The Not-so Austen Bookclub

FORBIDDEN!! He is not someone to mess with. But Izzy messed with him. She tried hard to keep away only to find herself getting involved with him deeper and deeper. When Izzy Brown, an innocent high school student, goes on vacation to her hometown, she discovers that a menacing gang is threatening her family because her father borrowed money from a dangerous Mafia leader. Despite being horrified and heartbroken, she maintained her resolve. She decides to act independently to support her father. Searching through all her means she decides to meet the powerful man behind everything and beg him to show mercy. But mercy is not something a man like Robert Erickson could have. He declined to meet her without a second thought. However, after a sudden twist of fate, they meet again. Looking at her alluring innocent self, he offered her a chance. "Be my pet and I will let your family live" Izzy was dumbfounded. A pet...! Will this man chain me up in his yard? What does pet mean to him? This was all that she could think of, but was that what he meant? Her miserable life takes a twisted turn when she learns about the Dangerous Mafia Don's little secret. A secret that no one knows. Will she be able to escape from him? Read the book to know more about an abnormal love story of an unpredictable couple.

My mate, Charalambos, was the heir to the Nightshade Pack. To take over as Alpha, he was sent to Noctis City, the capital city, for special training. When he left, my stepsister, Francesca, insisted on going with him. He refused at first, but she forced his hand, threatening a hunger strike until he gave in. Eventually, he allowed her to accompany him as his assistant. This went on for three years. Throughout those three years, our mate bond stayed strong. I never felt the slightest hint of betrayal. He constantly reassured me through our mind-link. "You're the only one for me." At some point, I started receiving photos anonymously. Francesca kissed him in the face, but he never refused. Once, Charalambos and I were on a video call in the dark, and I could hear Francesca’s breathless voice clearly while she whispered his name in the heat of it. Three years later, the day he returned to the pack, I saw her walking behind him. She had been with pup for five months, and there was a smug, victorious smile on her face. He looked at me apologetically. Guilt was written all over his face. "I'm sorry. I’ve only ever loved you. Once the pup comes, you can raise it." I was done. I had waited for three years. I made up my mind to reject him.

On the day of the company's annual gala, my CEO husband suddenly assigned me an unexpected business trip. The plane had barely touched down when I received a call from his young assistant. Before I could utter a word, her voice came through, "Matty, did you send Daphne on that business trip just so we could spend more time together?" And then, as if to hammer the nail deeper into my heart, I heard his unmistakable tone—light, indulgent, full of affection, "What do you think, silly girl?" Her laughter rang out before she teased, "Then tonight, let's try something new. I promise you'll be satisfied..." The call ended amidst a swirl of suggestive murmurs. Staring at my phone, I waged a silent war with the pain gripping my chest. Again and again, I dialed his number, each attempt met with either silence or the cruel finality of his phone being switched off. Finally, I let out a bitter laugh, tucking the phone away as if to bury the wound it carried. From that moment on, I resolved—no more questions, no more efforts to understand this man who had once been my whole world. But fate has its own irony. Later, it was he who came back, pleading, begging me to love him again.

Heart Salvacion grew up in an orphanage and, despite not having her parents' guidance, she developed into a strong, and confident woman. She is unflappable in the face of adversity and doesn't know when to quit. She is so positive and good at pretending that you would never guess she is in pain. Heart's deceased fiance left a large debt under her name and to make things worst, he borrowed the money to use it on his lover. She recently discovered that he had cheated on her, and she has no alternative than to repay the bill, despite the fact that her dream restaurant was robbed from her before she could open it. She is so depressed and anxious that she has no idea what will become of her life now that she has lost everything. There was no love, no money, and no work for her, but all changed when she met him. Percival Reddson is a young business magnate who is a cold and serious man who only cares about his work. He's also known to be a woman-hater. That same man knelt down and requested Heart's hand in marriage. His unexpected proposal has shocked Heart, but that's not all because the wedding is today?! They aren't quite ready for marriage, but would a contractual relationship work for them? Will they be able to make it to the end of the story without falling in love? Can they control their emotions now that ready or not, here comes love?!

Laura Walker was forced to marry an old man by her mother so that her bride price could be used for her younger brother's wedding. However, Laura felt that she should be in control of her own life.Her blind date didn't go as planned. Instead, she ended up getting married to a stranger.The two of them had undergone a flash marriage and planned on setting guidelines so that they wouldn't disturb each other's lives. However, Laura didn't expect the man to cook for her, put her to bed and force her to call him "Honey"."Honey, I want a kiss.""Honey, I want a hug."Laura had thought that her husband was just a normal working class, so she had planned out their future in detail.That was until she realized that her husband had a garage full of luxury cars.Not only that, her husband looked identical to the richest man in Empfield!

The night my husband, William Costello, was assassinated by his enemies was supposed to be a celebration—our wedding anniversary. I was dressed in his favorite red dress, waiting for him, when the phone rang. "Mr. Costello was shot at the harbor. The bullet went through the back of his head. He died on the spot." I collapsed to the floor. I clung to his belongings, mourning for a week straight. We even lost our unborn child during this time. Everyone said William and I were true love. Even the Don himself came to the funeral, resting a heavy hand on my shoulder with a sigh. He said, "All of Blackhaven knows you were the only woman he ever loved." Grief nearly destroyed me. I stood at the river's edge, ready to follow William into the afterlife. However, I overheard my sister-in-law, Emily Hawkins, leaning into my brother-in-law, Jones Costello, her voice dripping with a twisted affection. She purred, "William, I love you so much. Between Nina and me, who do you think is sexier?" "Of course it's you, babe!" came the husky reply. I stood frozen, my eyes wide and my body trembling. Why was Emily calling my brother-in-law by my husband's name?

Ivy Marionet harus terbelenggu oleh pernikahan yang kompleks. Bukan hanya harus menjadi seorang istri ksatria kerajaan. Ivy juga harus menyembunyikan identitas aslinya. Bukan hanya harus terjebak di pernikahan yang rumit, Ivy juga harus di eksekusi oleh suaminya sendiri karena Winter sang putra mahkota. Ada apa sebenarnya? Siapa Ivy sebenarnya? Apakah Ivy bisa terbebas dari eksekusi itu?

Isla, a young woman who is in dire need to pay off her mom’s medical bills, thinks that she’s scored her dream job at a big fancy jewelry company. But when the company’s charismatic CEO, Victor, secretly hires her to be his personal assistant with ulterior motives of his own— he’s trying to free his wrongfully imprisoned grandfather by following the breadcrumbs of a dangerous secret with her help— her world is turned upside down. When Isla becomes closer and closer to Victor and his enigmatic life, she starts feeling an undeniable attraction towards him. But her feelings become complicated when she learns the truth about Victor’s original intentions. Isla has some soul-searching to do, torn between betrayal and love, because she was only ever a means to an end for Victor. Meanwhile, Isla faces challenges from other women who vie for Victor's attention, adding further pressure to an already delicate situation. Isla must decide whether to trust her heart or seek justice for herself and her mother.

Amelia's leg tapped against the table as she asked, "What are your thoughts on love?" Her hands were clasped together on her lap, but her eyes sparkled with curiosity. Lucas met her gaze, a smirk playing on his lips. "Love is a waste of time," he replied. "It's a tool designed to weigh people down. Without it, we could achieve so much more." Amelia's eyes lit up with interest; he had just ticked almost all her boxes green. "I agree," she said, her smirk matching his. "Love is nothing but bullshit. We could save a lot of time by keeping our relationship minimal." With a proactive glint in her eye, she added, "What do you say? We should get married to fulfill our filial duties." _____________ Their marriage was a facade, a contract between two individuals who didn't believe in love but were forced to get married to fulfill their obligations. Everything was going as planned, until suddenly... "Have you eaten, dear?" "How is my baby?" "Is he doing well?" Lucas's words, once empty and mechanical, now held a tender tone. Amelia found him falling for her, and she seemed to be falling too. Why were they succumbing to the very thing they once scorned? Love, once a distant possibility, was now becoming an option. But would they choose it?

Pinauwi sa pilipinas si Cassandra Monteverde ng kaniyang lolo dahil sa isang masamang balita, hindi siya nakapaghanda sa magiging buhay niya doon. Nag-iisa siyang apo nito kaya halos ikulong siya nito sa mansiyon, idagdag pa ang bodyguard niyang si Alejandro na grabe makabantay sa kaniya. Hindi niya alam ang gagawin lalo pa't istrikto din ito. Pero sa pagdaan ng panahon, hindi na niya namalayan na nagkakagusto na pala siya sa bodyguard niya, it's impossible! Pero paano nga ba niya pipigilan ang pagtingin niya kay Alejandro kung nasa iisang bahay lang sila?