Penelope Ward – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read

Penelope Ward – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.ilovenovels.com Thu, 23 Apr 2026 23:10:21 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 http://www.ilovenovels.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/favicon.png Penelope Ward – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.ilovenovels.com 32 32 Crooked Read Online Vi Keeland, Penelope Ward http://www.ilovenovels.com/crooked-read-online-vi-keeland-penelope-ward Thu, 23 Apr 2026 23:10:21 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/crooked-read-online-vi-keeland-penelope-ward Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary, Forbidden, Mafia, Suspense Authors: Penelope Ward, Vi Keeland Advertisement

Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 102394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)

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A new, sexy standalone from bestsellers Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward

The last thing I needed was a live-in bodyguard. And I definitely didn’t want him. Six foot two, with broad shoulders that were impossible to ignore and a talent for getting in my way, Wes Callahan was a walking bad decision.

But when you’re the daughter of a notorious mob boss, apparently your opinions stop mattering the moment your father ignites another war. I’d spent my entire life trying to escape that crooked world—new name, new city, newfound freedom. At least until I was suddenly shacked up with my new bodyguard.

Wes knew exactly how to push my buttons. He was also infuriatingly protective. And smart. And funny. And thoughtful when he thought I wasn’t paying attention. Little by little, the walls I’d built started to crack, and falling for the bodyguard became the most dangerous thing I’ve ever done. Because if my father found out, Wes wouldn’t just lose his job. He’d lose his life.

Getting involved with him was reckless, yet I couldn’t find a way to stop it, no matter how hard I tried. But while I was busy losing my heart, the man who took it was hiding a secret.

And it turned out, the most dangerous man in my life wasn’t my father after all—it was the one who threatened to break my heart

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER 1

* * *

Juliette

Ugh. What the heck time is it?

I pushed my sleep mask up onto my forehead and reached over to the nightstand to unplug my ringing cell from the charger. Arlo Quinn flashed on the screen, and unless I’d slept eighteen hours, he was calling me at five fifteen AM.

“Hello?” My voice cracked with morning grog.

“Hey, Jules. It’s Arlo. I’m sorry to wake you this early.”

“If you aren’t calling to tell me there’s a wildfire heading straight for my house, I’m hanging up.”

He sighed. “Bradley doesn’t like the rewrites you did.”

I sprang upright. “What? How is that possible? It’s the fourth set of rewrites I’ve done for those scenes, and I barely even wrote any of the words. Bradley dictated how he wanted the entire thing to go.”

“I know. I’m sorry. He can be…difficult sometimes.”

“Parallel parking in front of The Ivy while being watched by a table of movie stars is difficult. Figuring out what to wear when someone tells you dinner is smart casual is difficult. Bradley Wilson? That man is a giant asshole.”

Arlo chuckled. “He wants to meet with you at six in his trailer at the studio.”

“That’s in forty-five minutes.”

“I know. He just woke me up to have me call you.”

I shook my head and ripped the covers from my body, dragging myself out of bed. “Does Sam know he asked for rewrites again?”

“I’m not sure.”

Translation—the director has no freaking clue. These constant rewrites had become a control game for Bradley, a power trip of sorts. The director’s team spends hours planning the next day’s shoot, only to have the star show up ten minutes before call time and drop twenty pages of rewrites in their laps. After, he struts back to his trailer to sip his stupid grande, iced, half-caff, ristretto, sugar-free vanilla, oat milk macchiato with no foam and enjoy a one-hour massage. I had no clue why the director put up with it. Actually, that wasn’t true. He probably did it for the same reason I did. Because Bradley Wilson was—Lord knows why—one of Hollywood’s biggest A-list actors at the moment, and the jerk had a lot of industry pull.

Annoyed, I padded into the kitchen to the coffeemaker. “I’ll be there, Arlo. But you have to invite Sam, too, or at least one of the assistant directors. They need to be in the loop from now on.”

“Okay. I’ll make some calls.”

I breathed out on a huff. “Thank you.”

“There’s one more thing…”

“I’m afraid to ask. What?”

“Bradley requested you stop at Robeks and pick up his morning energy drink.”

My eyes bulged. “Are you freaking kidding me?”

The poor assistant sighed. “I’m afraid not.”

“No.” I shook my head vigorously. “I’m not doing it. I’m a screenplay writer, not his damn gopher.”

“I would do it myself, but my girlfriend and I share a car, and she works the night shift. She doesn’t get home until seven.”

“Why can’t he have his drink delivered from Uber Eats?”

“He doesn’t trust the drivers.”

“What does he think is going to happen? They’re going to poison him? Wait, on second thought, maybe I will pick up his energy drink, with a side of cyanide.”

“I’ll take an Uber and get it for him. I really am sorry to keep calling you with all his requests, Jules.”

I took a deep breath in and let it out. It wasn’t Arlo’s fault. And the poor guy probably made minimum wage for dealing with his asshole boss all day long. “I’ll pick up his drink. There’s a Robeks on my way to the studio.”

“Are you sure?”

“I can’t guarantee I won’t add some laxatives so he’s stuck in the bathroom half the day, but yeah. I’m sure.”

“Thanks, Jules. I’ll text you his order. It’s sort of long.”

Of course it is… After I hung up, I brewed a cup of coffee and took a three-minute shower. I did not wash my hair. Looking in the half-fogged mirror, I gave myself a quick internal pep talk. Think on the bright side. Your day can’t get much worse than being woken up at five AM and having a spoiled actor’s breakfast order to fetch.

Unfortunately, the universe must’ve taken my attempt at manifesting a better day as more of a challenge. Because when I climbed into my car at twenty minutes to six, my cell phone rang a second time. And the name on the screen this time was probably the only person I wanted to speak to less at this hour than Bradley Wilson—my father.

I debated not picking it up, but the last time I’d avoided Dad for a half day, he’d sent one of his goons to my house to knock on my door. So I took yet another deep breath and told myself dealing with my father would be good practice for my meeting with Bradley—a primer in staying calm.

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Taylor’s Father Read Online Penelope Ward http://www.ilovenovels.com/taylors-father-read-online-penelope-ward Sat, 28 Feb 2026 17:33:26 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/taylors-father-read-online-penelope-ward Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary, Forbidden, Insta-Love Authors: Penelope Ward Advertisement

Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 89324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >91

From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward comes a new, STANDALONE contemporary romance…

When my best friend Taylor gifted me a vacation at a resort owned by his grandparents, the last thing I expected was to bond with a man seventeen years older.
Tate was also vacationing alone.
He’d come to Midnight Key to clear his head and reevaluate his life.
I’d come to get over my high school sweetheart who’d dumped me.
I’d spotted the brawny, tattooed Adonis in the lobby on the first day and thought he had to be someone’s hot dad.
But then we matched on an app that paired single men and women by proximity.
The problem was? At nineteen—almost twenty—I’d lied and said I was twenty-nine.
Tate outed me on our first date, and I fessed up to my real age.
But we continued to run into each other.
And eventually we found our connection was too magnetic to deny.
While we agreed to only use first names and to part ways at the end of the trip, I’d really fallen for Tate.
I never forgot him and knew he was the one who got away.
Remember that guy friend who gifted me the trip?
Well, four years later, Taylor got married.
He’d been estranged from his dad for years, though recently they’d reconnected.
What I didn’t know was that the man I’d had that torrid affair with at the resort would be standing next to Taylor in the receiving line.
My dream man Tate? Was Taylor’s father

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

Chapter 1

* * *

BLAIR

I looked down at the photo of his gorgeous, angular face. This can’t be real. It was the handsome guy from the lobby, the same one I specifically remembered admiring when I checked into this place. Big and strong. Almost reminded me of a Viking. He had tatted arms and gorgeous, dark brown hair that fell over his eyes a little. It was mostly families or couples here at Midnight Key Resort. I’d assumed he was married, or maybe someone’s hot dad—he’d looked old enough to have kids.

Yet I’d just found him on the hookup app I’d joined.

After staring at his photo for far too long, I moved on to the details of his profile.

Tate, 36

I’m not good at describing what I’m looking for. Sometimes we don’t really know what we need until we find it. But I guess if I’m on this particular app, you can guess what I might be interested in for now. Anything more would be an unexpected but welcome bonus. Just trying to keep it real.

Hmm… I appreciated his honesty. Rather than trying too hard to write something witty, he’d written what he felt and what most people were probably thinking. I had to respect that.

Thirty-freaking-six.

Okay, so he was a lot older than me. It didn’t matter, though. In fact, that sort of turned me on. Being with an older man was always a fantasy of mine, one I never thought I’d have the opportunity to entertain. Tate looked a bit younger than thirty-six, though. I would’ve put him in his early thirties, maybe.

I felt guilty that I’d lied about my age on my profile. But my first instinct when setting up this account was to not give any true personal details. Yes, that was ironic considering I’d just appreciated the fact that he seemed honest.

Without thinking it through much longer, I swiped right. Almost instantly, a message came on the screen.

It’s a match.

Oh my God.

What now?

The room spun a little as adrenaline coursed through me. Actually, maybe that was the one margarita I’d had in months going to my head. Both the margarita and this vacation had been badly needed. Up until recently, when I was dumped, I’d had the same boyfriend since I was fifteen. So, this was the first time in my life I’d ever installed a hookup app. What better time, I supposed, than while on vacation alone at a resort, courtesy of my best friend, Taylor, who had footed the bill. His family owned the place.

A notification sounded.

Hot Lobby Viking Guy had sent me a message. Gah!

My heart began to race, but I wasn’t ready to click on it, for some reason.

I slurped the last of my margarita, desperate for some liquid courage. I’d managed to finagle that drink from the twenty-four-hour bar downstairs with my fake ID. Not wanting to get kicked out of this beautiful place, I didn’t plan on whipping out my fake ID every day while here, though. But the bartender on duty when I’d ventured downstairs this morning looked gullible, so I decided to take a chance. Just because I’d gotten lucky this morning didn’t mean it would happen again. Not sure why I ever thought it was a good idea to start my day with alcohol, but here we were.

At nineteen—almost twenty—I was likely the youngest person on vacation alone at this resort. The teenagers closest to my age were generally traveling with their families. I didn’t really fit in and had wondered if I might be the only single person here. Though apparently, I wasn’t, unless Tate was lying about his status. It seemed like chancing it on this app was my only opportunity to meet someone, since it matched people by proximity. And leaving the premises down here in Key West wasn’t an option, since I didn’t know the area and didn’t have a car. I also didn’t want to leave the safety of this all-inclusive, secure place.

Maybe it wasn’t exactly what I would have picked for myself, but it was an incredible gift from Taylor, my guy best friend whom I’d first met at sleepaway camp when I was a preteen. While we didn’t see each other aside from those weeks at camp, we’d bonded over the course of several summers and also kept in touch online. Eventually, we both became camp counselors together when we turned sixteen. I’d been in a relationship with Daniel since I was fifteen, so nothing romantic ever came of my time with Taylor during those summers. We were true friends, though, and Taylor felt like a brother to me. He’d recently met a girl, right before my breakup with Daniel. So even if we’d had those feelings for each other, the timing was never right. And that was just as well, because Taylor was someone I hoped to have in my life forever. My experience with guys had proven that being in a relationship was one way to ensure you eventually lost the person you cared about. So I was glad Taylor seemed happy with his new girlfriend, and I knew our friendship would withstand the test of time.

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The House Guest Read Online Penelope Ward http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-house-guest-read-online-penelope-ward Thu, 25 Sep 2025 16:04:22 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-house-guest-read-online-penelope-ward Genre: Alpha Male, Angst, Billionaire, Contemporary Authors: Penelope Ward Advertisement

Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 96046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >97

From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward comes a new, STANDALONE contemporary romance…

The last thing Dorian Vanderbilt expected was to find me painting in my crop top when he returned to the mansion he hadn’t inhabited in years.
He was understandably surprised I’d turned his living room into an art space.
Life is certainly full of surprises, though, but not always in a good way.
I learned that lesson when my aunt and the billionaire she married died unexpectedly while traveling.
I’d been living with them, and just like that, my life was turned on its axis.
Unsure of what was next, I stayed alone at the barren estate figuring out my next move.
That was when Dorian—the late billionaire’s only son—showed up.
I’d never met Dorian Vanderbilt. He’d been living on the other side of the country.
But now, he was home, left to pick up the pieces of his father’s legacy.
Not only was Dorian devastatingly handsome and mysterious, but he was the sole heir to the Vanderbilt fortune.
He didn’t seem to like me—at first. We were total opposites. But I was grateful that at least he didn’t kick me out.
We stayed out of each other’s way for the most part, save for some late-night kitchen run-ins or unexpected bonding sessions in the home theater.
Over time, though, we grew closer. Turned out, our chemistry was pretty combustible.
I was falling in love with him.
Until everything I thought I knew turned upside down yet again.
And fate left me pining for the one man I’d ever loved

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER 1

* * *

“Dorian is coming. I’d recommend clearing your paintings from the living room before he gets here.”

“What?” My stomach sank. “When?”

“I’m not entirely sure, but it’s likely to be soon.”

“Crap.” I looked around at my many large canvases. “Thanks for the heads up. This place has been like a ghost town for weeks. I guess I hoped the quiet would continue for a little while longer.”

Patsy hung her head. “It was only a matter of time.”

I clasped my hands together. “Do you think he’s gonna kick me out?”

“I can’t say.” She shook her head. “Not sure if he’s going to keep any of us around, or if he plans to live here or sell the place. We haven’t been given much information.”

I immediately felt foolish. Here I was, worried about whether I could continue to freeload off my poor dead aunt, and the staff here had to fear for their livelihoods.

“Well, let’s hope he has a heart.” I sighed. “You and Benjamin have been nothing but wonderful through all of this, and I would hate to see you out of a job.”

“You’ve been a light in our lives, Primrose. If only this house was yours now, and we worked for you. Then I’d know we wouldn’t have to worry.”

Six short months ago, I’d moved in here after my aunt Christina had offered to let me stay with her and her billionaire husband, Remington Vanderbilt, while I enrolled in an art program. School was only a short drive from their wealthy community of Orion Coast, which was right on the Pacific Ocean in California. But I was still putting myself through school—I’d insisted on it despite my aunt’s offer to help. Instead, I waited tables and lived off my savings.

But the opportunity to live in this mansion had been a dream. I had my own spacious bedroom and full use of the amenities. Christina and Remington had quite the social life, so I almost never saw them, making it easy some days to pretend the entire place was mine. My aunt would check in with me from time to time, but she gave me space. I greatly appreciated her providing me with a safe place to call home while I explored my passion: art. Christina knew I needed her support after my mother, her only sibling, had died a few years ago. My mother’s death had left me alone, since from day one, my father had never been in the picture. And now with Aunt Christina gone, I felt more alone than ever.

Five months of stability here. That was all I’d had before the unthinkable happened.

Remington and Christina had taken their private jet to meet some friends in Hawaii. But they’d never made it home. There had been a carbon monoxide leak at the villa they’d rented. They simply went to bed one night and never woke up. The twisted part was, I’d learned the news from the Internet before hearing it from anyone else.

A month had passed since the incident now, and it was still a shock. Their home had become an eerie relic of what once was, everything still in its place, aside from the people it belonged to.

It felt like I’d been getting away with something as I continued to live here. Were it not for the handful of staff who kept things operational, I would’ve felt a lot like Kevin McCallister in Home Alone.

For now, I’d managed my grief by converting the main living area into an art workshop. It had the best lighting in the house, and I’d needed the space for my latest project. Since no one was living here but me, I didn’t see the harm. The staff had encouraged it. But I’d always known it was only a matter of time until someone came in and took back this place. And it seemed that someone was Dorian Vanderbilt. Rightfully so.

Remington’s only son had long been a mystery to me. I didn’t know much about Dorian aside from the fact that he wasn’t all that much older than me, maybe five or six years, which would make him twenty-eight or twenty-nine. From what Christina had told me, he was an only child and had moved to Boston several years ago. With Remington Vanderbilt’s parents dead and no other siblings, Dorian was the last Vanderbilt left and the sole heir to his father’s fortune. Remington’s first wife, Dorian’s mother, had died when Dorian was younger.

The housekeeper, Patsy, had started cleaning around me in the living room when I finally asked, “He gave you no clue at all as to when he’s arriving?”

She shook her head. “I heard Benjamin talking to him on the phone. After he got off the call, I asked if he’d gotten details, and he said Dorian didn’t give an exact time.” She looked over at the grandfather clock. “It’s late tonight. So my guess is sometime tomorrow or the next day. I prepared the bedrooms in any case. Not sure where he plans to sleep.”

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Denim & Diamonds Read Online Vi Keeland, Penelope Ward http://www.ilovenovels.com/denim-diamonds-read-online-vi-keeland-penelope-ward Sat, 16 Aug 2025 22:27:07 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/denim-diamonds-read-online-vi-keeland-penelope-ward Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary Authors: Penelope Ward, Vi Keeland Advertisement

Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 107965 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 540(@200wpm)___ 432(@250wpm)___ 360(@300wpm)

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From New York Times bestselling authors Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland comes a new standalone romance.

When the board of directors of my company mandated that I go to a wellness facility in small-town Maine to recharge, that shouldn’t have a ladder to sneak out of the bedroom window at night and going to the local bar.Getting so drunk that the bar owner brought me upstairs to sleep it off in his bed.Waking up staring at the taxidermy moose head on said bar owner’s wall.Falling for said bar owner who was the most drop-dead gorgeous man I’ve ever seen.But Brock Hawkins was so much more than just the hot bar owner. He owned half the town, built log cabins with his bare hands, and was apparently the most eligible man in all of Meadowbrook.
He was also a cinnamon roll despite his seemingly rock-hard exterior.
And the last man I should’ve been falling for—because my time in this small town was limited.
I had to head back to my life in New York City, one that was the complete opposite from the kind Brock lived.
He was denim. I was diamonds.
The problem was, the sexy lumberjack wasn’t the type of man who was easy to walk away from. Hell, I couldn’t even part with his plaid shirt that had become a constant fixture wrapped around my shoulders most days, let alone think about erasing him from my life.
A life with Brock, though, would have to be all or nothing.
Go big or go home.
I just didn’t realize that choosing to go big might also mean getting my heart broken when Brock’s life took a turn neither of us saw coming

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER 1

* * *

February

Ugh. My aching head.

I lifted it from the pillow and looked around the room. Where the hell am I? This was definitely not my room at Sierra Wellness Center, and why the heck are my eyes burning so much? I must’ve left my contacts in last night. I blinked a few times, attempting to get rid of the dryness. It helped, but when my vision came into focus, I found myself staring into the eyes of…a giant moose.

“Holy shit!” I jumped from the bed and landed on my ass on the hard floor.

Clunk-clunk. Click.

Clunk-clunk. Click.

My grandfather had loved old westerns, so I knew the unmistakable sound of a shotgun being pumped and cocked. I squeezed my eyes shut and raised my hands into the air. I might’ve also peed my pants a little. “Don’t shoot! Please don’t shoot!”

“What the hell, Red?” a deep, throaty voice growled. “I’m not going to fucking shoot you.”

I peeked one eye open and found a bearded man standing on the other side of the bed wearing a pair of boxer shorts and holding a gun. He looked vaguely familiar.

“Well, then stop pointing that thing at me!”

“Sorry.” He lowered it. “What the hell did you scream like that for?”

I blinked a few times. “Who the hell are you?”

“Jesus Christ,” the guy mumbled. “You don’t remember last night?”

My eyes bulged. Last night? Oh my God. Did I sleep with this lumberjack? I looked down and was relieved to find I still had all my clothes on, boots and all.

The guy shook his head. “You’d remember it, sweetheart. Trust me.”

“What?”

“You just checked to see what you were wearing, so I’m guessing you were questioning whether we had sex. We didn’t. And if we had, you’d remember it.”

“Why is that?”

The corner of his lip twitched. “How’s your noggin?”

The pain I’d felt when I first opened my eyes came roaring back with a vengeance. I reached for my head. “Who are you, and what the heck did I drink last night?”

Lumberjack bent and lifted the mattress, casually tucking the rifle between it and the boxspring.

“Is that where that gets filed?” I asked.

His lip twitched again. “It is. And an extra dry martini, shaken not stirred, with a lemon twist, dash of orange bitters, and two bleu cheese olives.”

I felt my nose wrinkle. “What?”

“You asked what you drank last night. That’s what your prissy order was. Though that’s not actually what you drank.”

“A dry martini is not prissy.”

“In this town it is, especially the way you order it.”

“What did I drink if my order was too prissy for you?”

“Vodka.”

“With?”

“Ice.”

“No wonder my head is killing me. Why would you give me that?”

Lumberjack’s eyebrows shot up. “Because you asked for it when I told you I didn’t have orange bitters, bleu cheese olives, or lemons, and I was all out of vermouth.”

“You told me you didn’t have it? So you’re who…the bartender?”

He frowned. “Yeah. I’m the bartender. Is that below your standards or something? I also own the place.”

“I didn’t mean it like that… I just…” I shook my head and looked around the room. For the first time, I realized the moose wasn’t alone. He had friends—a deer with big antlers, a bear, and some other thing I thought might be an elk. “Did you kill all these animals?”

Lumberjack folded his arms across his broad chest. “Is that a problem?”

“I’m guessing for them it was.”

He walked around the bed and held a hand out to me—I was still sitting on the floor. I hesitated, and he shook his head. “It’s my hand, sweetheart. Not my dick.”

My nose scrunched up. “Crass much?”

“Rather be crass than condescending.”

I put my hand in his. “I am not condescending.”

“No?”

“No.”

He helped me to my feet. “If you say so.”

I brushed my clothes off. “Do you have a bathroom I can use?”

Lumberjack pointed. “Maybe while you’re in there, you can pry the stick out of your ass.”

I narrowed my eyes. “You’re rude.”

He sighed. “Just go do what you gotta do, Red.”

“Red. That’s original.” I attempted to lift my chin into the air and keep a bit of my dignity as I walked to the bathroom. But the screech I let out when I shut the door was anything but dignified. “Umm…Lumberjack?” I was afraid to move.

Footsteps came closer on the other side of the door. “Is that supposed to be me?”

“Did you know there’s a giant dog in your bathtub?”

“I did indeed.”

The Saint Bernard tilted his head at me, curiously. “You could’ve warned me.”

There was silence for a few seconds, then, “Hey, Red?”

“Yeah?”

“Oak sleeps in the bathtub.”

“Is Oak the dog?”

“Yep.”

“Does he bite?”

“He sleeps in the bathtub because he’s afraid of his own shadow. I think you’re safe.”

“Great,” I mumbled.

I had one of those bladders that got overly excited once it saw a toilet, so I didn’t have time for any more small talk. I walked to the porcelain throne and peed while the giant dog stared. Fitting. I had a moose and deer watch me sleep.

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The Drummer’s Heart Read Online Penelope Ward http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-drummers-heart-read-online-penelope-ward Mon, 10 Mar 2025 19:25:24 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-drummers-heart-read-online-penelope-ward Genre: Alpha Male, Angst, Contemporary, Drama Authors: Penelope Ward Advertisement

Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 92466 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >95

Don’t say her name.
That was the one rule my bandmates followed, because they knew how much it messed me up to think about her, especially on tour.
My ex, Nicole.
The one who got away and the woman who still owned every piece of my heart.
After our divorce, I threw myself into the rock scene, trying to forget my heartbreak.
Three years after we split, a phone call from Nicole changed everything.
She told me her grandmother wasn’t doing well.
Mimi was still family to me, and she apparently had one wish before dying: to spend time with us—Nicole and me.
With Mimi’s caretaker away on vacation, it would be the ideal time for us to move in with her for a couple of weeks.
Of course, I couldn’t refuse.
But there was a catch.
Nicole apparently never told her that we’d gotten a divorce.
She hadn’t believed Mimi could handle it, because her grandmother loved me so much.
So, not only would I have to see Nicole again, but I’d be pretending to still be her husband.
Two weeks in a tiny house in a small town with the woman who broke my heart. Or was it me who broke hers?
It was complicated.
And it was about to be a heck of a lot more complicated sharing one bed in the guest room with a woman who wasn’t mine anymore.

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER 1

ATTICUS

I couldn’t remember the last time my heart had raced like this. The palpitations had started the moment my ex had lit up my phone earlier, and they had only gotten worse since we’d spoken.

Nicole.

The woman I’d never get over.

The woman whose name my bandmates couldn’t even utter—it would set me back for hours.

Nicole had called to say she needed to talk to me about something after she got off work today and wanted me to set aside some time. So I’d abruptly left my friend’s house for my hotel. I’d been staying in Shady Hills, Missouri, for a few days, where our band’s frontman, Tristan Daltrey, had a second home. As the drummer for Delirious Jones, I often followed my bandmates around even when we weren’t working. Tristan and Ronan Barber, our bass player, were pretty much my emotional support animals after the toughest few years of my life. They were my best friends and like brothers to me; but right now, as I waited for this phone call? I needed to be alone. During the call, it was very possible I’d punch a hole in the wall. Didn’t want that to happen at Tristan’s house in front of everyone.

The numbers on the digital clock next to my hotel-room bed kept changing. With each second, my legs bounced faster as I sat on the edge of the mattress. In the three years since Nicole and I had split, she had never called me. I couldn’t help but imagine the worst.

Is she getting married?

Is she pregnant?

The suspense was killing me.

I flinched when the phone finally rang. As my screen lit up, I took a deep breath. Her number was still programmed into my phone as Wife.

Wife Calling.

I’d never had the heart to change it.

I answered the call and cleared my throat. “Hey, Nicole.”

“Hi.” She paused. “It’s been a while—well, I mean, other than earlier today.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean.” I exhaled. “I was surprised to hear from you. Wasn’t sure I’d ever hear from you again.”

“I get it. Um…” She paused.

“What’s going on?”

“It’s Mimi.”

My stomach sank. Her grandmother. “Did something happen?”

“Not yet, but she’s not doing well.”

Relieved that Mimi was at least still among the living, I let out a long breath. “I’m very sorry to hear that. What specifically is the issue?”

“Well, she’s bedbound now, can’t do anything for herself anymore. One of her legs is stuck in a weird position, and she can’t move it. This all happened very quickly over the past few months.”

Guilt came over me. There was no excuse for not having visited Nicole’s grandmother these past few years, no matter how tense things had been. She was like my grandmother. Who the hell doesn’t visit their grandmother for three whole years?

“I’m sorry,” I repeated. “That’s why we need to talk? To let me know about Mimi?”

“Partially.”

“Okay…” I stood from the bed, beginning to pace and pulling on my hair.

“I sort of… I never told Mimi…” Nicole hesitated.

I stopped pacing. “Never told her what?”

“That you and I got a divorce.”

“What?” My eyes went wide. “She doesn’t know we’re not together anymore?”

“I know that’s bad. It’s just that… She loved you—loves you—so much. And I never wanted to disappoint her. I told everyone else in my family not to say anything to her, and they’ve stuck to their word.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “She thinks we’re still married?”

“Yes.”

I raised my voice. “She hasn’t wondered why I haven’t come around in three damn years?”

“She thinks your schedule hasn’t allowed it. I’ve been making excuses all this time.”

Now I felt even worse. “Who’s taking care of her right now?” I scratched my head. “Does she need money?”

“That’s not why I’m reaching out,” Nicole assured me. “She has plenty of savings for now and round-the-clock home care.”

“What made you call me now and not, say, a month ago?” My chest tightened. “Do you think she’s close to…” I swallowed. “The end?”

“She reached out and asked if both of us would come stay with her. If ever I was going to tell her the truth about us, now is not the time. She’s in such a fragile state. I could make another excuse for why you’re not around, but I feel guilty. This could be the last chance you have to see her. I decided I needed to put aside my pride and at least ask if—”

“You want me to visit her…with you?”

“Sort of. Her live-in aide is going away for two weeks. Mimi asked if you and I would mind staying during that time—not only to visit her, but to help take care of her.”

My mouth dropped open as the reality of this proposal hit me.

“I know it’s a lot to ask. I—”

“Let me get this straight. You want me to pretend we’re still married for two whole weeks while we’re taking care of Mimi?”

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >95

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The Rules of Dating a Younger Man (The Laws of Opposite Attract #4) Read Online Vi Keeland, Penelope Ward http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-rules-of-dating-a-younger-man-the-laws-of-opposite-attract-4-read-online-vi-keeland-penelope-ward Sat, 05 Oct 2024 02:32:33 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/the-rules-of-dating-a-younger-man-the-laws-of-opposite-attract-4-read-online-vi-keeland-penelope-ward Genre: Alpha Male, Angst, Contemporary, Forbidden, New Adult Authors: Penelope Ward, Vi Keeland Series: Penelope Ward
Series: The Laws of Opposite Attract Series by Vi Keeland
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Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 98878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 396(@250wpm)___ 330(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >101

I was the last of my group of friends to find “the one.”
The guys would always tease me that I needed to hurry up and settle down.
But I was in no rush.
Until I met someone worth rushing for.
Alex was one of the weekend volunteers at Ryan’s House—a charity I founded to build housing near hospitals.
Little did I know she was the same person I’d been arguing with over email before the project started. At the time, I’d thought Alex was a dude.
In reality? She was a smoking hot blonde who captivated me from the moment we met in person.
Our chemistry was off the charts, and I fell hard pretty fast.
Unfortunately, Alex insisted I was too young for her. I hated that she felt that way. Because age was just a number.
Not only that, her words didn’t match the way she looked at me—like she was very interested.
I lived for the weekends we’d spend out of town volunteering. Alex and I side-by-side hammering during the day, while sharing intimate dinners together at the hotel at night.
Eventually, the walls she’d put up to protect her heart began to crumble.
Until fate threw us a doozy that I wasn’t sure we could come back from.
If I’d thought our age gap was the biggest hurdle, I didn’t know anything yet.
Rule number one for dating an older woman who insists you could never be together?
Don’t fall in love.

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER 1

Brayden

I looked down at my cell and shook my head.

“Why the long face?” My buddy Colby walked back into the kitchen and tossed me the keys to his car. “I didn’t think single guys with no kids and fat bank accounts had anything to stress over.”

I caught the keys. “Bite me.”

He chuckled. “No, really. Is everything alright? You were grumbling at your phone the other day when I walked into the elevator, too.”

“Yeah, everything’s fine. Except one of the volunteers on the renovations team for the new Ryan’s House project is driving me nuts. You know how we pick two team leaders to help coordinate things on each job?”

Colby nodded. “One for the mechanics—electrical, plumbing, heating, and stuff, and one for interior design—paint, flooring, fixtures, and appliances, right?”

“Exactly. This dude Alex is the design team leader. He’s driving me nuts with his suggestions. He questions every fixture, appliance, and molding I’ve picked out. Today he wants to change the living room paint color by a shade—a freaking shade. I couldn’t even see the difference between the two paint samples online. Now he just asked if we could meet for dinner tonight to go over a few last-minute changes he’d like to make.” I shook my head. “No way am I doing that. It’s a good thing you clowns are coming up this weekend to help out, because I have a feeling this guy’s going to test my limits.”

Colby made a pouty face. “Awww... Brayden has trouble working with others.”

I shook my head, but smiled. “I don’t know why I tell you shit.”

“Probably because no one else wants to listen to you.”

“Ouch.”

He laughed. “What time you getting on the road today?”

“Probably about two. I need to stop by the office and pick up a project I’ve been working on for a kid. He’s in the hospital upstate again, so I’m going to drop by to visit over the weekend and surprise him with it.”

“What did you make this time?”

I grinned. “You know I don’t give hints about my masterpieces before the unveiling. I told his family I’d come by Sunday. If you knuckleheads are still around, you should join me.”

“Sounds good.”

I held up Colby’s car keys. “Thanks again for the car swap. Mine is too small to fit baseboard heating covers.”

“Anytime you want to swap my ten-year-old, beat-up SUV for your hot little six-month-old Porsche, I’m in.” He grinned. “I’m going to have a good-ass time driving that thing upstate Saturday morning.”

I opened the door. “Don’t get arrested for going a hundred and twenty.”

***

Later that night, I checked into the hotel up in Seneca Falls and decided to go down to the lobby bar for a drink. It was empty, except for a woman sitting alone. She had a drink in front of her, and a full glass of wine sat at the empty stool beside her, so I assumed she must be here with someone. I took a seat along the short side of the bar to give them some privacy.

But damn... Sitting here gave me an even better view of the woman, and she was a total knockout—sandy blond hair, big blue eyes, and high cheekbones that led down to a full set of lips. She might’ve been a few years older than me, but that didn’t stop a rush of adrenaline from giving my body a good jolt.

The bartender walked over and dropped a napkin in front of me. “What can I get you?”

“I’ll take a whiskey sour. Any chance you have Russell’s Reserve Ten-Year bourbon to make it with?”

The bartender’s brows pulled together, and he thumbed to the woman sitting alone. “You with her?”

“No, why?”

He shrugged. “She just ordered the same drink. That brand of bourbon and all.”

“Really?”

“Yep.”

I glanced over again and lowered my voice. “She alone?”

“Is now. Some guy sidled up to her when she came in a few minutes ago, but he left pretty quickly with his tail between his legs.”

Alrighty then. “Any chance you guys serve food here?”

“Sure do. I’ll grab you a menu.”

Even though I now knew she was alone, I wasn’t too enthused about striking up a conversation with the pretty blonde. Not after she’d just chased another guy away. But when the bartender brought my drink and she looked over, I raised my glass.

“Apparently we ordered the same drink.”

“Whiskey sour?” she asked.

“With Russell’s Reserve Ten-Year.”

She smiled and held up her glass. “To good taste.”

I tipped my glass to her. A minute later, my phone buzzed with a call from Colby. I swiped to answer. “I hope you’re not calling to tell me you dented my car already.”

“No, but how the hell do you put the top back up?”

“You know the button you pushed to drop it?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s the same button to put it back up. You just need to hold it for ten seconds.”

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >101

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The Rocker’s Muse Read Online Penelope Ward http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-rockers-muse-read-online-penelope-ward Mon, 23 Sep 2024 09:23:17 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/the-rockers-muse-read-online-penelope-ward Genre: Alpha Male, Angst, Billionaire, Contemporary, Erotic, Forbidden Authors: Penelope Ward Advertisement

Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 86706 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >89

From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward comes a new, STANDALONE novel…

No one but me knew why I was actually in the California desert that day.
Nestled deep within the desolate, rocky area was a recording studio.
When a door suddenly opened, a man mistook me for someone he was supposed to be interviewing for a job.
The next thing I knew, I was whisked inside.
The position? An assistant on the upcoming tour for one of America’s most famous rock bands.
Pretty exciting opportunity for a twenty-two-year-old, just out of college.
Not surprisingly, I bombed the interview.
When I ended up mistakenly walking into the men’s room on my way out, I struck up a conversation with a stranger—not realizing it was the lead singer, Tristan Daltrey.
He seemed to like the fact that I had no idea who he was, that I saw him as a normal person.
That night, I got a call offering me the job.
So began my complicated story with Tristan.
Millions of women loved him.
Yet for some reason, after the shows, he only wanted to hang out with me.
Late-night talks. Casual dinners in his hotel room.
I wasn’t supposed to be fraternizing with the band’s frontman.
Despite our fifteen-year age difference, Tristan and I had a connection.
But I had a secret.
One that would eventually lead to my leaving the tour.
And one that would lead Tristan and the band straight to the small town where I came from.

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER 1

EMILY

Maybe I should just leave.

In the middle of the California desert, this lone building seemed so out of place. Even so, the one-level, earth-toned structure almost blended in with the natural surroundings. This was definitely a place you went when you didn’t want anyone to find you. There was a small lot behind the building with several high-priced cars parked, but literally nothing else in the vicinity for what seemed like miles.

I felt the pressure of knowing I was about to be kicked off the premises as I wandered around, attempting to peek into windows. Then out of nowhere, a door opened. A man wearing all black came out.

Trying my best to seem casual, I cleared my throat. “Oh, hello.”

“Are you here for the interview?” he asked.

Interview? “Uh…” Clearing my throat, I straightened and lied, “Yes.” What are you doing, Emily?

“Well, then you’re late.”

“I’m…so sorry. Traffic.”

“Well, that’s typical of L.A., isn’t it?” He chuckled. “I instructed the agency to have you call me when you got here. I was just coming out for a smoke, but since you’re here, we can get started.” He turned back toward the door. “Come with me.”

Letting out a shaky breath, I followed him inside. We passed a door that said Control Room, and I could hear the distant sound of drumming and cymbals coming from somewhere in the building.

“I’m sorry for having to drag you out to the desert for this,” he said as I scurried behind him. “But I needed to be here while the band is recording their new album, and figured I’d kill two birds with one stone by having the candidates come out here. We don’t have a ton of time to fill this position.”

He wore a T-shirt with the name of the band on it: Delirious Jones. They were popular these days after some of their songs had gone viral. They’d been around for a while but had only seen real success in the past couple of years. Their music was definitely rock, but usually described as modern, post-grunge.

I continued my ruse. “The ride out here was no problem,” I assured him. “Once I got off the highway, it was quite scenic.”

The man brought me into a kitchen with a vending machine. He pulled out a chair for me, and then sat on the other side of the table. He held out his hand. “Doug Elias, by the way.”

I took it. “Nice to meet you.”

“Did you bring a resume?”

Uh. No, considering I’m not supposed to be interviewing for a job today. I rubbed my palms on my thighs. “No, I’m sorry.”

“Let me check my email. Maybe the agency sent it over.”

I cleared my throat. “Yeah. They said they would.” Gazing out at the desert through the window behind him, I prayed I didn’t get myself into deep shit.

“What’s your name again?” he asked.

I could barely remember it. “Emily Applewood.”

He scrolled through his phone and shook his head. “No. I don’t see anything.”

I straightened and lied again. “That was a misunderstanding, then. I would’ve brought it if I’d known you didn’t already have it.”

“No worries.” He crossed his arms and settled into his seat. “Well, I guess start with your background. What experience do you have?” He opened the notes app on his phone.

“I’m…in between jobs at the moment. I recently graduated from Nevada State University with a degree in communications, but I haven’t really figured out what I want to do with it yet.”

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >89

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The Surrogate Read Online Penelope Ward http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-surrogate-read-online-penelope-ward Fri, 15 Mar 2024 06:57:57 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/the-surrogate-read-online-penelope-ward Genre: Alpha Male, Angst, Contemporary, Forbidden Authors: Penelope Ward Advertisement

Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 96833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >98

From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward comes a new, STANDALONE novel…I’m falling for the father of the baby I’m carrying.The problem it’s not my baby.And the broody widower is not looking for a long-term partner.As a surrogate, the deal was that I’d only be in England long enough to give birth.At first, the man seemed as pretentious as his Sigmund Benedictus.He and I butted heads.Sig challenged my intentions, accused me of just wanting to do this for the money.Gradually, he learned to trust me.He even became protective.Over time, our heated animosity turned into fiery chemistry.I was falling in love with him.But my time here had a limit.I needed to protect my heart from the devastatingly gorgeous older man who’d end up breaking it.When my in-laws told me they wanted to use my dead wife’s eggs to conceive a grandchild, I wasn’t immediately on board.They swore that on her deathbed Britney told them it was what she wanted—but only if I fathered the baby. Her parents insisted they would be the ones to raise it.Against my better judgment, I agreed.I vowed to keep my heart out of it, though.I’d continue to pretend it wasn’t happening and live the empty, single life I’d become accustomed to the past five years since Britney died.And despite the fact that a certain younger American named Abby Knickerbocker had awakened things inside me that I thought were long dead…I most certainly wouldn’t fall in love with the surrogate.

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER 1

* * *

Sig

Track 1: “Rhinoceros” by The Smashing Pumpkins

I might as well have had a rhinoceros in my bed. That snoring had to be what a rhino would sound like.

I never let women stay over at my London flat—ever. But Monica had fallen asleep when I’d gone to the toilet after our encounter last night. I hadn’t had the heart to wake her. And considering her snoring had kept me up most of the night, I’d paid heftily for that decision.

As with the other handful of women I’d slept with in the nearly five years since my wife died, there had been no real spark between Monica and me. In fact, that was exactly how I preferred it. I had no interest in building anything with anyone after Britney. I’d lost my one true love, and no one else was going to compare. I didn’t need to get emotionally involved, nor did I have it in me anymore. So, I intentionally sought out women I knew had no expectations and with whom the chemistry was merely physical.

When Monica’s snoring had first reared its ugly head, I’d tried rolling her over, but to no avail. I’d ended up moving to the guest bedroom. How could someone’s incessant snoring disrupt everyone’s sleep but their own?

I pondered that while staring blankly at the coffee machine, until a knock at my door interrupted my thoughts.

Who the hell is knocking this early?

If I’d known who would be standing on the other side of that door, I would never have opened it—especially since I wasn’t wearing a shirt, and there was a half-naked, snoring woman in my bed.

“What are you doing here?” I asked them as I opened.

“Nice to see you, too,” Phil chided.

My in-laws, Phil and Kate Alexander, stood in the hallway. While they lived in the US, they came to England from time to time to visit Britney’s grave and see me. We’d stayed quite close over the years. Phil had purchased an apartment here that he rented out as an Airbnb, but he kept it open for the weeks he and his wife would visit the UK.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” I asked.

“We emailed you about our trip,” Kate answered. “You never responded.”

I hadn’t checked my personal email account in over a week. “You should’ve texted.”

Phil looked me up and down. “Aren’t you going to invite us in?”

I supposed I had to do that, didn’t I? What choice do I have? “Sure.” I stepped aside. “Of course. Come in.”

After they entered, Phil looked toward my bedroom. “What is that sound?”

“It’s a woman,” I reluctantly admitted.

“Ah. You devil. I should’ve known.” He smacked my arm and turned to his wife. “I told you we should’ve called first.”

“I’m sorry.” I cleared my throat. “This is terribly uncomfortable for me.”

“Nonsense.” Kate waved her hand. “You shouldn’t be uncomfortable. It’s been almost five years. You think we don’t realize you have women over from time to time?”

“I’ve never had someone spend the night, actually. But I’d also never had anyone fall asleep before I could call them a ride.”

“You must’ve entertained her quite well.” Phil smirked.

I cleared my throat again. “She’s been snoring all night, but I haven’t had the heart to wake her.”

“Shall I do the honors, then?” Phil wriggled his brows.

I shrugged. “Go for it.”

He proceeded to yodel for several seconds. Kate and I just looked at each other. Phil was always a bit of an oddball character, so neither of us was surprised. When he stopped, I peeked into the room to find that while Monica was stirring, she hadn’t woken up.

“She’s still asleep,” I announced. “Care for tea?”

“I would love some,” Kate said.

Phil and Kate took seats at my kitchen table.

After boiling some water, I poured their tea and brought two cups over.

A minute later, Monica sauntered in. “Oh.” She scratched her head. “Hello.”

“Monica, these are my in-laws.”

“Your in-laws?” Her eyes widened. “You’re married?”

Phil pretended to be surprised as he looked over at me. “You bastard!”

Monica looked ready to blow.

“He’s only joking. He’s a ballbuster,” I assured her.

“I apologize for my husband’s behavior.” Kate whacked Phil on the arm. “Our daughter was married to Sig, but she passed away several years ago. We’re just visiting. We didn’t know he had anyone over.”

“Oh.” Monica’s expression softened as she looked over at me. “You didn’t say anything about...”

I sipped some tea. “We didn’t say much to each other at all, though, did we?”

“Right.” She looked down at her feet. “Uh…I’d better get going.”

“Alright, then.” I stared into my teacup without making eye contact.

“You have my number,” she said.

“I do.” I nodded once.

Monica left the kitchen. The three of us were quiet as we listened to the sound of her exiting my apartment.

After the door slammed closed, Phil turned to me. “She’ll never hear from you again, will she?”

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >98

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The Holidate Season Read Online Vi Keeland, Penelope Ward http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-holidate-season-read-online-vi-keeland-penelope-ward Mon, 01 Jan 2024 09:41:19 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/the-holidate-season-read-online-vi-keeland-penelope-ward Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary, Novella Authors: Penelope Ward, Vi Keeland Advertisement

Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 76656 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >79

"Get Sleighed"

When my ex dumped me right before Christmas, I was left with a luxury: an all-expense paid trip for two to Cabo—private jet and all. Somehow, my best friend roped me into giving away the other half of the trip as a contest prize on her podcast. Kelly won the “World’s Worst Dump Story”. She and I didn’t meet until we arrived at the airport, which was when I discovered she was actually a he. Apparently, we’d forgotten to include open-to-women-only in the rules. My trip to Cabo started as a disaster, but as time went on Kelly and I grew close. Until someone unexpectedly showed up....

"Lights Out Love"

Cole is utterly annoyed by his neighbor Josie’s obnoxious Christmas display. When she blows out power on the street, he marches over and lets her know what he thinks of the mess she’s made. But when the only generator in town brings the two nemeses together...the Christmas display isn’t the only thing burning bright.

"Hot Item"

Getting into a fight with a sexy stranger over the last hot toy on the shelf was not the way I intended to spend Christmas Eve. And I certainly didn’t plan on spending hours more trying to win a contest to decide who would get to buy it. But when our time is up, would the toy be the only hot item I wanted to take home?

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

SARAH

“What are you doing tomorrow?”

My best friend, Jane, had been calling every day since my breakup, trying to get me to go out. But I just wasn’t ready yet.

“Anything that doesn’t involve men,” I said. “I’m pretty sure I’ve developed an allergy.”

“This is most definitely a man-free activity. Can you be at the recording studio at nine?”

“Where are we going?”

“Nowhere. My guest for tomorrow just canceled. I need you to fill in.”

Jane was the host of a hugely successful podcast called Fun with Dick and Jane. There wasn’t actually a cohost named Dick. The title referred to the subject matter of the show—dating dicks. I’d been a guest a few times before.

“I don’t know how much fun I’ll be. What’s the topic?”

“Well, my guest was supposed to be Cheri Lord, the woman who just wrapped that reality TV show where your exes get to pick who you should date. Did you see it?”

“No, I didn’t, but I saw it advertised.”

“You have to watch it. It was a shit show. She cheated on most of her exes, so they all picked serial cheaters and assholes. Anyway, tomorrow’s show was billed as ‘The Ex Factor – learning from your mistakes.’ So you’ll be perfect.”

I sighed. “Will you come with me to Cabo the day after Christmas if I do it?”

“You know I wish I could. I’ve never been on a private plane before. But the show has me doing appearances in New York since I’m going to my parents’ for Christmas. Trust me, I would much rather be on your fancy vacation than doing that. Every time they make me do these dumb things, at least one creepy guy shows up and just stares at me from the back of the room as I talk. And there’s always an old biddy who raises her hand like she wants to ask a question, but then lectures me on improving my language or acting more like a lady on the show. Did you ask Emily if she can go?”

“She’s going to Virginia to meet the parents of that new guy she’s dating.”

I really didn’t want to go to Mexico alone, but I also wasn’t giving up the amazing trip my ex had bought me for my thirtieth birthday last month—an all-expense-paid vacation for two to Cabo San Lucas, on a private jet with a stay at a five-star hotel that I could never afford, even if I flew coach. When Trent had dumped me two weeks ago, telling me he’d fallen for his nineteen-year-old assistant, he’d suggested I take a friend. I was pretty certain the idiot hadn’t paid for the trip anyway, probably just put it on his daddy’s black card, like everything else in his spoiled life. Whatever. I’m not bitter or anything…

“So will you be tomorrow’s guest? Pleeeeease.”

I really didn’t feel like it, but Jane was always there for me. “Sure, no problem.”

“Awesome. I’ll bring Bloody Marys for breakfast.”

The next morning, I arrived at the recording studio a few minutes before nine. Jane kissed my cheek and handed me a cocktail with celery, bacon, and olives sticking out. “Think you can come up with five signs that the new guy you just met is destined to be your ex?” she asked.

I snort laughed. “If I could, I probably wouldn’t still be single.”

Jane waved me off. “Just make up something that sounds clinical. You’re good at sounding smart.”

I polished off the last of my Bloody Mary during the ten-second countdown before we were live. Jane opened the show with her usual taglines, and then did a plug for one of her sponsors before introducing me.

“Ladies, I have a treat for you today! The one and only Sarah McGraw is here to discuss all our screwed-up relationships. If you’re a new listener and haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Sarah yet, let me give you the lowdown. Sarah is a graduate of Brown University—summa cum laude, because she’s no slouch. She holds a PhD in clinical psychology and is a practicing marriage counselor right here in sunny Los Angeles. More importantly, she’s been my best friend since we were four years old and was the only person to warn me not to date Tommy Finnegan in high school, even though I did it anyway, and he dumped me a half hour after he took my virginity. So please give a warm Fun with Dick and Jane welcome to Sarah as she helps us see the warning flags about the men we meet before we open up our hearts and wallets to them!”

I smiled and spoke into the microphone. “Wow, that’s some introduction. Thank you. Tommy Finnegan, huh? That’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time.”

Jane laughed. “He was so damn good looking. Tommy, if you’re out there listening—or if any of our listeners know a Tommy Finnegan who graduated from Carnegie High in New York in 2010—I’d love to see a photo of him now.”

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >79

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The Rules of Dating (The Laws of Opposite Attract #3) Read Online Vi Keeland, Penelope Ward http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-rules-of-dating-the-laws-of-opposite-attract-3-read-online-vi-keeland-penelope-ward Sat, 25 Nov 2023 22:13:12 +0000 https://www.booksnovels.com/the-rules-of-dating-the-laws-of-opposite-attract-3-read-online-vi-keeland-penelope-ward Genre: Alpha Male, Angst, Contemporary, Drama, Funny Authors: Penelope Ward, Vi Keeland Series: Penelope Ward
Series: The Laws of Opposite Attract Series by Vi Keeland
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Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 105253 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >107

From New York Times bestselling authors Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland comes a new standalone romance.
Rule number one for having a one-night Don’t fall for the girl.
After a lengthy dating slump, I finally met someone who sparked my interest.
Well, first the sparks flew when we argued. Later in the evening those sparks ignited into something more.
I was drawn to Devyn, in a way I hadn’t felt in a really long time.
Needless to say, I was disappointed when she abruptly left after our amazing night together.
I couldn’t stop thinking about her. But she hadn’t even given me her number.
In a city with eight-million people, I figured I’d never see Devyn again.
So imagine my surprise when I knocked on the door of an apartment in the building I lived in, and none other than my one-night stand stood on the other side.
If I thought Devyn didn’t want anything to do with me before, that was nothing compared to how she felt after finding out I was the landlord and she was about to be evicted…

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER 1

Owen

“Earth to Owen.”

Billie, my buddy’s wife, waved her hand in front of my face.

I blinked a few times. “Sorry, what did you say?”

“I didn’t say anything.” She motioned to my phone. “But you’ve been on that damn thing for the last half hour. We’re at a bar for happy hour, and you didn’t even notice the woman who sidled up next to you and was trying to get your attention.”

I looked to my left. The seat was empty.

Billie shook her head. “She’s long gone, buddy. But what is so important on that phone?”

“Nothing really. Just catching up on work emails.”

“You know what you need?”

“What?”

“A tattoo, a nipple piercing, and a few shots of tequila.”

I chuckled. “First off, that list sounds like it’s in the wrong order. I’d need the tequila in order to even consider the other two, and it would have to be a hell of a lot more than a few shots for me to get a nipple pierced. I’ve never understood the fascination.”

Billie shrugged. “It’s sexy.”

“What’s sexy?” My buddy Colby returned from the bathroom. He slung his arm around his wife’s neck. “It better be me you’re talking about.”

“I’m talking about nipple piercing.”

Colby grimaced. “It freaking hurt, man.”

My eyes bulged. “You, tight-ass Colby Lennon, got your nipple pierced?”

“The wife likes it. So why not?”

I shook my head. “Never thought I’d see the day, dude.”

Colby knocked back the rest of the beer in his glass. “Why are you two talking about nipple piercings, anyway?”

“Owen needs to get his nose out of his cell.” Billie motioned to the packed bar. “This place is filled with hot women, and he’s sitting here answering emails.”

While Billie was right, I just wasn’t in the mood to talk to women tonight. In fact, I hadn’t been in the mood a lot lately. No one sparked my interest. So I’d thrown myself into my work even more than usual the last few months.

“You know what you need to do?” Colby asked.

“Let me guess…a tattoo, a nipple piercing, and a few shots of tequila?”

Colby grinned. “Nah. You need to pay our bar tab. Because the little wifey and I only have the sitter for another half hour, and I’m going to ditch you to suck this beautiful woman’s face in the alley next door before we have to head home.”

I smiled. “You got it, man. Go enjoy. I’ll talk to you later.”

After we said goodbye, I tried to get the bartender’s attention to close out our tab, but he was busy. So I headed to the men’s room to get rid of some of the tequila and soda I’d drunk. The hallway that led to the restrooms had a long line of women waiting, but the men’s was practically empty. As I relieved myself, my phone rang. I dug it out of my pocket to answer, only to realize it hadn’t been my phone making noise after all. The one other guy in here had just left, so I zipped up and walked around the empty men’s room, looking for where the sound was coming from. I found the culprit in the second stall, on top of the toilet-paper holder.

Phones were a grand or more these days, so I figured it would be safer to give the cell to the bartender. Otherwise, some drunk guy might stick it in his pocket. But before I made it back to the bar, it started buzzing again. I thought maybe the owner was calling his phone to find out where he’d left it, so I swiped to answer.

“Hello?”

“Uh…who’s this?” a woman asked.

“This is Owen.”

“Owen, why do you have Devyn’s phone?”

“I just found this cell in the men’s room.”

“The men’s room where?”

“At the bar—Polo Place on Twenty-first.”

“Shoot. That’s what I was worried about. My friend had a bad day—a bad week, actually.”

“Can he not hold his liquor or something?”

“He is a she, and no, she’s pretty much a lightweight. It takes her three sips to finish a shot, and a frozen margarita is liquid by the time she’s gotten through half of it.”

“Devyn is a she? I found her phone in the men’s room.”

“Was there a long line for the ladies’?”

“Actually, there was.”

“Then she would have used the men’s room. Devyn hates public restrooms. So she waits until the last second, thinking she can hold it until she gets home. Then it turns into an urgent situation, and she has to go wherever she can. That’s often the men’s room in bars.”

“Why does she hate public restrooms? Is she a germaphobe or something?”

“No, she’s had two bad experiences. The first time, she was a teenager in an Applebee’s. The stall wouldn’t lock, so she closed it as best she could. But a drunk lady barged in and puked all over her lap while she was hovering over the toilet bowl peeing.”

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