If There Be Thorns

The first time I lived, my sister and I found two dragon eggs. The black one pulsed with raw, untamed power. My sister, Isabella, claimed it without a second thought. The white one was left for me. A cracked, forgotten thing. It held only a whisper of magic. I took it out of pity. Within a year, the black dragon shattered his shell and emerged a man so beautiful it was a curse. He became Isabella's devoted weapon, his power forging her path to godhood. Meanwhile, the white egg fed on me. I poured everything I had into my white egg. My magic, my money, my soul. For ten long years, it gave me nothing. Everyone said to abandon it. But I couldn’t. I was an orphan, ignored by my sister. I just wanted a companion. But as the dark plague swept the lands, the egg I'd nurtured for a decade hatched overnight—while I was dying, he soared past me to save Isabella. He could have hatched years ago. Could have been human all along. But he chose Isabella. He mistook her for his savior. Then I was back to the day it all began. This time, Isabella lunged for the white egg first, afraid I'd take it. I slung my worn satchel of herbs over my shoulder. Turned my back on them both. "You can have them both," I said calmly. "I choose myself." This life, I swore I would have nothing to do with Adrian. But now, he's the one filled with regret, willing to give his own life just to have me look at him one more time.

When a eighteen-year-old virgin decided to leave Louisiana, her home town for Texas, an alien town she was oblivious that the journey of her independence would become one of longing for a man's love and attention. With her love built on a misconception, she was unaware that Charles Jackson; the multi-billionaire, was an egocentric, cold-hearted, proud and unforgiving man who locked his heart to love, the aftermath of the brute conditions under which he grew up. But yet, Maureen Thompson was bent on earning her bosses attention at all cost. Though not pushy or... flirty, she developed partial-obsessive tendencies; one that kept her dwindling in the thoughts of having sex with him—even as a virgin! Forgoing his harsh countenance, overly exaggerated reactions, she envisions Charles in the portrait of cold-nineteenth century men that spew flavors of love to their lovers—indoor. But Charles Jackson, built in grace and glamor, could win a medal in egocentrism, rudeness malevolence, prudishness and of course, beauty! And yet, she judged his reactions to the plane crash wrongly, unaware that December had scared his heart. It appeared that the plane crash became memorable either through breaking hearts or eventually mending them. Be it the crash itself or the incidents after the crash, it changed people's lives and Maureen was not left out. In readiness to be true to her love, Maureen ignored warnings and hit the wrong target. Lurking in the shadows of her emotions and fated to be bewitched by perfect blue eyes that defies morality, she might discover that Charles Jackson, heir to Jackson Companies PLC and CEO of Westland Airlines was truly born of STONE and FROST. And worse, everything that she believed might just be a lie!

Her marriage felt like a worldly hell; unloved by her husband, openly cheated on, labeled as leveraging opportunities to join the famed Don William family conglomerate across the Western world. Her life was steeped in deceit ever since those sacred vows were uttered. Determined to retaliate against all the pain inflicted by her ex-husband, Don Austin William, Jane stepped aside for a moment. Though her conscience whispered that revenge would only consume her life. Jane was reborn as a top celebrity. She shed her name and everything from her past, starting afresh with vigor despite her frozen heart when it came to love. Initially, Jane began to let go of her resentment and disappointment. She was tired of juggling endless schedules and work. Unfortunately, Austin returned. Using her popularity, she resolved to get even with him. She aimed to make him kneel and beg for her love. She planned to discard him once Austin fell into her arms. However, bit by bit, her past unfolded. Would her revenge succeed as she desired? Or would Jane willingly throw herself back into her own personal hell?

"Why are you me?" I demanded, my hand reaching to wipe my lips. "Jessica..." He called me by that name again. "Can you stop calling me that? I am not Jessica." I corrected him, exasperated. "My name is—" __ What would Lillian do when she gets by a stranger on the way to the slaughterhouse? For three years, she had been married to Dustin, a monster, disguised as a husband. In the third year, he attempted to destroy her life. He hurled divorce papers at her and wanted her kidney for his lover. On the way to the slaughterhouse, she met Alexander who swore to protect her with his life. And when he her, he called her a name she had never heard before. But Dustin came crashing on them again, was he able to protect her? Alexander loved another woman in Lillian’s image. What would he do when he found out the woman he loved, wasn't Lillian. Was Lillian bound to be cast aside again?

Savannah Marie Jones, 17, new girl of Wahington High School. Carefree and practical girl who is still in the journey of finding herself. Jacob Brown, 18, golden boy of Washington High. Rich and arrogant with charismatic attitude. Ethan Chase, 17, heartthrob of Washington High school. Quirky and humorous exterior with dark mysterious aura. She has never been in a relationship, what will happen when two boys starts to give her attention in two different ways. Will she able to choose who or what she wants? Will she find the love she has yearned all her life? Read the book to find it out!

"You said you leave when there's nothing left for you to do so what if I gave you a reason to stay?"

On the day of my ninth wedding attempt, my fiancé, Lucas Yearwood, leaves me jilted again. This time, I follow him. I see him holding his adoptive sister's hand as they walk into the obstetrics department. "Lucas, I dreamed that we're having a boy—he's definitely going to be as handsome as you." Watching the two of them laugh and chat like that, I feel my blood freeze. After I chased Lucas for seven years, I got a chance to use a debt of gratitude to force a marriage contract out of him. I backed him into a corner to make him marry me. Everyone thinks I can't survive without him. But this time, I hand the marriage contract back and leave him without looking back. On my wedding day, he calls me. "Viv! Where are you right now?" I'm in the shower. My new husband picks up the call for me. "Do you have business with my wife?" Later, I hear Lucas turned all of Riverville upside down, digging through every trash can to find our marriage contract.

My fiance, Dante de Rossi, is the heir to a mafia family in Manhorne, and he loves me dearly. Yet, a month before our wedding, he says his family has arranged for him to have a baby with his childhood friend, Isobel de Luca. Despite my refusal to agree to it, he brings it up daily and tries to push me into it. Half a month before the wedding, I receive a pregnancy report. I find out that Isobel is over a month pregnant. I have yet to give Dante my permission. This is when I realize just how fragile our years-long relationship is. I cancel the wedding and destroy everything he has ever given me. On the day of the wedding, I set off for Etolia to further my medical career. I accept a role with an international medical organization, severing all ties with the mafia. From that moment onward, he and I no longer have anything to do with each other!

Ilana accepted the heartbreak her husband Gray inflicted in her—embracing the pain and relationship failure. She has experienced heartbreak twice—both from men who shared the same last names, Montemayor. The heartbreak didn’t kill her—it kept her alive, and afraid to love again. However, an uninvited visitor came to her door—trying its luck to be embraced like how it should be. Ilana tried so hard to avoid her growing feelings. However, the certain man who was just another presence in her life became everything to her. She forgot how she was before him. She laughed. She joked. She teased. All after he came. If this is another chance for Ilana to love again, she won’t deny it cold-heartedly. But how can she give this love a chance when the root of her love trauma left something in her that she could never get rid of?

Mia is going to her hometown for Christmas after a big fight with her boyfriend Adrian. There she is welcomed by her loving parents and her irresistible neighbor Matt, who confesses to Mia he was in love with her since high school. Adrian is feeling sorry, realizing his mistake, and is coming for New Year to apologize, but to whom Mia's heart belongs?