I have too. I’m actually living that crush right now. And while I’ve been friends with Beck Callahan for a long time, I don’t think he sees me beyond friendship.Okay fine, we had a minor—thing for each other in middle school, but that doesn’t count. We’ve changed a lot over the years. He’s become so popular. What am I saying? He’s been popular forever. Back in the day, twelve-year-old me hoped he would eventually be my boyfriend.Alas, that was never meant to be, which is probably best. Middle school relationships crash and burn quick. He’s truly one of my favorite people, but I know now we could never make it as a couple. He’s him while I’m just…Me.So he’s my secret bae. The idealized boy who can do no wrong and proves himself time and time again that he’s absolutely, undoubtedly perfect. Dreamy.The ultimate bae.This is a compilation of short snippets from Beck Callahan and Addison Douglas' junior year in high school when they were seriously crushing on each other, before their story in MAKING HER MINE. Originally featured in my newsletter, I brought them all together in one place!

    At 30, Nikki has already eschewed a career on Wall Street to become a professor of economics at Harvard, her alma mater. She is brilliant, beautiful, ambitious, and black--a characteristic Thomas-Graham makes clear from the get-go. "Being young and black at Harvard requires advanced survival skills," she writes. "Seven generations of us have found it exhilarating, perplexing, difficult, and dangerous. For Rosezella Maynette Fisher, it was murder." When Rosezella, Harvard's most powerful black woman and Nikki's good friend, dies mysteriously on the eve of a new school year, Nikki finds herself compelled to track down all the clues leading to the killer. A cast of richly drawn and complex characters helps and hinders her quest. For advice, she turns occasionally to Raphael Griffin, a cop who has traded the bougainvillea of the British Virgin Islands for the ivy of Harvard Yard. For moral support, she turns to Maggie Daily, a teacher, landlady, and poet whose rich stories and rolling tones provide the book with texture, history, and charm. Like any other good woman detective, Nikki has a love life as perplexing as the mystery to be solved. Her long-lost ex-boyfriend, Dante Rosario, returns to town, bringing with him more sizzle and spark than Nikki is prepared to handle. Though it's not as dark and creepy as Paullina Simons's 1996 campus-based mysteryThe Red Leaves, A Darker Shade of Crimson captures all the power, tradition, and atmosphere of the Ivy League campus. And while Thomas-Graham does explore the social and political issues surrounding race at Harvard, she manages to avoid the pitfalls of turning a well-crafted mystery into a polemic. --L.A. Smith

    All of us who were abducted as children from earth are...or at least those of us who are still alive. When my best friend's ship crashes into a prehistoric jungle planet, I do what I do best: I survive. And I protect and train the only other survivor from the crash—young half-dragon, half-human child. For five years, we've hunted gigantic beasts and scavenged man-eating plants. Then, an imperial ship crashes, and we're no longer alone. This dragon prince warrior is used to women falling at his feet. With a body like that, I can't blame them, but I have more important things on my mind than getting it on with a huge, muscular, alpha alien. If he thinks there's going to be anything between us other than a shaky truce until we escape this lethal planet, he's got another thing coming. I've never worn a collar. I refuse to be any royal dragon's slave, and I'd rather die than be one of their “mates.” I'm fighting for my freedom, nothing else. But when a slaver ship crashes, we're no longer just fighting for our lives. It will take all my strength and guile to fend them off and protect the little girl I've come to love as if she were my own daughter. The dragon prince has sworn to help, but his power comes with a price. He doesn't want a truce. He wants me.

    

    A tragedy that befell his life changed him and made sure that he never felt helpless again. He spent years making a name for himself in the octagon as an alpha beast, but when it comes to the ladies he is a fumbling mess. Always feeling like the unpopular kid. The day that Payton Bailey walks into his gym changes everything.When it comes to men, Payton is as clueless as she is with social cues. She prefers to stick with what she knows: Sci-Fi, comic books, video games and web design. After a heartbreaking incident her freshman year of college, she was never able to look at big muscular men the same way again. So imagine her surprise and absolute fright when she catches the eye of the massive, hulking MMA fighter, who she secretly nicknames The Red Giant.The computer geek has done her best to avoid, ignore, and even maim Bradyn, but the stubborn Scot has no intentions of letting the skittish lass slip through his fingers. And with the help of her three friends, he just might win the fight of his life.The Red Scot is the charming standalone novel and Book 1 of the Curvy Girls Club Series. A series about four inseparable best friends and their individual journeys to each find their Happily Ever After.

    As a baby she showcased Amazonian-like strength by pushing over a tree to rescue her neighbor’s cat. But, despite having similar abilities, the world has no problem telling her that she’s no Wonder Woman. And even if she was, they wouldn’t want her. Every time she comes to the rescue, she’s reminded of how people see her; as a threat. Her Moms do their best to keep her safe, but Nubia can’t deny the fire within her, even if she’s a little awkward about it sometimes. Even if it means people assume the worst.When Nubia’s best friend, Quisha, is threatened by a boy who thinks he owns the town, Nubia will risk it all—her safety, her home, and her crush on that cute kid in English class—to become the hero society tells her she isn’t.From the witty and powerful voice behind A Blade So Black, L.L. McKinney, and with endearing and expressive art by Robyn Smith, comes a vital story for today about equality, identity and kicking it with your squad.

    Or maybe it's just me. But either way, I've always got girls lined up around the block, just waiting to jump into bed with me.And what can I say? I'm pretty good. Both on-field, and off.But when I met Danielle... damn. She was cute as hell, and smart as a whip to boot. One look and I knew I had to have her, and I'd do whatever it took to get her in bed with me. And I had a feeling once just wasn't going to be enough, this time.When Danielle figured out the owner of my team was trying to screw me over, and he started trying to keep her quiet, I knew I'd do anything to protect her.The guys going after her had better watch out. Because there's not a thing in the world I won't do to stop them.DANIELLEAs a sports journalist, working my way up the world, I'd met my fair share of arrogant douchebags who think they're God's gift to women.But Kieran Michaels was by far the worst.And just when I thought I'd finished with the brash, infuriating, cocky asshole, he offers me the opportunity of a lifetime, and I just can't say no.What I don't realize is that this good girl's about to get into a whole lot of trouble... *** Game On is a safe, full-length novel with a HEA ending. For a limited time, it also includes TKO by Olivia Lancaster as a bonus. ***

    I should have known then and there that the asshole would break my heart. But dumb me, I made him my best friend instead.For as long as I can remember, it was Sassy and Macy against the world.We were eight when I asked him to be my husband and promised to never slip him the tongue like my mom and dad did when they kissed.Nine, when I discovered that the Monster under his bed was very real and that we had to hide from it whenever it came home.And sixteen when we were tragically separated à la Romeo and Juliet (well, minus the dying part).So what do I do to mend our friendship? I accepted a dance scholarship at the prestigious Elite Preparatory Academy, a school for the ultra-rich, to be close to him.But my reunion with the boy I left behind doesn’t go according to plan.For one thing, Mason Winthrop isn’t a kid anymore. He is a sexy six-foot-tall, tattooed MMA fighter with dark hair and glacier eyes.And two, Mace isn’t happy to see me. At. All. Granted, it would have helped if I hadn’t kicked him in the balls, but the jerk had it coming.Will we be able to overcome our differences and pick up where we left off amid all the High School angst and drama? Or will the Monster keeping the beautiful boy trapped in a golden cage win the war after all?Welcome to a world where Billionaires, evil cheerleaders, and football pricks reign supreme. You think the Mafia is the big bad in our world? Pffff, wait until you meet my roommate’s Russian bodyguard.Going up against bullies has never been so much fun!This is a new adult book that is part of a duet and is not standalone. It contains situations and language that some readers might find offensive and/or triggering.

    Dead Time will take you on an exhilarating ride through the streets of Chicago with one of the most unforgettable characters in mystery fiction today...Black, widowed, and mother of two, police detective Marti MacAlister has relocated from Chicago to Lincoln Prairie, Illinois, only to be confronted with small-town attitudes and a partner who's not sure women belong in homicide. But Matthew "Vik" Jessenovik's old-fashioned thinking is far less compelling a problem than a brutal murder at the Cramer Hotel, home to the elderly, poor, and mentally ill.When Marti and Vik discover that two abandoned children might have seen the killer, the case becomes even more urgent as Marti must use all of her street smarts to find a killer who is desperate to eliminate any possible witnesses to the crime-- even if it's two innocent homeless kids...

    When she departs her hometown in Ikot Ansa for Lagos, her expectations are high.A roof over head, a high paying job and a man she can finally call her own tops her priority. Months after, she is forced to grapple with the reality that the city of her dreams is not all that. With constant pressure from her family, the stigma associated with being unmarried and dark memories haunting from her past; days become nights and nights become torture.29, Single & Nigerian is an emotional gripping, mesmerising and humorous tale of survival you won’t forget in a hurry.

    And she’s willing to play my little game. One Night. All the domination she can handle. Only, I gave her more than she bargained for. You know what they say: Don’t hate the player. Hate the game. Jacqueline “Beg for it,” he said. Three simple words was all it took for my life to change forever. I thought he was joking. He was so arrogant, kissing me at the party like that. He told me he wanted me more than anything in the world. And when I saw his smirk disappear from his face, I knew that he was serious. After that, we both knew what was going to happen. One kiss leads to another. Suddenly, he’s in my room. His strong body takes over me. I’m one-hundred-percent in his control. He stirs up feelings in me that I didn’t know were possible. Then he brought out the ropes, the chains, and the handcuffs. How was I know to know how bad he actually was? It was supposed to be a one night stand. But then came the morning sickness. Then the panic ensued. Now, I’m pregnant with the most famous athlete in the world’s baby. And guess what? He won’t return a single phone call. Just as I was starting to have feelings, he disappeared without a trace. I hate Lawrence Jones with a passion. But he does things to me without even trying. Things that can’t be explained. That’s why I can’t let him go. Lawrence She was the most innocent woman at the party. She sat under the spotlight, waiting for someone to talk to her. I had to console her. I had to hold her. In that moment, I knew I had to claim her. She must have known what she was getting herself into. I’m a billionaire player. I’m rich and powerful. That means I always get what I want. I couldn’t help myself. One look at her body was all I needed. She would have given me anything that I asked for. Domination was never out of the question. ….but a baby? Sh*t. I didn’t know we’d go that far. I messed up big time. I knocked her up. I left town. I let everyone around me down. Now, she wants nothing to do with me. But I want to prove I can be the man she’s always dreamt of being with. When I left, everything fell apart. Now, I’m coming back for her and my son. *This is a full length standalone book with a happily ever after, no cheating, and plenty of the hottest scenes in romance. But don't worry. You won't need a SAFE WORD for this one! Bonus content is included.*

    NEVER go for a fake marriage with your childhood enemy2. DON’T sleep with him.. EVER3. Absolutely do NOT get pregnant with his baby!When my father died, he sold his company and just about everything else to his best friend.I would have been cool with that if he hadn’t made another deal―Marry his best friend’s son, Adam Thorne.Forget marriage, I can’t even stand that man for five minutes. Only reason I agreed is because of a deal he proposed:Help him change his image as a rake and I get back everything my father sold. I can work with that.Make him look good (and avoid killing him) and in two years, I’m free.Begin the countdown to my freedom!Only, a few months in, Adam starts getting under my skin in a more...sexual sense. I’m getting to see firsthand why women’s panties―including mine―just drop for him. Our simple arrangement is about to become way too complicated when I tell him about the baby!I wonder, Do I really want to be free?

    They kill, they feast, and they delight in spilling blood. Greg "Raze" Resnick has always known it was his legacy to take his father's place someday as the leader. He prepared for this moment his whole life and the day has arrived that the talented and ruthless fighter finally step up. But fate has other plans.Greg's world is turned upside down by just one smile from the woman he didn't see coming. She's his opposite in every way possible and there's no way the two would ever work. But Greg is determined despite all the odds. Fighting for Laura is one thing, but fighting his family in order to have her is another. Is this a fight he'll win, or will blood be spilled after all?

    The city was decorated, the season in full swing.The only way to make it better was to celebrate love. Callen knew for this play he wouldn’t need his glove.It took a while for them to find their way. Now it was here, Callen and Spencer’s special day.With their family and friends by their side, they knew their life together would be an amazing ride.The Emperors cheered as the vows were said. One of their own was finally wed.Baseball was what had brought them together. Now Callen and Spencer had their forever.