Best Books Of The Decade: 2000s

Vanessa Archibald is heartbroken and ready for a fresh start. Escaping her cheating ex and small town, she gets admission to Yale and moves in with her dad's charming best friend, Antonio who is also a professor at Yale. Older, sophisticated, and devastatingly handsome, Antonio is everything Vanessa's ex wasn't. But their age difference and Antonio's upcoming wedding make their undeniable attraction forbidden.But what starts as a convenient arrangement explodes into a forbidden passion they can't deny.One drunken night ignites a spark they can't ignore, leading to a passionate encounter that binds them in a thrilling, yet terrifying, secret. All is well up until an anonymous emailer threatens to expose Vanessa’s secret, sending shivers down Vanessa's spine. Will she succumb to the blackmail, or will she risk everything for a taste of the forbidden?

I make a mistake. A rash and intoxicating mistake. One night. A stranger. A fire that burns my skin and leaves me breathless. But when the morning light comes, I run—leaving behind nothing but shame and a few crumpled bills. I think I’ll never see him again. Until I step into the towering kingdom of Wilder Group... and meet ーhim. Kai Wilder Reyes. A ruthless billionaire. The man who rules the city with just a snap of his fingers. The man who shares an unforgettable night with me. And worst of all—my best friend's uncle. His grin is sinful. His touch is deadly. His words are a trap I can’t escape. "I can destroy your husband for you, Vivian," he whispers, his lips dangerously close. "Make him regret ever betraying you." My ex-husband, Adrian Cownell, has shattered my heart, and Kai offers me justice on a silver platter. But at what cost? Because Kai never does anything for free. And when I ask him what he wants in return, he smiles. A slow, dark, wicked smile. "I want you, Vivian."

Ava Monroe is struggling to pay for her college fees. After a terrible loss in business when her family went bankrupt overnight, Ava saw all her dreams shatter right in front of her eyes. It doesn't help that her family is obsessed with becoming wealthy again. The shock of being poor had turned them into something Ava could no longer recognize. However, eager for some quick money, Ava works as an escort over the summer before college begins. The money is good, and she hasn't had any strange experiences yet. That has to be worth something, right? Brian Reinhold is rich, successful and soon turning forty. But his home is anything but happy. After losing his sixteen-year-old daughter in a car crash, Brian doesn’t know how to go on with life anymore. Nothing makes sense. Nothing makes him lively. His friends believe Brian needs a break. A long pause in his hectic life so he could grieve and make amends for the sadness that is dousing him from inside. But instead of packing his bags and moving to his hometown, Brian thrusts himself more into work and pretends that moving on is a choice, not binding. But life takes a toll when the next client on Ava’s list turns out to be Brian Reinhold. The dear daddy of Valerie. Ava’s best friend. Now, Ava doesn’t know why the idea of sleeping with a man double her age is electrifying. Brian Reinhold might be forty soon, but he looks anything but old. His arms are a thing of beauty and his charming grey eyes can suck you in so deep that reality gladly withers away. But this arrangement has cons of its own. And truth has the power to destroy the lives they both care for.

Leah lives with her mother and younger sister, carefully balancing school, work, and responsibility. Her father drifts in and out of her life, bringing nothing but chaos, guilt, and financial strain. Every interaction with him reminds Leah why control matters, why stability must be protected at all costs. Her secret begins with Damien Cross, her best friend’s father. Their connection forms quietly, deliberately, and with full awareness of the line they are crossing. Damien’s dominance awakens something in Leah; she has never allowed herself to explore a desire to surrender, to be guided, to belong. Their encounters are hidden and intense, leaving Leah shaken, fulfilled, and aching for more. Even as desire deepens, Leah understands the danger of discovery and the devastation it would bring. But passion comes at a price. Extra money, watchful eyes, and her father’s greed threaten exposure. One wrong move could destroy everything Leah fights to protect. Owned by My Best Friend’s Father is a dark, addictive romance about forbidden desire, alpha dominance, and the dangerous thrill of surrender. Some loves aren’t safe, but they’re impossible to resist.

Eggust Flemming had been obsessed with his mom’s best friend all his life and vowed that the next time he saw her he’d never let her go Juss índigo thought her life would end when she discovered she was pregnant for the little boy she had a one night stand with who happened to be her student and best friend’s son. But it was just the beginning of something she never saw coming

I’ve loved my best friend’s father for years. Damian Cole is untouchable. A cold, powerful tech billionaire who built an empire from nothing. He’s disciplined. Controlled. Off-limits. And completely unaware that every time he looks at me, my heart forgets how to beat. Until the night he catches me sneaking out with another man. The way he looks at me changes. The way he touches me changes. The rules change. What starts as one reckless kiss turns into a secret we can’t control. A love we shouldn’t want. A betrayal that could destroy the one person we both care about most — his daughter, my best friend. And when I discover I’m pregnant… I realize loving him won’t just ruin a friendship. It might ruin everything. But Damian Cole doesn’t lose what belongs to him. And this time… he’s choosing me.

Three years ago, Alicia Brown walked away from the only man who had ever made her feel undone. After a reckless one-night stand with a powerful stranger, she slipped out of his hotel suite, convinced that disappearing was the only way to protect her heart. No names or contact information were exchanged—only a connection so consuming it frightened her. She never imagined fate would bring her back to him. Until she steps into her best friend’s home for the holidays… and comes face-to-face with Rhys Connell. Her best friend’s father. The same man who gave her the most unforgettable night of her life. Wealthy. Controlled. Devastatingly composed. Rhys is a widowed billionaire with a reputation for discipline and emotional restraint, a man who would do anything to protect his daughter. The moment their eyes meet, the past ignites. He remembers the girl who trembled beneath his touch, the girl who vanished without a trace. And the only woman who has haunted him for three years. Now she is under his roof, laughing beside his daughter, and staying in the same house with him. Wanting her once was a secret. Wanting her now is betrayal. But Rhys has never been a man who forgets what belongs to him. And Alicia is about to learn that walking away from him once does not mean she was ever truly free.

“ Let's break up, Miranda. ” His words were likened to fiery knives, piercing through her already wounded heart. “ No, Joseph…. Please don't say this. I — ” Her words became cut up in her throat, seeing the look in his eyes. For a moment, she couldn't recognize the guy in front of her. Where was her caring and compassionate best friend, who never ceased to dote endlessly on her? “ Okay. ” She said, swallowing the lump in her throat. She didn't miss the relief in his eyes. “ Goodbye, Miranda. ” He stared at her one more time, taking several steps backwards until he was out of her sight. Miranda broke down in tears when he was out of her sight, she found it completely difficult to believe what had just happened. “ When did we get here? ” she wondered as the pain in her heart intensified. …. Miranda and Joseph had been best friends since forever until Joseph fell in love with the Queen Bee. Their relationship deteriorated as a result. Despite how devastated she was by the news, Mira still felt happy for him, until she accidentally found out about the evil scheme the Queen Bee had against him. In the end, she became torn between taking a risk on their friendship by telling him about it, or keeping quiet and watching him get ruined. What will she do? Read this book to find out.

She was supposed to heal him, not crave him. Olivia Carter, a divorced physical therapist, thought her new job with the Chicago Blizzard hockey team would be simple—treat injuries, keep her head down, and cheer for her son on the ice. But when the team’s arrogant and devastatingly handsome captain, Xander Hayes, lands in her care, everything spirals out of control. He’s engaged. He’s her son’s best friend. And he’s forbidden. What begins as teasing flirtation turns into stolen touches, midnight encounters, and a dangerous obsession neither of them can resist. But secrets never stay buried—especially in the world of fame, fortune, and ruthless tabloids. When their affair explodes into the public eye, Olivia risks not only her career and reputation, but the one bond she can’t afford to lose: her son’s trust. Will Xander choose his fiancée, his career, and his best friend… or the woman he should never want?

~"Why is the best fruit always forbidden?"~ Alecander Blackford is that perfect Alpha blessed with the face of an angel but cursed with overbearing parents who would not stop tailing after his ass. After he runs away from the pack to stay at his aunt’s house, he did not expect that he would meet his mate who turned out to be more than he had expected and everything he was not. Soft, caring with a touch of defensive instincts, Elristeya Larsen is just that girl who has two parents that were in love since forever and a brother who would do anything to make her frustrated. When she meets her brother’s new best friend, it turned out to be the Asshole that had slammed the door in her face, Alec. She was undeniably captivated by his hypnotic orbs and the way he looked like everything a human was not. Like a different breed. Alec’s entire plan to stay away from her as far as he could begins to fall flat right before his own eyes. No matter how he tried to ignore her, like a moth to a flame he was attracted to her. When circumstances fell into place, they slowly began to get closer, creating more connection and strengthening the bond between them. Elristeya soon realized that Alec was no prince charming of hers but her beautiful downfall. Her perfect nemesis. Her flawless damnation. Theirs was the mate bond that was never supposed to be formed. Forbidden right from their births and when they try to fight against the fate that binds them, ugly and haunting secrets, capable of ruining them both and those they cherished, from the past are unleashed, threatening the soul bond they shared.