Norton Critical Editions Novels & Stories

Josef Hadrian is the young 18-year-old Crown Prince if the Austrian Empire. Despite his weak stature and illness, he is determined to rule just as his father did, but with a twist. The young prince loves being with the commoners and is constantly curious about their everyday lives and joining them in their endeavors while keeping an eye on the whole land. Striving to change the eyes of the world about his family, he ascended not one throne, but several thrones, including that of Hungary, he stood on the ready to face he hardships of ruling an Empire head on.

In my first life, I was a pathetic fool. My stepsister and the man I married both conspired and took everything from me. They murdered my father as I watched helplessly, already crippled with poison and forbidden witchcraft that was used to steal my Alpha powers, leaving me to die as a worthless Omega. The last thing I heard before my world went black was the voice of a powerful stranger. The Lycan Prince. ‎ ‎But when I opened my eyes, I was back in my own bed on the eve of my 18th birthday, given a second chance I never thought was possible. ‎ ‎This time, there will be no tears, only revenge. I will take back my name, my powers, and my future. I will make them pay for every sin they committed, one by one. ‎ ‎My old life is over, but now, my revenge has just begun.

After losing his parents in a tragic car accident, young Aaron is taken in by Evelyn, his mother’s closest friend. Thrust into a new home still heavy with grief, Aaron struggles to belong—especially with Evelyn’s daughter, Lily, who resents his presence and keeps her distance. At school, Lily insists they act like strangers, often making things difficult for him. Yet Aaron endures quietly, excelling academically and earning the respect of his teachers, even as he remains invisible to the girl who will shape his future.

Elizabeth Adams has never made room for love. At twenty-nine, she believes success comes first and feelings only complicate the future she’s worked so hard to build. But in Paris—after a failed blind date and a moment of unexpected vulnerability—Elizabeth meets a woman who makes her forget every rule she’s ever lived by. Their connection is instant, electric, and deeply intimate. One night. Two women. A memory that refuses to fade. When a small lie shatters the illusion, Elizabeth leaves Paris convinced it was a beautiful mistake she’ll never repeat. Back in South Africa, she tries to move on—until the woman she left behind shows up, carrying the same longing Elizabeth can no longer deny. As their bond deepens, a devastating truth is revealed: the woman Elizabeth loves is her mother’s long-lost first love. Caught between desire and loyalty, Elizabeth must decide whether love is worth breaking her own heart—or her mother’s.  

Damien Sterling is evil. He is so evil he wants me to pretend to be his fiancee before he can help me find my missing sister. The same woman he claimed to be his first love. "Call it what you may. I'll only help you if we work together on something." Me? Work together with Damien Sterling? "What do we work on?" "You mean, what are we working on?" A beat of silence. Then, he spoke. "We are going to get engaged. I mean, you're going to act like we are engaged. For six months." "Ha!" I cackled, face blank of expression. Then, a burst of laughter escaped me. While he watched me like I was crazy, I just kept on laughing. "Are you crazy? I'll be playing house? With you?" "I'm serious." While playing house with the billionaire devil, I must let go of my dream to be the top investigative journalist of Westmore Times and avoid falling for my missing sister's first love. Will this be possible when we are stuck in the same building, filled with heat and forbidden passion crackling between us?

Emily Grey comes to an elite university on a scholarship, determined to stay invisible. Julian Blackwell—the billionaire heir who rules the campus—has never been denied anything… until her. One dangerous encounter turns into an obsession neither of them can escape. As rumors explode, enemies close in, and dark family secrets surface, Emily is pulled into a world of power, control, and scrutiny. Loving Julian is risky. Leaving him might be impossible. The Billionaire Prince’s Scholar is a high-stakes romance where attraction turns obsessive and love comes with a price.

Jimmy, a 20-year-old with a rebellious streak and a tender heart, never expected to fall for someone completely out of reach—his mother’s best friend, Susan, a confident and elegant 38-year-old woman. Scarred by past heartbreaks, Susan has long given up on love, convinced that men will only bring pain. But when Jimmy’s youthful charm and unexpected sincerity start breaking down her carefully built walls, both of them are forced to confront desires they’ve tried to deny. As the line between friendship and forbidden attraction blurs, they must navigate a web of secrecy, guilt, and longing. Can love truly defy the rules, or will the consequences of their forbidden desire tear them apart?

Two geniuses. One room. Only one winner. Ethan Vance is a perfectionist with a 4.0 GPA and a life mapped out in ink. He needs the Sterling Global Fellowship to escape his father’s shadow, and he’s never let anyone stand in his way. Until Liam Rossi. Liam is messy, brilliant, and Ethan’s biggest rival. When a housing glitch forces these two enemies into a single dorm room with only one desk, the war begins. It’s sabotaged projects and late-night insults—until their professor forces them to work together on the final project of their lives. In the silence of the library and the heat of their cramped room, the line between hatred and obsession starts to blur. Ethan wanted to ruin Liam’s career. Now, he’s terrified Liam might be the only one who can build him back up. He’s my rival. My roommate. And the only man I can't have.

When the House Fell Silent is a gripping and emotional family saga that delves into the lives of five siblings — Abby, Aubrey, Tshepo, Mathapelo, and the youngest, Gail — after the sudden death of their father. The novel explores the struggles of grief, the challenges of responsibility, the shadows of abuse, and the weight of family expectations. As the siblings navigate the complexities of marriage, work, and personal trauma, their mother emerges as a steadfast pillar, guiding them through turmoil while facing her own battles as an unemployed matriarch. With in-laws disputing the will and old family wounds resurfacing, the narrative captures the resilience, heartbreak, and courage required to survive. Told with intensity and sensitivity, this novel is a tale of love, loss, and the enduring strength of family bonds. Through trials and triumphs, When the House Fell Silent is ultimately a story of hope, healing, and the voices that must rise to reclaim a family’s future.

How long can a heart survive when it’s shattered daily?How much pain can a soul take before it forgets what it means to be whole?On my 21st birthday, I was supposed to find my fated mate.Instead, I was rejected—publicly—because the Alpha’s heir was in love with my sister.But fate didn’t choose her. It chose me.So he married me… and punished me for it.He beat me when I spoke.He beat me when I stayed silent.Every bruise, every scar was a reminder—I wasn’t her.And I’d never be enough.“Pretend to be her,” he’d whisper in the dark.Then he’d use my body like it didn’t belong to me.They called me a curse.The daughter of a slave.An Omega mistake who stole her sister’s mate.I was forced to watch him worship her, protect her, love her—while I was left bleeding in shadows.Until one night… I ran.Into the arms of a stranger, I finally felt what it meant to be touched with care.One night of freedom. One night of peace.Then I found out I was pregnant.And the child isn't my mate’s.What happens when he finds out?Will he let me go—or make me pay for escaping him?And what if the stranger from that night… is more than just a memory?