Love Is Sweeter The Second Time Around

“Standing in a wedding dress meant for her sister, Naomi Hayes felt like an imposter.” Shy, soft-spoken, and always overshadowed by her glamorous sister Charlotte, Naomi never imagined her life would take such a dramatic turn. When Charlotte vanishes to chase love and wealth, Naomi is forced into an arranged marriage with the cold and ruthless billionaire, Damian Cross—a man who makes it painfully clear that she is nothing but a poor substitute for the bride he truly wanted. Thrown into Damian’s opulent but icy world, Naomi endures his disdain, her family’s relentless demands, and the whispers of betrayal that haunt their every interaction. Yet, beneath Damian’s ruthless exterior lies a storm of secrets and enemies, none more dangerous than Evan Reid—his greatest rival and the man Charlotte left with. Caught between two powerful men at war, Naomi becomes a pawn in a high-stakes game that threatens to destroy Damian’s empire and her fragile place in his life. But as their lives collide in unexpected ways, Naomi discovers an unyielding strength she never knew she had. When passion and vulnerability crack Damian’s icy facade, Naomi begins to wonder if there’s more to him than meets the eye—or if she’s risking her heart for a man who may never truly love her. What happens when betrayals come to light? When Naomi faces a choice between loyalty to her sister or the man who has both hurt and protected her? To find out what happens next, read this gripping story of love, redemption, and resilience. Let the unexpected twists and unforgettable characters keep you turning the pages.

Eidolon Avenue: Where the secretly guilty go to die. One building. Five floors. Five doors per floor. Twenty-five nightmares feeding the hunger lurking between the bricks and waiting beneath the boards. The sequel to Eidolon Avenue: The First Feast (“a great read...powerful and jarring” - Cemetery Dance) returns to the voracious Eidolon as it savors The Second Feast. A narcoleptic man in apartment 2A battles a vengeful past determined to rob him of everything as he runs from the barbaric disaster of a delusional love. A woman in 2B, reinventing herself to please a callous boyfriend, discovers the horrors that wait in the shadows of her self-renovation. The man in 2C, a teacher at the nearby Catholic girl’s school, collapses beneath the brutal consequences of his lecherous desires. An older woman in 2D, after decades dedicated to the church, is cornered at last by the grisly carnage beating at the hollow center of her faith. And a college student in 2E, hungry to escape an ignored life of invisible anonymity, finds herself captured between the pages of a ravenous book. All thrown into their own private hell as every cruel choice, every drop of spilled blood, every silent, complicit moment of cowardice is remembered, resurrected and relived to feed the ancient evil that lives on Eidolon Avenue. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

Bonita Clarkson is hurt and betrayed by her mate. She found him in the arms of her sister. Bonita has to escape from him and her sister with the help of her only friend in the pack! However, she lands on his uncle's Packgrounds. Will he help her as he is her second-chance mate, or is she too young for him? Only time will tell if their bond as mates is strong enough to pass the test of the age gap between them. Is she ready to take a second chance at love, or is the scar on her heart too deep to trust again?

Mariella Giordano, the second daughter of a Mafia Boss, is neglected by her own family since birth. Giordanos makes her marry Leonardo Marchetti, the rival Mafia Boss, for compensation. The relationship between them is not the usual type because trying to kill each other is their love language.

On my 18th Birthday, My twin sister married my mate, Alpha Jacob, in my name. I was Alisa Clark, the she-wolf with the purest blood. The Alphas must feed on my blood. They were blessed with great power while they were cursed. The greater their abilities, the shorter their lives. My blood protected them from their curse Yet, my twin Jennifer took away my glory and had me tortured for 6 years! Worse still, My mate allowed it ** "You've been like a pig for us. He can smell you down here. He's known this whole time." She took out a mirror and held it up to my face. " You think he would ever accept such an ugly mate like this pig." I hadn't seen myself since I was twelve, vibrant and healthy. I was a child then, and now I looked like a ghost. My face was hollow and pale like a sick person. I saw the scar on my face, it burned and had inflamed my cheek so that it was swollen. My eyes were red from the tears. My hair was dull and limp over my skull. My purple eyes were the only piece of me that still held some semblance of life. I could see scars even on my neck, and I knew that my body was even more scarred, and even more pathetic... "How dare you be so stupid." Jennifer said. "How dare you think the Alpha wants you for more than your blood. Imagine him mating with you, when he could have me."

“I, Alpha Jon, reject you, Caroline, as my mate. You're barren and I need an heir!” Alpha Jon declared to Caroline, who had just returned from the hospital with the news of her pregnancy only to see her dear husband in bed with her best friend. “I, Caroline, accept your rejection, Alpha Jon!” Heartbroken, she leaves the Palace and is attacked by some Rogues, only to be saved by Alpha Boris, the Alpha of the Black Fur Pack. He takes good care of her and her children, much to the chagrin of Sarah, his mistress. Five years later, Alpha Jon realises his mistakes and seeks to reconcile with Caroline but Alpha Boris, his sworn enemy from times past is already in love with her and swears to keep her. Would Caroline forgive Alpha Jon and get married to him again or would she remain with Alpha Boris who has some secrets under his sleeve?

When I was waiting for Theodore at City Hall from dawn to dusk, he was accompanying his first love on a hike. I called him dozens of times, but he rejected my calls instantly each time. He finally picked up on the twentieth call. "Why are you blowing up my phone when you simply didn't see me for a day? Why are you acting so desperate? Sammy's feeling unwell because of her heart and I still need to take care of her at the hospital. We'll talk later about registering our marriage." Ten years of love. This was the 100th time Theodore had left me alone in front of City Hall for his first love. I hung up and calmly tossed the wedding ring away. This marriage? I was done with it.

Anastasia's life was turned into a nightmare when the intimate photos of her mate, Antonio, and Stephanie were displayed on a large screen meant to showcase her and Antonio's love story on her wedding day. Her father had a heart attack out of shock and was rushed to the hospital. While her father was still battling with his life in the hospital, Anastasia found out from her father's secretary that Stephanie had taken over her father's company, his only legacy. As if that wasn't enough, she was also sacked from the company due to the scandal for which she was framed. In desperation to save her father's legacy, she decided to seek help from Antonio's uncle, Alpha Alex, A ruthless and powerful Alpha who was fear by all and rumored to have a hidden secret that stopped him from having a love relationship. He agreed to help her but with a mysterious condition. Will she be able to accept the condition?

After three years of secret marriage, Reginald Thompson suddenly proposed a divorce to Elizabeth Smith. Elizabeth chuckled, took her share of the property, and left the home of the past three years—using her skills to thrive in the antique world. Some time after the divorce, the former dictator Reginald saw his beautiful ex-wife Elizabeth stunning the audience on television, regretting his past actions. He regretted the divorce and pursued her all over the world, declaring, "My dear Elizabeth, my heart is yours, my life is yours. Come back to me!" Elizabeth Smith's rosy lips parted, "I'm sorry, Reginald!" Later, she encountered the man, Mayo John Brown, who had once saved her life. On the day of their wedding, news arrived. She abandoned the groom John, holding the injured body of Reginald Thompson in sorrow. Until Reginald proposed again, "My beloved Elizabeth, can we get married again?"

A tale of two souls, intertwined by fate: One soul, cloaked with isolation and grief, was a solitary figure who struggles to connect with others. The other soul has a heart hardened against the possibility of love. Florence “Flo” Emry, now twenty-one, has retreated into a life of solitude following a traumatic car accident that occurred when she was sixteen. It changed her life forever. The accident left her completely deaf in one ear and partially deaf in the other as she needs hearing aid for it. She was devastated when she found out that she became disabled, but she was more broken when she also found out that she had tragically lost her parents and older brother in only one night. Feeling abandoned and worthless, Florence, who was filled with debt from her student loan, has become deeply disappointed and resentful towards herself, seeing herself as a useless human being. One fateful day, a chance encounter with a mysterious man named Zacchaeus “Chaos” Spencer Battenkurt the filthy rich billionaire playboy, 26 years old, turned her life upside down. This charismatic, very polite and respectful man, seemingly ordinary, was actually hiding a deep dark secret. These two souls, so different yet intertwined by fate, must navigate their own internal struggles while also confronting the challenges of their external world. But the question remains: Will they be able to break down their barriers and find solace in each other’s company or will their differences prove to be insurmountable obstacles?