Best New Science Fiction

Mistakes? I’ve made plenty. The biggest one? Falling head over heels for Brian Lockwood—my brother’s best friend and the captain of the school’s basketball team. For years, I lived in the shadow of my one wish: for him to see me as more than just Simon’s little sister. But how could he, with Lyla, his perfect girlfriend, glued to his side? Then everything changed. Lyla cheated, Brian’s heart shattered, and he was desperate for a distraction. That’s when he came to me with a deal—a no-strings-attached arrangement where we could give each other exactly what we wanted. I saw my chance. I thought I could make him fall in love with me. But I didn’t account for how messy things could get—how keeping it all a secret from Simon would twist everything. And when Brian crossed a line I couldn’t forgive, I knew it was time to let go of my high school crush. Fast forward three years. I’m over him. Or so I tell myself. Except now Brian’s back, no longer the heartbroken boy I knew but a leading basketball star with one goal: to win me over. I swore I wouldn’t fall for him again.

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?

In the wake of a tumultuous breakup, she finds an unexpected ally in her ex-boyfriend's wealthy and enigmatic uncle. As she navigates the complexities of post-relationship chaos, the uncle's incredible generosity thrusts her into a world of luxury and indulgence. Amidst the glittering façade, she must grapple with newfound desires, unanticipated challenges, and the blurry lines between gratitude and independence. In this tale of unexpected alliances, she discovers that the path to self-discovery is sometimes paved with surprises and silver spoons.

“Damien!!” I struggled against the cuffs, trying to free myself. “What the hell are you doing?” He leaned down, his face inches from mine, his voice calm. “Until you learn to behave, you’re staying exactly where I want you, Mon Cara.” *** Abandoned by her father to settle his debts, Tracey Luke never imagined her life would fall into the hands of the ruthless Mafia King, Damien Black. Thrown into his dark, dangerous world, Tracey quickly learns that survival is a game she must learn to play if she wants to escape. But as the days pass, she finds herself caught between fear and something she never expected to feel—compassion. When Tracey first meets Damien, he’s nothing like the monster she imagined. He is confined to a wheelchair, which makes him look more like a prisoner than a predator. With pity stirring within her, she decides to stay by his side and tend to his needs while secretly plotting her escape from his dangerous world. But, on the night she finally makes her move, everything changes.

Zeke and I always said we'd be best friends forever since we were pups. Everyone always assumed we'd end up as mates but we laughed it off. So when we both turned 18 and the string of destiny snapped into place tying us together, I was over the moon. But Zeke telling me he'd never mate with a mutt like me. Now my worst enemy Chris and I have a plan. "What if…we fake dated?" "What?" "Nothing would really piss Zeke off more than not only you saying no to being his breeder than also making him think we're getting each other's rocks off." "You in?" I stuck my hand out. "You got it, boyfriend."

Soon-to-be Alpha, Bobby, was more than just a regular shifter. On top of leading a powerful pack, his family had a powerful influence as one of Italy's most dangerous mafia leaders. Days before taking the title, Bobby's father finally comes clean with a secret he had tried to hide for way too long- Bobby had a daughter, and she was in danger. Bobby dropped everything and flew across the world to find her, but first, he had to locate the infamous woman he met for a one-night-stand. Little did Bobby know that he wasn't the only Alpha, from an influential family, that set out to find the girl. When he finally finds his daughter, Bobby has to face the most terrifying thing he had ever seen, on top of that- dealing with repulsive forces of law and a mysterious woman.

Diane is heartbroken after finding out that her best friend and her husband are having an affair. But that's not all. When she nearly dies in a car accident orchestrated by her former bestie, that claims the life of her unborn child, she realizes just how unsafe she is. She makes the tough decision to disappear and go abroad for a while with the help of Keith, the handsome man who found her at the accident scene and saved her life. The two fall in love in no time, and with his help, Diane heals from the trauma of everything that her ex-husband and ex-bestfriend had done to her. When she returns, she sets about living her best life and getting her revenge on her bestie and her ex-husband, who is still very much attracted to her and wants her back. Will Diane be so consumed by her need for revenge that she fails to see what is right in front of her, which is that she's slowly but surely driving Keith away with her thirst for revenge and her trauma from the past? Will a new enemy, who has suddenly popped out of nowhere, succeed in her malicious plans to destroy Keith and Diane’s budding relationship?

*"I had a one night stand with a stranger who turned out to be my boss, oh my goodness what have I done,"* Valerie Skye is a young and hardworking woman, who finds herself entangled in a web of love, lies, and unexpected twists, after getting dumped by her ex-lover. She ends up having a one night stand with a total stranger, Dante Blaze, who turned out to be her boss. This becomes complicated for Valerie, as she tries every possible ways to avoid Dante. But as a charming playboy and her boss, Dante takes this as a challenge to clip Valerie's wings and make her his. Will she be able to stand his charm? Will he succeed in making her submit? Will love end up overruling Dante's Playboy's nature? Or will Valerie continuously live in shame of her night with him?

Due to my mother's last wish, I kept my identity hidden and mated the son of my father's friend, Alpha Xavier, who I grew to love after our union. The night of our wedding, war broke out. My Alpha left me for the battlefront. Before he left, he asked me to wait for him, promising that when he returned, he would spend the rest of his life with me. He only loved me. While I waited for him to come home, I took care of the Pack. I did a very good job and earned the love of everyone in the Pack. I am Luna. A year later, the war ended, and my Mate won the war. He came back with a woman and said she was his true mate. They had already completed the mating ritual and marked each other for life. Bianca is known for the best warrior on the battlefield. She says she doesn't want to be stuck in the pack like Luna, the housewife. Xavier used his accomplishments on the battlefield to trade with Alpha King for a special reward, the Luna Duet, and we two Lunas are equal. Fuck this ridiculous Luna Duet, May the best Luna win.

I know it’s wrong to want my dad’s best friend, a man who was old enough to be my dad, but what could I possibly do when I see him in my dream and imagination each time I close my eyes? What could I do when this desire keeps driving me nuts, when I keep getting wet down there just at the sight of him? I tasted the forbidden fruit, and I liked it. I liked every inch of it, and now I can’t bring myself to stop wanting more…