Coarse Crackles

New SYNOPSIS – QUEENS AND MONSTERS – Mafia/cartel, arranged marriage, forbidden, love triangle, dangerous romance Reinaldo Roríguez Emiliano Ruiz Both are dangerous, deadly, and powerful. Both are second-generation soldiers proving themselves in the Roríguez cartel. Both want me. Of course, I wasn’t told until it was too late. That’s the way things work in the famiglia. My fate is up to Dario Luciano, my guardian. He doesn’t care the way the men make me feel. How when I’m near them, the air crackles and my skin warms with stinging electricity, stirring something deep inside me that never before existed. One fills me with desire, twisting my insides. The other recognizes my need to be loved, filling me with a comfortable warmth. By the time I learn that both have requested my hand, a deal has been brokered. Neither man from the Roríguez cartel will have me. I’ve been promised to another, the son of Dario’s sworn enemy. Will I have any say in my future? What will happen to the alliance between the Luciano famiglia and the Roríguez cartel when tragedy strikes? Have you been Aleatha’d?

Lily never imagined she’d end up married to Ethan, her sister's boyfriend. But now, she finds herself under the same roof with Ethan and his family, her life taking an unexpected turn. Caught in the web of her confusion, anxiety, and the judgment of her family, Lily is left feeling more isolated than ever before. Once a close-knit and loving family, the atmosphere now crackles with resentment. Lily’s every move is scrutinized, and the disapproval from her own family is overwhelming. Her desire for acceptance seems impossible as the weight of her actions presses down on her. However, there’s one person who still offers her warmth, Mommy Maita, her mother-in-law. Unlike the others, she tries to make Lily feel welcome, offering her kindness and comfort. But Lily can’t help but question whether this kindness is genuine or just a way to keep up appearances in a family already torn apart by scandal. Ethan’s attitude towards Lily only complicates things further. His anger is palpable, and he seems resistant to accept her as his wife. Lily is left in the dark, wondering why he’s so hostile, when all she wants is a connection. But with every passing day, the emotional gap between them widens, and Lily is left questioning her place in this fractured life. Torn between her desire for love and the turmoil surrounding her, Lily struggles with feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. As expectations and societal pressures weigh heavily on her, she starts to wonder if she’ll ever find a way out of this mess. Lily finds solace in her friends Miya and Rafael. They offer her the understanding and support she desperately needs, reminding her that maybe there’s still hope in a world that seems determined to tear her apart.