Desir Herrman

"Masquerade of the Heart" Sometimes love hides behind the most unexpected masks… After a brutal betrayal and a painful divorce, Ethan Lockwood has lost all faith in love—until he finds solace in the red light district, not in lust, but in quiet companionship. There, he meets Ruby, a mysterious woman behind a masquerade mask who asks for nothing but time. What he doesn’t know is that Ruby is really Minnie Love, a determined law student fighting to stay afloat. As their bond deepens, secrets grow heavier. Minnie becomes Ethan’s fiercest ally in his divorce, all while hiding her true identity. When Ethan’s cunning ex-wife Amanda discovers the truth, she threatens to use it as ammunition. Meanwhile, under his powerful mother's pressure, Ethan finds himself in an unlikely contract marriage—with Minnie. What begins as convenience quickly turns into something real, but neither dares to admit it. When Minnie’s secret is exposed and the world turns against her, she vanishes—until a determined friend helps her find Ethan again, hiding in a remote cabin, wounded and lost. There, truths are faced, love is confessed, and a powerful choice is made. Tangled in lies, love, and legal battles, Masquerade of the Heart is a slow-burn, emotionally rich romance about trust, redemption, and the unexpected places we find home.

Aurora Leandro was cheated on and went through a painful break-up. And so, she swore 'till the depths of tartarus that she will not commit in a relationship again... nor fell in love. But when her life was barely hanging on a thread and an unseen danger was about to put her family in grave danger— her father hired an oozing, jaw-dropping hot soldier with a pair of golden eyes to be her personal bodyguard. Desire starts consuming her like never before. Like a widfire spreading on dried leaves. Aurora knew her words will ricocheting back at her. She knew she's about to break the parameters. She knew she's about to lose herself. Because the tiny spark that startled both of them— ends up in a blaze of glory.

“I, Elena Black, daughter of Gabe Black, accept your rejection” I said, sitting on the floor as the tears rolled down my eyes. The physical pain was no longer there but I was broken. “From today, I, Alpha North, declare Elena Black, daughter of Gabe Black, as a slave to my mate and Luna, Leila.” he announced. *** Elena Black was a wolfless and weak. Degraded by everyone, she lost every hope of ever belonging or finding a mate who would accept her but Alpha North changed that. She felt relieved and excited but on the day she found out she was pregnant, she was rejected and the one person she loved rejected and made her a slave to the woman he got married to. When she felt she had lost hope, it came in the form of Alpha Elian, the Alpha of Emberfall pack who called her his mate. He retracted that statement soon after but refused to let her go. Her situation only became worse and she wished for anything apart from this life of chaos but what happens when her fated mate retraces his steps to undo all he had done? Would the rejected slave be considered a Luna or would she forever be placed on the ground and stepped on? Elena must fight but would she win?

Sa isang prestihiyosong unibersidad, kilala ang dalawang estudyanteng naging mortal na magkaaway dahil sa kompetisyong nangyayari sa pagitan nila. Si Kendall Lin, isang Chinese Filipino at nag-iisang anak ng hinahangaang mag-asawang abogado sa kanilang bansa, ay pinipilit na makamit ang lahat ng pangarap ng mga magulang para sa kan'ya. Habang si Isaiah Thomas na nagtataglay ng likas na katalinuhan at isa sa mga tinitingalang model student ng Cavin International School ay isa nang sikat na businessman dahil sa biglaang pagkamatay ng kan'yang mga magulang noong bata pa siya. Sa paaralan kung saan ang sistema nito ang naging dahilan ng kanilang kompetisyon, doon din nila nahanap ang safe haven nila. Kung saan nananatili ang abandonadong silid ng Arts club, nagawa nilang makita ang sansinukob sa kanilang mga mata. In between the pressure and their high dreams, with their hearts trying to find its key to open it and kiss each other's soul with gentleness, will they ever get to do it wholly? Can enemies be friends and can their friendship be worth for something more? Something for love?

Twenty-two stories. Twenty-two chances to lose yourself. From storm-stranded islands to tattoo parlors after dark, this collection takes you places you’ve never been with people you’ll never forget. A marine cartographer discovers that the most thrilling territory to explore isn’t on any map. A pastry chef learns that the sweetest pleasure comes with a sting. A mafia fixer breaks his one unbreakable rule. A firefighter finds heat that has nothing to do with flames. These aren’t your typical romance stories. Here, a museum archivist rediscovers her wild side. An insomniac musician becomes a sleep researcher’s favorite subject. Twin vocal coaches teach an opera singer to find her voice again. A tattoo artist and a widow bond over grief and ink. Each tale is different: different bodies, different desires, different ways of coming undone. Some encounters are tender. Others are raw. A few will make you blush in public. All of them will leave you breathless. Whether it’s the tension of waiting, the trust required to surrender, or the electricity of a first touch, each story explores what happens when two people finally give in to what they’ve been craving. Diverse. Bold. Unapologetically sensual. Your next obsession starts here.

Little did Linxara know, her life was about to take a drastic turn. A chance encounter with a mysterious and powerful stranger would shatter the fragile world she'd built, leaving her captive to his desires... *** Paxton Carson stood at the edge of the rooftop, gazing out over the glittering cityscape. His eyes seemed to bore into the darkness, as if searching for something - or someone. The wind whipped through his hair, but his expression remained unyielding. In that moment, Paxton's thoughts were consumed by a singular obsession: finding the woman who had stolen from him. He would stop at nothing to claim what was his, and make her pay for her betrayal. Little did he know, his quest for revenge would ignite a passion that would destroy them both.

In the high stakes world of wealth, philanthropy, and power plays, Shadows of Desire weaves a tale of love, betrayal, and redemption. At the center of it all is Sophie Langston, a passionate and driven woman who co-founded a charitable foundation with her long-time business partner and lover, James Thornton. Their organization, built on the ideals of changing the world, has become a beacon of hope for struggling communities. But as the foundation grows in influence, so do the enemies lurking in the shadows. Sophie and James find their relationship and partnership tested when an unexpected visitor walks into their lives, Richard Mallory, a disgraced businessman with a tainted past. Despite having tried to undermine the foundation before, Richard proposes a substantial investment, claiming he wants to make amends. Torn between suspicion and the potential benefits for their projects, Sophie reluctantly agrees, setting off a chain of events that unravel deep-seated conspiracies and hidden agendas. Soon after, whispers of internal conflict and financial instability begin to surface. Rumors swirl about a power struggle between Sophie and James, putting their relationship under intense public scrutiny. Behind the scenes, they uncover a more sinister plot at play. Dominic Kane, a ruthless corporate raider infamous for hostile takeovers and blackmail, has set his sights on their foundation. With a history of exploiting the vulnerable for profit, Kane sees their organization as his next target, aiming to use it as a pawn in his larger schemes. As Sophie and James grapple with this new threat, they must navigate a web of deceit, power struggles, and hidden motives. Old allies resurface, trust is tested, and secrets from the past are unearthed, forcing the couple to confront their own vulnerabilities...

Bethylia Monteamor is a 19 years old woman who has everything on her shoulder, simula nang mamatay ang ama ay siya na ang tumaguyod sa pamilya, dahilan kung bakit sa murang edad ay masasabing batak na siya sa takbo ng buhay. Tahimik siyang namumuhay sa probinsiyang kinalakihan, not until he Aaren 'Pedro' Winslow came. She hates him, maraming hindi magandang pag-uugali ang lalaki at mas lalong sa itsura nito dahil hindi pala-ayos. Ang presensiya ng lalaki ay nagsusumigaw ng negatibong enerhiya. Dahil mula sa marangyang pamilya ay sanay rin na nakukuha lahat ng gusto kaya noong nagsimula siya nitong pagtuunan ng pansin ay halos ikaputi ito ng kanyang mata. Aaren won't stop even though she doesn't like him, pati dahas ay gumagamit siya para lang makuha ang dalaga. Unaware with her own feelings, hindi niya na napansin na unti-unti na ring nakukuha ng lalaki ang puso niya. She pushed him away, she tried, loving someone is not even in her plans, lalo na sa estado ng buhay nila, but she failed. Ang problema ay hindi ito nagustuhan ng ama ni Aaren. Dahil galing politika ay hindi ito tumatanggap ng babaeng basta basta lang nakuha sa hindi naman kilalang pamilya. Her father did everything he could to separate them. At the end of the day, sa mga panahong kinailangan niya ang lalaki ay walang pagdadalawang isip siya nitong tinalikuran. Sa lahat ng masasamang salitang kumakalat tungkol sa kanya ang pinakahuling inisip niya ay ang hindi siya papaniwalaan ng lalaki, ngunit iyon pa rin ang nangyari. Kaya pa bang tanggapin ni Bethylia si Aaren kahit na punong puno ito ng kasiraan? Despite experiencing the worst while being with him? Or will she give up the thoughts that Aaren can still change?

Si Ariadne Altavilla ay anak sa labas ng isang dating Gobernador. Nang mawala ang kanyang ama sa posisyon niya sa politika, nagbago ang landas ni Ariadne, at natutong lumuhod sa tukso ng casino. Nabaon siya sa utang, at ang tanging paraan upang maayos ang mga pagkakautang ay ipasok siya sa Dream Fortress—isang Class-A na prostitution house na ang mga kliyente ay kabilang sa pinakamataas na uri ng lipunan. Isang gabing puno ng pagbebenta ng laman ang nag-iwan sa kanya ng isang hindi malilimutang karanasan. Matagal na ang nakalipas, ngunit hindi pa rin mabura sa isip ni Ariadne ang unang lalaking pinag-alayan niya ng kanyang sarili. Sa paglipas ng panahon, nanatili na lamang sa alaala ang lalaking iyon… hanggang sa makilala niya si Adam, na kalaunan ay naging kanyang kasintahan. Masasabi ni Ariadne na tila maayos na ang buhay nila ng kanyang ina, kaya tinanggap niya ang marriage proposal ng kanyang nobyo. Subalit habang papalapit ang araw ng kanyang kasal, muling lumitaw sa kanyang buhay ang lalaking una at huling umangkin sa kanyang katawan, handang baguhin ang lahat ng kanyang pinangarap.

Heading to college has been Mandy's dream, this dream was about to be shattered when Mandy's father suddenly passes away, the chairman of Omega farms and grains. Mandy has always been protected by her father, but now he is gone. How will she sustain this large farm and it's employees, the bank is also on their neck to pay back a loan. Mandy will do whatever it takes, even if it means taking Bosey's hand for help. Bosey has always been an excellent farm hand who is in love with the Chairman's daughter. He is willing to help her keep the farm, if she will let him help. They will do whatever they can to protect the farm from the bank and from the predator, Frank.