Novel & Cerita Critical Review Brown University

“I’ve got you,” His free hand finds my waist again, keeping me anchored. “I won’t let go unless you tell me to.” My breath hitches but I don't move away, still fixing my gaze back at him. Water droplets cling to his eyelashes and his hair is slicked back from his face, his blue eyes reflecting the moonlight. Fuck. He looks so dreamy and beautiful and utterly unguarded with me. I wonder if I look the same to him too. Gently, the water laps at our shoulders, cool against my heated skin that is burning for his touch. Our eyes are still locked on each other, our faces merely inches apart. I want him. I want him so much that I don't want to stop wanting him. This pull between us has tortured me long enough and for so long, I have fought it. Restrained it. But now, I am done fighting it. Without warning, I cup his face and crash my lips to his mouth, shutting my eyes and damning the consequences. He takes in a sharp breath, an adrenaline of desire rushing through me like wildfire at the sound before he pulls me flush against him, his lips kissing me back with a hunger that instantly fuels the fire blazing through my veins. My hands move up and fist into his wet hair, tugging at the strands and drawing out a pleasurable groan from him. He wants me. He craves me just as much as I crave him. And I am glad we're both on the same page of this temptation. ~ They stole my powers, murdered my loved ones, and killed me. But now, I am back for vengeance—and the Lycan Prince is mine!

When the House Fell Silent is a gripping and emotional family saga that delves into the lives of five siblings — Abby, Aubrey, Tshepo, Mathapelo, and the youngest, Gail — after the sudden death of their father. The novel explores the struggles of grief, the challenges of responsibility, the shadows of abuse, and the weight of family expectations. As the siblings navigate the complexities of marriage, work, and personal trauma, their mother emerges as a steadfast pillar, guiding them through turmoil while facing her own battles as an unemployed matriarch. With in-laws disputing the will and old family wounds resurfacing, the narrative captures the resilience, heartbreak, and courage required to survive. Told with intensity and sensitivity, this novel is a tale of love, loss, and the enduring strength of family bonds. Through trials and triumphs, When the House Fell Silent is ultimately a story of hope, healing, and the voices that must rise to reclaim a family’s future.

She kissed the wrong man and became his wife. Leslie Webster has always been the family’s dirty little secret; an illegitimate daughter forced to live in the shadows while her half-sister basks in the spotlight. Her only solace is her long-term boyfriend... until she catches him in her sister’s arms. Heartbroken and humiliated at a glittering banquet, Leslie kisses the first man who walks in just to prove she still has a shred of dignity left. But the man she kisses isn’t just anyone. He’s Saint Baxter, the cold, untouchable billionaire who never lets a woman near him. And days later, he sues her for harassment. A story of revenge, redemption, and forbidden desire. When an unwanted kiss becomes the spark that burns down two empires, only love can rise from the ashes.

Elizabeth Adams has never made room for love. At twenty-nine, she believes success comes first and feelings only complicate the future she’s worked so hard to build. But in Paris—after a failed blind date and a moment of unexpected vulnerability—Elizabeth meets a woman who makes her forget every rule she’s ever lived by. Their connection is instant, electric, and deeply intimate. One night. Two women. A memory that refuses to fade. When a small lie shatters the illusion, Elizabeth leaves Paris convinced it was a beautiful mistake she’ll never repeat. Back in South Africa, she tries to move on—until the woman she left behind shows up, carrying the same longing Elizabeth can no longer deny. As their bond deepens, a devastating truth is revealed: the woman Elizabeth loves is her mother’s long-lost first love. Caught between desire and loyalty, Elizabeth must decide whether love is worth breaking her own heart—or her mother’s.  

Jimmy, a 20-year-old with a rebellious streak and a tender heart, never expected to fall for someone completely out of reach—his mother’s best friend, Susan, a confident and elegant 38-year-old woman. Scarred by past heartbreaks, Susan has long given up on love, convinced that men will only bring pain. But when Jimmy’s youthful charm and unexpected sincerity start breaking down her carefully built walls, both of them are forced to confront desires they’ve tried to deny. As the line between friendship and forbidden attraction blurs, they must navigate a web of secrecy, guilt, and longing. Can love truly defy the rules, or will the consequences of their forbidden desire tear them apart?

You’re not supposed to want straight men. Carson Bitters wants nothing more than to feel his secretary inside him. He dreams of it every day. You’re not supposed to fall in love with them. They won’t love you back. But Carson can’t stop longing for Asher Hall; the man his homophobic father handpicked for him. A living, breathing, giant NO. And yet, every time Asher speaks, every glance, every careless brush of his hand, Carson finds himself wanting more. Needing more. And what starts as longing could destroy everything, or make it unforgettable.

"I hate you, Asher. You ruined my life." "Well, you ruined mine. I can't think close to you because you have to look so damn attractive." "What?" "Have you looked in the freaking mirror? Pfft. Distracting me with your brown eyes." "Umm we have to get to work." "Do we? I have a much better plan." He says and plants his lips on mine. After the loss of her mother, eight-year-old Wendy’s world was altered for the rest of her life. Constantly being used by her father for his selfish goals, she seeks refuge in the human world, at City University where it seems like her only issue is the misogynistic treatment to women like her heralded by everyone’s favourite, Asher. She vows to have her revenge by messing with his dreams. Asher has always had everything going perfectly until his father, also his alpha, punishes him by sending him to human school. Everything seems to be going well until he meets his first challenge, the female that won’t leave his mind, Wendy. Would he overcome this challenge?

My name is Caleb Greyson, I’m eighteen, unwanted by my parents, unwanted by God, abandoned by the only boy I ever loved—traded out like garbage for my mother’s sister.So if you’re looking for a happy love story, you will be disappointed.The university of Delaware would save me, or that’s what I thought, somewhere I could forget who I used to be.The old red buildings, beautiful towering trees, sunlight reflecting on ancient stones, everything looked perfect from the outside. Who knew pretty things could have sharp teeth?Now I’m trapped in a cracked room, with Lukas Carter, a closeted, arrogant and angry hockey player, deep in denial for a roommate.Then Tony, sweet, lonely Tony, who built his life around Lukas, gave up his whole future just to be close to Lukas. Standing in the same place for years, just waiting to be wanted.I didn’t want to get close, didn’t want to care. But we’re all slaves to loneliness. Now I’m drowning in secrets, addictions, and the wreckage of boys who only know ruin, need and the ugly parts of wanting too much from people who never promised anything.And Tyler Brown? I don’t want to talk about him.

Rhea Morreti, the female lead and the daughter of a Sicilian gang member; was meant to be a silent spy and was planted in the Vitale family to dismantle them from within, under the guise of an arranged marriage with Adriano Vitale, the son of a rival gang leader. But when her own brother, Dante, exposes her to further his own agenda, she becomes the scapegoat for a war she never planned to fight alone. Marked for execution, she barely escapes with her life—only to return stronger, deadlier, and carrying a secret that could shake the very foundation of their world. Even though Adriano Vitale never wanted the marriage, he didn’t want Rhea dead, especially since they had fallen for each other. Yet, when she disappears in a hail of bullets, presumed gone forever, he buries the past and focuses on the war threatening to consume his empire. That is, until she returns, not just as the woman he once knew, but as a force of vengeance, standing at his side against their common enemies. Dante, on the other hand, had spent years hiding a secret that fueled his ambition and his hatred for his family. As alliances shift and the truth unravels, Rhea and Adriano must navigate a treacherous world of lies, deception, and deadly rivalries. But the question remains. “With enemies lurking in the shadows and betrayal at every turn, will they uncover the truth before it’s too late, or will their unknown enemies destroy them before they get their revenge?”

A deal sealed in desperation. A marriage bound by secrets. A heart caught between danger and desire. When Isla Monroe agrees to marry a man whose name strikes fear and fascination in equal measure, she steps into a world where power rules, silence conceals, and love is the most dangerous game of all. He’s cold, unreadable, and devastatingly magnetic. She’s fragile, desperate, and holding onto her last thread of hope. What begins as a contract quickly unravels into something far more complicated…. where tension simmers, pasts collide, and every touch feels like a trap. But in a house full of shadows, the greatest mystery isn’t him… It’s why he chose her. And when secrets start to surface, Isla must ask herself the question no one dares to answer. What’s the real price of wearing his ring?