Unabridged Books Chicago

MARKED is book #4 in a new paranormal romance series by bestselling author Bella Lore, whose series MY TRUE MATE and THE ALPHA’S MATE have over 500 five-star reviews. “I couldn’t stop reading.” --Amazon review (My True Mate) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ When her father suddenly dies, Winter Grace, 17, is forced to fly across the country and attend a mysterious prep school, an ancient castle in a fog-covered island on the coast of Maine. Nothing here is what it seems, and it isn’t long before Winter, feeling a surging power for the first time, realizes that she is not who—or what—she thinks she is. But when Winter feels an inexplicable crush for an elusive and dangerous boy at the school, she realizes a greater destiny is at play. She knows the relationship might destroy them both—yet she also knows that they can never be apart. In MARKED, it is time for Winter to return on the epic quest back to save her school—but first, it is time for her to now sacrifice it all, and find—and save—her lost love. Creating an unforgettable world of vampires, werewolves, shifters and magic of all sorts, a world of fantasy, love and sacrifice, MORTAL will take you to another place, rife with shocking twists and turns. Fans of books such as Vampire Academy and Twilight and Crush are sure to fall in love! Future books in the series are also available. "The story was very well written and was unique as compared to other shifter stories.” --Amazon review (The Alpha’s Mate) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Excellent from start to finish and leaves you wanting more.” --Amazon review (My True Mate) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Adrian Sinclair has his life carefully planned—straight A’s, a flawless academic record, and zero distractions. As a top student at Oakridge University, he’s always been more comfortable buried in books than dealing with people. But when he’s assigned to tutor Liam Hunter, the school’s star athlete, his perfectly controlled world is thrown into chaos. Liam is everything Adrian isn’t—charming, reckless, and effortlessly popular. He needs to pass his classes to stay on the team, but studying has never been his strong suit. When he meets Adrian, he expects another dull tutor, not someone who challenges him in ways he never expected. What starts as a reluctant partnership soon turns into something deeper. Late-night study sessions, stolen glances, and unspoken words blur the lines between friendship and something more. But as feelings grow stronger, so do the obstacles—fear, expectations, and the undeniable truth that love isn’t something you can plan for. Will Adrian and Liam risk it all to embrace what’s between them? Or will their own insecurities and the pressures of college life keep them apart? A slow-burn college romance filled with longing, tension, and the sweetest of lessons—the kind that only love can teach.

Lena thought love wasn't real. Her predestined mate was terrible. With filthy, punishing hands, what began as a dream gradually became a nightmare. Believing in real love had become a fantasy, something only found in the literature books her mother left her. Then she met the alpha of the rival werewolf pack. Fleeing, afraid, and numb to everything, with a false image painted of him, she could never have imagined that someone so ruthless and powerful could patch her up. Viktor, the alpha leader of the Frostbite clan, was handsome, powerful, elegant, and emotionless. What is she supposed to do when a werewolf like him, a sworn enemy, swears to protect her? Because the past always comes back and never goes away. Someone's hunting her. Someone's determined to make her life a living hell. And he's just as determined to hurt everyone who gets close to her.

My curse uprooted my perfect Chicago life and threw me to the wolves. It forced me to reject my fated mate. I could see the future, but all I had ever seen was death. When I moved to Rapid Falls, it was my chance to be a normal girl again. But within a week, I was being chased through the night by a pack of murderous werewolves. Until Brandon saved me. He was perfect in every way, but he was a werewolf. According to him, so was I. I was starting to fall for Brandon when I envisioned him dead. To save myself from grief, I rejected him. But when he risked his life and saved me a second time, I couldn’t resist my desire anymore. I struggled to find my way in this new world where wolves were both predator and prey. A world where Brandon was to die soon. Would I be able to harness my curse and embrace my fate?

"Fucking no to your tits," he growled against my nipple, mauling my breasts. "Did my fucking whore lie to me? That deserves punishment," he said, taking my nipple in between his teeth. "I didn't lie. I just didn't fucking know," I whimpered as his teeth slowly sunk into my nipple, a sharp pain shooting through it. I threw my head back and moaned openly, unable to hold back anymore. *** An enigmatic photographer who is desperate to connect may have met his match. She's a beautiful savant and his favorite person to be around. The problem? His one chance at true love just so happens to be a mafia princess. *** After seven years as Scott's best friend, Stacy drops the bombshell that she is returning to Chicago for an arranged marriage. Only then does Scott finally realize he is in love with her. He begs her to stay, not knowing her fiance is Luca Cattaneo, a future don. The situation gets out of control, ending in a passionate kiss captured on live TV. Fearing for Scott's safety after their kiss goes live, Stacy uses the dead man's switch she has spent seven years creating to stand up to her father, Don Angelo. He just so happens to be the most powerful don in America, but she refuses to marry Luca anyway. When it looks like Scott and Stacy are fighting a losing battle against two powerful dons, she begs him to let her go. Time and again, he keeps chasing her anyway. As love blooms between these best friends, can Stacy outrun her past for a chance at a future with Scott? Or will her criminal past ruin them? Sometimes love comes softly… sometimes it means being willing to risk life and limb just to stay together.

I could smell his tempting cologne as he walked closer, his presence making my heart skip a beat. He placed his hands on the wall, caging me in with his strong arms. My breath hitched. He leaned in, his honey-colored eyes boring into mine like he was trying to solve a puzzle. Meanwhile, I was melting—like ice cream on a summer sidewalk. "You look familiar," he murmured, biting his lip as if deep in thought. "Have we met before?" Of course, Jack Harrison—the most popular lacrosse player at Wilford High—wouldn’t know who I am. Why would he? I’m the invisible girl. The one who hides behind books and avoids eye contact. The one no one remembers. And yet… I’ve always noticed him. Jack Harrison. The boy every girl wants. The boy I’ve secretly dreamed about since sophomore year. And then—just when I thought I’d spend another year in his shadow—I found out a new family was moving in next door. To my utter disbelief, it turned out to be him. Jack Harrison, the boy I've always wanted.

In the glamorous world of Chicago's elite, Ava Reed, a shy bookworm on scholarship, finds herself entangled in a dangerous game of power and desire. When she crosses paths with Max Blackwood, the city's most eligible bachelor, their worlds collide in a whirlwind of secrets and deceit. Desperate to escape her hometown and protect herself from a menacing admirer, Ava strikes a precarious deal with Max, the billionaire CEO of America's newest investment firm. But their contract marriage is just the beginning of a tumultuous journey filled with passion, jealousy, and betrayal. As they navigate the treacherous waters of high society, Ava and Max must confront their demons and face the ultimate question: is their love worth risking everything for?

North Harper, a brilliant yet unassuming third-year college student, finds solace in her books and late-night visits to her mother’s grave, escaping the torment of bullies who call her “turtle girl.” One night, she encounters Valentine, a mysterious Vampire Prince. Their connection deepens, but her life takes a dark turn when a rogue vampire attacks her on campus. To save her, Valentine turns her into a vampire, unknowingly creating a rare hybrid. North awakens with enhanced abilities and newfound confidence, but her unstable powers and hybrid nature put her in danger. Valentine becomes her guide, helping her navigate her new existence, but their growing bond defies ancient vampire laws. As the Vampire Council deems her a threat, a human faction called The Ascendants, an underground organisation bent on taking out Vampires, target her, seeking to use her blood to create superhuman soldiers. Amid rising tensions, The Ascendants infiltrate her college and attempt to abduct her. Forced to confront her dual identity, North must embrace her hybrid powers to protect herself and those she loves. In a climactic battle, North destroys the Ascendants' leader and their serum, saving both vampires and humans. Gravely injured, Valentine’s fate compels her to make a choice: she asks him to transform her into a full-blooded vampire to secure her place in his world. Though the Vampire Council allows her to live, they keep her existence under strict watch, marking the beginning of her journey as a powerful anomaly in both worlds.

After her divorce, Annalise Gracelyn Keaton decides to start a new life in Chicago. One day, Ann visits a hospital to address her ongoing menstrual issues following a miscarriage caused by her abusive ex-husband. There, she meets Dr. Daxton, an obstetrician who accidentally knows a little story of her painful past. Their initial encounter marks the beginning of a series of fateful meetings. Their romance blossoms in what seems like a serendipitous alignment of the universe: they live in the same apartment building, and Ann works at a café owned by Daxton’s sister. But, just as Ann begins to open her heart to Daxton, her ex-husband comes and threatens to shatter everything she’s rebuilt. How will Ann and Daxton keep their love amidst the mess? And how will they cope with the presence of another significant figure from Ann’s past—her first love? What if, after all this time, Ann finds out that her first love has been waiting for her, just like she did years ago? What if that man tells her that he has been searching for her and did everything he could to find her, even naming his hotel after her? And what if that man tells her that he still loves her? Will she go back to him? Or will she choose to stay with Daxton, her new love? *** “You’re free, Ann. You can choose to stay with me or go back to him—the reason you came here. Don’t you remember you chose Chicago because you still remember where he went 15 years ago?”~Daxton Alexander “If only I had searched for you harder, might we have still loved each other, Ann?”~Conrad Blake

After her father's death, art restorer Elena Russo discovers his massive gambling debts to a dangerous crime family. Unable to pay, she's forced into an underground auction where she's purchased by none other than Dante Valenti, now Chicago's most feared mafia boss, and the boy she loved twelve years ago, before suddenly being torn away from him.