From the award-winning author of The Turnout and Give Me Your Hand: the searing novel of friendship and betrayal that inspired the USA Network series, praised by Gillian Flynn as "Lord of the Flies set in a high-school cheerleading squad...Tense, dark, and beautifully written." Addy Hanlon has always been Beth Cassidy's best friend and trusted lieutenant. Beth calls the shots and Addy carries them out, a long-established order of things that has brought them to the pinnacle of their high-school careers. Now they're seniors who rule the intensely competitive cheer squad, feared and followed by the other girls -- until the young new coach arrives. Cool and commanding, an emissary from the adult world just beyond their reach, Coach Colette French draws Addy and the other cheerleaders into her life. Only Beth, unsettled by the new regime, remains outside Coach's golden circle, waging a subtle but vicious campaign to regain her position as "top girl" -- both with the team and with Addy herself. Then a suicide focuses a police investigation on Coach and her squad. After the first wave of shock and grief, Addy tries to uncover the truth behind the death -- and learns that the boundary between loyalty and love can be dangerous terrain. The raw passions of girlhood are brought to life in this taut, unflinching exploration of friendship, ambition, and power. Award-winning novelist Megan Abbott, writing with what Tom Perrotta has hailed as "total authority and an almost desperate intensity," provides a harrowing glimpse into the dark heart of the all-American girl.

How does a professional quarterback superstar score a touchdown with a woman he doesn’t have time to pursue? He sends his twin brother to stand in for him until the season is over. In the process, he is shown a world of opportunities as his brother takes him play-by-play and makes him long for the one woman he wants, but fears he’ll never have.

When Ben Candido and his friends, Ricky and John, decide to post a YouTube video of themselves surfing on top of a car, they finally feel like the somebodies they are meant to be instead of the social nobodies that they are. Overnight, the video becomes the talk of the school, and the boys are sure that their self-appointed senior year of dares will live in infamy. Every dare brings an increased risk of bodily harm, but Ben cannot deny the thrill and sense of swagger that come with it. The stakes become even more complex when a mysterious donor bankrolls their dares in exchange for a cut in the online revenue the videos generate. But at what point do the risk and the reward come at too high of a price? What does it take to stay true to one's self in the face of relentless pressure?

I have a secret. I know where the body is buried--I helped do it myself. And somehow... He knows I know. And he's going to torment me until I tell... But that's because he doesn't understand that the truth could destroy me. Or maybe he does. Maybe he just doesn't care. Maybe he wants to finish the job--but I'm not going to make it easy on him. I was chosen as Ashwood Institute's Sineater, and I'll give him a fight he'll never forget... Even if it means ripping my own heart out in the end. He won't win unless he jumps in the fire with me. No one can know...About that hidden grave. About my hidden heart. About the fire he lights in my soul. No one can know. This dark paranormal romance introduces us to a world of secret societies, witches and betrayed love... Jake and Raven grew up together in the small town of Ashwood, but a mysterious death destroyed their bond. Her betrayal pushes him over the edge, and Jake becomes a classic bully with Raven as his favorite target. Now, years after he began tormenting her, Raven must work with Jake to solve the mystery and finally free herself from her past--but these sworn enemies have one obstacle they just can't seem to work around: love. Circumstances entwine them, and their twisted dynamic finds a new place to exert itself... In the bedroom. Dark, erotic, devious and addicting, the Legends of the Ashwood Series begins here, with Jake and Raven. Author Note: This book is NOT meant for a young adult audience--it is meant for adults and contains content for adults. It is the first in a series and is NOT a stand-alone; if you hate cliff-hangers, this is NOT the book for you. It overlaps with the following genres: paranormal, dark, bully, contemporary, and college/new adult romance and romantic suspense/thriller/mystery.

A woman who needs to run her own life. A man who needs to exert control. Can she surrender to his demands without losing her sense of self once more? After ending a relationship to a cheating, domineering man, Isabelle Masters takes off in her leased Mercedes, only to be arrested for grand theft and hauled to a local police station. To her surprise, she is rescued by the most unlikely person, Gabriel Dare, a man she’s been attracted to for far too long. Although Gabe yearns to possess Isabelle, he knows all too well he must fight his primitive need to bind her to him, and instead help bring out the independent woman she yearns to become — or risk losing her for good.

Three passionate novellas in a high stakes romantic suspense anthology featuring: A sizzling trio of novellas from three national bestselling masters of seductive suspense-stories of women who takes chances, women who gamble everything on love, women who accept the dare.

Two years. One proposal. I walked away then, and I lost it all. He asked me to marry him–a question I wasn’t prepared for then. It changed everything. Two years later, a phone call sends me running back to the last place where I thought I’d be—Fortuity. The plan is to stay for a couple of weeks before I return to Chicago, keeping my head low and avoiding trouble. Problem is, Chase starts to make my walls crumble. I need to stay away, and he’s determined not to let me go. Only he’s not interested about the past. He insists we make one harmless deal— keeping the peace for as long as I’m here. ***This is the first book in a series. It can be read as a stand-alone with no cliffhangers. ------ Search terms: free romance book, free contemporary romance books, free romance books for adults for free no cliffhangers, free second chance romance, free first in series, free series starter, small-town romance, romantic comedy, mystery, former lovers, heartwarming, romance, danger, family relationships, full length standalone, HEA, no cliffhangers, free smalltown romance, free small-town romance, free romance books full length novel standalone, free romantic suspense, free heartwarming romance

Say Yes! to All of God’s Promptings I dare you. When was the last time you heard God whisper these words into your soul? In seasons when you feel trapped by the safety of routine, you’ll often find God nudging you to chase His desires for your life by acting out in courage. Friends Charlotte Gambill and Natalie Grant experienced this firsthand when God pushed them out of their comfort zones and into each other’s lives. As they share their stories, they’ll inspire you to start boldly writing your own. Dare to Be will motivate you to… embrace the outside-of-the-lines woman you were made to be welcome adventures that ask you to be vulnerable and brave break free from the obstacles that keep you from accepting the goodness God has in store Let Charlotte and Natalie cheer you on, strengthen your soul, and encourage you to venture beyond life as you know it. You’ll learn to give your infinite God your complete obedience as you Dare to Be.

A swoon-worthy romance from USA Today Bestselling Author J.H. Croix! A broody ex-military pilot and a sunshiney barista take opposites attract to the next level. Elias is not the kind of guy who’d fall for me. He’s grumpy, and he’s need-a-fan hot. I totally have a thing for him. My romance radar is broken, and I’m still smarting from my last epic disaster in dating. I’m better off giving up any hope of romance. Except I want it all: happily-ever-after and a family to boot. My stupid biological clock is ticking. Loudly. In a turn of events I did not expect, Elias saves me from a porcupine burglar and kisses me. No one is this small town is as surprised as me. Even more shocking, he wants more. And more. Keywords: Elias & Cammi’s story is perfect for readers who love small town romance and opposites attract stories with grumpy/broody heroes who fall for smart, sassy heroines. *A full-length, standalone romance.

From the award-winning author of The Turnout and Dare Me: a "mesmerizing psychological thriller" about a teenage girl who disappears during a 1980s suburban summer (Los Angeles Times). Thirteen-year old Lizzie Hood and her next door neighbor Evie Verver are inseparable. They are best friends who swap bathing suits and field-hockey sticks, and share everything that's happened to them. Together they live in the shadow of Evie's glamorous older sister Dusty, who provides a window on the exotic, intoxicating possibilities of their own teenage horizons. To Lizzie, the Verver household, presided over by Evie's big-hearted father, is the world's most perfect place. And then, one afternoon, Evie disappears. The only clue: a maroon sedan Lizzie spotted driving past the two girls earlier in the day. As a rabid, giddy panic spreads through the Midwestern suburban community, everyone looks to Lizzie for answers. Was Evie unhappy, troubled, upset? Had she mentioned being followed? Would she have gotten into the car of a stranger? Lizzie takes up her own furtive pursuit of the truth, prowling nights through backyards, peering through windows, pushing herself to the dark center of Evie's world. Haunted by dreams of her lost friend and titillated by her own new power at the center of the disappearance, Lizzie uncovers secrets and lies that make her wonder if she knew her best friend at all.