Sad Romantic

My son, Jasper Cole, won the gold prize in an art competition. When I took off my apron and rushed to the award ceremony, I found that the painting titled 'Mother' was not of me but Maeve Leighton, my husband's secretary. Maeve pretended to be troubled as she told my son, "Your mom will be sad when she sees this painting." However, Jasper was unperturbed. "What does her sadness have to do with me? She's an ordinary-looking and incompetent housewife, always nagging me about what I can and can’t do. She's too strict with me. It's annoying! Maeve, I wish you were my mother. My dad doesn't like my mom at all. He's only happy when he's with you. He's only with my mom because he feels obligated." My heart broke at that moment. Since he no longer wanted me as his mother, it was pointless for me to stay. I called my dad. "Dad, I want to go home. Can you pick me up?" My dad could not believe it. He answered after a long pause, "Of course. I'll come pick up my brilliant daughter in three days."

Alora Steppingstone spent her teenage life practicing in shooting range, boxing ring and running field. She moved to New York and trained by her uncle to be a great mafia herself to avenge once she gets back in the Philippines at 18 years old. Since her parents died in front of her, all she wants to do is to kill the family Spencer who lead the biggest assassin organization and the culprit of her family's murder case. She promise to herself that she will kill Mr. Robert Spencer including his family but when she met Calter Vin, everything has change. When Alora strives to unfold the truth about her family's death and set aside her romantic feelings, at the end of the story, the question is to whom will she shoot her final bullet.

Anna I don't know why my fate is this unfortunate. I thought the handsome heir and the billionaire's son, was the man God sent to change my sad life. But I was just a bet made by him and that bitch. Liam I didn't know I would fall in love with the beautiful woman who was my servant. At first, it was just a bet between me and that bitch, who I wanted to get rid of from my life. But in the end, I couldn't live without Anna.

Olivia Summers, a hopeless romantic trying to win the heart of her 'one true love'. She's on her journey to find her soulmate. Until a casanova came along trying to break her heart and prove 'true love' does not exist. He's on his journey to shatter her hopes on love. Will she win her true love or will he succeed in breaking her heart first? Two completely different views and opinions on love but deep down they have a same goal: To chase and win in the game of love. But sometimes love is where they least expect it.

What was supposed to be a punishment for captain Ysabelle Gum soon turns into a romantic getaway when she catches the attention of a celeb musician on her team. Ysabelle has no interest in men, especially celebrities, she just wants to shoot and kill to her heart’s content. However, she is forced to reconsider when she is tasked with being his bodyguard. Ysabelle wants no part of it, not when the singer is hell-bent on making her love him. Actor and singer Jordan Bell was used to being fawned over, by fans and family. But he realizes he needs something else, something deeper. When he is cast in a military drama, Jordan and his team go to shooting stations, where he meets Ysabelle, who against all odds saved his life during a shooting mistake. Jordan is sure she is the one for him, and he vows to make her his bodyguard. But the thing is, Ysabelle has no interest in him, and no amount of broken bones will keep him away.

The day Jack Prescott's family went "bankrupt," he dumped me on the spot. "My mom's house is getting auctioned. I don't want you dragged into this." I actually bought it. Went against my family and stuck by him, slinging street food just to scrape by. "Don't stress. I'll help you buy it back." Three years of nonstop work—burn scars up and down my arms—and I finally scraped together a small fortune. The day we were supposed to sign the papers, I caught him on the phone. "Jack, you coming back?" some guy asked. Jack flicked his cigarette, all smug. "What's the rush? I'm still milking this sad little simp. She's totally whipped. It just keeps getting funnier." All that time, all that love? Just a joke to him.

“Madeline, can we sit and talk in a civil manner?” He asked me in a distant tone. Those green eyes which used to harbour warmth for me, now seemed empty. I felt like I was talking to a complete stranger. “I have seen and heard enough, Logan. You asked me to keep our marriage a secret because you wanted us to focus on our studies and career. Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to wait for you in a hope that one day, my sacrifice will be rewarded and you’ll come back to me? And you paid me like this?” I accused him while tears flew uncontrollably from my eyes. “What nonsense! My husband would never marry someone like you.” Kate taunted me. “Madeline, we were never married officially. I had to agree to my grandfather’s last wish because I couldn’t refuse him. I always loved you as my best friend but there were never romantic feelings attached. I thought you were smart enough to understand when I broke all contacts with you. Kate is my wife. The sooner you accept, the lesser you’ll feel bad.” He said without any remorse. He crushed my heart under the brutal ridicule of his heartlessness.

Sad, alone, and broken. Aurora is an orphan and a week away from her 19th birthday. Happy and terrified as it will be the beginning of the end. Saved by an unlikely stranger she takes a chance to learn the truth about her world, and all the beings in it. Making the biggest choice of her life, she jumps in with both feet! Finally happy in her new life, terror ensues as her worst nightmares are realized. When the smoke clears there is an even bigger catastrophe and she must figure out how to save everyone!

Audrey, an enchanting young woman from a middle-class family, finds herself enamored with Frank, the most handsome man in college. Frank, infamous for his habit of using and discarding women, intends to treat Audrey no differently. On Frank's birthday, Audrey visits his impressive, opulent home, where she meets some of his family members. During the visit, Frank propositions Audrey, asking her to sleep with him. When she refuses, he callously decides to end their relationship. As he is about to leave, Audrey, torn and desperate, reluctantly agrees. He smirks in triumph. However, just before their intimacy progresses, Audrey receives a distressing call from her troubled brother, with whom she lives with since the death of their parents. He sounds like he’s in grave danger, prompting her to rush to his aid, leaving Frank alone. Upon her arrival home, her brother simply asks her to go to bed. Perplexed but obedient, she complies, wary of his volatile temper. The next morning, as she prepares for college, she is astonished to find Frank’s uncle, Zack, in her house. What could Zack's unexpected presence mean? Is Audrey in peril, or does fate have something unexpected in store for her? Discover the unfolding drama in this thrilling, humorous, and romantic tale, "My Ex's Uncle Loves Me."

"Part One: TakenJessie Coford had a plan: work hard, save money, open her own restaurant. She sacrificed her relationship with the man of her dreams to get it. Then, in the blink of an eye, she lost her job and her apartment and her life crashed around her. Until a letter taking her to Fort Mavis, Texas, and an unexpected windfall.Part Two: TamedShea Prescott was astonished when million Cruz Castillo chose her to design his new home on his ranch. They hardly traveled in the same circles. But Cruz had been hot for Shea since he first saw her and at their first meeting the chemistry between them ignited. Cruz coaxed her deeper and deeper into a whirlpool of erotic sex, awakening latent sexual desires and bringing her orgasms beyond her wildest imaginings. Her body screamed yes at his every touch, but will she say yes to the most important question?USA Today best-selling and award-winning author Desiree Holt writes everything from romantic suspense and paranormal to erotic. and has been referred to by USA Today as the Nora Roberts of erotic romance, and is a winner of the EPIC E-Book Award, the Holt Medallion and a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice nominee. She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The (London) Daily Mail, The New Delhi Times and numerous other national and international publications.Taken by Surprise is created by Desiree Holt, an EGlobal Creative Publishing signed author."