Best Of Pat Conroy

Isang salitang “diborsyo” ang wawasak sa pitong taong kasal ni Mariel Benning. Sa loob ng isang iglap, ang asawang si Billie Walter—ang lalaking minsang nangakong “habambuhay”—ay humiling ng kalayaan para pakasalan ang ibang babae: si Vicky Singson, ang babaeng sinasabing may anim na buwang taning ang buhay. Habang pinupuri ng mundo si Vicky, unti-unting naglalaho si Mariel sa mga anino ng kasinungalingan. Ngunit sa ilalim ng kanyang katahimikan, may lihim siyang tangan—isang lihim na mag payanig sa lahat. Pag-ibig, pagtataksil, at paghihiganti—isang kwento ng babaeng iniwan, ngunit hindi natalo. Dahil kapag ang puso’y minsang sinugatan, matututunan nitong tumibok muli—hindi para sa iba, kundi para sa sarili. “Hindi ko kailangan maging perpekto para manatili ka. Pero sa pag-alis mo, doon ko natagpuan kung sino talaga ako.”

Alina Hart, a sharp-tongued high school senior, hides behind sarcasm and wit to mask the pain of fractured family life. Shipped off to a prestigious boarding school by a father who no longer sees her, Alina struggles to find her place in a world of strict rules and academic expectations. Enter Professor Cristiano Wright, a 27-year-old literature teacher whose calm demeanor and sharp intellect make him both an enigma and a fascination. Tasked by Alina’s older brother Ethan to keep an eye on her, Wright finds himself drawn to the complexity beneath her rebellious exterior. In the backdrop of Shakespearean sonnets and Romantic poetry, Alina and Wright navigate an increasingly fraught connection. What begins as reluctant mentorship soon transforms into a tangled web of forbidden emotions, unspoken words, and an undeniable pull that neither can ignore. Set against the bustling corridors of an urban high school and the quiet corners of a library filled with unspoken confessions, Silent Flames, Forbidden Paths explores the fine line between admiration and desire, duty and vulnerability. As Alina and Wright grapple with their feelings, they must confront their moral boundaries and the cost of their choices. Can they maintain the lines they’ve drawn, or will their emotions blur them beyond recognition?

Hai namaku Nirwana, bertahun-tahun berumah tangga bersama Bang Chandra, aku belum juga dikaruniai seorang anak. Aku sering merasa insecure saat melihat tetangga yang menngendong bayi. Hingga suatu hari aku dan Bang Chandra tak sengaja menemukan sebuah bungkusan yang membawa kami kedalam sebuah petualangan untuk memecahkan banyak teka-teki tentang isi dari kantung kresek itu. Ikuti kisah selengkapnya.

Sudah delapan tahun aku menikah dengan Elvin Ginanjar, pemimpin mafia narkoba di Nasara. Namun pada hari ini, tepat pada hari peringatan pernikahan kami, aku menerima sebuah foto dirinya bersama sahabat terbaikku, Lina Malloni, merayakan seolah merekalah yang menikah. Dan dalam pelukannya adalah putraku, Owen Ginanjar. Aku menatap foto itu, lalu mengetik dua kata sebagai balasan. [Betapa sempurnanya] Setengah jam kemudian, Elvin menerobos pintu depan. Suaranya bergemuruh memenuhi lorong. “Kenapa kamu selalu begitu jahat pada Lina?” Owen, anak kandungku sendiri mendorong kakiku sambil menatapku dengan marah. “Ibu jahat,” katanya. “Aku harap Bu Lina jadi ibu asli aku.” Aku tidak terkejut. Aku hanya berjalan menuju lemari, mengeluarkan setumpuk dokumen yang telah kusiapkan sejak lama, lalu menjatuhkannya di meja dengan kepastian yang dingin. “Baiklah,” kataku dengan datar. “Semua salah aku. Sekarang, bolehkah aku pergi?”

Livy tidak menyangka dalam hidupnya berurusan dengan seorang mafia yang tengah mengincar perusahaan minyak terbesar di tanah air,D'Fantazio Fuel. Arthur Lucifer, lelaki berdarah Italia itu menjadikannya tawanan,Livy di beri misi untuk menjadi mata-mata dan mengeruk informasi dengan menjadi karyawan di D' Fantazio Fuel. Tidak hanya itu saja,Livy pun menjadi pemuas hasrat sang Mafia Psikopat. "Lepaskan aku,aku ingin pulang," Mohon nya sembari mengatupkan kedua tangannya. " Tidak bisa!" Sahut Arthur kasar. " Kau adalah gadisku dan milikku selamanya," ucap Arthur sembari menarik tengkuknya,lalu melumat bibirnya dengan ciuman panas. Akankah Livy terbebas dari jeratan sang Mafia? Atau dirinya malah terjerat oleh pesona mafia psikopat itu?

Setelah Cassia menjadi sekretaris, sekaligus kekasih Navish selama tujuh tahun, kini pria itu malah bertunangan dengan wanita lain. Cassia merasa hatinya hancur dan berniat mengundurkan diri. Namun pada saat itu, Navish malah membatalkan pertunangannya di hadapan umum. Di sebuah acara lelang, ketika semua orang mengira Navish akan melamar Cassia, sosok wanita yang disebut "cinta sejatinya" muncul. Melihat wajah Cassia dan wanita itu yang sangat mirip, semua orang sontak berbisik menggunjingkannya. Pada saat itulah, Cassia akhirnya menyadari ... ternyata selama ini, dia hanyalah seorang pengganti.

“Elena Verlice, you are under arrest for aiding and possibly abetting the escape of an inmate. All you say now may or may not be used against you in the court of law so, you have the right to remain silent.” The voice of the fat policeman that looked like he had lived his whole life on donuts resounded in my office as he cuffed me. Oh my God! What the hell is going on? Why am I being accused of helping her escape? Wait…. He escaped? Tears started to well in my eyes. “How could he betray me this way? I had risked everything for him and this is all I get? I really hoped that he wasn't going to do it. I guess I was only a stepping stone in his elaborate plan. I guess I was the only one who fell, both in love and in life. I thought he…...” I trailed off in thought tears began to pour from my face for the first time in forever.

What if your brother's best friend became your worst distraction? Klaus, with his chiseled charm, piercing gaze, and reckless smile, was that distraction for Morticia. •••••••••• Morticia Addams had always noticed Klaus, her brother's best friend, since they were young. He was the ultimate forbidden fantasy. The man who could have anyone, and usually did. But she? She was an off-limits--an innocent nerd who lives in the shadow of her protective brother. Or at least, that’s what she told herself. She had always thought she stood no chance with Klaus because he's a notorious womanizer who chased everything in a skirt. For years, she watched as Klaus broke hearts and left women craving more of his reckless love and lust. But when she got into the same college as him, everything changed... Then, she discovered a different side of him - fierce, primal, and unapologetic. ~~~~~~~~~~ "Wha—is that a banana in your pocket?" Her gaze dropped on the bulge between his legs. He moved closer, trapping her against the wall. "Yeah. Would you like to eat it up?" His eyes drifted to her chest, lingering on her hardened nipples. "I wouldn't mind."

Starla Benardi pernah mengira bahwa Darrel Gilvano bisa membantunya menghadapi segala kesulitan dalam hidupnya dan melindunginya dengan tenang sepanjang hayat. Namun dia tak pernah menyangka, hampir semua cobaan dalam hidupnya malah berasal dari pria itu. Darrel berkata, wanita itu berbeda dengan Starla. Wanita itu adalah cahaya matahari yang bisa memberinya kehangatan dan kekuatan baginya. Benar juga, di hadapan cahaya matahari, Starla memang tampak redup. Dia sama sekali tidak punya kelayakan untuk dibandingkan dengan wanita itu. Karena bagi Starla, hanya untuk tetap hidup saja, dia sudah harus mengerahkan seluruh tenaganya.

Being an omega is the only crime Bethany ever committed. Her life is turned upside down by the betrayal of the man she loved and those she called family. Her wolf howls for revenge and to spite them both, she kisses her sexy as hell best friend and announces their marriage. A contract was never truly part of Bethany's option. It was only a ruse to defy her father but when presented with an ultimatum by him, things get drastic. Now, she has no choice but to marry her best friend. The plan was to not fall in love, but little did they know that love and attraction were no respecters of friendship. However, Bethany realizes a bit too late that the fire and need that ignites between them are the least of her problems. At least, not when some deep, dark secret that could either strengthen or threaten their bond is lurking around the corners.