Graves Hume Public Library

"Hidden Queen" is a romantic royal love and action novel that follows the journey of Princess Isabella, the youngest daughter of King Frederick and Queen Emilia, who possesses the gift of mind-reading. Isabella has spent her entire life hidden away from the public eye, but when a dark force threatens the kingdom of Ardenia, she realizes that she must use her gift to save her family and her people. As Isabella struggles to come to terms with her destiny, she meets Prince Alexander, the charming and charismatic heir to the throne of the neighboring kingdom. Despite their differences, they are drawn to each other, and a passionate love affair ensues. But their happiness is short-lived as Isabella discovers that the dark force threatening the kingdom is none other than Prince Alexander's own father, King Maximilian, who seeks to expand his empire by conquering Ardenia. Isabella and Alexander find themselves torn between their love for each other and their duty to their respective kingdoms. As the battle for Ardenia rages on, Isabella's gift becomes both a blessing and a curse, as she must navigate the intricate web of political alliances and the treacherous nature of court life. But with Alexander by her side, Isabella is determined to do whatever it takes to protect her people and claim her rightful place as the Hidden Queen of Ardenia. Filled with romance, intrigue, and pulse-pounding action, "Hidden Queen" is a thrilling tale of love, power, and destiny in a kingdom where nothing is as it seems.

"You're getting married today! It is your duty to your family! You must!" Claire's mother said as she held on to her daughter's hand while a veil was being fixed on her head. "Married! You must be joking mum! I'd rather jump off a cliff!" "Everyone is waiting Claire! You have no choice!" Her mother snapped at her and Claire snatched her hand away from hers in annoyance. "Why must I be forced to suffer for Charlotte's mistakes?!" Charlotte and Claire Branson are identical twins but have lived separate lives ever since they were born. Charlotte, being the perfect daughter and the better sister, was betrothed to marry Henry Laurent, the son of their long time friend and business partner. On the day of the wedding, the Bransons arrive in Charlotte's room to meet a note, Charlotte has eloped with their chauffeur, leaving her parents distraught. Quickly, her family moves to save themselves from public embarrassment and get Claire to stand in line for her sister. Claire refuses at first, but has no choice as she is pushed into the waiting arms of Henry Laurent, an unwilling partner of the marriage who had thought he was getting married to the 'better' sister. Claire is determined to hate her new husband, but this doesn't turn out as planned.

Vanna Shaw is a woman who build the Secret Territorial Group in Spain, she own all of the contraband units who handle carriers, securities and public dispatchers of their assets. She is one of the five women who runs the group, thus, she knew that eventually her position is about to end. Nang umuwi siya sa kaniyang pamilya, nalaman niyang malapit na pala siyang ikasal, yep! A big clown to her plan. First, she doesn't like Magnus Daviro to be her husband. He is same as her, he is an arrogant, cold, and dominant man she knew she can't handle. Tagapagmana din ito ng isang kompanya, at ang kanilang kasal ay ang magiging matibay na ugnayan ng pamilyang Shaw at Daviro para sa kanilang negosyo. She believes that he is a lousy, useless, not attractive man, pero nagkamali yata siya, because all she can see is a grown up man who can take her breath away. Can they have a spark together? or will they end up battling who is the boss? Paano kung sa kabila ng sitwasyon nila ay malalaman niya ang sekreto nito. Mamahalin kaya niya ang ibang pagkatao nito?

Abandoned at the borders of Darkfang as a child she was taken in by the generosity of the previous Alpha and raised along with his sons before he passed away. From a young age it was crystal clear that there was an undeniable bond between her and the Alpha twins; this was confirmed when she became of age at the mating ceremony and found out that she was fated to both brothers. She loved Wulfric but the weight of her decision was great knowing that whoever she picked would inevitably be chosen as the Alpha King, completely unprompted Wulfric rejects her in public and leaves the pack. Devastated, she falls into the arms of his brother and develops feelings for him. He promises to Cherish forever but that promise doesn't last long after 3 years pass and each of her children are girls. But she never gets to deliver them, one accident or another always occurs and causes a miscarriage. He starts to gather concubines, neglecting her until she is pushed into the foreground. She reaches her breaking points after finding out that he was the one who arranged for each of her miscarriages, in her burning flame for revenge she makes an impulsive choice reaching out to someone she hadn't heard from in years with one insane request that would not only eventually push Ranger out of power but give her her revenge- “Wulfric will you be my concubine?”

“You took a photo of me without my permission.” “Then why do you look like you want to be seen?” Elliot Marlowe is a struggling photographer living paycheck to paycheck in a tiny New York apartment. One accidental photo in Central Park changes everything—a haunting shot of a mysterious, brooding man who turns out to be none other than Damien Whitlock, the untouchable billionaire tech mogul with a reputation as cold as his fortune. Instead of suing, Damien makes Elliot an offer: become his personal photographer. It's the beginning of a dangerous game—one filled with stolen glances, unspoken truths, and a fake relationship meant to protect Damien’s public image. But behind Damien’s icy exterior lies an artist scarred by betrayal, and behind Elliot’s lens is a man desperate to feel seen for the first time. As the line between performance and passion begins to blur, secrets unravel. A fake kiss becomes real. A lie about love becomes a truth too big to silence. And when heartbreak and ambition threaten to tear them apart, both must choose between fear and vulnerability, between survival and surrender. In a world where image is everything, can two men find the courage to be each other’s truth? Or will the picture-perfect illusion destroy them both?

Seven years ago, Emily Hart poured her heart out to Cole Grayson, the school’s golden boy. But instead of a kind rejection, Cole publicly humiliated her, leaving her heartbroken and vowing never to let anyone see her vulnerable again. She transformed herself, gone was the shy, sweet girl. In her place stood a confident, successful woman determined to chart her own destiny. Now, her father, a self-made billionaire, strikes a major business deal, sealing it with an arranged marriage for Emily. The groom? None other than Cole Grayson. The shock of facing the man who once shattered her lingers, but Emily refuses to let him dominate her life again. Cole isn’t happy either, he’s already engaged to his glamorous fiancée and despises the thought of marrying Emily. Forced into a loveless union, their hatred burns hotter than ever. Yet, as circumstances conspire to keep them together; living under one roof, attending public events as the perfect couple, they begin to see the cracks in each other's facades. Old wounds resurface, fiery clashes turn to unexpected sparks, and Emily wonders: is hate truly the opposite of love? In a wide range of betrayal, longing, and second chances, Emily and Cole must decide if they can rewrite their story.

Miles was livid. His father had to be joking, right? Marrying a nineteen-year-old girl? Who does that? He was twenty when she was born, for God’s sake. The very idea disgusted him. Not because of what anyone would say—Miles didn’t care about public opinion. Reclusive, cold, rude, and emotionally unavailable, he had no interest in the world’s judgment. But this? This felt wrong. He wasn’t a predator, and he sure as hell wasn’t about to marry someone two decades younger than him. But his father wouldn’t back down, and losing the company wasn’t an option. So, he reluctantly agreed. He would marry the shy, damaged girl who had survived the worst at the hands of her step-family. He made himself a promise: he wouldn’t touch her. He would protect her, not become another perverted man she’d have to fear. What he didn’t expect was how hard that promise would be to keep. She was undeniably beautiful—soft curves in all the right places, her presence igniting desires he thought he could suppress. Suddenly, Miles found himself fighting not just his morals, but his erection. But she was his wife. He could touch her, right? Or at least look? She was going to be his undoing.

Lena Reynolds thought her life was perfect. She was engaged to the powerful and successful CEO, Grant Wells. However, when a corporate scandal emerges, linking Lena’s family to the Wells company sabotage, Grant is forced by his own family to call off their engagement without a second thought, branding her as a liability and traitor. Heartbroken and rejected, Lena vows to never let another man control her life again. Meanwhile, Grant will stop at nothing to get her back. Including threatening to tear down her company and life if she doesn't accept his offer to make partners with his family.  A steamy love triangle begins as Lena struggles to separate her true feelings from the manipulation surrounding her. Desperate, Lena agrees, only on business terms. But a night of reunion with Grant gets them tangled in hot sex, and she vows never to see him again. She discovers she's pregnant and Damien sees this as an opportunity to truly seal what they have. But Lena had called off the wedding. The child doesn't belong to Damien but Grant.  Broken, Lena goes back to Grant and Damien is arrested and persecuted. Lena makes new demands, which are a public apology, a new position as the CEO of the Wells company and that her father must step down for her. Grant does it all, taking back the woman he desires.

Crown Prince Kieran is a royal disaster—too bold, too wild, and far too scandalous for the throne. Between picking fights with the council, making offensive public remarks, and changing lovers like wardrobe changes, he’s the palace’s greatest headache. But when his reckless behavior earns him a new personal bodyguard, Kieran finds something he despises even more than politics: the cold, silent man who follows his every move. Commander Adrien Vale is everything Kieran isn't—disciplined, composed, unreadable. He has only one duty: protect the uncontrollable prince. Adrien becomes the shadow of the Prince. But beneath the tension and taunts, Adrien sees something no one else does: a grieving young man who is still not over the death of his brother. When an assassination attempt shakes the kingdom, the prince is exiled to a remote island for his safety with Adrien. Change in atmosphere cause the masks to slip and the new tension starts to brew between them. But nothing stays secret in a palace. When their lives go viral, the royal family forces Kieran into an engagement with a foreign princess to save face. Caught between duty and desire, between obedience and love, Kieran must choose: the crown, or the man who’s become his only truth.

My sister's best friend borrowed 20 thousand from me, saying it was for her mother's medical bills. As a cop, I lent it to her. I figured if I could help, I should. When it was time to pay me back, she didn't return a cent. Instead, she showed up at my precinct holding a baby and accused me of indecent assaults. After a paternity test, the baby turned out to be mine. She went on livestreams, crying about how I broke the law despite being a police officer. She used the scandal to make herself famous. The force treated me like a disgrace and fired me. I tried to explain, but no one believed me. I went from a model officer to a criminal overnight. My parents were cyberbullied; with nowhere left to turn, they both drowned themselves. My wife was also beaten in the street. She suffered a miscarriage from the attack and died from massive blood loss. As for my sister, guilt drove her insane; she was hospitalized before vanishing from the public eye. After my family fell apart, I hanged myself one night. Then I opened my eyes again. I'd been reborn. Facing my sister's evil friend, I vowed to fight back.