second time's a charm

The day after my best friend, Sarah Blunt married Patrick, the second son of the Brosnan family, I too became a bride and wed Matthew, his older brother. She married a swimming champion, and I, the rock-climbing coach. We thought we had our futures all figured out. Then, something happened that summer. The four of us planned a getaway but Matthew and Patrick’s baby sister, Megan joined us and our peaceful trip became a crowded affair.  While rock climbing, disaster struck—the rope snapped, and all five of us plummeted into the river below. The brothers rushed frantically to save Megan, leaving Sarah and me at the mercy of the river’s current, battered and tossed like driftwood. By the time the rescue team pulled us from the water, we were bruised, scraped, and utterly spent. In the hospital, Megan and I received devastating news that would change everything.  “You’ve been pregnant for 40 days, Ma’am. How could you put yourself in such a risky situation? Your baby survived, but your friend lost hers.” Shaken, I called Matthew to tell him about the pregnancy. His anger cut through the line. “You’re angry that I went to Megs first and now you’re trying to fool me with a fake pregnancy? She’s my sister—it’s my duty to protect her!” Sarah faced her own storm. Patrick practically scoffed at her grief. “Miscarriage? Do you expect me to believe that? The doctors said you only had a 30% chance of conceiving. I can’t stand women who create drama out of nothing.” Both calls ended abruptly, leaving us stunned as we stared at each other in the sterile light of the hospital room. In that shared silence, we made our decision—we would leave these men behind and start anew, launching a business together. But when the brothers received our divorce papers, they showed up at my door in the middle of a storm, kneeling in the pouring rain, crying through the night for a second chance.

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

On the day Catherine’s younger sister died, everything fell into crumbles. Her adopted parents cast her off, her medical license was revoked, and her reputation was ruined. Her best friend, Monique, helped her in moving to another city to start a new life. She became a college professor despite her struggles of hiding her past. A young CEO suddenly entered her discreet yet peaceful world, changing her usual peace. He offered her a contract that she can’t refuse. She has to choose between peace and freedom. Find out what is Catherine’s choice and either her choice will lead her to happiness or another heartache. Catherine:" You must be sent by my younger sister to me. She might think that I will be lonely once she's gone so she brought you to me." Alexander: "On the day before I thought I died, your voice brought me back to life. I promise in front of the grave of your sister that I will protect and love you. You will never be alone anymore."

Walang-walang at walang mahingian ng tulong para sa operasyon ng ina na may sakit sa puso, kumapit si Heather sa patalim at pumayag na maging surrogate mother upang dalhin ang anak ni Xeron Montellano at Rubecka Corpuz, ang mag-asawang nagbayad sa kanya para magbuntis. Hindi magkaroon ng anak ang dalawa kaya siya ang susi para mabigyan ang dalawa ng supling. Pero hindi inaasahan ni Heather na sa desisyon niyang iyon ay magbabago ang buong buhay niya. Ang matres niya lang ang inupahan para magdala ng magiging anak ni Xeron ngunit bakit pati yata ang puso niya ay hindi sinasadyang makuha rin ng lalaki? Ngunit alam ni Heather na mali ang nararamdaman para sa lalaki. Mapaglabanan kaya ni Heather ang temptasyon ni Xeron o uunahin ang isip dahil simula pa lang, pag-aari na si Xeron ng asawa nito?

Sa ika-dalawang anibersaryo ng kasal ng mag asawang Enrico Dela Muerte at Carmina Ocampo ay parehas silang may gustong sabihin sa isa’t isa. Hindi pinairal ni Carmina Ocampo ang kasabihang ‘ladies first’ sa kadahilanan na gusto niya munang marinig kung ano ang inihandang surpresa ng kaniyang asawa para sa kaniya. Subalit, biglang naghain ng divorce si Enrico na sobrang ikinagulat ni Carmina. Ikinagulat ito ni Carmina sapagkat, gano’n ba kabilis? Gano’n lang siya kabilis bitawan ni Enrico? Tumulo ang luha ni Carmina habang hawak sa kaniyang kamay ang isang pregnancy test sheet na nasasabik niya sanang ibabahagi kay Enrico para sa kanilang anibersaryo. Dahilan sa halo halong emosyon na nararamdaman ni Carmina ay hindi na niya naiwasang itanong kay Enrico kung paano kung sabihin niya na magkakaroon na sila ng anak? Ngunit hindi inaasahan ni Carmina ang naging sagot sa kaniya ni Enrico---bumalik na ang totoong minamahal ni Enrico. Makalipas ang ilang buwan, habang tinatahak ni Carmina ang kalsada upang tumawid, naramdaman niya ang kakaibang sakit ng tiyan niya kaya bigla siyang napahinto sa paglalakad, ‘manganganak na ata ako’, wika niya sa kaniyang sarili. Eksaktong hinto ni Carmina ay siya namang naramdaman niya ang sakit mula sa pagkabunggo ng isang sasakyan sa kaniya. Eksaktong kasal ni Enrico at siya ay nasa simabahan nang mabalitaan ang nangyari kay Carmina at agad itong lumisan. Humahangos, nakarating siya sa ospital kung saan dinala si Carmina at hindi siya makapaniwala sa kaniyang nakita---DUGO! Nababalot ng dugo si Carmina at kitang-kita niya itong naghahabol ng hininga at paulit-ulit na sinasambit, ‘Pakiusap, pakiusap, iligtas n'yo ang anak ko.

Rosalie was the daughter of George King, one of the richest and most powerful men in early British North America. Hakeem was Rose's secret love and a worker in her home. The lovers were at opposite ends of hierarchy and according to society at the time, a relationship between them was forbidden. Torn between her father's vehement opposition to their relationship, Rosalie decides to elope with Hakeem and live in hiding far away from her Dad. But... They didn't hide well enough. Their tragic end was given light by the promise they made each other. In Modern day Canada they're reincarnated as Mateo and Scarlett and they cross paths. Strangers with memories of a life they never lived. Will history repeat itself?

Sophie Warner and Mitchell Warner have been secretly married for three years, but he's rumored to be with other women throughout. He doesn't care about Sophie at all.Her love for him makes her lowly, and she loses sight of herself. She puts up a cold and strong front to protect herself while thinking that her love is bound to move Mitchell one day.But she gives up hope when, one day, she lies in a puddle of her blood and begs Mitchell for help, only to see him ignoring her so he can be lovey-dovey with another woman.Later, she dies.It's only then that the city learns about Mitchell, the playboy, having been secretly married for years. After her death, he goes insane…Five years later, the mysterious daughter of an affluent family returns to the country. When Mitchell, who'd lost his mind years ago, sees her, his eyes turn red.He pins her to the wall and says, "You said you'd be by my side forever, Cherie…"

Snow decided to run away from her pack and her supposed arranged marriage after being rejected by her mate and fiancé. Making matters worse, she discovered that his reason for rejecting her was because he was having an affair with her best friend. With nowhere to go and feeling broken and humiliated, she found consolation in the human world to mend her broken heart. There, she will meet Blaze, the mob boss, who came from a dysfunctional family and never once cared for any woman except for his sister. Blaze will grow unduly connected to the fragile-looking woman after repeated encounters with her on his turf. The mafia's life will thereafter unexpectedly collide with the runaway she-wolf warrior. Will their differences, though, keep them apart, causing Snow to experience yet another rejection? And what will happen when, in the middle of everything, the one who rejected Snow, the Alpha, and her mate, comes to take her back to be his Luna with a valid explanation on why he rejected her? Unbeknownst to all of them, the Moon Goddess is giving them the hardest trial they could have to find their second chance mate. Whose love then, will be powerful enough to prevail over the disparate lies they all live in? Who will Snow choose in the end to embrace as her second-chance mate? Will she choose the one who rejects her to save her, or the one who saves her from the rejection?

I knew they all hated me, I was weak and I had no wolves. They treated me like a slave, I was a disgrace to them, not to mention to my pack. My father, Alpha of the Widfire pack was suddenly rumored to have died. My sister, Arora O'Malley, was made Alpha of the Wildfire pack to replace the weak me. I was the eldest daughter, but I didn't have any rights that I could claim. At the age of 18, my wolf suddenly awoke. I found my mate and I dreamed of escaping this suffocating life. However, he flatly rejected me and chose another woman. I, Ruby O'Malley, just wanted freedom. And it looks like it will come true when Mother sells me to the Alpha King Triplets of the Celestial Dawn pack. I smelled the alluring sweetness, they were my second chance! *** "Are you afraid of me?" A heavy, slightly hoarse voice sounded melodious in my ears. A surprised shriek escaped my lips as my body suddenly levitated. Spontaneously, I wrapped my arms around his neck. He surprised me! Why did he suddenly carry me without any prior notice? "You can look at my face for a long time, but not now. You don't want to keep me and my other two brothers waiting, do you?"

My husband, Julian Sutton, is busy with work on the day of my prenatal checkup. His childhood sweetheart, Vera Levine, with whom he's been amorous for years, offers to drive me. On the way there, she suddenly swerves and rams into the back of a truck. The car is flattened. Julian is a doctor in the emergency room, but I don't call him. Instead, I dial 911 and wait for assistance. Why? I called him in my past life, and he took me to the hospital. Our child was saved, but Vera died due to significant blood loss. Julian claimed not to blame me and even arranged for me to stay in a private hospital ward. But on the day I was discharged, he dragged me to Vera's grave and stabbed me. I lost the child and was on the verge of death as I stared into his bloodshot eyes. They were filled with unbridled hatred as he snarled, "Vera wouldn't have died if you hadn't grabbed the wheel! Don't think I'll believe you just because you're acting innocent! An eye for an eye—I want you to die for her, but only after experiencing the pain she felt in a hundredfold!" He twisted the blade and stabbed me repeatedly. My blood splattered on Vera's gravestone, dying it red. When I open my eyes again, I find that I've been taken back to the scene of the accident.