john updike novel of 1960

Arina De Luca is the daughter of Shadow Borne Pack Alpha. Her life was perfect until the Alpha's sudden death when she suddenly found herself treated like a slave. A seemingly unstoppable situation forces Arina to flee just as she is approaching her eighteenth birthday. For years, Lycan king Alexandre LeBlanc has been without a mate. After seeing what the bond almost did to his mother, he never had the desire to take a mate. All of that changes, however, when Arina shows up at his door asking for assistance. Both of their lives are turned upside down when fate plays a role. What secrets are hidden within the Shadowborne Pack's walls? What will Arina do when she learns the real reason for her treatment? Are Alexandre and his mate destined for each other? As secrets are unveiled, truths are revealed, and choices have devastating repercussion

Avila and Stephon are siblings determined to take over their father's successful business empire. However, their rivalry becomes a war that leads to unethical decisions and puts the company's success and reputation at risk. With potential business competitors and threats from unknown assailants, the business takes a bad turn, Stephon dies and eventually, everything falls apart. In the midst of all this, Avila finds herself in a desperate situation, blaming Louis for the death of Stephon and being forced to rebuild her life from scratch. She becomes a stripper at a club and a personal assistant to Natasha, the stunning CEO of a beauty empire who has a secret that opens Avila to some things. When she meets Idris, a steamy romance ignites, leading to a dangerous game of betrayal and cover-ups. Avila is torn between loyalty, love, and uncovering the truth about the people she's involved with. With her loyalty tested and her life on the line, Avila must navigate a world of sex trafficking, embezzlement, and revenge to protect herself and the ones she loves. Will she be able to outsmart her enemies and come out on top, or will she fall victim to the ruthless game being played around her?

Roseline "Rosy" Parks is the black sheep of her family. A party- loving, seductress who has never had issues getting guys. She has moved through her life going between meaningless filings and a One-night stand. Not wanting to commit to anyone, she loves the freedom she has. When she met a stranger one night, he awakens something inside her. As it appears that she might have finally found someone special. There is a catch she's about to discover when he turns up in her life in a most unexpected way. In a web of lust, secret, sex and love. Let the game for their heart begin. But someone's might just get broken along the way.

Petunia, a 19-year-old girl from a rural village in Limpopo province, moves to the big city of Johannesburg to study. She then falls head over heels for the popular guy on campus. Unfortunately, life in the big city is not as good as she thought. Will she be consumed by the glitz, the Glamour, and the dark side of the golden city?

Anita Hayes thought she had it all—a luxurious life, a devoted husband, and a future filled with promise. But behind the glittering facade of her marriage to self-made billionaire Alexander Grayson lay a truth that shattered her: Alex’s empire always came first, leaving her as a mere shadow in his life. On the night of their fourth wedding anniversary, Alex misses yet another important moment, choosing a business deal over their marriage. Heartbroken and determined to reclaim her identity, Anita walks away from the penthouse and the man she once loved, returning to her small hometown to rebuild her life. But Alex isn’t the kind of man who lets go easily. As he fights to win Anita back, her childhood friend, Ethan Carter, steps in, reminding her of the love and support she’s been missing. Torn between the memories of her past and the possibility of a new future, Anita must decide: will she give Alex a second chance, or is it time to close the door on their shared history forever?

“I’ll agree to this—but only if you stay out of my business.” “You have a deal,” the man chuckled, raising his hands in mock surrender, his husky voice dripping with amusement. “But,” he added, stepping closer, his breath brushing against her ear, “you’ll have to agree to my conditions, too.” “I said I’d agree, didn’t I?” Sherry replied coolly. Her expression didn’t waver as she grabbed his collar and pulled him down to her eye level. “Mr. Smith,” she whispered, matching his tone with a quiet fierceness. Hah… This woman is going to drive me insane, Levian thought, already realizing this would be far from easy. ~~~ On her wedding day, Sherry is poisoned by her best friend. Her fiancé? At the hospital, he was celebrating the birth of his child with someone else. But fate rewinds the clock. Waking up a day before her death, Sherry has one goal: uncover the truth and take back control. However, as the secrets unravel, she realizes the betrayal runs deeper than she imagined. That's when the rumored Levian Smith makes her an offer: “Marry me, and I’ll stake my very soul for you.” Now, she must choose—revenge or redemption?

Four years ago, following a betrayal from her half-sister and boyfriend, Diane McKenzie was involved in a ghastly accident that cost the life of her unborn baby. Now, Diane is determined to make a name for herself by working hard and reaching the highest status quo in society so she could get revenge on the people who betrayed her so badly. She gets a job in the popular Redskins Group of Company as a storekeeper and everything seems to be going well until she is locked in the warehouse and finds a little boy of three, who is inexplicably attached to her. The boy with his bright green eyes reminds her so much of what her son would have been if he didn't die at such an unexpected moment. Diane is thrown into a dilemma when her boss —Lucius Blackwood, who turns out to be the little boy's father offers her a proposal she finds impossible to refuse... Secrets are uncovered and identities unfold but Diane is completely oblivious to Lucius' true identity and the boy's abilities…

A year after my divorce, my ex-husband, Harvey Fisher, pings me in a group chat. "This cold war has gone on for long enough. Come home—let's remarry." I reply, "Have you lost your mind?" Everyone in the group chat tries to convince me to take Harvey back. Meanwhile, he asks, "What have you been doing without me in your life?" I turn to look at my current husband, who's putting our child to sleep. I reply, "Recovering after having a child." The group chat members are initially excited, but they instantly fall silent at my words. Harvey angrily calls me countless times, but I ignore him. His mind is not the only thing he's lost—he's also lost the young woman who once loved him more than life itself.

Ever since she was young, Chloe knew her best friend, Amelia, was a werewolf. It never bothered her that there were creatures beyond humans; she always believed in other species, just like how some believe in aliens. Chloe and her sister Marley had been struggling ever since their parents passed away. But with the help of Amelia and her family, they were able to find a new sense of belonging moving forward. Chloe had adjusted to the college lifestyle and was about to graduate. She was living independently and had no intention of getting involved in Amelia's supernatural world, knowing the complications that came with mixing werewolves and humans. However, everything changed when Amelia pleaded for her to attend the Aberdeen ball, an annual event held by her best friend's pack. Unable to resist Amelia's pouty face and puppy dog eyes, Chloe reluctantly agreed to go. Little did she know, she would soon be in the presence of Alpha Malachi. Copyright 2020

Evelyn "Evie" Moretti never wanted to be part of the mafia world. The daughter of a disgraced underboss, she’s spent her life dreaming of freedom—a life far away from the violence and betrayal that destroyed her family. But when her father’s debts to the powerful Romano crime family spiral out of control, Evie is forced to pay the price: an arranged marriage to Don Alessandro "Alessio" Romano, the ruthless and enigmatic head of the Romano family. Alessio is as cold as he is handsome, a man shrouded in darkness and driven by a thirst for revenge. From the moment Evie meets him, it’s clear that their marriage is no love story. It’s a transaction, a way to settle a debt and secure power. But as Evie is thrust into Alessio’s world of luxury, danger, and deceit, she begins to realize that there’s more to their union than meets the eye. Alessio harbours a deep hatred for her family, and his cruelty toward her is both calculated and personal. As Evie struggles to survive in her new life, she uncovers shocking secrets about her family’s past—and Alessio’s true motives for marrying her. Betrayed at every turn, she must navigate a treacherous web of lies, power struggles, and forbidden desires. But the more she learns, the more she questions who she can trust—and whether she can resist the dangerous pull of the man who holds her captive in every way. Bound by Blood and Betrayal is a dark, emotional mafia romance filled with twists, tension, and a love that burns as fiercely as it destroys. Can Evie find a way to escape Alessio’s grip, or will she lose herself in the shadows of his world?