better than you book

For seven years, Kelsey Dale ran a business empire from the shadows and called herself a housewife. She gave up her name, her position, and eventually her health to prop up a husband who needed her more than he admitted, including nursing him through a near-fatal illness with everything she had. On the day their infant son turns one hundred days old, Gaige Hamilton walks through the door with his mistress and their child, backed by his parents, and offers Kelsey a choice: accept them under her roof and keep managing the household, or leave without her son. Seven years. That is what they thought they were owed.

For seven years, Kelsey Dale ran a business empire from the shadows and called herself a housewife. She gave up her name, her position, and eventually her health to prop up a husband who needed her more than he admitted, including nursing him through a near-fatal illness with everything she had. On the day their infant son turns one hundred days old, Gaige Hamilton walks through the door with his mistress and their child, backed by his parents, and offers Kelsey a choice: accept them under her roof and keep managing the household, or leave without her son. Seven years. That is what they thought they were owed.

"Underage?" "No. I'm 19." "You know what you're doing here?" "Yes. I'll do it well." Cindy Jake, forced to leave school, went to apply for a part-time job, only to find herself in the role of a call girl, and she unexpectedly became pregnant with triplets in one night! "I don't dislike her being close." It was said that Chase Jorge, a ruthless tycoon who hated women the most, faced the possibility of being childless. Yet, he found himself inexplicably drawn to Cindy. Initially, his plan was to bring Cindy home to have the children, but he was becoming increasingly entangled. His wife's outrageous family dared to bully her? Teach them a harsh lesson! Colleagues at the factory dared to hurt her? Fire them all!

Ten years ago, Sawyer Nixon pulled Megan Gray from the abyss,forged her into the sharpest blade in his arsenal, and welcomed her as the most docile lover by his side. He showered her with jewels and affection, leading her to believe this was love. He was the only light in her otherwise dim life. But when his long-lost love returned, he handed her a packet of poison, commanding her to ensnare another man. In that instant, she realized that after a decade of companionship, she was nothing more than a disposable tool. Her heart shattered in silence as she calmly accepted this final lesson: he had taught her to give up completely.

In her past life, Monica Woodard is the eldest daughter of the Woodard family, Lexford City's most prominent household. Lost due to her mother's mistake, she grows up in an orphanage until her biological father finds her. Desperate to win the love of her parents and two brothers,Monica endures countless provocations and schemes from the adopted daughter, Alyvia Woodard. Rather than earning her family's affection, her patience only allows Alyvia to poison their relationships further. The family, prioritizing the adopted daughter's feelings, neglects and scorns their biological daughter. Ultimately,through Alyvia's machinations, Monica dies tragically.

At 43, Monica Brooks cleans rooms in a luxury hotel while secretly holding onto one hope: finding her daughter, who vanished more than a decade ago. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she crosses paths with Ethan Sawyer, the 26-year-old hotel heir who has never forgotten her. The catch? Monica has no memory of him. When Ethan convinces Monica to work as the housekeeper at his secluded estate, his affection quickly turns into a relentless pursuit. But as Monica becomes entangled in his world, she notices something chilling—Ethan’s younger sister Lena looks more and more like the daughter she lost.

Steve Lawson is the world’s most powerful individual, but tired of being courted and fawned over by global elites, he disguises himself as a carefree,irresponsible playboy, living a seemingly frivolous lifestyle. However, when a rejuvenation formula he casually created puts his family in grave danger, his parents—unaware of his true capabilities—fear for his safety. They hire Melanie Graham, known as the “living demon”, to serve as Steve’s female bodyguard and protect him. Unbeknownst to Melanie, the seemingly helpless young master she’s been assigned to protect is far more formidable than anyone realizes, setting the stage for an unlikely partnership filled with hidden identities and misunderstandings.

Ten years ago, Sawyer Nixon pulled Megan Gray from the abyss,forged her into the sharpest blade in his arsenal, and welcomed her as the most docile lover by his side. He showered her with jewels and affection, leading her to believe this was love. He was the only light in her otherwise dim life. But when his long-lost love returned, he handed her a packet of poison, commanding her to ensnare another man. In that instant, she realized that after a decade of companionship, she was nothing more than a disposable tool. Her heart shattered in silence as she calmly accepted this final lesson: he had taught her to give up completely.

Sherlyn is a traditional medicine prodigy who spent years raising her son alone, coming down the mountain with nothing but her child and her medicine kit and asking no one for anything. Then she walks straight into Lucas Taylor, her son's father and the head of one of the most powerful families in the city. A rare hereditary condition surfaces, tangled identities unravel, and rival healers with hidden agendas start circling. Through every scheme and confrontation, Sherlyn fights back on her own terms, with her son beside her and her instincts sharper than any prescription. Three lifetimes of unfinished feeling, it turns out, have a way of finishing themselves.

Blessed with a serendipitous aura, Meave Shaw's wedding day takes a strange turn when she meets CEO Yannic Pinkman, whose car has run out of gas. After she mistakes his vehicle for her wedding car and gifts him sweets in apology, his fuel tank inexplicably refills. Grateful, he searches for her, but she has already married into the Wayne family, whose fortunes soar with her luck. However, wealth corrupts them, and after her husband's betrayal, she is determined to divorce him and moves to the city. There, she takes a job at a hotel owned by none other than Yannic, bringing their intertwined destinies full circle.

My brother-in-law, Timmy Lynch, racks up 50 million dollars of illegal gambling debt but leaves my contact information behind. By the time the interest snowballs to 100 million dollars, the debt collectors show up at my doorstep. After I persuade them to leave, my wife, Celia Lynch, and my mother-in-law, Meryl Unwin, finally come out of the room. Celia's face is pale as she says, "Let's get divorced. I'd rather leave with nothing. Your gambling debts are your own problem, so don't even think about dragging me into this." No matter how many times I explain that it was Timmy who bet on an underdog team and lost, she refuses to believe me. Meryl even slaps me across the face and roars, "Not only are you trying to trick my daughter into paying your debt, but you're also slandering my son? Listen to me, Celia—divorce him immediately!" Then, she turns to me and says, "I might as well tell you the truth now. Celia is pregnant, and the baby's father is your buddy. Just give up already and sign the divorce papers." Wait, what? I literally just won a 100-million-dollar prize from winning a World Soccer Tournament bet last night. I was going to ask if they need help covering Timmy's debt. How did this suddenly turn into a full-on divorce? Fine, then. They can pay back his massive debt themselves.

I'm lying here, my body burning from within as the wolfsbane spreads through my veins. Meanwhile, my Alpha mate, Ryan, is giving the antidote I discovered to his childhood sweetheart, Vivian. With what little strength remains, I beg him to spare just a portion of the cure—enough to keep me alive for a few more days while I search for another remedy. Ryan doesn't even glance my way. He snarls, "I can't believe you're faking illness when Vivian is fighting for her life! Control your jealousy before I lose all respect for you!" Under his command, I'm confined to my quarters to "contemplate my sins." In the end, the wolfsbane consumes me completely. When Ryan discovers what he's done, he digs my grave with his own hands, howling with regret that comes too late.

Vertical superstars Tess Dinerstein and Lottie Guidi test their unbreakable friendship and discuss everything being a girlboss in the entertainment industry entails. From Shakespearean origins to modern day mantras (plus a surprise special guest), you won’t want to miss the insight these titans of vertical entertainment have to offer!

Rachel Sheldon's world was turned upside down when she was drugged and woke up in the bed of Barrett York — the most powerful man in the city. When she discovered she was pregnant, Rachel disappeared from the spotlight, determined to raise the child in secrecy. But on the very day she gave birth, Barrett found her. Fiercely independent, Rachel was unlike any woman Barrett had ever met — and he couldn't stay away. As he launched a relentless pursuit, Rachel's hidden identities were revealed one after another, each more surprising than the last. Drawn to her strength, Barrett began to fall — and so did Rachel. Slowly, she opened her heart to the man she had once tried to escape. What had begun as an accident just might have become forever.

After Hector brands her barren and shameful, Natalie dials a number that changes everything and becomes the wife of the city's real ruler. When Hector begs at her wedding, she moves away from him and into Ethan's embrace. Ethan announces, ice-cold, "Just so you know, she's my wife."

In my previous life, I gave everything for Kane — only to be locked in a dungeon by him, forced to watch our child be crushed to death, and die filled with endless hatred. Reborn on the day of my adulthood ceremony, with the entire Silver Moon Blood Clan watching, the Blood Prince gives me the right to choose one of his two sons to form an Eternal Blood Pact. Everyone expects me to choose Kane. Instead, I point to the man feared by all — the mad prince who returned from the Dark Ancient Forest. **"I choose Cass Nightshade."** The moment Kane’s face turns deathly pale, I know — this life, it’s finally my turn to take revenge. The bloodthirsty monster everyone calls a madman slowly reveals his obsessive tenderness only to me. "You chose me, Eve… Now you can never escape." Under the Blood Moon, the Eternal Blood Pact is sealed. This time, I marry the monster — just to crush my scumbag ex completely.

Sophia, the sole heiress of Porthaven's powerful Jason family, spent five years honoring her promise. Five years ago, to save Justin, the man she loved, she struck a deal with Director Cloud.While he worked to develop the cure, she took responsibility for caring for his grandson, Warren, and Warren's young son, Joey, and supporting the declining Cloud Group.Under her protection, the father, the child, and the company all thrived. Yet Sophia's sacrifices were erased. She was treated as nothing more than a nanny. When Warren's ex-wife Quinn returned, they hurt Sophia time and again. When the five-year promise ends, Sophia walks away without hesitation, taking back everything she gave. As Warren loses it all, the truth finally comes to light.

Cast out by his own family as useless, Justin Lowe opens a supermarket in the apocalypse and staffs it entirely with S-rank anomalies. His monsters clock in, follow orders, and keep the shelves stocked while human survivors trade hexcoins for goods that shouldn't exist: prehistoric snacks, high-tech weapons, supplies from no known supply chain. Each transaction upgrades the store. Each upgrade unlocks something stranger. The anomalies are terrifying everywhere except inside Justin's shop, where they are, inexplicably, perfectly obedient. Dragged repeatedly into the power struggles and crises of the survivor world, he navigates each one with wit and nerve rather than force. In the end, it isn't a weapon or an army that defeats the cosmic evil bearing down on what's left of humanity. It's a commercial contract, and the man who signs it becomes the world's last savior.