David Baldacci Best Stand-alone Books

Maya has always lived in the shadows, hiding her dreams behind quiet brushstrokes and careful smiles. Love? That was a risk she never dared to take — especially not with Ethan, her best friend’s successful, enigmatic older brother. With his sharp suits and quiet strength, Ethan is everything she shouldn’t want… and the only man who has ever truly seen her. But when a charming rival starts pursuing Maya, her safe world begins to unravel. Suddenly, she’s forced into the spotlight, facing the whispers of a town that never really forgave her family — and the haunting secrets Ethan carries behind his guarded eyes. Torn between a love she craves and a past that still holds her hostage, Maya must find the courage to fight for her own happiness. A stolen glance. A hidden touch. A love so deep it could heal them… or break them forever. When her heart is finally on the line, will Maya risk everything for the one man she was never meant to love?

"This is wrong, Collen," I breathed out as Collen's s lips claimed mine. "Shhhh and let's think about the consequences later," he said in a husky voice before spreading my legs open and trailing his lips down to the juncture of my thighs before burying his face between my legs. Here's a rewritten version of the text, with a more engaging tone and language: When Allison transferred to the prestigious Ivy League college, she thought she'd left her small-town life behind. But fate had other plans. With the help of her best friend Hannah, she settled into her new life, only to discover that her one-night stand was none other than Hannah's boyfriend - her fated mate! Torn between loyalty and desire, Allison must navigate this forbidden attraction, all while keeping her secret from her friend. Will she confess her transgression, or will fate and passion prevail in this sizzling werewolf romance?

Aidan, a billionaire and CEO of Empire is known for the title 'Top 5 Hottest Bachelor' for two reasons. His extremely good-looks and for not wanting to get married, at least until he reaches forty but his mother keeps on setting him with unwanted dates, leaving him frustrated. Kenna, Aidan's best friend, is a doctor who has never found the right time for love. She has always been busy with work to an extent that she forgets about her own personal life. Both of them has always been close ever since they were kids, after a single incident that happened, instantly making them inseparable. As they grew older, things began to change yet best friends are forever . . . no matter the circumstances. What happens when Aidan sets up a contract and wants Kenna to be a part of it?

So you don't remember Lexi?" Piercing blue eyes stare in to mine, I watch as he licks his lips and he takes a sip from his whiskey. "You don't remember how you screamed our names that night?" The deep voice from beside me chuckles and I look in his direction, brown eyes, taking me in from head to toe. "We could always remind you Lex, you just have to say the word" *** 5 years ago after a drunken one night stand with two of the most eligible bachelors in town-Lexi ran away. There's two reasons why - one, they're her brother's best friends and two, it just absolutely can't happen. Now she's back in town and hopes to avoid them like the plague but Damien and Parker have other plans, they've had their share of fun but no one could ever top that night. Their little vixen ran off and they let her but she's back and they have no plans on letting her go again. That night is burned into Lexi's memory and soon these two men are everywhere she goes, in everything she touches and it's only a matter of time till she gives in. Now the only question she needs answered is how long can she avoid this fruit of temptation? And what could possibly go wrong?

Ava thought she knew heartbreak. She thought She knew betrayal. But when her world came crashing down and she was left with nothing but a stack of divorce papers on the day of their anniversary, the truth hit her harder than she could ever imagine. With nowhere to go and no one to trust, a near-fatal accident changes everything. Saved by a mysterious stranger, Ava is given a second chance at life -but not without strings attached. Billionaire Alexander Navarro offers her an escape. In exchange for her presence as his "stand-in wife," he promises her everything: security, safety, and a chance to heal. But as their worlds collide, secrets unravel and a deadly game of power, revenge, and twisted desire begins. Liam isn't done with her, and the past is far from buried. With every passing day, Ava's world becomes more complicated and her desire for vengeance burns hotter than ever. As she discovers this dangerous world, one question remains: Will Ava's revenge cost her more than she's willing to pay?

My stepfather, Greg Pelton, takes me to his private cinema to watch an adult movie. Apparently, that's the coming-of-age gift he has prepared for me. As I watch the man and the woman tangling with each other in the movie, I feel itchy all over my body. I can't resist squeezing my damp thighs together while trying very hard to endure the jolts of electricity tingling my skin. Upon noticing my flushed cheeks, Greg stops between my legs and yanks off my panties immediately. "Darling, let me teach you how to blossom into a real woman. Surely you'll be obedient, right?"

Overnight, my best friend became the long-lost principessa of the Toscano family. After returning to her family, she transferred all her villas and luxury cars under my name. Even on her deathbed, she made sure to hand over control of the family's dockside trade operations to me. However, I never once visited her grave. Three years after her death, I took her place as the true heiress of the Toscano family and married her former fiancé, Gaspare Volpe, the young heir to the rising mafia family in Damerelli, the Volpes. Everyone called me a social climber and an ungrateful traitor, but I did not care. I obeyed the womanizing Gaspare without question. When he called me to bring condoms for his hookups, I moved like my life depended on it. I became the laughingstock of Damerelli, someone everyone looked down on. Five years later, on the anniversary of my best friend's death, I slit Gaspare's throat at her grave. "From the very beginning, I came for revenge."

Cindy Chase always claims that we're the best of friends, but she lies and says she's out shopping with me when she's actually on a date with someone. She takes her husband's money to help her family but tells him she's lending me the money so I can buy luxury items. She cheats on her husband with her first love because she can't resist him and contracts an STD. Then, she throws me under the bus and says that she only got it because I made her wear clothes that carried the infection. Later, her in-laws come knocking on my door. They break my ribs and watch as I die from the pain!

One reckless night was never supposed to change her life forever. Amara never imagined her worst day would lead her into the arms of a complete stranger. After losing her job, a night at the club ends in the bed of a dangerously irresistible man—who turns out to be Lucian Draxen: arrogant, ruthless, and the billionaire every woman in the city dreams about. When an unexpected pregnancy ties them together, Amara is forced to confront him again. Desperate and out of options, she agrees to his cold-hearted contract: work as his maid until their child turns five, then disappear forever, leaving him with full custody. The deal offers her baby financial security—but at the cost of her freedom, and maybe even her heart. Can she survive living under his roof without surrendering to the dangerous pull between them? Or will their bargain destroy them both? Find out in The Billionaire’s One-Night Stand — a story of passion, betrayal, and the dangerous line between love and ruin.

A wealthy heiress from Belvoria’s elite circle asked me to be her dead boyfriend’s substitute. My compensation included a 50,000-dollar base salary, plus 8,000 dollars per shared meal and 10,000 dollars per accompanying shopping trip. My hypocritical older sister quickly stopped me from agreeing to this deal. “We come from a respectable family. How can you sell your dignity for such little money?” Yet she later became a rich man's mistress and successfully married into wealth. Meanwhile, I struggled to balance work and studies to pay for my tuition. This hurt my academic performance. After graduation, I could only find a job with a monthly salary of 3,000 dollars. I even developed a tumor from overworking. I eventually died in a cold and impersonal hospital, unable to afford treatment. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day the young heiress asked me to be her dead boyfriend’s substitute. This time, I agreed without hesitation. I was determined to take this role.