Critical Review Brown University Novels & Stories

“You’re ours Lia. Every part of you,” Torin whispered, “This pussy,” he drove deeper, “this mouth,” he brushed his thumb over my lips, “it all belongs to us now.” “So cum for me,” he growled, his voice harsh, “now!” ***** On the night of her twenty-first birthday, Aurelia’s perfect life is shattered. Her family is brutally murdered, her pack overthrown by her treacherous uncle. And the ones she grew up adoring—her foster brothers, Kaelen, Torin, and Rylan, the formidable Lycan triplets—are the very ones who drag her father to his death. As tribute to their victory, Aurelia is stripped of her title and given to them as a prize. A plaything. Thrown at the mercy of the very men who betrayed her. But what happens when fate decides to be cruel? When she discovers she is mated to not just one but all three of them? Faced with an unbearable discovery about her late parents, the lines between enemy and lover becomes blurred, will she choose love over revenge? Or will her rage consume them all?

In the city of Veylor, the town was divided by fear and power. On one side stood the hunters, led by Garrick Liason, the man whose name was whispered with deep respect and fear. He had built his life on the blood of wolves, his weapons, and the strong belief that werewolves were monsters to be eradicated. His daughter, Irvine, had always walked at his side, she was outwardly obedient but inwardly she was restless. She hated the violence, the endless cycle of chase and kill, yet she bore the weight of his legacy because she knew nothing else except this life. And to her, she was fully human, fragile, breakable, and destined only to hunt. What she did not know was that half of her blood told a different story. Her mother had been a werewolf, carrying a secret that even Garrick had not known. But the truth could not be hidden forever. Far beyond the city walls, Jeweled Golin carried wounds of his own. He was supposed to be a proud Alpha, but he had been rejected by his pack, stripped of his birthright, and cast into the forest. He was scarred but unbroken, he roamed as a lone wolf, dangerous, untamed, yet strangely powerful. His presence woke something primal in all those who crossed his path, and when Irvine met his eyes for the first time, she felt her world shift. The lies of her life began to unravel when she started getting hints of her power. And that she, daughter of the hunter, was also the daughter of the hunted.

Aria Sterling just wanted a fresh start. A high-paying job. A quiet life. No drama. But the moment she steps into Westwood Biotech, secrets begin to surface—starting with a mysterious child whose DNA matches her own… and a forbidden spark with the one man she should never want. Now caught between two billionaire brothers, buried memories, and a dangerous past that refuses to stay hidden, Aria must uncover the truth before it destroys everything—including her heart. What if the biggest mistake of your life… was never a mistake at all

When Brooks found out she is mated to the alpha prince, Levi Hawthorne, she expected an immediate rejection but instead, he accepted the mate bond, treated her like a queen, and promised to make her his Luna, only to turn around and reject her publicly. The royal council accused her of faking a mate bond and being a spy to an enemy faction so she was expelled from school and banished from the city. Only to find out that she's carrying his baby. Seven years later, she's raising her son with Levi Hawthorne, a permanently closed chapter in her life until he shows up one evening in the rogue's territory that she lives in. He wants her back. He has never wanted to let go of her but Brooks isn't the same 18 year old teenager from years ago. She's no longer docile or soft and she's definitely over him. Levi isn't ready to hear no from her. He lost her once and he'd rather start a war than lose her again.

Ronan Hale is the school’s golden boy… captain of the ice hockey team, talented, confident… and infuriatingly arrogant. After two years away, he’s back, but the glory on the ice can’t hide the fact that he’s failing every class. If he doesn’t pass, he could lose everything. The only person who can save him? Ivy Cross… the quiet, intelligent girl no one notices. She’s smart, strong, and completely unimpressed by his fame… which only makes him more frustrated, and somehow, more drawn to her. Tutoring him should be simple. It’s not. Every session sparks arguments, stolen glances, and tension neither can ignore. Beneath his arrogance, Ivy sees cracks in his walls.. pain, guilt, and secrets he’s desperate to hide. Hate turns to desire. Rivalry becomes something more. And for Ronan and Ivy, falling for each other might only be the beginning…

What do you do when you’re in love with your childhood best friend, but the words to tell him stay locked inside? For Elle, confessing her feelings to Jack, the boy who’s also her brother’s closest friend feels like risking everything. So she stays silent, wrestling with her heart while navigating the chaos of young adulthood. But as time slips away, new faces enter their lives, and growth pulls them in different directions, Elle learns the hard way that waiting might cost her the chance to ever speak her truth. Her soul ached for him, her one true love, even if confessing meant risking her heart to break she was going to do it. She just doesn’t know it yet, but Jack has been keeping a lot of secrets of his own.

I died with regret in my heart… only to wake up the day before my nightmare began. For twelve years, I lived as the beloved adopted daughter of a wealthy family—until their real daughter was finally found. Overnight, everything changed. The life I had lived, the love I thought was mine, and even the place I called home were suddenly taken away. Blamed for a life that was never truly mine, I became the family’s most hated outsider. Forced to live as a servant in the very house that once called me daughter, I endured humiliation, cruelty, and betrayal. Worst of all, I was forced to marry the boy I had always called my brother… a man who treated me with nothing but cold cruelty. But when death finally came, fate gave me something unexpected a second chance. Now reborn to the day before everything falls apart, I know the truth behind their lies and the pain that awaits me. This time, I won’t be their victim. This time, I will rewrite my destiny. ✨📖

Autumn Simeons had loved Damian McLaren for as long as she could remember. From childhood to their teenage years, he was her safe place, the one person who made life feel lighter. But while Damian came from wealth and privilege, Autumn’s life was far simpler—and his heart seemed to belong to someone else. She kept her feelings hidden, choosing to be the best friend he could rely on. That fragile balance broke when Damian got a girlfriend who saw Autumn as a threat. Tension grew until, without warning, Damian cut her out of his life completely. One day they were inseparable; the next, he treated her like a stranger. Months later, fate intervened when Damian’s mother, worried about his slipping grades, asked Autumn to tutor him—unaware of the rift between them. Both protested, but their parents insisted. Now, forced into the same space, Autumn must face the boy she still loves, who seems to resent her presence. His girlfriend’s shadow hangs over every exchange, and unspoken history simmers beneath the surface. As old feelings resurface, Autumn realizes some lessons can’t be taught from books—they live in stolen glances, unsaid words, and memories that refuse to fade.

“I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU FIRED ME!” she screeched, looking like she’d just lost a leading role on Love & Hip Hop. “I’M THE BEST EMPLOYEE YOU EVER HAD, YOU STUCK-UP BITCHES!” Then boom, she picked up her laptop and chucked it across the room like she was auditioning for the shot put in the Olympics. Trevor gasped. “Not the MacBook!” “I’M NOT LEAVING! YOU’RE GONNA HAVE TO DRAG ME OUTTA THIS MUTHAFUCKA!” she screamed while kicking over her filing cabinet and knocking the shared Keurig onto the floor. The damn machine sputtered its last brew..... Without Warning follows the unexpected and passionate love story of Sienna Carter, a strong,  witty, but unconfident woman who wasn’t looking for forever, and Knox Michaels, the charming younger brother in a powerful Chicago family known for their business, influence, and drama. What begins as heated encounters quickly spirals into something deeper, something neither of them saw coming. Their chemistry is undeniable, but with family secrets, jealous exes, workplace politics, and complicated loyalties surrounding them, navigating their relationship is anything but simple. When Sienna discovers Knox’s dark past, the once thought to be the carefree bachelor is thrown into a whirlwind of fear, surprise, and overwhelming love. Determined not to lose her, Knox steps up, claiming his future with Sienna even as both of their families reel from the news. As the two try to merge their worlds, tensions flare, siblings clash, friends turn into rivals, and unexpected alliances form. With an announcement party meant to bring everyone together turning into a powder keg of secrets and emotions, Sienna and Knox must decide if their bond is strong enough to survive the storm, because love, like life, doesn’t always come planned. Sometimes it comes, Without Warning

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.