reluctant crossword clue

[A BILLIONAIRE DARK ROMANCE BOOK] "Without obsession, life is nothing" -John Waters. Lyra eagerly seized an opportunity for quick cash when her best friend, Jane, presented a bold idea. She didn't think through the likely fallout. ************************* Jane needed someone to step in as her stand-in bride for Ryker Blackwoods, a reclusive billionaire shrouded in mystery due to her parents' debts and promises. Jane had no intention of entering into a loveless marriage with a man she had never met. Fortunately, Ryker had no clue what Jane-or Lyra-looked like. In exchange for a substantial sum, Lyra agreed to take Jane's place, sign the marriage documents, and occupy Ryker's estate while he was away. The plan was simple: Lyra would create enough chaos to provoke Ryker into seeking a divorce once he returned. However, when Ryker finally arrived home after six long months, everything changed. Rather than the distant figure she expected, Ryker turned out to be a man who pushed past her limits, a contradiction to Jane's descriptions. He was captivating yet infuriating-an undeniable force who seemed to derive pleasure from her discomfort. Lyra found herself regretting her decision. The money no longer mattered; she just wanted to escape this marriage. But Ryker calmly asserted that she belonged to him now, insisting that this was her punishment for her greed. He knew the truth-she was simply an imposter in a life she hadn't chosen.

“You’re marrying Mike Rowling. There’s no choice.” That’s what my mother said, her words as cold as ever. I never imagined my life would come to this—trapped in a marriage to a man I’ve never wanted. Mike is a bitter, broken billionaire, his heart sealed off after an accident that changed everything. He’s a stranger in his own home, and now, I’m his reluctant wife. But there’s something no one knows, not even Mike: my daughter Mia isn’t just my little girl—she’s his, too. A secret I’ve kept buried for years. As the days pass, I can’t help but feel the pull between us. He’s changing, softening, and my heart begins to betray me. But every smile, every touch, feels like a lie because of the truth I can never tell. Then one night, Mike looks at me with eyes full of questions, and I realize—he knows. Everything is about to unravel. Will the truth destroy us, or will it be the key to our future?

Her life had been perfect once—a child on the way, the loving husband she thought she had, and being the Luna of the powerful Northern Range Pack. Then the cruel deception: finding husband and sister together and then the child taken from them. Shattered and banished to the edge of pack territory, Elena waits out a languid death. Fate, though, plays different hands when the infamous Alpha Lykan Blackwood knocks on the door and presents an old blood debt. Learning of the betrayal of Elena's husband James, Lykan takes Elena as payment instead of Elena's treacherous sister—the woman she was pledged to. Pressed into the harsh life of the Black Mountain Pack as their reluctant Luna, Elena is shocked to learn surprising secrets about her past and why she is childless. As dangers to his position multiply and Elena faces demons of the past, they create an uneasy partnership and then something more as their connection takes hold. In a world where loyalty is paid dearly and love more dearly, can traumatized souls heal one another? Or will the promise of treachery destroy their happiness when Elena's former pack returns to take back what they once relinquished?

Trapped on a billionaire’s private island. A hurricane raging outside. And a passion neither of them saw coming. When fierce environmental scientist Juniper Hale is forced into a reluctant partnership with Adrian Blackwood, a powerful tech mogul who sees the world in numbers and profits, sparks fly and not the good kind. Their partnership is a ticking time bomb, she’s prepared for battle, not romance. Their clashes turn into a war of wills, but when a deadly storm leaves them stranded together, their hatred transforms into something far more dangerous. Secrets from Juniper’s past threaten to unravel her, while Adrian’s empire teeters on the edge of destruction. In a game where trust is a currency neither is willing to spend, will they survive the terror… be consumed by it?

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.

Emilia Rossi never expected her quiet life as an accountant to lead her into the shadows of the underworld. But when she’s framed in a money-laundering scheme connected to Luca Moretti—the city’s most feared mafia boss—she’s given an impossible choice: help him find the real traitor or face the deadly consequences. Weak and terrified, Emilia is thrust into Luca’s dangerous world, where power, deception, and violence rule. But behind Luca’s ruthless exterior, she catches glimpses of a different man—one haunted by his past and captivated by her innocence. Bound by a reluctant attraction and surrounded by threats, Emilia must navigate her new life in the mafia’s grip, learning to find strength in her vulnerability as she draws closer to Luca. As their worlds collide, a spark ignites between them—a spark that could consume them both. In a world where loyalty is scarce, will Emilia’s fragile heart survive? Or will she be forever lost in the shadows of power?

When rising interior designer Valeria Mendoza took a job as an executive assistant at Herrera & Sons, the last thing she expected was to accidentally marry her cold, infuriatingly handsome boss. After a chaotic mix-up with legal paperwork during a corporate event, Valeria finds herself legally bound to Alejandro Herrera, the guarded CEO who doesn’t believe in love but desperately needs a wife to close a multimillion-dollar deal. What starts as a reluctant agreement to "keep up appearances" quickly turns into a tangled web of stolen glances, sizzling tension, and midnight confessions. As the lines blur between fake and real, Valeria must hide the biggest secret of all — her true identity as the daughter of a billionaire family she left behind. But in a world where business and love don’t mix, what happens when the truth comes out? Will Alejandro see her as a liar... or the woman he’s been designing a future with all along?

☆☆☆☆ "So, Tyson, do you just lurk around waiting to interrupt people or is that a special service you offer?" He leaned against the table, his gaze locking with mine. "I'd say it's a special service, but only for certain people. I wouldn't want you to think I'm not paying enough attention to you, love." "Is that so?" I raised an eyebrow, challenging him, "Because I was under the impression you enjoyed making my life difficult, not keeping an eye on it." He chuckled, crossing his arms. "Well, it seems like you could use the excitement." "Oh, trust me, my life's exciting enough without you stirring up trouble." I scoffed, but the corners of my mouth twitched upwards in a reluctant smile. "But, perhaps I'm the kind of trouble you need." ☆☆☆☆ Ashley, the daughter of a millionaire, moves to a new city and hopes for a fresh start. With her sharp wit, she often finds herself at the center of school drama, not by choice, but by circumstances. Intent on maintaining a low profile at her new campus, her plan quickly falls apart when she mistakenly parks her bike in a reserved spot. Tyson, the school's notorious bad boy, is not just a troublemaker, but he's the youngest gang leader to be a part of a powerful mafia, feared by many but understood by few. Despite his fearsome reputation in the streets while other leaders might see him as a mere boy, Tyson is fiercely loyal to his inner circle, showing a side of him that few ever see. What will happen when their paths cross? ☆☆☆☆ 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 #1 𝐨𝐟, 𝐇𝐢𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬. "𝑫𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒂 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎." ☆☆☆☆

Isang maling hakbang. Isang maling gabi. Isang maling desisyon… o baka tamang tao sa maling pagkakataon? Elara has always played it safe—until she crashes into a stranger in the most awkward way possible. Akala niya, worst moment na ‘yon ng buhay niya—hindi pa pala. Because that stranger? Theo. The new hire sa office nila. Mas malala? Anak siya ng boss. Mula sa asaran hanggang sa hindi matapos-tapos na bangayan, they can’t seem to stay away from each other. But one unexpected night changes everything. Kinabukasan, they wake up—walang maalala at walang idea kung ano’ng nangyari. Months later, Elara finds out she’s pregnant. The problem? She doesn’t know who the father is. At nang malaman ng isang importanteng tao ang sitwasyon niya, isang desisyon ang kailangang gawin—one that will tie her and Theo together in a way they never saw coming. Now, they’re stuck in something they don’t understand. But what if the truth has been right in front of them all along? Or will they stay… Cluelessly Yours?

There are things that we want to know. There are also things that we try to escape from. Her name is Cali Fuentes. She has no clue about the world around her. From an early age, she had already been detached from her true self. When she gets the opportunity to find herself, she met with an unexpected love encounter. What will she do if a stranger asks her to get married? Will she agree, despite only having known each other for a few hours? And for what reason? How will the search for her own life turn out?