Chick Lit – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read

Chick Lit – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.ilovenovels.com Wed, 13 May 2026 18:52:54 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.2 http://www.ilovenovels.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/favicon.png Chick Lit – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.ilovenovels.com 32 32 Callous Love (New York Underworld #5) Read Online Charmaine Pauls http://www.ilovenovels.com/callous-love-new-york-underworld-5-read-online-charmaine-pauls Wed, 13 May 2026 18:52:54 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/callous-love-new-york-underworld-5-read-online-charmaine-pauls Genre: Alpha Male, Chick Lit, Dark, Mafia Authors: Charmaine Pauls Series: New York Underworld Series by Charmaine Pauls
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Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 127249 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)

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He can never know about the life we created in a bed of lies, because the man I called my lover is the monster who killed my parents, and I’m next on the list.

From USA Today bestselling author Charmaine Pauls comes an intense and steamy emotional dark mafia romance with tropes including secret baby, second chance, forbidden love, forced marriage, betrayal, revenge and redemption, possessive alpha male, touch her and die, and a strong female lead.

I know what it’s like to be used. Dante ruined me for the sake of his revenge. He destroyed me for his selfish gain without thinking twice.

What he doesn’t know is that we created something pure and innocent in that bed of lies. We made a new life, one I have to hide from him at all costs, because the man I called my lover is the cold-hearted monster who killed my parents, and I’m next on the list. He left me with no choice but to run.

For five long years, I’ve been hiding, barely surviving, always outsmarting the men who hunt me while Dante’s ghost stalks my shadows and haunts my thoughts. And now that he’s caught a whiff of my scent, he’s like a bloodhound on my trail.

He’s out to finish what he started. I’m the last obstacle standing between him and the fortune he stole from my family. But this isn’t a fairy tale, and I’m not that girl anymore. I decide how my story ends.

Callous Love is the second book in the Callous Duet and concludes Tatiana and Dante's story. Callous Desire must be read first. The duet is part of the dark mafia romance New York Underworld series (Books 4 & 5). You don't have to read the other books in the series to follow this duet

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

Chapter

One

Tatiana, age nineteen

* * *

“You’ll marry

Joni Stein. I don’t want to hear another word about it. The contract is signed, so it’s as good as cast in stone.”

My father’s dismissive wave as he indicates my time is up makes me shrivel inside. He’s already returned his attention to his laptop, my presence in his study ignored or forgotten.

Angry tears stream down my cheeks. I’m shaking with the injustice of my father’s decision and my helplessness to change that fate.

All my life, I’ve been a good, obedient daughter, always doing what I’m told and what’s expected of me. I’ve been a cum laude student with straight As in all my subjects. I sit through tedious dinners and parties I have no interest in attending without complaining, wearing the dresses my parents deem appropriate. I say please and thank you. My parents’ friends tell them how lucky they are to have had it so easy with me during my adolescent years. But if I were hoping that my exemplary behavior and hard work would make my father proud or win his approval, I was mistaken.

He looks up from his screen, irritation written all over his face. “You’re still here.”

“Father, please.” My voice cracks. “Mr. Stein is fifty years old.”

And he’s fat and ugly, not to mention vulgar. He always looks down the front of my dress or pinches my backside when my mom isn’t looking. But I don’t say that.

“Exactly.” My father stabs a few keys on his keyboard. “That’s why he has no time to waste in producing an heir.”

“But he’s married,” I exclaim.

“His wife is dying. It’s only a matter of time.” My father hits enter a couple of times and squints behind his glasses. “Just as well, seeing that the useless wretch is barren.”

“But…” I swallow through my tears. “That’s improper.”

“We agreed to wait until your twenty-first birthday. The old hag should kick the bucket by next year if not sooner, and then he’ll mourn the customary year. Nothing about that is improper. It’s all done by the book.”

“Please, Father, I beg you.”

He slams a hand on the desk, rattling his teacup and the plate with his afternoon kolaczki cookies. “Begging is beneath you. You’re a Teszner. We do not beg.”

The violence makes me jump. “I just meant⁠—”

“That’s enough,” he barks out. “You’ll do your duty for this family like the rest of us. Now get out of my sight.”

Blinded by my tears, I stumble from the study.

“And close the door behind you,” my father calls after me. “I’ve had enough disruptions for one day.”

Suppressing the urge to slam the door, which will only earn me a punishment, I do as my father commands.

My mother waits on the other side. “Oh, Tiana.” Her soft blue eyes are brimming with tears. “I’m so sorry.”

It takes every ounce of willpower I possess not to melt down. “Did you know?”

Averting her eyes, she nods. “For a couple of months or so. I did my best to change his mind, but he wouldn’t listen.”

She tries to hug me, but I dodge her embrace and rush across the foyer.

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Captivating Curse (Bellamy Brothers #9) Read Online Helen Hardt http://www.ilovenovels.com/captivating-curse-bellamy-brothers-9-read-online-helen-hardt Thu, 23 Apr 2026 23:10:08 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/captivating-curse-bellamy-brothers-9-read-online-helen-hardt Genre: Alpha Male, Chick Lit, Erotic, Suspense Authors: Helen Hardt Series: Bellamy Brothers Series by Helen Hardt
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Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 71949 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)

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Enter a world of mystery, suspense, sin, and heart-wrenching emotion with Helen Hardt's Bellamy Brothers series!

She chooses sacrifice over survival.

He will damn himself to bring her back.

Daniela Agudelo has spent her life paying for the sins of men who believed they owned her. This time, the choice is hers, and it’s the most dangerous one yet. To save an innocent child she loves, Daniela offers the one thing she swore no one would ever take from her again.

Hawk Bellamy refuses to let her disappear.

As Daniela vanishes into the jaws of her past, Hawk risks his fortune, his freedom, and the carefully controlled life he’s built to find her. Every secret he uncovers drags him deeper into a truth he’s spent his life denying—his father’s legacy isn’t clean, and the darkness threatening Daniela may be rooted in his own blood.

Daniela already knows what she’s willing to sacrifice. Now Hawk must choose what he’s willing to destroy to save her

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

PROLOGUE

HAWK

Eagle nods once, heavy, as the sedative crawls up his veins. “Outside your door,” he whispers. “The night I…went down.” His lashes flutter. “Somebody didn’t want me telling you what I found out about Dad…”

Everything inside me goes still. “What about Dad?”

“Dad and…” His tongue trips. “D—D—D…” The syllables stumble, break apart. His eyes roll, slow as tide. He tries again. “D⁠—”

The last consonant dies on his lips. His mouth softens. The sedative wins.

I turn to the nurse. “Is he okay?”

The nurse is already smoothing the line, already changing the monitor range. “He’s fine,” she says. “He needs sleep. His body’s been through a lot. He’ll likely be out the rest of the night.” She lifts her gaze to mine. “You can come back in the morning.”

“Yeah,” I say, though morning feels a lifetime away. “I’ll do that.”

Falcon watches me from the door.

“I’ve got something to attend to,” I tell him.

“Reyes.”

I nod.

The hallway feels too bright.

I take the elevator down, grab my car from the valet.

The night outside feels wrong, air thick and wet. I drive with my knuckles raw from earlier, the bandage already spotted through.

The drive is slow and dark, but I finally make it.

The old barn crouches on the edge of our land. No lights. No sounds but crickets.

I kill the engine and listen. Nothing. Good. I want quiet.

Gravel crunches under my boots. The barn door gives with a long, complaining groan.

My eyes adjust quickly.

The chair.

My skin crawls with tiny invisible feet.

What the fuck?

The chair waits where I left it.

Empty.

For a second my brain refuses to believe what my eyes are seeing. The shape is wrong. That’s all. Reyes is slumped. Head down. I step closer.

The rope is cut. The rag I used to gag him in a heap on the ground.

I go cold and hot at once.

“Reyes,” I say into the dark.

Silence answers.

I cross to the stool where I left the plate. The fork sits on top and the plate is licked clean. He ate every bite.

Something glints at the base of the post. I crouch. A sliver of metal.

Fuck. It’s half a hacksaw blade. Where the hell did he get that?

I follow the scrape marks to the side door. Outside, weeds bend in two lines to the service path. Not footsteps. Knees. He crawled, or someone dragged him. The tracks vanish in the gravel.

My skin prickles.

I scan the rafters. The beams.

Nothing.

Motherfucker.

I pull my phone out of my pocket. No bars. I step toward the big doors. One bar. Then none.

He was tied. He was gagged. He was mine. And now he’s air.

Eagle’s voice punches through my head, slurred and stubborn. Outside your door. Didn’t want me telling you what I found about Dad… D-D-D…

Dad and what. Dad and who. Dad and D.

The barn tilts.

If Reyes is out, he’s either running or hunting. Maybe both. If he’s running, he goes home, grabs the diary, burns the pictures, resets the board before I can move. If he’s hunting⁠—

No.

I replay every knot I tied. Every check. Every lock. There’s a gap I didn’t see. There has to be.

I walk the perimeter again, slow this time, eyes on small things. I inhale.

Something hits me.

Motor oil?

No. Almost like soap, but stronger.

Fuck.

Cheap aftershave.

The same ghost Eagle muttered about through meds. Aftershave in a garage somewhere. A smell that doesn’t belong to my barn or to Reyes.

He didn’t get out alone.

My mouth goes dry.

My phone vibrates. I yank it out. One bar now.

A new text from a number I don’t recognize.

It’s a photo. Grainy. It’s the barn. Two figures. One slumped, one upright. A third shape in the foreground—just the hint of a shoulder. Whoever took it is almost in the frame.

Under it is a message.

Nice knots, Bellamy. Try harder.

My pulse goes flat. I lift my head into the dark and grin without humor.

“You want to play?” I say to the ghost of cheap aftershave riding the night air. “Okay.”

A second buzz. Another photo pops up. Close-up this time. Reyes’s wrist, chafed and bleeding, hand giving the camera a lazy thumbs-up. On his ring finger, a smear of something darker than dirt.

And then a third—a shot of a safe keypad. Not mine. Not his. Looks like a stock image. Just numbers lit in cold blue. The code fields blank. The caption under it:

Tick-tock.

The screen goes black.

I stand in the doorway of the barn, fists opening and closing, knuckles burning under old blood and new.

Eagle’s last stuttered syllable scrapes through me again. D—D—D⁠—

Dad and who?

Reyes is gone.

Then I see them.

More texts.

From Daniela, sent hours ago.

Belinda is missing. DHS revoked her temporary protected status.

This quickly? What the fuck?

My breath catches in my throat.

I stopped being the good son. I embraced chaos, did what felt right in the moment.

Pandora’s box has been opened, and that same chaos has now cursed everything I touch.

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Maybe It’s Fate Read Online Heidi McLaughlin http://www.ilovenovels.com/maybe-its-fate-read-online-heidi-mclaughlin Fri, 03 Apr 2026 23:14:43 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/maybe-its-fate-read-online-heidi-mclaughlin Genre: Alpha Male, Chick Lit, Contemporary Authors: Heidi McLaughlin Advertisement

Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 106772 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)

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In a moving story of love and loss, a corporate consultant leaves her life behind to care for her dying friend’s children—and finds hope with the small-town coach who steps up to the plate with her.

From the author of The Art of Starting Over comes a heartfelt portrait of what it means to build a family, as a young woman navigates grief, guardianship, and the bittersweet gift of falling in love.

The only thing that could pull Antonia Bernardi away from her high-powered career is her lifelong best friend. And with two children and a cruel prognosis, Miriam Vaughn needs her now more than ever.

Antonia drops everything—her job, her relationship—to be there for the Vaughns. Playing mom to Miriam’s teenage son and seven-year-old daughter is a tall order made heavier by grief. But the kids need her, and she needs them.

Then there’s the boy’s coach and mentor, former MLB star Weston Schmidt. He’s a pillar of support, a safe space for Antonia to rest. But there’s too much going on to even think about romance … or maybe that’s exactly why they should.

Adjusting to life without her best friend, Antonia leans into her new role as guardian, doing work she loves and repairing the old farmhouse Miriam cherished. Nothing can stop the world from spinning—but Antonia has every reason to keep on going

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

Prologue

At seventeen, you thought you had your entire world figured out. Your parents were wrong about everything, and the boy you were in love with—the one everyone had warned you about—was the love of your life. Deep down, a part of you knew he was going to hurt you, destroy your faith in men, in the world. But you didn’t care because, at that moment, he was your whole world, and he’d told you there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for you.

Except stick around when the line on the stick turned pink or blue or appeared twice. And while you were happy because a baby meant you’d be with him forever, he had other ideas.

As did your parents. They were deeply religious and didn’t understand why you’d insisted on disobeying them. Why would you throw your life away for a boy who didn’t care about anyone but himself?

I love him, Daddy.

Love wasn’t enough. At least not to him.

Love meant something else to him, and as long as everything was just the two of you, there weren’t any issues.

Three of you became a problem.

I lay back and stared at the blue sky. I tried to imagine the clouds forming those shapes everyone saw when they gazed upward, but all I saw were mounds of cotton balls floating off to someplace better than where we were.

My best friend, Antonia, lay beside me, her hand in mine, staring at the same sky, the same clouds, the same nothingness.

“Maybe I should do what my parents want and give the baby up for adoption.” Instinctively, my hand covered my lower abdomen, where my little pea nestled.

“I can go with you, if you want to speak to someone about it.”

Antonia had always been by my side since we were three. Although I didn’t remember us at three, four, or five, I did remember us starting kindergarten together. Our teachers called us “inseparable busybodies,” and they wanted us in different classes. The joke was on them. The powers that be, thanks to Antonia’s aunt being the registrar at school, put us in the same class every single year. It wasn’t until junior high that we had different classes.

Different likes.

Always best friends.

“What if I keep her?”

“Is it a girl?”

I lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “I guess it could be a boy.”

“Or twins.”

I groaned at the thought and covered my face as a fresh wave of tears began to fall. “What have I done?”

Antonia let go of my hand and propped herself up on her elbow. “Nothing that any of our classmates haven’t done. We’re graduating soon, Miriam. Things will be okay. You can still go to college if you want.”

I did want to, but I knew my parents wouldn’t foot the bill if I had this baby. I’d heard about some programs, though. The government gave a lot of financial aid to single moms, and I could take out a school loan.

“If I keep this baby, we won’t be able to go to school together.” Going away to a big school like the University of Arizona had been our dream. Now it was just Antonia’s unless I made the right decision. Or the wrong decision. It was hard to know which decision fell into the right category.

“If you keep this baby, you’ll be a mom, Miri.”

“I know.” My words were barely above a whisper. Being a mom was something I’d always said I’d do. Sure, I wanted a career, but I wanted children too. I just never thought I’d be a mom at eighteen.

“When do you have to decide?”

Without asking, I knew what she meant. I supposed when you were early in your pregnancy, everything was on the table.

“Soon.” I already knew I wouldn’t be able to do it, to follow through with ending my pregnancy. The father—the boy—I had considered the love of my life didn’t want anything to do with me or his child. He’d walked out on me, saying he had bigger dreams and aspirations than working some nine-to-five job so he could buy diapers and formula. This was news to me, since he’d already dropped out of high school and had a part-time gig at the auto shop.

Antonia lay back down, scooching closer to me. We tilted our heads toward one another, both sighing.

“Maybe my parents can help?”

She had the best parents. Renzo and Carmela Bernardi were kind and gentle, and they let Antonia and her siblings, Rocco and Isabella, do anything they wanted, as long as they obeyed the law.

“Renzo would hunt . . . him . . . down.” I couldn’t even bring myself to say his name. Anyone who walked out on their pregnant girlfriend didn’t deserve a name.

“He would.” Antonia squeezed my hand. “So would Rocco.”

The thought of her family helping me this way brought more tears to my eyes. Why couldn’t my parents feel the same way?

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Petty in Pink Read Online L.J. Shen http://www.ilovenovels.com/petty-in-pink-read-online-l-j-shen Thu, 26 Feb 2026 08:21:06 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/petty-in-pink-read-online-l-j-shen Genre: Alpha Male, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Funny, Novella Authors: L.J. Shen Advertisement

Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 39947 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 200(@200wpm)___ 160(@250wpm)___ 133(@300wpm)

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Return to the bestselling world of The Devil Wears Black in this Valentine’s Day spin-off where longtime friends with benefits unwittingly find themselves in a serious predicament.

In New York Times bestselling author L.J. Shen’s valentine-themed novella, a surprise pregnancy shakes up expectations between a romance-phobe and her longtime hookup who’s always wanted more.

Layla Schmidt has artfully dodged Cupid’s arrows for six years now, keeping things casual with her standing booty call—no romance, no strings.

As far as Layla’s concerned, it’s the perfect setup. For both of them. With her painful track record, the lively teacher wants nothing to do with commitment, and Grant Gerwig, dedicated oncologist, is too busy for it. Truthfully, Grant wants to make the time, but he knows better than to push where Layla won’t budge.

Their emotional standstill can’t last forever, though.

When a coworker’s wedding brings a blast from Layla’s past, it blows a hole through her future too. Swirling emotions lead to impulsive decisions, and after an adrenaline-fueled night, she finds herself pregnant.

Layla and Grant have a lot to talk about…and a lot to prepare for. Falling in love was never supposed to be part of their equation, but even the best-laid plans unfold with some surprises along the way

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

Chapter One

Layla

Valentine’s Day, 2023

“This is giving strong undecided vibes,” I told Maddie on the phone, squinting at an appetizer that peered back at me.

“Layla, you’re at their wedding,” my best friend said, snorting. “I’m pretty sure they’re serious about each other.”

“Don’t be. Choosing Valentine’s Day as your wedding date, thereby ruining everyone else’s plans?” I scoffed as I put down the weird shrimp appetizer with the buggy eyes. “And making all the guests wear pink? Regardless of splotchy skin tone? They’re trying to compensate for something. I better investigate.”

I moved down the mile-long table of appetizers. The tablecloths were red, and black-and-white heart-shaped confetti covered every surface of the floor. I was a big fan of the show, don’t tell rule. Not only when it came to the books I consumed, but also to the people I spent my time with. And this was screaming telling. What did they have to prove?

Usually, the cocktail hour was my favorite part of the wedding—the only tolerable part, actually—but this time the food selection was too fancy. A mix of caviar, seafood, and soup shooters in tiny pink glasses. It felt like I was in some kind of extravagant detox rehab, minus the celebrities and comfy yoga pants.

Maddie snickered. “How’d you get roped into attending some strangers’ wedding, anyway?”

“Hey, she is not a stranger. She’s honestly the closest thing I’ve ever had to a sister.”

“Wow. Fighting words right there. Thanks a bunch, L.”

I’d only known the bride, Kellianne, for two months. She was my new teacher’s assistant at Bright Horizons Academy. But she was sweet and motivated, and she didn’t run away screaming when we got the Twos class, notoriously the most difficult age group. I showed her the ropes and invited her to our weekly drinks and monthly spicy book club meetups. She was a recent arrival to the city, and I’d learned she was trying to build new friendships. So when she asked if I could come, mentioning that only her close family was able to afford coming and that the groom had over three hundred guests, I caved.

“Listen, I usually go through three teaching assistants a year whenever I get the Twos class. One time a PTO mom had to step in for a full semester before we found someone to brave those little angels.” I plucked a champagne glass from the long table, then took a sip. “Kellianne stuck around. We are sisters-in-arms. I’d give her an internal organ if she ever needs one.” I smoothed down my pink satin dress with my free hand, peering around the grand marble lobby of the Central Park hotel where the wedding was taking place.

The couple might not be in love, but one of them was definitely rich. I’m talking golden-toilets-and-Dolce-&-Gabbana-toasters rich. A Danish prince had gotten married here two weeks ago.

“Is the food decent, at least?” Maddie sighed.

“I just had a stare-off with a shrimp. I hope that answers your question.”

“It does. But now I have to vomit again.”

“Sorry. Why is it that the more bougie the event is, the less edible the food is?”

“That question is way above my pay grade.” I heard Maddie cracking open a can of what I assumed was her seventh ginger ale today. “Isn’t it in that new hotel? Are there any dashing eligible bachelors to speak of?”

I scanned the room again. Everyone was paired off or huddled together into groups. I guessed the groom was in investment, or something equally soulless. The tall-white-men-with-Ivy-League-haircut percentage was out of control.

Virtually every person in the room had their back to me. Not that I could blame them. I stuck out like a brain cell in a flat-earther convention, with my electric green hair and red-hot lipstick.

There were a few fine-looking men, but I would bet my left boob that all of them wouldn’t have swiped right for me on an app, or vice versa. It was an energy thing. Theirs was will-not-be-seen-alive-in-anything-cheaper-than-Prada, and my energy gave off will-drink-water-from-the-pickle-jar-for-twenty-bucks vibes.

“No one that passes the vibe check,” I drawled to the phone, taking another sip of my bubbly drink. “I’ll just show my face, say my congratulations, and move along with my life.”

Said life currently included watching the last season of The Great British Bake Off and ordering pad Thai while wearing compression socks, but whatever. I wasn’t hurting anybody.

“Hey, am I hearing Ms. Rachel in the background?” I tapered my eyes.

“The answer depends on whether you’re going to chide me for giving my child screen time or not.”

“Not.”

“Then yes, Caitie’s Classroom is on.”

“What’s my godson still doing up?” I pulled the phone away from my ear to check the time. It was nine. Who the hell gets married at nine?

“I put him to bed an hour ago. I’m just too lazy to stand up and grab the remote. This pregnancy is killing me.”

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Her Cougar (Shifted Love #13) Read Online Fiona Davenport http://www.ilovenovels.com/her-cougar-shifted-love-13-read-online-fiona-davenport Wed, 07 Jan 2026 10:41:14 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/her-cougar-shifted-love-13-read-online-fiona-davenport Genre: Alpha Male, Chick Lit, Dragons, Fantasy/Sci-fi, Magic, Paranormal, Virgin Authors: Fiona Davenport Series: Shifted Love Series by Fiona Davenport
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Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)

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After aging out of foster care, Elodie Chase survived a year on her own. When a storm forced her to park near a remote construction site, she expected nothing more than another night of keeping her head down. Instead, she found Garner Wilder—a man who made her feel safe before she understood why.

Garner knew Elodie was his mate the moment he scented her. The human woman with tired eyes called to his cougar like nothing ever had. And when sabotage threatened his project—and her safety—he refused to let her out of his sight.

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

PROLOGUE

ELODIE

Icouldn’t remember a single birthday that had felt special, but this was the worst of the bunch.

Everything I owned was stuffed into the backpack I’d used throughout high school, a cheap duffel, and a black garbage bag. At eighteen years old, I officially aged out of the foster system. Which meant no more payments from the state to my foster parent. And since I graduated a semester early, she didn’t see any reason to let me stay.

The screen door creaked behind me before closing with a soft click. Mrs. Jarvis hovered just inside the frame. “You’ve got all your stuff?”

I hefted the duffel over my shoulder. “Yeah.”

“Okay then.” She gave a stiff nod. “Good luck out there.”

I didn’t know why I expected more from her. I wasn’t even sure what exactly. Maybe reassurance of some kind that I’d be okay…or even a hug. Which was silly since she’d always been more about checking boxes to make sure she got paid than showing actual concern for my well-being. Now there was no more money to be had from housing me, so even that minimal level of worry was apparently a thing of the past.

I stepped off the porch without bothering to reply, my boots crunching against the gravel. There wasn’t a single person waiting for me. No safety net. Just me.

My throat tightened, but I squared my shoulders and reminded myself that I’d gotten this far without the kind of support most teenagers took for granted. I just had to keep going. There wasn’t really any other choice.

I’d just reached the mailbox when a familiar thump sounded behind me. Squeezing my eyes shut, I took a deep breath. I’d almost escaped without crying, but here came the one creature capable of breaking me.

Knowing exactly what I’d find, I turned around. Mr. Pickles waddled toward me, his round belly swaying side to side. The cantankerous tabby head-butted my shin and let out a gravelly yowl that I assumed was a complaint about me leaving without saying goodbye.

I set my bags on the ground and crouched to stroke his back. “Hey, buddy.”

He pushed his face into my palm, purring so loudly it rattled his ribs.

“I know,” I whispered, scratching under his chin the way he liked. “I don’t want to go either.”

He meowed, then pawed at my bag as if he wanted to come with me.

A laugh bubbled up, thick with emotion. “Pretty pathetic that the only one I’ll miss is a cat named Mr. Pickles.”

It made sense, though. He was the only one in that house who ever sought me out on purpose. The closest thing I’d ever had to family was a fat, grumpy cat. And I had to walk away from him because I had no idea how I was going to take care of myself, let alone a pet.

“Thanks for making this place bearable.” I gave him one last scratch before picking up my bags and straightening. “Give the next foster kid she takes in a chance. They’re going to need all the help they can get.”

I would too, but there was nothing Mr. Pickles could do about that. So I forced myself to turn around. Then I adjusted the straps of my backpack and started walking. The bus station was a mile away, and I’d already mapped out the route in my head. From there, I’d go wherever the cheapest fare would take me. Somewhere that wasn’t quite as hot, just in case I couldn’t find an inexpensive hostel. I needed my money to stretch as far as it could.

I had two hundred and forty-three dollars tucked into my wallet. A backpack with a couple of changes of clothes, toiletries, a few books, and a folder with my important documents—birth certificate, social security card, diploma, and immunization records. The trash bag and duffel held the rest of my meager belongings.

That was it.

As soon as I arrived wherever I ended up, I needed to get a job. Any job. I couldn’t afford to be picky.

Maybe even two jobs since I was willing to work long hours.

I’d save every extra dollar until I could afford a car. Something that meant I had a place to crash if I outstayed my welcome anywhere—with the added bonus of being transportation too.

Needing help wasn’t an option because there was no one left to ask.

The plan was simple enough to be comforting.

It was also terrifying with how easily it could fall apart.

But it was all I had for now.

1

ELODIE

Over the past year, I’d gotten farther from my hometown than I ever expected. I had stayed in a couple of big cities, where I enjoyed the anonymity, but it hadn’t taken long for me to realize they weren’t what I wanted long term. I felt less lonely surrounded by people who liked to get into each other’s business, so I stuck with smaller towns as I made my way west.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >24

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Clubs (Aces Underground #3) Read Online Helen Hardt http://www.ilovenovels.com/clubs-aces-underground-3-read-online-helen-hardt Wed, 07 Jan 2026 10:40:57 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/clubs-aces-underground-3-read-online-helen-hardt Genre: Alpha Male, Chick Lit, Erotic Authors: Helen Hardt Series: Aces Underground Series by Helen Hardt
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Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 83961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >85

The deeper they dig, the darker the rabbit hole becomes.

Renowned surgeon Harrison O’Rourke is starting to panic. His two friends said they were going on a trip, but a month has passed with no word and no trace of them anywhere. When the trail leads him to Chicago’s shadowy Aces Underground, Harrison forces his way inside, determined to look for clues.

Bianca Montrose once chased Broadway dreams, but New York chewed her up and spit her out. Now she sings in the smoky corners of her sister’s exclusive underground club, a place built on secrets and silence. When handsome Harrison O’Rourke slips inside looking for answers, Bianca smuggles him in…and one charged moment between them sparks a chemistry neither can ignore.

Their attraction is instant. Their connection is dangerous.

And the club is watching.

As Harrison and Bianca begin peeling back the layers of Aces Underground, they uncover whispers, lies, and a network of power that doesn’t tolerate curiosity. Every step pulls them toward the truth as secrets sharpen, danger rises, and the fire between them blazes hotter.

Together, they might expose Aces Underground…or be swallowed by it

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

1

HARRISON

I fucking hate March.

The worst month of the year by far.

But Harrison, you might say, it’s the first month of spring. The month of the first blossoms of the trees. The snow is beginning to melt, the sun beginning to peek through the skies of gray.

Big fucking deal.

The city of Chicago goes all out for March. Every damned window is covered with four-leaf clovers, pots of gold, and mischievous leprechauns. Then of course there’s the drinking. My hospital, St. Charles General, is always swamped with patients suffering from alcohol poisoning or brawl-related injuries this time of year.

The city’s gravest sin, though, is the millions of gallons of green dye that it pours into the Chicago River to mark the occasion. Makes the whole thing look like a runoff of toxic sewage. I have to cross it on my commute from my home in Oak Park every time I come into the city, holding my breath against any noxious fumes.

Of course, these are merely symptoms of my disdain for the month.

The real reason—well, one of the reasons—is because my birthday is the seventeenth.

Yep. You heard that right.

St. Patrick’s Day.

My parents were thrilled. The firstborn son of two second-generation Irish-Americans, born on the day when the Yanks celebrate our culture by drinking more whiskey and Guinness than their livers could ever hope to process. They dressed me up in leprechaun onesies the first several years of my life and then always made sure my wardrobe had plenty of green in it.

I never wear green anymore. It’s my favorite color, but I consciously stopped wearing it in middle school.

Fuck… Middle school.

Those years are rough on anyone, but for me…

Damn.

I don’t like to think about it.

Because not only was I born on the Irish people’s answer to Christmas, not only did my parents dress me in an all-green wardrobe until I started sprouting armpit hair…

But as luck would have it, I was born with abnormally large ears.

And the school bullies had their way with me about them for years.

Any name you can think of, they called me. A lot of rabbit-inspired options, of course. And once they realized that the first syllable of my name was a synonym for our cotton-tailed friends, they were unstoppable.

I grew into my ears eventually.

But the scars of those formative years will never heal.

The bullying was just the beginning of it.

But I shake the thought from my head.

Look at me now, Mom! I’m an attending physician at one of Chicago’s leading hospitals. I make a shit ton of money, bought my first home—an actual house, with a yard and everything—in a good part of Oak Park, and I have a prime reserved parking spot right in the Loop. St. Charles treats its doctors well.

The nurses don’t get parking, but whatever. Most of them live right off the L, so their commutes are pretty straightforward anyway. And if they’re not driving, they’re doing their part to save the whales or the pandas or whatever cause we’re all tacitly agreeing to support this week.

I, on the other hand, am driving my car, a vintage 1972 Cadillac Coupe DeVille, into work today. I’m the envy of all my colleagues except for my best friend, Maddox Hathaway, whose gorgeous 1967 Rolls-Royce makes my vehicle look like a bumper car. Of course, Maddox got his car from his father, and I worked tooth and nail to be able to buy my little beauty and get her fixed up like new. And yes, I’m already holding my breath as I pass over the river, even though the city isn’t scheduled to dye it until tomorrow. It’s probably good sense no matter what time of year it is. God knows what—or even who—might be interred in that waterway.

Jesus, where did that thought come from?

I mean, it is Chicago. I’m sure the mob has dumped a body or two in the river over the years. And those poor bastards’ eternal home is about to be stained the most violent shade of emerald imaginable.

Oh, well. I guess it’s more interesting than being worm food.

Where was I?

Oh, yeah. Attending physician. Leading Chicago hospital. I rub elbows with lots of city elites, date lots of beautiful women, and even go to one of the city’s most exclusive clubs, Aces Underground, as Maddox’s guest. He comes from Chicago royalty. The Hathaways are a local political dynasty. The Kennedys of Chicago.

The O’Rourkes aren’t the Kennedys of anything, except perhaps for binge drinking and baby making, often at the same time.

I was born into nothing. Less than nothing. And I built a damned life for myself. Worked three separate jobs to get myself through medical school. Survived off ramen and Easy Mac for the years of my internship and residency to scrounge up enough money to pay off my remaining student loans.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >85

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Grump Hard (Silver Bell Falls #1) Read Online Lili Valente http://www.ilovenovels.com/grump-hard-silver-bell-falls-1-read-online-lili-valente Sun, 07 Dec 2025 21:11:38 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/grump-hard-silver-bell-falls-1-read-online-lili-valente Genre: Alpha Male, Billionaire, Chick Lit, Contemporary Authors: Lili Valente Series: Silver Bell Falls Series by Lili Valente
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Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 63917 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 320(@200wpm)___ 256(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >67

He hates Christmas. She's the ultimate fruitcake fan. This is war.

Billionaire Luke Ratcliffe is trapped in small-town Vermont for the holidays, forced to honor his late grandfather's dying wish. His survival plan? Avoid the locals, skip the festivities, and definitely don't get caught breaking into the town hall to destroy the town's hideous Christmas tree topper.

Too bad pet photographer Holly Hadley has him on tape.

Now Silver Bell Falls' resident sunshine enthusiast has blackmailed him into being her Grinchy holiday assistant: Tree lightings. Gingerbread competitions. Wrangling cats, dogs, and a chipmunk (don't ask) into Santa hats for the camera.

It's Luke's version of hell.

But somewhere between the forced holiday cheer and Holly's infectious laugh, the ice around his heart begins to thaw. She sees the man who's forgotten what it feels like to belong somewhere. To someone.

Can Sunshine and Scrooge really live happily ever after? Or is this mismatched holiday love doomed from the start?

Grump Hard is a re-imagining of the novella, The Grumpy Billionaire who Stole Christmas. The first two chapters are the same, but the following 50,000 words are brand new! This longer, steamier, full-length novel gives Luke & Holly an even more satisfying happily-ever-after and launches the Silver Bell Falls holiday series!

(Look for new books from Silver Bell Falls every November, just as it starts to smell like snow...)

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

One

Luke Landon Ratcliffe

* * *

A billionaire with a bad attitude about the holidays.

(And just about everything else…)

* * *

“Silver Bell Falls. More like Silver Hell…” I sink lower on the sleet-dusted park bench in Silver Bell—Hell—Falls town square, glaring at the massive tree twinkling by the gazebo.

Tomorrow, the decorating committee will cover the monstrosity in gaudy, oversized ornaments. By tomorrow night, the entire town will have gathered to sing carols, swill hot chocolate, and pretend there’s a reason to believe there might someday be peace on earth.

I know better.

One of the most successful subsidiaries of my multi-billion-dollar conglomerate manufactures electrical wiring for nuclear arms facilities. If there were a reason for hope, the company would be on the verge of bankruptcy.

But business is booming.

“Pun fucking intended,” I slur to the tree, lifting my cup of spiked eggnog in a grim toast. “You, energy-wasting bastard.”

“Easy there, Holiday Monster, or you’ll set the tree on fire with your eyeballs.” My brother, Elliot, appears at my side, his messenger bag swollen with whatever maple-flavored, flannel-covered, Vermont-themed garbage he picked up at Kathy’s Kountry Store.

“That’s another thing I hate.” I intensify my glare at the “holiday magic” vomited all over the gazebo, the tree, and the businesses surrounding the square. Even the Victorian town hall on the hill behind the graveyard is so covered in garland and giant bows, you can hardly make out the historic architecture underneath. “The deliberate butchering of the English language. Neither Kathy nor her Kountry—with a K—store are cute. If I were in charge, people who called country stores, ‘kountry’ stores, would be dragged out into the street and pelted with snowballs.”

Elliot clucks his tongue. “Yet again, you choose violence. Why must you always choose violence during the holidays, big brother?”

“Fuck off,” I grumble.

“I will not,” he says. “It’s the happiest time of the year, and we’re honoring our grandfather’s dying wish by spending the season together in the beautiful home he left us.” He thrusts his arms into the air. “And we all like each other! How many brothers and sisters with crap parents like ours can say the same?” He pats his bag with a grin. “And I have enough Santa-shaped cookies, chocolate drizzled peppermint popcorn, and triple maple fudge to keep all four of us wasted on sugar until morning.” He nudges my shoulder. “Now, come on. We should head back up the mountain before the weather gets any worse. Ashton and Bran will be worried.”

Elliot glances over his shoulder at the mansion high above town, where our younger siblings are busy decking the halls, even though Christmas isn’t for another month.

“Snow we can handle, but they’re predicting sleet before midnight,” he continues, as I slug down another gulp of eggnog and wish my sister weren’t an interior decorator, highly skilled in blanketing sixteen-thousand-square-foot estates in wreaths and reindeer. “We might lose power before the night is over.”

My lips curve in a grim smile. “Then we should stay here, where they have a generator to keep the fairy lights glittering every second between now and whenever they’re finally giving up on Christmas these days. January 3rd? The 15th? Valentine’s Day? When do these monsters finally un-deck the halls and let the rest of us weather the winter in peace? The Fourth of Fucking July?”

“You’re going to freeze to death if you stay here,” Elliot says dryly, ignoring my rant. “A suit is hardly winter clothing, you forgot your hat, and your heart is at least five sizes too small.”

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >67

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Finding Our Tomorrow (Imperfect Love #5) Read Online Nikki Ash http://www.ilovenovels.com/finding-our-tomorrow-imperfect-love-5-read-online-nikki-ash Sun, 07 Dec 2025 21:11:37 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/finding-our-tomorrow-imperfect-love-5-read-online-nikki-ash Genre: Alpha Male, Chick Lit, Sports Authors: Nikki Ash Series: Imperfect Love Series by Nikki Ash
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Total pages in book: 16
Estimated words: 14597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 73(@200wpm)___ 58(@250wpm)___ 49(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 >16

Jax

I wasn’t looking for love. I was too busy running my tattoo shop, Forbidden Ink. But then one day, I was invited out by Willow—the younger tattoo artist who works for me—and the chemistry between us was undeniable. That night, after we parted ways, I found her sleeping on the streets, so I insisted she come home with me. The more time I spend with her, getting to know her, the more I fall for her The only problem is that Willow has been through hell and back, losing everyone close to her, and the only chance I have at making her mine is to prove that I’m in this forever

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

CHAPTER ONE

JAX

Present Day

“What’s all this for?” I step into the condo I share with my longtime girlfriend, Willow, and find rose petals and candles scattered all over the place. When I glance at our coffee table, two champagne flutes are sitting on top with a bucket of ice and a bottle of champagne next to it. I was only gone for a couple hours, having a beer with my brother, Jase.

Willow steps forward, and her lips curl into a shy smile, a look I rarely see on her face. My girlfriend isn’t shy by any means. With her midnight black hair that has different colors running through it—this month it’s blue, that same blue that matches her eyes—tattoos covering most of her arms, perky tits, and tanned, toned legs for days, she’s sexy as fuck. And with her I don’t give a fuck attitude, she’s sassy as hell. With her heart that beats outside of her chest, she’s giving and loving and selfless. But she isn’t shy. So when she hits me with that rare smile, I know something is up.

“Today is our ten-year anniversary,” she tells me, her shy smile splitting into a wide grin. I give her a shocked look. Not because I don’t know what today is, but because Willow Montgomery doesn’t celebrate anniversaries. So the fact that she’s standing before me, suddenly celebrating our anniversary, definitely has my interest piqued.

“It is,” I agree. “An entire decade of getting to spend every day with you.”

Willow’s eyes fill with tears, and my thoughts jump to a worst-case scenario. “Baby, what’s wrong?” Whatever it is, we’ll deal with it together. My girlfriend may live for today, but she knows I’m always going to be right by her side, living for today with her.

“Nothing is wrong,” she says, taking another step forward. “I’m just…I’m kind of nervous.”

Pulling her into my arms, I plant a kiss on her forehead. She smells like the lotion she puts on every morning after she gets out of the shower. Light Blue by Dolce & Gabbana. It’s sweet and feminine and I could recognize the scent anywhere. “You’re going to have to help me out here,” I murmur. “You were just smiling and now you’re in tears.”

Willow pulls back and wipes the tears from her eyes. “Jax, you are everything to me. You aren’t just my boyfriend, you’re my best friend, my other half.”

My heart pounds against my ribcage with every word she speaks. “I feel the same way.”

She pulls something out of the front pocket of her jeans. A ring… No, not a ring. Two rings. “I’m ready, Jax,” she says through her watery smile. “I’m ready to marry you. To spend the rest of my life as your wife. Jaxson Crawford, will you marry me?”

My gaze flits between Willow’s hope-filled eyes and the two rings she’s holding. The one I bought for her ten years ago, and a simple silver band that I’m assuming is meant for me. I want so badly to say yes, but before I do, I need to know one thing. “What’s changed your mind?”

Smiling, Willow places the rings on the coffee table and grabs a small, square black book. “This.”

She hands it to me, and I turn to the first page and then the second and then the third. Each page is filled with pictures of us, of our life, starting with the first night she took pity on me and took me out with her.

CHAPTER TWO

JAX

Ten Years Ago

“I’m out, bro,” Jase, my younger brother, says, popping his head into my workstation. While I’m waiting for my last appointment of the day to arrive, I’m working on a sketch for another client.

“Already?” I glance over at the clock and see it’s only six o’clock.

“Promised Celeste and Sky I would pick up dinner and bring it to them. They’re getting ready for that fashion show coming up. You want to come over for dinner?”

He asks the same question every day, and every day I tell him the same thing. “I’m good, bro. Go be with your family.”

For as far back as I can remember, Jase, our sister Quinn, and I have lived together. Whether it was in North Carolina where we grew up, or here in New York, where we’ve been living for the last several years. We’ve always stuck together. Until recently, when both my siblings moved out and in with their significant others. It’s weird living on my own. I’m almost forty years old and I’ve never had a place to myself. I imagined the townhouse would become a bachelor pad. I would throw parties every night and have women over without having to worry about the innocent ears of my niece hearing anything. But after a couple months, the partying got old, and the mindless sex got even older.

<<<<1 2 3 11 >16

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Rockstar Baby Daddy – Small Town Doctors Read Online Piper Sullivan http://www.ilovenovels.com/rockstar-baread-online-daddy-small-town-doctors-read-online-piper-sullivan Thu, 01 May 2025 18:18:09 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/rockstar-baread-online-daddy-small-town-doctors-read-online-piper-sullivan Genre: Alpha Male, Chick Lit Authors: Piper Sullivan Advertisement

Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 55458 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 277(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >59

Strumming my guitar and traveling the world. Charming the panties off women on every continent. That was my life, so I wasn’t expecting her. The too smart hospital administrator with sexy glasses. Dr. Suzie Wright came out of nowhere, stealing my heart. Love knocked me over the head and I ran like a coward. Suzie didn’t chase me, because she was an independent woman. She made it clear she didn’t need me for anything. But one trip back to her small town changed my entire life. Turned me into the man I wanted to be. Turned me into a father. Now I have to convince her that I want her, and our surprise twins

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

Suzie

“Dammit.” With an annoyed sigh, I sat back in my office chair and stared down at the offensive mustard stain on my red blouse. “So much for a quick lunch before my meeting.”

I had taken my time before work this morning, choosing the right outfit for my meeting with a mysterious VIP client this afternoon. I wanted to look like the capable, sophisticated administrator who ran Jackson’s Ridge Medical Center efficiently, not the frumpy woman who had fallen into the job.

And I’d been taken out by mustard. Not even Dijon or whole-grain mustard, but plain old yellow mustard, because I was a plain old yellow mustard kind of girl. But now I was also a girl desperately in need of a new shirt. So instead of hiding in my office until two-thirty, I got out of my chair, squared my shoulders, and went in search of the medical center’s resident fashionista.

“Persy, oh, thank goodness. I’m glad you’re not having lunch with Ryan today.” The best friends had recently gotten together and often mysteriously disappeared during lunchtime.

Persy, or Dr. Persephone Vanguard, looked up from her tablet with an arched dark brow and a smile. “That’s not a very nice thing to say.”

“Oh, you know what I mean. I’m in need of the kind of help only you can provide.” Slowly, I let my arms fall from my chest until the stain was visible.

Persy gasped and shook her head. “Too bad, that blouse is beautiful on you. Red is definitely your color.” She tapped her chin and then stood. “I have two options.”

“Thank you!”

Persy let out a small laugh. “Don’t thank me yet, you might hate both.”

“Doesn’t matter if I hate them or not, I need a clean shirt before two.” I told her all about the upcoming VIP meeting in the conference room. “I need to appear as capable as I am, not as capable as I look.”

She handed me a garment bag with two shirts inside, violet eyes filled with excitement. “VIP? That’s kind of cool. Oooo, maybe it’s a politician or a mobster, or one of those third-world dictators.”

I rolled my eyes. “No pressure, right?”

“None at all. Here, try the lavender.”

I stared at the silk blouse with the tie neck and shook my head. “You don’t think this color will wash me out? And what about the tie neck? I already have a long neck.”

“It’s called a graceful neck, Suzie. Like a ballerina.” Persy shook her head and sighed. “The lavender will highlight what’s left of the tan you got working on those low-income homes destroyed by the summer storms. Just try it.”

I took the blouse and replaced my functional, stained red blouse for Persy’s silky lavender one. “You’re right about the color.” I didn’t look pale at all; my skin had a nice late-summer glow that made me smile. The tie neck wasn’t all that flattering, but it wasn’t as awful as I thought it would be. “You have such a wonderful sense of style, Persy. How do you do it?”

“A childhood spent devouring fashion magazines? I like clothes and all the things they can do for your confidence, and how you see yourself.” She gripped my shoulders and turned me until we were face to face. “You need to tie these a little more carefully, symmetry is key. And anytime you want a shopping makeover, you know where to find me.”

A few swift movements and the tie neck looked… good.

I arched a brow at her. “Ryan’s office?”

The pink bloomed on her cheeks and I laughed. “Or mine.” She winked at my shocked expression and turned me toward the mirror stuck to the back of her office door.

The shirt did look good, and I sighed in relief. “It’s perfect, Persy. Thank you.”

“My pleasure. Good luck with your meeting.”

“Thanks.” I would need it because these VIP types always thought they could come in and dictate the kind of care they received. I had worked hard over the past few years to make JRMC the kind of medical center that people sought out, hiring doctors and surgeons who were at the top of their field and who continued research that allowed them to pursue new techniques and treatments for a variety of illnesses. JRMC was my baby in every sense of the word, and I would protect it the same as any mama bear.

Fifteen minutes before the meeting was due to start, I made my way to the larger of our two conference rooms and set out information packets on the hospital, including our lineup of doctors and physicians, their impressive backgrounds, and our latest cutting-edge equipment. A knock sounded and a moment later, a handsome man with slicked-back hair and a three-piece suit entered.

“Dr. Suzie Wright?”

I stood tall and squared my shoulders with a friendly nod. “That’s me.”

The man stepped inside, the king-of-the-world vibes strong in his presence, his deep voice, and his expensive suit, complete with a pocket square that matched his tie. “I’m Alex Storm.” He held out a big hand that felt more manicured than my own. “The agent.”

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >59

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Nash (Bangor Badgers #2) Read Online Samantha Whiskey http://www.ilovenovels.com/nash-bangor-badgers-2-read-online-samantha-whiskey Mon, 10 Mar 2025 19:25:01 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/nash-bangor-badgers-2-read-online-samantha-whiskey Genre: Alpha Male, Chick Lit, Sports Authors: Samantha Whiskey Series: Bangor Badgers Series by Samantha Whiskey
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Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 62128 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >66

As a vet on the Bangor Badgers, I’m no stranger to doing whatever it takes to earn us a win.

One thing I never thought I’d do to help boost ticket sales?

Fake a relationship with our irresistible and sharp-tongued social media manager, Reese Jaynes.

Her dream came true in the form of a viral video, but there’s just one problem…

It’s a lie.

And now millions of viewers think she’s landed the un-landable Badger—me.

When she asks me to keep up the act in order to help give the Badgers the attention they deserve, I can’t possibly say no.

We’re no strangers to fiery debates, but her quick wit and sexy mouth are two things I’ll never be able to resist.

Soon I find myself a little too comfortable playing the role of the doting boyfriend, and the more time I spend with her, the more I realize there’s nothing fake about how well we fit together.

But overnight fame demands a steep price, and when the Badgers’ moral ethics come under fire, I start to wonder where Reese’s heart truly lies?

I’ve never fallen like this before so when things get rocky, I’m the first one to break. And my mistakes might lose me the one thing I never knew I needed—her

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

CHAPTER 1

NASH

“Oh, yes you do, Reese’s Pieces,” I respond to her quick dismissal. “I've just been trying to figure out what it is you have against me,” I continue before taking a quick drink. The Queen’s Rum is packed with my Bangor Badger teammates and adoring fans ready to ring in the New Year, but I can’t take my eyes off Reese.

I haven’t been able to since the first day she fired that sharp tongue at me.

“Oh, would you look at that, Lawson's calling me over to him. Bye,” Blakely says, not at all subtle as she bolts from the table.

“You know,” I continue, leaning over the table to make sure Reese is listening. “People usually get to know me before they decide to hate me.”

Reese’s lips part, and I can’t help but focus on them. She has that irresistible, natural pouty lip look that’s my kryptonite, and they’re painted a light pink tonight to match her dress.

“I don’t hate you,” she says.

I smile wider at that. “Then why do you love to give me a hard time every time I see you?”

A small grin shapes her mouth. “Why do you?”

“I just rise to the occasion,” I say, shrugging. “I think if you gave me a chance, you might actually want to be civil around me.”

She laughs, shaking her head. “Why do you care how I act around you, Stokehill? I’m not one of them,” she says, motioning to the group of women that have been following me around since I got here.

“I care because we run in the same circles,” I explain, even though it’s only half true. I care because I haven’t been able to get her out of my head for the last couple of months and it’s driving me nuts. “Maybe it’s time we call a truce and behave nicely toward each other.”

Her eyebrows raise. “Nash Stokehill wants to make a friend?” she teases, pushing away from the table. “It is New Year’s Eve,” she continues, looking down at me. “I suppose anything is possible on a night like tonight.”

I swallow hard. Jesus, she’s beautiful. Her long, dark hair is half up, half cascading down her back, and her pink dress hugs her curvy body in all the right places.

“Anything?” I ask, following her across the bar like a freaking dog on a lead.

She glances over her shoulder, confusion flashing in her light-green eyes. “Sure,” she says, moving through the crowd and heading to the back corner where the owner set up a massive snack spread for the night. “Why are you following me?”

“It’s almost midnight,” I say.

“And?” She plucks a strawberry from a platter, biting the tip of it off before chasing a few stray drops of juice with her tongue.

Fuck, I want that tongue in my mouth.

I’ve wanted her since the moment she first snapped at me and ignited a delightful little word war between us any time we’re together. I’m no stranger to the fine line between hate and passion. I know it can be electric, but she doesn’t look at me like she hates me. She looks at me with a need I recognize.

“Shouldn’t you hurry and grab someone you’re interested in kissing to ring in the New Year?”

I lean a little closer as she drops the strawberry stem in a nearby trash can. “I’m looking at who I’m interested in.”

Her eyes flare wide, then she laughs.

I furrow my brow.

“You’re joking,” she says.

“I’m not.”

“We can barely go two seconds without arguing,” she says as the people around us start a countdown.

“I can barely go two seconds without being mesmerized by that mouth of yours,” I counter.

She visibly swallows, her eyes falling to my mouth.

“Nine…eight…seven…”

I step closer, and she doesn’t back away. Instead, she leans into me, nothing but fire in her eyes.

“You think I’ll fall for you from just a kiss, Stokehill?”

“Never,” I say, reaching to cup her delicate face. Fuck, her skin is so smooth beneath my calloused hands. “But you may soften up to me a bit.”

She smiles up at me. “I highly doubt that.”

“Only one way to find out, Reese’s Pieces” I say, cocking a brow at her in question.

“Four…three…two…”

She reaches up on her tiptoes—even in heels she’s so much shorter than me—and bridges the distance between us.

I don’t hear the countdown finish.

I barely hear the cheers and claps that announce the New Year.

I can only feel.

Reese’s mouth fits perfectly against mine, and she tastes like strawberries as she parts her lips for me, letting me slide in. I shift us, drawing her flush against me as I take control of the kiss. I flick my tongue against hers, teasing and exploring, relishing the little hitch in her breath when I do it.

Fuck, my blood is on fire. She kisses just like she speaks to me—a combination that lands somewhere between feisty and angry, and it’s hot as hell.

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