live not by lies

"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."

The hunt is on… Cara, a shy, friendless librarian doesn’t know why the notorious player Rig Landon has suddenly started paying her attention. After escaping the iron grip of her alcoholic father, she’s at university to learn, not play, and she tells Rig so. Repeatedly. But Rig bet his packmates that he could seduce any human female they choose—and they chose Cara. Cara’s total lack of game puts every one of Rig’s seductive talents to the test. But he’s persistent. And the more time they spend together, the less Rig cares about the bet, and the more he cares about Cara. Which is a problem. Because Rig is carrying a big secret. A deadly secret. Turns out Rig isn’t the only one hunting Cara… Will Rig’s secrets end Cara’s life before he can show her she’s more to him than just prey?

After being accused of killing her father, Azura Riverstone runs away from her pack when her mate and husband orders his Gammas to hold her as the captive. Torn between hurt and betrayal from her mate and step-family, she decides to seek the Alpha King for help but the only way to get to him is participating in the Alpha combat where only Alphas are allowed. How will she find the true murderer of her father when her ex finds her and offers a deal which she can't deny?

Zara always lived a life of fear and abuse at the hands of her alcoholic father and brother. She lived in an average pack, isolated from the rest of the werewolf community, and had no one to turn to for help. One night, after enduring yet another beating from her brother, Zara knew she couldn't take it anymore. Urged on by her wolf, Zara ran away from her pack. As she ran, she could feel the weight of her pack's disapproval and abandonment bearing down on her. She was a rogue now, an outcast. But she didn't care. She just wanted to be free of the abuse and the terror that had defined her life for as long as she could remember. Zara ran until she reached the border of a notorious pack, known for its brutal treatment of rogues. She hesitated for a moment, wondering if she had made a terrible mistake. But then she heard the sound of her brother's voice in her head, taunting her and telling her she would never amount to anything. That was all the motivation she needed. Zara crossed the border into the unknown, determined to make a new life for herself no matter the cost.

Elizabeth would still not believe her eyes as she stared down the contract she was about to sign her whole life to. She was the secretary to Cole , the rich billionaire who she had been working for for three good year. She had been the perfect robotic secretary, so it came as a shock to her when her boss suddenly tells her that he would like for her to get married to him, in a contract marriage. Beth was the only child fending for herself. And the money had been really enriching, so she decides to take on the job. It would hurt nothing. It was only perfect for Cole because he had to get married so he could prove to his business partners that he was serious enough, and was no longer the player he was rumoured to be. Hence, he approaches elle with a contract marriage. A marriage that was to last for ten good months. Just enough time to have sealed the contract. It was going to be satisfying on his own side, and he was not ready to get into a commitment.

Evy was a simple-minded girl. If there's work she's there. Evy is a known workaholic. She works day and night, dedicating each of her waking hours to her jobs and making sure that she reaches the deadline. On the day of her birthday, her body gave up and she died alone from exhaustion. Upon receiving the chance of a new life, she was reincarnated as the daughter of the Duke of Polvaros and acquired the prose of living a comfortable life ahead of her. Only she doesn't want that. She wants to work. Even if it's being a maid, a hired killer, or an adventurer. She will do it. The only thing wrong with Evy is that she has no concept of reincarnation or being isekaid. In her head, she was kidnapped to a faraway land… stranded in a place far away from Japan. So she has to learn things as she goes with as little knowledge as anyone else. Having no sense of ever knowing that she was living in fantasy nor knowing the destruction that lies ahead in the future. Evy will do her best to live the life she wanted and surprise a couple of people on the way. Unbeknownst to her, all her actions will make a ripple. Whether they be for the better or worse.... Evy has no clue.

After the death of her mother, Autumn Jones finally gets her life together the only thing bothering her is a persistent man who wants to buy her building at all costs but she refuses every time. How could she ever sell the last thing she inherited from her mother? She enters a yoga class where she meets Summer whom she befriends immediately not knowing she is her ex"s sister. One day as Summer visits Autumn's coffee shop her brother Domenic shows up, but he doesn't come for his sister. He is behind the man who was trying to buy the building not knowing Autumn was the owner. When his eyes land on Autumn he can't believe that the woman in front of him is the same girl whose virginity he took years ago before going to college. The girl he humiliated just to win a bet not knowing the damage he was causing. She haunted his dreams for years and now was standing in front of him. Autumn didn't waste a second, she threw him out. The shock of seeing him revived all the memories she tried so hard to bury. It takes Domenic a lot of tries and a lot of patience in order to break through Autumn's defenses and earn her trust again, as well as it takes some time for Autumn to understand Domenic's fears. The things get more complicated with the arrival of Alice, a woman whose sole interest in life is to marry Domenic and enter the Davis Jones family. She will stop at nothing to separate Autumn and Domenic, but will she succeed, or will love and trust prevail?

Once destined to lead his family’s empire, Liam Harrington’s life shattered after a car accident left him in a wheelchair. Abandoned by friends, mocked by society, and betrayed by those closest to him, his bitterness grew as he faced enemies who sought to exploit his weakness. Ava Bennett, the overlooked daughter of her family, dreamed of escaping her oppressive home. But forced into a contract marriage with Liam, she found herself battling not only her family’s cruelty but also those who wished to see her husband fail.

"Ryan we can't do this!" I pleaded, knowing I had already fallen into his temptation. He trailed his thumb softy on my collar bone, our gaze met and I melted instantly in those alluring eyes of his. "Yet, we can't deny our feelings," He uttered huskily and captured my lips with his, every ounce of restraint in me drained off as I succumbed to him. ~~ After two years of living in Bradford, UK with her broken father, Hailey recently moved back to Albany in New York to stay with her mom's remarried family to complete her finals in a new high school in her stepfamily's city. The weather, her stepfamily's lavish and luxurious lifestyle, and most importantly her stepbrother, Ryan, were all troubling for her. Ryan, The handsome, popular, and athletic rich guy of the school was every girl's dream while Hailey thought having a popular stepbrother like him would make her stay a lot easier in her new school, instead it turns out Ryan has made up his mind to wreck Hailey's life to the worst. Soon enough, Hailey noticed that Ryan has been having a grudge toward her for years for reasons she couldn't place her mind on.

Jayla is an eighteen year old girl in her final year of high school. Tyler is the same age as Jayla, and in his final year of high school, too, only he is a bad boy who goes around sleeping with almost all the girls at school while Jayla is a good girl, a virgin even. On her eighteenth birthday, she bumps into Tyler, and sparks erupt on her skin, making her know that Tyler is her mate. Jayla is overjoyed at finding her mate on her birthday but her joy is cut short when he pushes her to the ground and stalks off like he didn't feel a thing between them. Despite all Jayla's efforts to win Tyler over, he still does not want anything to do with her. Will she give up on their mate bond or will she do anything in her power to get Tyler to acknowledge it? Read on to find out.