Bookish Boulevard

Janice thought she had found her fairytale ending when she married Layden, the man who had captured her heart at first sight. She devoted herself entirely to their love, investing her dreams, time, and emotions into building a life with him. But soon after their wedding, the warmth in Layden's eyes began to fade. His once-loving words grew scarce, his touch distant. Late nights turned into entire nights away, always excused by work, until Janice found herself married to a ghost of the man she once adored. The man who once whispered sweet promises now blames her for everything wrong in their marriage. And when his frustrations turn into abuse, Janice realizes she is trapped in a love that is nothing but an illusion. At Layden’s promotion party, fate throws her into the path of Icarus Adonis Sebastian—his dangerously charming and ruthless boss. Icarus is no stranger to Janice; they share a past from college, where Layden had been the quiet, bookish type, and Icarus the untamed bad boy. Time has only refined his allure, and the moment their eyes meet, old embers ignite. But this time, Icarus isn’t just looking—he’s claiming. As Layden spirals deeper into cruelty, Janice finds herself drawn into Icarus’s orbit, where passion burns hotter than reason. But Icarus isn’t the kind of man who plays fair—when he wants something, he takes it. And he wants Janice. When love turns to torment and desire becomes a battleground, Janice must decide: does she fight for the marriage she once believed in, or does she let herself be consumed by the fire of a man who has never played by the rules? Because Icarus doesn’t just want her—he’s ready to burn down her entire world to have her.

An arranged bride. An accidental claim. A love worth defying everything for. — When nerdy, bookish Elizabeth “Lizzie” Foster sets her eyes on Reese Blackwood at a wedding, she makes a wildly uncharacteristic decision. He’s going to be her first. Reese is charming, sexy, reckless, and far too attractive for his own good—the notorious son of a billionaire who’s never had to chase anyone in his life. But after one unforgettable moment, Lizzie thanks him politely… and tells him she hopes they never see each other again. For the first time, Reese is the one left wanting more. Fate, however, has other plans. Desperate to escape her controlling mother and finally claim her independence, Lizzie attempts a daring escape—only to be cornered at the airport before she can board her flight. With security closing in and her future slipping away, she does the only thing that comes to mind. She grabs Reese Blackwood after seeing him in the crowd, kisses him senseless, and announces to her mother and the world: “Meet my boyfriend. We’re getting married… and I’m pregnant.” Stunned—but spotting the perfect opportunity to defy his ruthless father and an arranged marriage with an unbearable woman he never wanted—Reese plays along. Now bound by a scandalous lie, a fake relationship, and a very public fake “pregnancy,” Lizzie and Reese are forced into a dangerous game of pretence. He’s hiding secrets that could destroy them both. She’s fighting for freedom she’s never had. And neither of them expected the biggest complication of all— Falling for each other might be the one lie they can’t survive. What could possibly go right?