Emmett Lasker is impossible to work for. He might be model handsome and stupidly wealthy, but he also has it out for me. He’s given me more last-minute and weekend requests than anyone else, ruining any plans I make. I should quit. And I will. Just as soon as I hit my two-year anniversary and earn out my signing bonus. But after a particularly awful day at work, a breakup (via text!), and my computer crashing, I’ve had enough! So at 11:59 Friday night, I barge into Emmett’s office to tell him what I really think of him. Only, that’s not what happens. AT ALL.

Declan Hardy, All-American heartthrob and retired NFL billionaire, is my complete opposite. He's commanding where I'm cooperative. Spontaneous while I am deliberate. Loud when I stay quiet. The only thing we have in common is that both our names are on my father's will.

Kind, wonderful, big-hearted Liesel married her prince, and…no, they didn't live happily ever after. Well, not until there was magic. I am Seraphina Vine, the fairy godmother of Everwood. I bring lost souls and broken hearts together. So, I wave my magic wand and tell you the story of a little match girl who brought light into the life of a reluctant prince.

Esme's sister, Viviane, is a beautiful, high-flying, wealthy lawyer. Declan is the CEO of a global tech company. They are a power couple. Esme is a social worker who doesn't understand the business world and doesn't care about stock portfolios. She wants to help people. And yet, Declan can't deny the chemistry between him and Esme. They have nothing in common, except he wants her like he's never wanted a woman.

When her sister doesn’t show up on her wedding day, Raven has no choice but to take her place — but marriage to Ares Windsor is nothing short of torture. The elusive billionaire media mogul is the man she’s always loved… yet he’s only ever had eyes for her sister.

Seraphina Moretti is half in love with her best friend's brother. An arranged marriage is in her future, and the groom is not the object of her affection. But then the devil of Wall Street whispers in her ear. Telling her to follow her heart, that the unrequited love she's feeling is reciprocated. She just needs to use a ploy as old as time—jealousy.

I'm in love with Lucas Blaze, the player grandson of the woman I take care of. I'm nothing like the women he dates, so the chances of him noticing me are slim to none. Until the day he asks me to marry him. Lucas is the youngest Blaze Brother. He works twenty-four seven, and his only use for women is to get his rocks off when he's taking a break from putting his family's liquor brand into every store in the country. I don't mingle in the same high-profile groups, and I sure as heck don't know the first thing about pleasing a man. But to make his Granny happy, Lucas is willing to marry me.

The ruthless mafia king is no stranger to violence, but when he lays his eyes on my bruised and battered face, he's furious. I thought my makeup was thick enough to cover the beating I suffered until my inappropriately flirtatious boss noticed. As a cocktail waitress in his casino, I've always been on Mr. Salvato's radar, but now he's obsessed, demanding to know who hurt me and why, intent on making them suffer.

Charming, captivating, seductive—and a cold-blooded killer. I married the Pakhan of the Russian Bratva anyway. I had to, it was part of the deal. Now, I’m faking marital bliss as I tremble with fear, and I cannot wait to be out of the clutches of this ruthless man.

Newly divorced with a young son to raise, Tucker Beckett is the last man Miranda Owens should be itching to figure out, make smile, and hear laugh. Still there is something about the detective with haunted blue eyes and a dirty mouth that draws her in from the moment they meet. If only life were so simple. As Tucker and Miranda begin to navigate their new relationship, Tucker is tasked with solving the murder of a young woman while their exes begin to play games in an attempt to split the two of them up

Nathan Davenport, CEO of the Davenport empire, is my complete opposite. He hates chocolate. I'm a size sixteen dessert chef. He only wears black. I love glitter and pink. He's grumpy, while I look on the brighter side of life. Too bad his piercing eyes, and high cheekbones, haunt my dreams. When he offers to loan me the money to save my bakery, I have no choice but to agree.

I’ve traded my hand in marriage for six months to save my city. To Sebastian Armanelli: most powerful man in the city...and the hottest one-night stand of my life. My new husband promises to be a gentleman by day and play his part. But in the dark of night, he’s commanding, ruthless. And possessive. I’m starting to feel he can’t share what’s his. And that now includes me...his lawfully wedded wife.

Desperate and out of options, Elena Rousseau walks into a gentlemen’s club, ready to sell her body in a last attempt to save her mother’s life. She didn’t expect Alexander Kennedy to be there, and she certainly didn’t expect him to propose a marriage of convenience instead.

Virtuous. Kind. Patient. These were words never associated with Gabriel Saint. He was a monster. The devil that haunted the city of Redhill. And he had found me. I managed to hide for a while from my past, present, and future. But I should have known they’d come looking. After all, I had the heir of the city in my arms, and if I know anything about the ruling crime family of this city, it’s that family comes before all else. When Gabriel comes for me, I fight but know it’s useless, and when he forces me to be his wife, I vow to make his life as miserable as possible.

Theo Graham is charming. Sweet. Absolutely gorgeous. But I’m not a little girl anymore. I shouldn’t want him. I can’t have him. I should know better than to want my best friend’s dad. My best friend is Theo’s son, who may or may not have had feelings for me on and off for the past eight years. Wanting my best friend’s dad was the one secret that was never supposed to come out. Except now, he wants me too.

It’s the flight before Christmas and Molly just got an unexpected gift: a free first-class upgrade on her plane trip home for the holidays. Bring on the complimentary cocktails! But after one too many, she spills all her secrets to the hot guy seated next to her—only to wake up mortified when her buzz has worn off. At least she never has to see Liam again ... or so she thinks. When Molly arrives at Christmas House, the festive rental home that she and her family are sharing with her sister’s fiancé and his wealthy family, she discovers that Liam is one of the new in-laws. Oops.

When mystery author D. B. Ziegler is late delivering her book, Abi Schore steps in to help. Surely she can give her favorite author moral support over the holiday break and get the manuscript to her boss at Tea & Sympathy Publishing in time for the new year. When Abi shows up on Ms. Ziegler’s doorstep bearing holiday treats, she’s met by the author’s handsome grandson Dov, who reveals a startling plot twist. His grandmother isn’t able to finish the book and Dov promised he’d complete it so fans won’t be disappointed—a task that’s harder than he ever imagined.

Living in a year around Christmas town has its drawbacks. The caroling, the decorations, the insanely cheery spirit, it never disappears. It's why I like to hibernate away in my cave - I mean housekeeping a healthy distance from the holly jolly spirits. And all was going according to plan until my nemesis, Storee Taylor, moved in next door to care for her Aunt Cindy. Without blinking, she turned my simple world into a real nightmare-before-Christmas, especially when she decided to enter the town Christmas Kringle contest - which she was determined to win.

There's no place like home for the holidays ... especially for Lesley Carver. Life in the big city just wasn't her jam and now she's back in Hickory Falls, working at the family diner and helping her mom after she took a tumble. Lesley longs to build a life here, working at the cafe, selling her handmade ornaments and ... er, apparently reviving her high school crush on her best friend’s older brother. Only one problem, her mom wants her to leave Hickory Falls far behind.

Evie Crowe is starting over in a strange town with her newborn, and men are the furthest thing from her mind. If only the quiet, hulking farmer, Luke Ward, would stop coming into the thrift shop and piquing her reluctant interest. Evie wants to stay single all the way—she can’t trust anything more than friends-with-holiday-benefits. But Luke is in it for the long haul. He’s fixed on making this a Christmas Evie will remember forever. If she gives him a chance.

Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of best-selling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish. Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity's notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn't expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read.

Tilly Farriday isn’t feeling very jolly this season. Recently divorced and broke, she’s squatting in one of her rental agency’s properties until her new home is ready. The sprinkles on top of the burnt Christmas cookie that is her life? The new owner shows up early, forcing Tilly to hide in the attic to save her job…and what remains of her dignity.

Clark Griswold was onto something...at least with his annual holiday meltdown. And since the last three weeks of my life have been riddled with humbug—another breakup, a broken toe, an office promotion I deserved and didn’t get—I’m not at all in the mood to celebrate nor have the happ, happ, happiest Christmas EVER.

After a snowstorm grounds her flight, Lucy makes a last-ditch effort to get home for Christmas using a rideshare app. She thinks she’ll be taking a road trip with a stranger...but the guy who shows up is someone she knows all too well. He’s the hookup she ghosted a few months ago, and now she’ll be stuck in a car with him for the most awkward road trip of her life.

After a bad breakup, Nola wants nothing to do with Christmas, especially in her quaint hometown of Bright Harbor, Maine. Infuriatingly charming and cheery, Nola’s surroundings only worsen her sour mood. To make matters worse, Caleb, the boy who broke her heart years ago, is all grown up and still living in town. While doing her best to avoid him, Nola bumps into the local mailman, who gives her a mysterious letter. And when she finds that the writer is a fellow Scrooge, she can’t help but feel her spirit lifting.

Kind, wonderful, big-hearted Liesel married her prince, and…no, they didn't live happily ever after. Well, not until there was magic. I am Seraphina Vine, the fairy godmother of Everwood. I bring lost souls and broken hearts together. So, I wave my magic wand and tell you the story of a little match girl who brought light into the life of a reluctant prince.

I fell for a woman for the first time in my life. I never thought the winds of Montana could carry in a storm like Isha George. She's stunningly beautiful. Years younger than me. Definitely a gold digger. She's charming, elegant—and my younger brother's girlfriend. When Isha sweeps into my life, I'm sure she's a tempest hiding behind a smile as bright as sunshine. And, she has her eyes on the prize—a piece of the Ledger Ranch. My ranch. So, I do what any good brother and ranch owner would. I steal her away and then proceed to break her heart.

Esme's sister, Viviane, is a beautiful, high-flying, wealthy lawyer. Declan is the CEO of a global tech company. They are a power couple. Esme is a social worker who doesn't understand the business world and doesn't care about stock portfolios. She wants to help people. And yet, Declan can't deny the chemistry between him and Esme. They have nothing in common, except he wants her like he's never wanted a woman.

Going from uncle to father overnight meant me moving back to my hometown after two decades away. Now, I'm trying to pick up the pieces and do right by a little girl who just wants her mom. When my twentieth high school reunion rolls around, I come face-to-face with Emily, the ex whose heart I broke before she could break mine. Old feelings come rushing back, but I don't have time to grieve, let alone start a relationship.

Emilia has always secretly liked Damian, so when he turns on the charm in Las Vegas, she's easily swept off her feet. By the end of the night, they are married and have spent the night together. She thinks Damian married her in a drunken haze and offers an annulment. But when their Vegas wedding hits the gossip sites, Damian suggests staying married for a while to avoid a PR mess.

To me, he was Grizzly. To the world, I would learn, he’s someone else completely. I should have died on that mountain. But he rescued me. More animal than man, he’s cold, distant, and fiercely territorial. He seems to hate me for simply breathing, and yet, he brought me back to life.

Victor. Torsten. Cassius – the jock, the artist, the stepbrother. The Poison Ivy Club. Ruthless. Connected. Violent. Untouchable. They rule Stonehurst Prep with an iron fist. If you want Harvard, Princeton, or Yale, they’ll get you in. Guaranteed. But they’ll take their pound of flesh first. A deal’s a deal – you give them whatever they want, and they’ll make your dreams come true.

Bailey Cooper has always given more of himself to the two ranches he works on than his personal life, but one thing he knows for sure: Lettie is the girl he's going to marry. When she leaves without a goodbye the day after her eighteenth birthday, he's convinced he'll never see her again. That is, until she's falling off a ladder and into his arms.

I have one simple rule: no boyfriends until graduation. I'm too close to my goal of landing a full ride to college to get distracted now. Besides, I blend in better at the skate park than I do in the hallowed halls of Savage Academy, a boarding school for the rich and overprivileged, so staying away from guys hasn't been a problem. Until him.

My life as a ballerina came to an end when I broke my leg onstage. My ballet slippers now hang uselessly on my wall. All that remains are my shattered heart and an uncertain future. Until I run into the tall, dark, and mysterious stranger at a gala. Devilish, handsome, and oh so delectably Scottish, Keir is looking for a nanny for the summer. He's a single father, too busy and too rich to take care of his daughter alone. I have a million questions, but I'm caught up in the unquestionable heat in his eyes.

My new boss is my baby's daddy . . . he just doesn't know it yet. But when he sees my son for the first time . . . feels a fatherly connection that he can't describe, he knows something is wrong. Five years ago, Carter and I had one unforgettable night just before he moved away. I tried to find him, but fate had other plans. Now, five years later, he's back in town. And my baby's daddy is my prick of a new boss.

Eliana Haros has hit rock bottom. She's had to move back home with her parents and navigate life again at twenty-three. To make matters worse, they give her an ultimatum: either find a job and move out or go back to college and get a different degree at the University they're professors at. With time running out, Eliana has no choice but to enroll and hope she doesn't bump into them.

Brutal, cold, and illegally gorgeous, Dante Sartorre isn't just mafia royalty. He's also the tyrant owner of the infamously deviant and members-only Club Venom. He's also my new husband. In my defense, I wasn't supposed to be the bride. But I sealed my fate when I saved my friend by signing the Venom Devil's marriage contract myself. Now, he owns me. All of me…

I stumbled across something I wasn’t supposed to discover. I saw something I wasn’t meant to see, and now I’m an alibi for a killer. He’s the most feared and powerful man in the New York underworld. I don’t have a choice but to do as he says. But he commands so much more than just my testimony.

Fall head-over-heels in love with the unforgettable men of The Exception Series from USA Today Bestselling author Adriana Locke. This collection includes The Exception, The Connection, and The Perception.