Best New Novels 2018 Novels & Stories

Ethan Cole is a billionaire tech heir who needs a relationship as soon as possible. Not for love, but to secure a powerful merger and win control of his family's empire. Desperate, he turns to the most unexpected person: Jamie Rivera, his charming, openly gay best friend with dreams of owning an art gallery. What begins as a harmless fake romance soon turns into real emotions, with stolen glances, strange desires and forbidden kisses. But with jealous exes, ruthless family rivals, and the media watching their every move, pretending to be in love might destroy everything, unless they’re brave enough to make it real. A swoon-worthy, slow-burn romance where fake love turns dangerously real and one kiss was all it took.

His large hand wraps around my throat just enough to make my pulse race, pinning me to the rain-slicked cabin wall as thunder rolls outside. “We can’t keep doing this,” he growls, but his hips grind against mine, hard and insistent, while his free hand slips under my skirt to find me already soaked. I whimper, arching into his touch, craving the sharp sting of his palm across my ass, the way he commands me to come for him like I’m his dirty little secret. My father’s best friend, the man who’s been in my life forever finally breaking every rule to claim me roughly, deeply, until I’m trembling and marked by him. What begins as one reckless, forbidden night spirals into an addiction of heated stolen moments, whispered dominance, and raw need… until the truth crashes down, pregnancies and betrayals threaten to shatter us, and everyone we love demands we end it. But how do you walk away when the only person who owns your body and heart refuses to let go?

"Shut down for rectification, fined $500,000, plus $300 compensation per customer. That’s the penalty from the Food Safety Bureau. Let’s see if you dare serve us gutter oil again!” Yves Larson, a part-timer at a construction site, sends me a provocative text purposefully, as though he's worried that I don't know what's going on. I just stare at the sign that says "closed for renovation", which is hung on the front door of my eatery. Never would I expect that the budget eatery that I've opened for the sake of the workers will be transformed into a blade that's aimed at me, thanks to the very same workers. That night, I sit in the apartment that my dad has left to me before his death. There, I spend the whole night smoking. Early the next morning, I head over to the bank and withdraw the money left behind by my dad, which is 260 million dollars. Half a month later, my eatery is open for business again. Work resumes at the construction site as well. Yves leads the construction workers to the restaurant at lunch. "I've taught him a good lesson last time. This time, I'm very sure that he won't have the guts to serve us cheap food made of shitty ingredients!" What he doesn't know is that the original eatery is already demolished. In its place stands a luxurious five-star restaurant. I stand in front of the main entrance as I perform a welcoming gesture to the workers. "This is a five-star restaurant that offers a private dining experience to you. The minimum bill for each table is 4000 dollars. You're welcome to dine here."

I was working as a stunt double for a fight scene when a rising idol actor stabbed me with a real knife and sent me straight to the hospital. My actress girlfriend rushed over in a panic, fussing over me with endless concern. Before I could even feel touched, a floating comment suddenly appeared above her head. [When is Scott finally going to realize that the Best Actress linked him and Francis through a Beauty System?] [The more Scott cares about a certain part of his body, the more perfect that same part becomes on Francis!] The next second, my manager of five years hurried into the room as well. Another barrage of comments floated up. [The manager's no better. She tied them to an Achievement System. The harder Scott works, the more achievements Francis gets!] I stared at the two women in front of me and fell silent. So… my only option was to give up and do nothing?

“My last day?” Ashley echoed, fear creeping into her voice. “What do you mean?” “Look at me!" Adam shouted. "Do you think I deserve an obese woman like you?” He spat, his face contorting with disgust. “Me?” she finally managed to whisper, her voice shaking. Betrayed by her husband and sister on her birthday night, pregnant Ashley Smith is left for dead. Fueled by anger and a thirst for vengeance, this dead girl is back with a new face and identity, but her quest for revenge might not be as simple as she thought, plus her ex husband likes the body of this new woman and wants her. Will she be able to get her revenge or will she lose it all again? And what happens when Prince charming comes her way after she'd sworn never to give love another chance?

To save my unconscious Alpha fiancé, I got trapped in a glacial crevasse on the frozen mountain. I tried to reach him through our bond ninety-nine times, but he blocked me out completely. When he finally found me seven days later, his first words were an accusation. "Elara damaged her eyes trying to save me, and you just had to cause trouble right now!" "You're a trained mountain warrior. How could you get trapped in a small crevasse for seven days?" "I've had enough of your games. Let's break off our engagement." He thought I would cry and argue like before. But I just nodded. "Okay." He didn't know I hit my head when I fell trying to save him. In seven days, I would completely forget him. But when I finally left him completely as he'd promised, he went crazy, searching the world and begging me back.

Rhonda Vons was a brilliant tech mastermind who had spent years hiding in the shadows, quietly building her Alpha husband’s tech company. She returned home on their sixth wedding anniversary to surprise her Alpha husband with the truth behind his company’s success, only to find him cheating on her with their son’s nanny on his office desk. She was shattered, but what broke her the most was discovering that her precious pup, whom she had almost lost her life for, had chosen his nanny over her. For six years, she had been the perfect wife and Luna to Theodore. But not anymore. She intended to ruin him and then vanish afterward. When Theodore finally realized who she really was and how much of a failure he and his company were without her, he came crawling, begging for her forgiveness. But it was too late. She was now the tech director at a rival company owned by her childhood sweetheart, and old flames may just be burning hotter than ever!

🥉3rd place in the writing competition "Me and My Womens" [21+, harem] Marvin Rock is the dream of many women because of his wealth and power, but his sincerity surpasses everything. His wife said proudly, "Not only loyal, you are also mighty!"

My biased mother brought my sister, Irene Baxter, to help me with my child. But one day, I forgot to bring a contract to work. When I returned home, I saw two bodies entwined. To cover up their secret, my husband, Sam Hodgson, and Irene pushed me off the tenth floor. It was only after my death that I realized I had been nothing more than a tool for carrying on the family name. "It's better that she's dead. Now my sweet girl can be a mom without having to go through childbirth." "Sleeping with her was revolting; she was like a block of wood. Irene is so much better." Even Irene had regrets. "Still, we shouldn't have pushed her down. She was smashed beyond recognition—otherwise, we might’ve been able to sell her corpse for a pretty penny." When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day they pushed me off the building. This time, I wouldn't let any of them off the hook.

Olivia Holton used to have a secret crush on her brothers bestfriend, that is until he changed. Once they had gotten into high-school his entire personality changed. He forgot that he used to wear braces, and was a nerd before working out two summers ago constantly. He worked out until he was built like a god, got rid of the braces and suddenly popular girls were falling at his feet. It also doesn't hurt when he wears that black leather jacket, has brown shaggy hair and dark green hazel eyes. Jesus the boy is gorgeous but she couldn't can't stand him now. Her secret crushed faded when she realized it was never going to happen with Sean Walker. She gave up on getting her brothers best friend to notice her a long time ago and she wants to move on. She needs to move on but as soon as she started dating a boy, Sean had problems with it.