Stepsis Vacation

My mother-in-law’s final wish was simple—she wanted one last trip to Hawaii, to bask in the warmth of the sun before her time ran out. But her son, Vincent, didn’t see it that way. He thought I was manipulating her, using her as an excuse to drag him on a vacation he didn’t want. So, out of spite, he refused to grant her dying wish. I begged him. Pleaded. Swallowed my pride and all the hurt his accusations brought. After relentless persuasion, he finally relented. I thought, at last, I could give Lucy the happiness she deserved. But on the day we were set to leave, Vincent was nowhere to be found. And that same day, Lucy suffered a heart attack. She passed away with only me by her side—never getting to feel the warmth of the sun on her skin one last time. And then I saw it. A picture. Vincent, tagged at a luxury resort with his ex. The caption from her read: Thank you for abandoning your job to take me on this trip. You’re the best. I didn’t scream. I didn’t cry. I didn’t even confront him. I just packed my bags and left. And this time? Vincent found out about the truth and begged me to stay.

As I head to see my boyfriend, Howard Schultz, who is working late, I get into a car accident. I call him dozens of times for help, but he doesn't answer a single one. Staring at his brightly lit office building not far away, I sink into despair. When I wake up in the hospital, I see a post from his subordinate. It's a picture showing the reflection of the two of them in the glass door, standing far closer than they should, with the caption, "What do I do when my boss is scolding me late at night?" Unwilling to believe it, I call him again. This time, he finally answers. My voice trembles. "Howard, I got into a car accident…" "Celine, I'm still working. I'll send my assistant to take care of it, okay? Be good. I'll see you after I come back from my business trip." I try to say more, but his angry shout suddenly cuts through the line. "Crystal Jennings! You're only allowed to bring one suitcase for this trip. Why do you have three? Do you think we're going on vacation?" Crystal Jennings—the new intern Howard just hired. I stare at the disconnected call, tears drying on my cheeks. I then call my parents instead. "I agree to the engagement you arranged."

Sophia Hayes is thrilled when she wins a ticket for the exclusive boat cruise she's dreamed of all her life. But her excitement is dampened by a rumor from a trusted source: her millionaire ex-boyfriend, Charles, will also be attending. Determined to avoid the humiliation of facing him single, Sophia convinces her high school friend Robert, a wealthy playboy, to pose as her boyfriend. Robert agrees, eager to shed his notorious reputation and fend off gold diggers, while also seeking to placate his meddling family. On the lavish cruise, Sophia and Robert's convincing act as a couple quickly captures the attention of social media and the city's gossip columns. However, things take a turn when Robert detects Sophia's lingering feelings for Charles, and Sophia realizes Robert might never give up his playboy ways. A misunderstanding leads Robert into a one-night stand, while Sophia finds herself dancing with Charles. When Charles publicly declares his love for Sophia, she humiliates him, igniting his desire for revenge. After the cruise, Sophia and Robert must continue their fake relationship to maintain appearances. The situation becomes increasingly toxic as an anonymous threat promises to expose their charade and Robert's one-night stand results in a pregnancy scare. Forced to take a family vacation together, Sophia and Robert must navigate their fake relationship in close quarters. As they act intimately to maintain the facade, they begin to confront their true feelings for one another.

They say life begins after 40, but Cassie ain't feelin' it. Divorced and feeling trapped by her job, she wants to let loose for her friend's tropical beach wedding. She decides to let her hair down and get a little unpredictable. That's when she meets a handsome bartender, Wyatt. Despite a few grey hairs, Wyatt's the liveliest man that Cassie has ever met. She knows that there's got to be more to his life story than just being a bartender, but this is just supposed to be a vacation fling. And after sunny days spent breaking all the rules on the beach together, Cassie realizes that nobody has ever listened to her the way that Wyatt does. His carefree life is enviable, his kisses are intoxicating, and she can almost imagine a life with him. But all vacations come to an end. And when Cassie invites him to visit her hometown, Wyatt reveals that he can never go back. Not to her town. Not to America. Not to civilization. Cassie leaves, confused and heartbroken, wondering just who she got herself involved with. Suddenly, her predictable life gets turned upside down when she sees her picture splashed across the Internet. And when the tabloids come looking for the mature woman who found the lost billionaire, she has no idea what to do... ...until he comes back.

Abandoned on a cold, stormy night at just 6 years old, Sudan Flair learned the harshest lesson of all that love cannot be trusted. The memory of his mother’s face disappearing into the darkness haunts him, shaping him into a man who keeps his heart locked away. Years later, as he begins college, Sudan is assigned a roommate, Zach Musk, whose warmth and kindness begin to thaw the ice around his heart. Their bond deepens, a quiet undercurrent of something more forming between them. Sudan fights it, terrified of losing control, until one day Zach’s stepmother comes to visit campus and Sudan’s world tilts on its axis. The woman is now called Mary Musk, Sudan’s mother. The mother who abandoned him, now living in comfort with a new family, her perfect life built on his pain. As old wounds reopen, Sudan’s desire for revenge burns hotter than ever. When Zach invites him to a family vacation, Sudan sees the perfect opportunity to destroy the family that replaced him but what begins as a calculated plan spirals out of control as Sudan’s feelings for Zach grows. When Bask Musk, Zach’s powerful and controlling father, learns who Sudan truly is, everything erupts. Secrets will be revealed, love will be tested and Sudan will have to decide whether to destroy the family that hurt him or risk losing the only person he has ever truly loved.

YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND LOVE IN THE MOST UNEXPECTED CIRCUMSTANCES Tina found her boyfriend Sam cheating her with another lady in his apartment. She was devastated and went home with a broken heart. Lucky enough she got a complimentary holiday from her employer as a as an award for her hard work and dedication and proceeded for her vacation to the beach hotel to relax and forget her disappointment. Ken was tired of her nagging and rude fiancé although the relationship was due to a business merger contract signed by the parents he decided to break up with her. He did not love the girl and wanted her out of his life. The older brother Lewis and his best friend Tom organized for him to go and sign a business deal of a business venture the company was undertaking of the hotel that Tina was working in. Ken saw Tina and he is attracted to her, he enquires about her and is given the details of her holiday he decided to join her in the beach hotel. They become friends and Ken convinces Tina take a safari holiday together. They do not fall in love with the jungle, nature and wildlife they also fall in love with one another. Ken cannot stay away from his love and organizes for Tina to go for training and they met again and Tina gets pregnant with his baby. The couple encounter challenges due to Kens past relationships but they are able to overcome the handles and marry to live happily ever after.

Sophia Martinez thought her graduation trip would end with a ring on her finger, but instead, it ended with betrayal. When she caught her boyfriend tangled in bed with her roommate, she did what any heartbroken girl with non-refundable vacation tickets would do. She went to Santorini alone. But what was supposed to be a solo getaway turned scandalous when a smoking-hot stranger walked in on her… in a very compromising position. Angry, humiliated, and ready to raise hell, Sophia reported him to the hotel only to find out the room actually belonged to him. One night. One room. One wildly heated poker game that ended with a one-night stand. Months later, Sophia lands her dream job… only to walk into the boardroom and come face to face with the man from Santorini. Julian Wilde. The cold, commanding billionaire CEO who now holds her career—and her heart—in his hands. He pretends not to know her. She pretends not to care. But their chemistry refuses to stay buried. What begins as a forbidden office romance soon spirals into something deeper—darker—especially when Sophia learns the shocking truth: Julian’s powerful family might be the reason her father lost everything. Now, torn between revenge and love, Sophia must decide. Will she destroy the man she loves to avenge her family? Or protect him and lose herself in the process?

“I’m sorry." Nikolai choked. “I never meant for you to find out like this, but I can’t keep living a lie. I tried Reva. I tried to love you the way you needed, to want only you, but every day felt like I was drowning. You never let up; you wanted the perfect husband, the perfect life, and I couldn’t breathe under all that pressure. I want someone who sees me, and I'm sorry it happens to be your brother.” ..... With her job paying for a luxurious week-long year-end retreat, Reva was looking forward to a well-earned vacation that she hoped would be a reset and a chance to relax. But after a wild night of partying, she woke up to find her husband missing from their bed. Confused and hungover, she stumbled through the villa, only to be drawn in by strange sounds. Following the sounds, her world collapsed at the sight that awaited her. “Fuck! You’re so thick… I want to feel every inch of that beautiful cock. ” Her husband and her brother… tangled together in the dark, and the betrayal shattered her. Heartbroken, she ran blindly into the night, colliding with the broad chest of Levi Price, her mysterious billionaire boss. Intense and frustratingly handsome, Levi was the last person she wanted to be seen by at her worst. But he didn't allow her to continue running; instead, he pulled her into his arms and refused to let go.

Reign was one the most successful and popular rock artist in the world, she was a star in her own right. She worked ten times harder than her male counterparts. There was a handful of female artists who had achieved the same kind of success she has at such a young age. She was very proud of what she had accomplished in the last three years. It wasn’t easy, she was only fifteen when her manager, Mac, discovered her. She’d been touring and recording nonstop since she started three years ago. Her and her band have been together since the start of her career, they were all around the same age, but she was the youngest of the five of them. When it was decided that they would be taking at least six months off, the twin’s, Jyden and Jazlyn, parents invited Reign and the other two band members to come and spend their vacation with them. They lived in a small rural village on the coast of Scotland. It was secluded enough that security wouldn’t be a problem to arrange. Security was their specialty; they ran one of the most successful security firms in the world, Hunt Security. Six months before her 18th birthday, she became the object of a psycho stalker and her manager hired Hunt Security Company. Little did she know that the brother of her guitarist and drummer was the one who would be in charge of her private security and become more than just her bodyguard.

Zoey is hardly what you’d consider princess material. Born in flyover country, she never learned how to curtsy, let alone walk in high heels. And when she literally trips into the arms of a handsome stranger at her friend’s wedding, she thinks she’s finally found love. Freddie Prescott is a charming prankster. Despite his carefree attitude, he pursues Zoey with an intensity that shows he can be serious when he needs to be. And with those rock hard abs and rippling biceps, his pursuit of Zoey is a satisfying one. Without realizing it, Zoey finds herself falling in love. There’s only one problem: Freddie is a prince. Spending a week without Internet access or phone reception has left Zoey in a weird predicament. He certainly left enough hints that he was rich and famous, but he never outright said it. And when the time comes for him to leave their vacation getaway, he asks her to come with him to the kingdom of Paradisa. But Zoey can’t use the right fork, put her pinkie up for tea, or any of the things expected of a princess. Plus, there are those in the kingdom who don’t want an American close to the throne. How can she hope to keep Freddie’s love if she’s a stranger to his royal world? NYT Bestseller Krista Lakes brings you this brand new sweet-and-sexy royal romance. This standalone novel will have you cheering for an American princess’s happily ever after.