ a soul with a dark and miserable past~ ~ a wolfless reborn in hell ~ ~ ️a mate entwined in a bloody burning vengeance thirst️️~ ~ an irresistible kickass heroine~ Ever wonder how vengeance feels like? ‍ She was betrayed and killed by her loved ones, because of her inability and tagged as a cursed one. They killed her innocence! She burned in misery and pain, but right now........ THE SHOW IS HERS!! But is that really it? In her journey of vengeance, she discovered something very peculiar and queer. Though, it was unknown if that peculiarity will revive her light and quench the darkness in her? It was uncertain if (one) can change the misdeeds of hundreds.... ... ~~~~ Alpha Zayn yanked Anita close to him and rubbed her bare back, as his eyes layered with a billion shade of lust. " Do you know what I can do to you?" The hoarseness in his voice chilled Anita's ears, and his warm breath fanned her cheek gently. Anita curled her lips naughtily and pressed a hand on Alpha's Zayn shoulder, allowing a bit of her cleavage to come into view.. " What can you do to me?" She whispered seductively, with a calm attractive face. " L**k my cl**t? F**k my a*s? Suck my p**ks?" But that was a guise. Deep in her, she was dying to rip out Alpha Zayn's heart, feed it to the beast, smash his head brutally, and peel his skin off from his body! Alpha Zayn lowered his lusty eyes at Anita, before licking his bottom lip. " You look like you have a bad plan for me." Anita's eyes contracted, immediately moving her hand to Alpha Zayn's sh**ft. " Do I?"

This is a story of two lovers who met in college and fell in love with each-other, but later life happened. Sirichai Thanawat (Siri) is the only heir to one of the leading electronic companies in Thailand. In his first year of college he is immediately smitten by 3rd year student Pairat Seatang (Pai) . The two eventually become lovers. However, after graduation as Sirichai starts working at Thanawat Enterprises, he is forced to marry another business tycoon’s daughter. Pairat pushes Siri to do what he must as well. The story begins here. I am horrible at summaries. Give this story a shot. It is angst and quiet a roller-coaster ride of emotions.