best books to read in 2023

“I’m going to make her mine,” Xander declared. “You are going to marry my wife, father?” “Your ex-wife,” Xander corrected. “She’s no longer your wife, Thayer. You just divorced her, remember?” he added, stepping closer to me on the bed. Thayer cheated on me the same day I found out I was pregnant for him. He divorced me cruelly and called me a mistake, fat, and dirty. However, in reaction to the betrayal, I found myself falling deeply in love with my father in-law and he in return fell for me too. His love ignited a forbidden passion in me and I was ready to sin with him. But my ex-husband suddenly realized what he had lost and wants me back. He is willing to go any lengths, even to kill to kill his own father just to win my heart again. But my heart now belongs to another-his father. My father in-law belongs to me, not to his ex-wife either!

"What's your name?" He asked, making the managers go shut at once. They followed his gaze and it landed on Mallory. Mallory felt her soul being pierced. Did he just ask for her name? Her Wilder didn't even know her name? "Uh... her name is..." "Let her speak for herself, Arlo" Wilder raised his hand at his cousin who zipped up at once. Then, reluctantly, Mallory muttered: "I'm Mallory Harrington." Wilder said nothing, his gaze on her unreadable. Then, she asked. "Don't you... remember me?" "Am I... supposed to know you?" Wilder asked with an unfeigned doubt. This broke Mallory even more. How can her Wilder not recognize her? Her next breath came raggedly, she had to drop her teary gaze to the floor. "How can you not remember me?" She winced. "We were..." ********** What happens when Mallory goes to work one morning and discovers the new CEO who was the heir to the richest company was her ex-husband who had been missing for seven years? How does she tell him she used to be married to him and had been forced to divorce him when he went missing? How does she tell him she was still very much in love with him and wanted him back in her life, even if there was someone else? How does she tell him she had twins at home that looked like him? How does she tell him any of this when he couldn't recognize her and acted very cold towards her? What happened to her Wilder?

Kaiser Volkov is the 27-year-old Alpha of the Viperthorn pack, known for being everything an Alpha shouldn't be—brash, strategic, and a notorious playboy. He's the life of the party, admired by women and envied by men, but no one truly knows the secrets buried beneath his charming exterior. Kaiser has successfully hidden his past from his new pack, until a pregnant woman collapses at the pack's gates, calling his name before passing out. To his shock, the woman is Esmarie Cruz, his childhood best friend and the wife of the very man who drove Kaiser away from his old pack. Esmarie's life spiraled into chaos when Kaiser vanished in the middle of the night when they were eighteen after kissing her. Forced to marry his brother, she has endured relentless suffering at the hands of his family. Now pregnant and fearing for her children's lives, Esmarie escapes, desperate and uncertain, and finds herself at the gates of Kaiser's pack. Though unsure of why she sought him out, he's her only hope to hide from his brother. The Kaiser Esmarie once knew is gone, replaced by a man unprepared to shoulder responsibilities. Burdened by the past, both struggle with the baggage they carry. Yet, amidst their turmoil, old feelings flicker—a testament to the saying that first love never truly fades. When Kaiser's brother resurfaces, threatening Esmarie and her children, Kaiser must decide: run away again or confront his past and family to protect Esmarie and avenge the wrongs done to him years ago. As old flames reignite, Kaiser and Esmarie are forced to confront their shared history and the love that never really went away.

Octavia, a beautiful and strong werewolf, was born into the family of Zaid, an Omega type of werewolves, the lowest ranking werewolves in Dark Moon Pack. For the fear of going through brutal pains of being an Omega, her parents decided to keep her birth a secret from the outside world, as the only who knew about the poor girl's existence, is Lia, the Alpha's surrogate mom. She was locked inside the house for twenty years, not seeing the outside world. No friends, no other families, just she and her poor parents. She always sneaked out in the night to explore the woods, but always made sure to not stay out long, to avoid being caught, as it'll end the poor parents in trouble. On this fateful day, her whole life turned into a misery, as she sneaked out in broad daylight for the first time, but got caught by a stranger, who turned out to be their Alpha, whom she had seen a couple of times, but never got to see his face. To punish her and the parents, the Alpha decided that her parents should be killed, to justify their crimes, but what happens, when the little Octavia, got consumed by her powers, and her demon took over her right in front of the Alpha, which is something that never happened in history?

Having failed to secure a mate, Olivia black was forced to marry Lucien, the heir of Moonblood family who couldn't control his wolf. Fearing that he would never be able to control his wolf, he rejected her after three years out of fear that he would accidentally kill her. Left with no choice, she partakes in the year's bonding ceremony, and for the second time in history ; A wolf bonded two mates. Unfortunately for her, she found herself bonded to the worst mates possible . One is a half human adopted into a powerful pure blood family, the other is a feared Alpha who was rumored to have masscred his entire family. An Alpha and a Lycan. This was the beginning of her journey, a journey she couldn't even see how it would end.

You are nothing but a tool” Philip growled in her ear. Goosebumps rose up her arms as she fought back the tears. “Why are you doing this to me?” She asked with a small voice staring at her best friend across the room who was trying to conceal her smirk. “I can do whatever I want because I am the alpha!” his boomed across the entire room.... Anastasia has to decide her fate. She discovers the purpose she is mated to Alpha Philip; bring prosperity to the pack. She is reduced to nothing but a tool as a rare white wolf. Betrayed by the only family she has ever known she is confused and alone. She breaks free before it can ever happen but fate has other plans for her by making her cross paths with her one true mate. As they try to deny fate so many obstacles fall in their path, will Anastasia accept these feelings of hers? Or will she go against fate with her newly found freedom?

Desmond Hawthorne returns to Winekove where it all began, to live a simple life. He meets Hope Wallace, and his life changes. He and his brother, Solomon, are attacked later by a vampire hunter, Silas Hermott. He eventually defeats Silas and falls for Hope. Hope becomes pregnant with a baby which is tagged "impossible". They get attacked by many enemies from the past until Suzana, the witch who turned them into vampires returns and requests for their child. Desmond dies trying to save his family.

**Story On Hold** In a world where vampires have gone extinct Marinette Sinclair is the last hybrid on Earth. But... she doesn't know it. Marinette has been raised by her billionaire human father and believes the supernatural world doesn't exist. Her life gets turned upside down whenever she gives birth to her child and has near death experience that awakens her vampire side. Not knowing who to talk to and where to turn and getting thrusted into a world she's never heard of while trying to be a new mother and make it on her own... life just got very complicated. On top of everything else, Marinette is still grieving over the loss of her first love and the father of her baby. When Alpha Chase Croft steps into her life... is she ready to accept that it's good to move on with someone else? Will the Alpha be understanding of her situation or struggle with his desire to dominate her in every way he can?

"Sit down, pet." Those words echo through Raya's mind as she thinks about how her drastically her life changed in the past 24 hours. She knew her entire life that she wasn't like everybody else, that she was actually a half-vampire. She always wondered who her father was, but it seemed to be the one secret her mother was determined to take to her grave. Raya knows next to nothing about her heritage or this other side of herself and what she is capable of. Now that she is stuck with three hot vampire brothers that want answers she has no idea what will become of her.

Her: Magdalena had lived as a slave within the Crimson Moon Pack. Invisible. Unwanted. Bound to others' whims. That life ended the day she was sold, not for her worth but as a stand-in for the Beta’s daughter. Traded like livestock to the Shadow Fang Pack. She thought leaving meant freedom. It did not. It was a sentence to something far worse. The moment she stepped into Alpha Darius’s lands, a new weight settled on her shoulders. Then came his words, cold and final. “You shall suffer for your mother’s sins. For the blood she spilled, my mother’s blood. You will plead for mercy, but I shall show you none.” She knew nothing of that woman's crimes. But to him, guilt ran in the blood. And punishment came in the form of vengeance. Now bound in forced marriage to the most merciless Alpha alive, Magdalena must survive a life shaped by sins that were never her own. --- Him: The moon ruled many. Shapeshifters who roamed as wolves, Lycan beasts born of blood and fury, Witches who drew power from its face. But what of one who bore all three? A harbinger. A living prophecy. Whispers spoke of one meant to end the old powers and bring the world to its knees. Raised in shadows, his might was hidden. He could have conquered, ruled, been feared. But he chose silence. Until news came. His mate. In danger. And carrying his unborn heir. He broke every law, shattered all restraint, Not for glory, But for love.