New Temples Announced Today

Blooming Backwards Minerva has worked hard to become the confident, curvy woman she is today—no longer the heartbroken girl whose first love humiliated her in high school. But when that same man reappears as a major donor to her nonprofit, old wounds reopen. As buried truths and feelings come to light, Minerva’s world is shaken. With a stalker closing in and her abusive ex back in the picture, Minerva must confront her past to protect her future. Can she stay grounded when everything threatens to pull her back? Blooming Backwards is a gripping tale of healing, strength, and love rediscovered.

Story Introduction: The Secret of Full Moon Night For thirty years, he had been immersed in loneliness in this dark world. Who could give him another beautiful, free world? Who could rescue him from his illness and despair? Jony looked up at the gray sky and let out a scream. Today was the day of the full moon, and he raised his head, his body trembling. His veins pulsed with each heartbeat, and tears flowed down his chilled, transparent eyelids onto his painfully suppressed face. Who can save him from his illness and soul?

Today, I turned eighteen. I also learned that I have become Tim Frost's heir. In addition to his legitimate business, Tim influences certain criminal circles. I don't want this inheritance. I want Tim himself, but he made it clear that nothing can happen between us. He said that I must forget him. If I can't be with Tim Frost, then I'll give birth to another Tim—his child. Then, no one can take him away from me, and Tim Frost will be in my life again. My own son.

When Italy's Most Dreaded Capo discovers his true identity, the world is thrown into disarray. A bloody war erupts between werewolves and the Mob. The dice has been cast, and the Capo must decide whose family he actually belongs to. The werewolf clan (where he was once a Beta) or the Mob clan (where he is now a Capo)? Is he his Alpha or his Don? His Mate or His Moll? His past life or the one he has grown to love? It's a conundrum with no way out without spilling a lot of blood and losing loved ones. ************************************************* Ryder's eyes were partially closed as he held a pistol to his head. That was the end of it. He's probably finished. He was not afraid of death. But this was a particularly painful time since it was his Beta who was holding the pistol to his head. Jason, who used to be his wingman, was now going to be his assassinator. "Do it," Don Carianno urged, irritated by his tardiness. Jason pressed the gun's point harder on Ryder's temples, but his fingers wavered around the trigger. He couldn't pull it off. "Remember what we've gone through, man. Jason, you and I have a long history. You're not going to be able to accomplish it. You can't get rid of your Alpha..." ****** This is the second book of ONCE ABUSED, NOW LOVED. Although it may be read as a stand-alone, it is highly recommended that you first read the first book to have a better grasp of this one. BOOK 1 - ONCE ABUSED, NOW LOVED. BOOK 2: ONCE A BETA, NOW A MAFIA.

Charles’ breath quickened, and his movements became more urgent. “I’m close,” he gasped in my ear, his voice breaking between moans. My own pleasure surged, and I couldn’t hold back the scream that tore from my throat. A wave of electric tingles swept through me, my temples throbbed, and the world around me faded into white… Every pore on my body felt wide open, heat radiating from me in waves. It was surreal, as if I were in a dream, feeling everything but grasping none of it… I could hardly believe it—I had married this man, the infamous Alpha of the Black Valley Pack, Charles McLean, and I had just slept with him. But there was no love between us. We weren’t fated mates. Since his first shift at eighteen, Charles McLean had never found his fated mate. And after one engagement after another, each of his fiancées had died under mysterious circumstances. Rumor had it that he wore a mask to conceal his hideous face and that he was a cruel, violent man who would kill without hesitation. People whispered that he had murdered his previous fiancées. His last fiancée—my sister—was terrified of him. Horrified by the stories, she had vehemently refused to marry him. And just before the wedding, she found her fated mate. So, without warning or preparation, I was forced to take her place, pushed into marrying Charles in her stead, to stand as his wife in name only and the unacknowledged Luna of the Black Valley Pack…

Every time I miscarry, Adrian Sadler brings home a new woman who eerily resembles his first love. He makes me put the rubber on him, forces me to watch their fevered passion, and then orders me to bring warm water for their intimate cleanup. I do everything I'm told, begging for just one night a month with him. That is, until I accidentally tear his favorite lover Peggy Olson's lingerie. That night, Adrian streams my humiliation for the world to see. He drags me onto the bed, twists my body to expose me fully to the camera, and pins me beneath an avalanche of shame. "Did you think her lingerie was suggestive? What about now? Look at yourself. Do you think you are any better? You love crawling into my bed, don't you? I'll help you get your fill. Maybe one man isn't enough to satisfy you. Why don't I call in ten men tomorrow?" As punishment, Adrian throws me outside, in my birthday suit, in the courtyard. Blood slowly pools beneath me. I experience my tenth miscarriage. I look for Derek Sadler and say, "I promised to help your family to repay your kindness. I tried my best. Ten miscarriages later, whatever blessing I once had is gone. I'll never have children again. Today, I've come to say goodbye."

Married three years. Stood up three years. Today was the last time I bothered showing up. Surprise—he bailed again. Still clinging to hope like a total idiot, I called. One last shot. "A-Aurora, I'm busy. Just wait," he muttered. And then her voice cut in. All breathy and smug: "That old woman can't satisfy you, huh? Paolo, be gentle." Click. Right on cue, Marco Medici—loyal, patient, saint-like Marco—sent his 99th proposal. This time, I didn't leave him hanging. [Want to come over for bollito misto?]

On our eighth anniversary, Claire Young announced that she had already registered her marriage with her childhood friend. She took him home, ordering me around as if it was only natural. "Move to another room. Stan loves sunshine." "Stan doesn't like sweets, so don't bake any when you're at home. He'd be upset if he saw it." I kept quiet through it all and bought a ticket to leave. My friend wanted to help me out of the predicament, but she didn't think it was a big deal. "He's just being dramatic again. Let him be—he'd be caving in just a few days." Everyone laughed at that, and quietly made bets as to when I'd come crawling back to Claire's feet. None of them knew I was already inducted into the national weapons program, and that I was really leaving.

Ava Summers always thought the man she would marry would be her loving, one-and-only boyfriend, Cole Parker. But that dream shattered the moment her father announced she’d be marrying the cold and emotionless Devlin Frost… in her twin sister’s place. Desperate to escape her fate, she ran to Cole… only to have her heart broken into pieces. Humiliated, heartbroken, and with nowhere left to run, Ava finally gave in and agreed to the marriage. Then came the second blow; she wouldn’t be walking down the aisle as Ava Summers, but as Eva Summers. That meant she’d have to fool everyone, including Devlin Frost himself. Then came the third blow; Devlin Frost wasn’t just blind… he was also crippled. And then came the final blow… one she never saw coming. Now what could it possibly be? Go on... take a wild guess.

I died on the day I was supposed to marry Ryan Wolfe. When I didn’t show up on time, he angrily married his childhood sweetheart, Lorelei Floyd, instead, and publicly announced, “Alexis Harding cheated before our wedding and called it off herself!” The rumors crushed my mother, and she died from a heart attack right then and there. But Ryan seemed to have forgotten that he, in a fit of rage to defend Lorelei, slashed my arm and locked me in a basement for ten whole days. I begged him and pleaded for mercy, but all I got was his cold reply. “You’ll stay here for a while, so you can fully understand the pain you caused Lorelei. And maybe, just maybe, it’ll rid you of your wicked thoughts.” When he found my corpse, ravaged by maggots, he lost his mind.