Reluctant Synonyms

“Are you crying?" She shook her head and wiped at her face as more tears were falling. “I’m so stupid.” she groaned. "Now I am truly and utterly alone. If I had just said yes to marrying him, none of this would’ve happened. I wouldn’t have dragged you into this mess.” Without warning, I turned sharp to the side, putting the car to a sudden stop close to the curb. “Don’t ever say that again. You think marrying a man you don’t love, a man who doesn’t care if he hurts you, just to please your family is the right thing to do?” I turned to her slowly. “That would’ve ruined you.” “But I would’ve had a home to go to, I would’ve been taken care of. Now I have nothing,” she looked away. I reached over and gently took her bruised hand in mine. “You did the hardest thing anyone in your position could have done. You saved yourself. That takes more guts than standing there and pretending to be happy.” I tucked a hair behind her ear. “You think you are alone? You’re not… you have me.” ___ Alina Etienne has always lived a life dictated by her parents. She is groomed to be an obedient daughter, a perfect public image, and now, a bride to a man she doesn’t know or love. On her wedding day, crushed by the weight of expectations, Alina does the unthinkable... she says “I don’t” and flees the altar. On the run and scared with nowhere to go, she crosses paths with Mikhail Antonov. A cold, guarded man with a past he doesn’t talk about. What began as a reluctant act of kindness turned into something neither of them expected.

When Isabella Russo’s father falls deep into debt with the ruthless Moretti crime family, she becomes the collateral. Taken under the watch of Matteo Moretti — the family’s dangerous, magnetic youngest son — she is thrust into a world of shadows, secrets, and blood oaths. What begins as a reluctant arrangement ignites into a forbidden passion that could cost them both their lives. As rival families close in and betrayal lurks within Matteo’s own bloodline, the two must choose between loyalty and love, knowing that in the mafia, happy endings are a luxury no one can afford.

She was always the shadow. He was always chasing the light. Lavinia Hartwell had learned early that love was rarely for girls like her. She was the quiet one, the overlooked one—always second to her luminous best friend, Verity Langford. Even Henry Wynthorne, the boy whose compassion had unexpectedly caught her heart in high school, only had eyes for Verity. But years change people. Henry’s dreams of studying abroad collapsed with his father’s death. Verity left. Success became his only compass, and alcohol his only escape. And somehow, in the wreckage, there was Lavinia—never demanding, never judging, quietly holding him together in ways he never noticed… until she was gone. When an arranged engagement threatened to give her to him, Henry assumed she was being forced into it and set her free. Lavinia smiled, thanked him—and walked away, taking with her the steady presence he had taken for granted. Only then did Henry begin to notice the ache. The way her absence unsettled him. The way another man’s hand on her waist ignited a heat that was not anger, but something darker, sharper, and dangerously possessive. A single night blurred the lines forever—her lips on his, soft at first, then desperate, as though she’d loved him all her life. Desire flared, undeniable. But in the morning, she was gone again. Now, with Verity back and the past colliding with the present, Henry must face the truth: he no longer loves the woman he once chased. But has he realized too late who truly held his heart all along? Slow-burn, sensual, and laced with aching restraint, this is a story of unspoken devotion, of a man’s reluctant fall, and of the quiet girl who was never anyone’s first choice—until she became the only choice.

Vaelora “Elyndra” Rhydian is the last of a broken bloodline, the cursed heir of NightMoor’s fallen Beta family. Orphaned by war, suffering from horrible PTSD from being raised by an abusive stepfather, and haunted by a wolf that won't fully awaken, her life has been nothing but loss. At 22, she still can’t complete her transformation. Each attempt nearly kills her. Plagued by nightmares and a mysterious voice inside her, she searches for answers, and her mate. But when she finally finds him at the Moon Festival, it’s not salvation that greets her. It’s rejection. Zarek Vortan Blackmoor, the feared Alpha of the NightMoor Pack, is cold, brutal, and cursed, just like her. Believing he doesn't have a mate and unworthy of love, he’s prepared to marry another. But fate intervenes. When Zarek discovers Vaelora is his fated mate, the one woman who could unravel his most dangerous secret, he rejects her in front of the entire pack. But destiny isn't so easily defied. When Vaelora offers him a deal that could save them both, they’re forced into a reluctant alliance; one built on secrets, betrayal, and a bond neither of them can sever. He’s the Alpha cursed to fall. She's Luna, destined to rise. Will pride, pain, and prophecy tear them apart, or can they heal each other before darkness consumes them both?

I was supposed to be a bride. Instead, I was abandoned at the altar and humiliated as the man I loved ran off with my best friend, taking my fortune with him. In one night, my world shattered. I thought my story ended there, but Tony James appeared. He was the kind of man mothers warn their daughters about. A mafia boss who claimed my ex had betrayed him too. He offered me a deal: help him track down the traitor who ruined us both, and he’d give me the revenge I burned for. What began as reluctant partnership twisted into something an erotic romance. Tony was everything I shouldn’t want. He was dominant in bed looking for his submissive, powerful and intoxicating. He taught me to fight, to be sly, to wield allure like a weapon, and in return, I gave him TRUST.

Amara Lopez never believed in fairy tales—especially not the kind that involved ruthless billionaires in tailored suits. She only wanted to finish law school and help her struggling family. But fate throws her into the path of Damian Cruz, the cold and arrogant heir to Cruz Holdings. Their worlds collide when Amara becomes his reluctant intern, sparking a war of wills that neither of them expects to lose. What begins as hatred soon shifts into something more dangerous: desire. But Damian isn’t just any man—he carries a billion-dollar secret that could destroy everything they’re building together. His fortune, his family’s dark past, and a legacy bound by betrayal all stand between them. As enemies turn to lovers, Amara must decide whether to risk her heart on a man the world calls ruthless—or walk away before his secrets consume her. In a world of luxury, lies, and love that burns too hot to ignore, can a billionaire with everything to lose hold on to the one woman he can’t let go?

☆☆☆☆ "So, Tyson, do you just lurk around waiting to interrupt people or is that a special service you offer?" He leaned against the table, his gaze locking with mine. "I'd say it's a special service, but only for certain people. I wouldn't want you to think I'm not paying enough attention to you, love." "Is that so?" I raised an eyebrow, challenging him, "Because I was under the impression you enjoyed making my life difficult, not keeping an eye on it." He chuckled, crossing his arms. "Well, it seems like you could use the excitement." "Oh, trust me, my life's exciting enough without you stirring up trouble." I scoffed, but the corners of my mouth twitched upwards in a reluctant smile. "But, perhaps I'm the kind of trouble you need." ☆☆☆☆ Ashley, the daughter of a millionaire, moves to a new city and hopes for a fresh start. With her sharp wit, she often finds herself at the center of school drama, not by choice, but by circumstances. Intent on maintaining a low profile at her new campus, her plan quickly falls apart when she mistakenly parks her bike in a reserved spot. Tyson, the school's notorious bad boy, is not just a troublemaker, but he's the youngest gang leader to be a part of a powerful mafia, feared by many but understood by few. Despite his fearsome reputation in the streets while other leaders might see him as a mere boy, Tyson is fiercely loyal to his inner circle, showing a side of him that few ever see. What will happen when their paths cross? ☆☆☆☆ 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 #1 𝐨𝐟, 𝐇𝐢𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬. "𝑫𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒂 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎." ☆☆☆☆

Twice in One Life follows the story of Celine Hayes, a once-powerful businesswoman whose life is cut short by a betrayal orchestrated by the people closest to her. A year after her death, Celine returns as a ghost, unable to move on until she finds justice. She crosses paths with Ònààrà, a modern-day shaman, and discovers Evelyn, a woman who unknowingly serves as the perfect vessel for Celine’s spirit. With Ònààrà’s reluctant help, Celine possesses Evelyn and begins to piece together the events that led to her murder. She returns to the life she left behind, re-entering the world under the guise of Evelyn, and plans to marry her former fiancé, Darren. But as truths begin to unravel, Celine learns of Darren’s inappropriate relationship with his sister and the deep-rooted hatred that led to her death. As her connection to Evelyn begins to blur, and her desire for revenge intensifies, Celine is faced with a painful reality: to find peace, she may have to sacrifice the last shred of her humanity or risk dragging another innocent soul into her tragic fate.