Relationships Stories

"Bridget Jones with a lot more wine! This story is hilarious, feel-good and relatable in all the best ways!" - Grace K @ HQ. She's just quit her high-flying job, and her marriage is coasting on fumes. Can Alice find a sense of purpose in the wreckage? ***** Alice's life isn't going to plan. She's tied to her phone, pointlessly managing PR for a sinking corporate megalith. She's become a bit player in her kids' lives, and her marriage is coasting on fumes. Forcing herself into action with a rash resignation, Alice sets out to make a positive impact on the world around her. But how? Meditation leads to napping, and her attempts to get closer to her teenage daughter result in the discovery of a secret that leaves her at a loss. As the months tick by and a sense of purpose continues to elude her, Alice finds herself forming bonds with the most unlikely characters: the young woman who panhandles outside her old office; the homeless boy who sits cross-legged outside the liquor store with his ginger cat; her own dog walker who, it turns out, knows a thing or two about developing a good crema. Testing the limits of marriage, motherhood and the Toronto subway system -- can Alice find her way into a purpose-driven life? Or will it all be one giant hangover? [*Wattpad Editor's Pick 2018*] [[word count: 70,000-80,000 words]] Readers say: "This had me laughing so loud that my sister came to check up on me to see if I'm OK!!!" "...the new Bridget Jones, a working woman's take on the digital age." About the Author: Working mother and red wine enthusiast, Renee lives in Toronto with her flawed but wonderful family (seriously, who left socks on the kitchen counter?) in a flawed but wonderful house (what *is* that smell in the basement?) where she writes flawed but wonderful stories about what it is to be a woman today.

A teen monster will stop at nothing to get power, even if that means eating the forbidden fruit that will forever bind her to the keeper of death itself. ***** After rejecting the Wolf King and refusing to be his docile, powerless bride, Korin escapes into the mountains in search of forbidden fruit. And while the legends say that anyone who eats the fruit will be enslaved to the keeper of death itself, Korin is confident she can become something more. Because the power that comes with being queen of the underworld is everything she craves, as she'll finally be able to destroy the society that ripped her werewolf identity from her soul. [[word count: 60,000-70,000 words]]

[This story is now FREE] Florette moves to Versailles, only to discover a group of Fae are destroying France. Allying with the battled-scarred Destan, she has to save the kingdom. ***** Florette, a painter's apprentice, is finally welcomed to the palace of Versailles. Ready to work, she notices that several of the courtiers are too beautiful to be human. Soon a battle-scarred warrior, Destan, tells her the truth: a faction of Fae have left the faerie and are slowly destroying the French monarchy. Determined that France must not fall, Florette is forced to use her skill to smuggle messages about the Fae inside her own paintings. Can she trust the rugged warrior at her side? And can Florette save France from creatures beyond mortal control?

When May Alana's wish on a star brings a stranger to her remote island home, the pair must survive a deadly magical conflict in order to be together. ***** When May Alana, a scorned and anxiety-ridden young woman, finds a stranger on the beach of her remote island home, she wonders if this is the adventurous, accepting, and loving answer to her otherwise cloistered life. But as the pair grow closer, the stranger entrusts May with her brilliant secret: that she is half-Star in possession of otherworldly powers, and that a violent group of Star worshippers are out to destroy her. So if they want any chance of being together, they'll have to survive a deadly conflict between humans and mythological creatures first. THE STAR AND THE OCEAN is Book 1 in the Starborn Series Book 2: THE WIND AND THE HORIZON Book 3: THE FIRE AND THE SKY Cover illustration by Brittany Willows (@BrittanyMWillows) [[Watty Winner]] [[Wattpad LGBT Book of the Month]] [[word count: 70,000-80,000 words]]

When Caroline returns home to find both her crush and the bad boy next door want to be with her, she's determined to keep her secrets from ruining everything. ***** Caroline Rogers is back. Having left behind her life to attend a prestigious musical academy the last three years, Caroline returns a whole new person, determined not to be weighed down by the scars of bullying that plagued her before. Her best friend and life-long crush is there to welcome her back, and he might finally return feelings for her. If only she could trust him again after what happened in their past. And when one of her former bullies, captivating bad boy Kieran, starts trying to connect with her in the wake of betrayal, Caroline is left confused over who she can really trust in this town, and how far gone she is from her past. Content and/or Trigger Warning: Not suitable for readers under the age of 13. There will be some mature language and sexual themes present. [[word count: 80,000-90,000 words]]

After the accident, Noah Archer built a wall around himself. But Riley Dawson is curious about him, and she's determined to meet the man behind his defenses. ***** Riley Dawson has always noticed Noah. He was the most popular guy on campus, until he lost his parents in a car accident. Now he's withdrawn and silent. Mustering up the courage to give her condolences, the two end up talking, and Riley grows determined to help Noah find himself again. Every time she coaxes a smile from him, she can feel the ice around his heart melting. But Riley knows that Noah's loss is still close to him. She's opening up her heart, but can Noah do the same? He's got so much to lose, but now, so does she. [[word count: 70,000-80,000 words]]

Emma and Vivian spend their summer at a new camp to help out a friend, only to discover that it's a dating camp and they both have to pretend to be single! ***** Emma and Vivian, having spent their first year of college living together, agree to spend their summer at Gwen Black's latest camp. Unfortunately, due to a misunderstanding (and Gwen's aggressive advertising), the entire camp is using Emma as a mascot because she's "single". Emma and Vivian decide to let the situation play out to help Gwen, finding a new thrill in keeping their love secret. Soon, though, things get out of hand as they start making each other jealous, and someone online is working to destroy their relationship (and the entire camp)! Can Emma save the camp, her reputation, and the only relationship that's ever mattered to her? (Sequel to Camp Mapplewood: original version.) [[word count: 40,000-50,000 words]]

Running away from their jobs as camp counselors, Ellie and Seb embark on a road trip with unexpected turns en route to their destination - New York. ***** Camp Raukawee was meant to be where Ellie Morrison and Sebastian Lee spent their summer working as camp counselors, but they've had enough. Escaping in the middle of the night, the friends hatch a crazy plan to make their way to New York to visit Ellie's dad, who she hasn't seen since he moved five years ago. Along the way, however, a series of cities and events have the pair not only questioning their individual futures, but wondering what will happen to the growing spark between them as the countdown to adulthood begins. [[word count: 90,000-100,000 words]] Cover designed by Gillian Goulet

ORGINALLY A 'PAID' STORY. NOW PUBLISHED ON AMAZON/KU *** 4 CHAPTER SAMPLE HERE *** After a great loss, Jake Bryant finds himself in Las Vegas. To fill the void in his heart, he searches for a woman's missing daughter and finds more than he bargained for. ***** Two years after his daughter was kidnapped, Jake Bryant meets a woman in desperate need of help. Seeing the opportunity to redeem himself, Jake probes Las Vegas's seemly underbelly to find the pimp responsible for abducting her daughter. But navigating Sin City's sex trade business proves tougher than Jake thought, and he finds himself digging his own grave at gunpoint. Can Jake find a way to escape? Or will his mistakes lead to more death? [[word count: 70,000-80,000 words]]

WATTPAD BOOKS EDITION. It only takes one moment to change your life forever . . . After her mother's deportation last year, all Soledad "Sol" Gutierrez wants is for her life to go back to normal. Everything's changed-new apartment, new school, new family dynamic-and Sol desperately wants to fit in. When she joins her community college's history club, it comes with an odd initiation process: break into Westray's oldest house and steal . . . a fork? There's just one problem: while the owners of the house aren't home, their grandson Ethan is, and when he catches Sol with her hand in the kitchen drawer, she barely escapes with the fork intact. This one chance encounter irrevocably alters her life, and Sol soon learns that sometimes fitting in isn't as important as being yourself-even if that's the hardest thing she's ever had to do.

WATTPAD ORIGINAL EDITION Finished high school, Emma's forced to spend her summer at a camp. But a striking counsellor, Vivian, changes her plans from escape to together forever. ***** Seventeen-year-old Emma Lane usually lives with her dad, but she's once again being forced to spend the summer with her homophobic mom. This time, however, instead of spending a summer on the beach, her mom drops her off at Camp Mapplewood while she heads off on a cruise with her new husband. Emma hates the camp and tries to escape, but she is caught by a camp counsellor Vivian. She's drawn to Vivian's voice and her charm, while Vivian is fascinated by Emma's instinct to protect others and to feel with her whole heart. The two grow close, but the end of the summer looms. Can they find a way to stay together when they have to return to their normal lives? (Has a sequel: My Pretend Summer.) [[word count: 50,000-100,000 words]]

Zoe is a teenage girl convicted of a murder she didn't commit, but that doesn't matter in the Arena of Justice. You either win your fights, or you die. ***** Seventeen-year-old Zoe never expected to find herself on the wrong side of the law, but when she's convicted of a murder she didn't commit, she's sentenced to the Arena of Justice - the home of gladiator matches where murderers fight murderers, and every fight ends with a death. Zoe's plan for surviving is simple: ignore the other inmates and fly under the radar until it's time to fight, but that's easier said than done. As hard as she tries to hate those she must kill, Zoe soon befriends the other inmates and falls in love - a deadly proposition when a moment's hesitation can prove fatal. It's up to Zoe to save her life, no matter how hard the system is trying to kill her. [[word count: 50,000-60,000 words]]

WATTPAD ORIGINAL EDITION When a summer of fun turns upside down, Olivia must figure out whether her paranoid imagination is playing tricks on her or if she's being followed - and by who. ***** It's been years since Olivia nearly drowned in Caldwell Beach, and after moving away, she's back for the summer to reconnect with old friends. However, not everything-or everyone-is the same. Her childhood best friend, Miles, is still sweet and carefree, but his older brother West is not. Disowned and working at the local garage, he's distanced himself from everyone, until Olivia accidentally uncovers the reason why. But as the two grow closer, strange things begin happening to Olivia. She can't stop seeing shadows and hearing voices, but as she slips into a downward spiral of obsessiveness and paranoia, she must fight to uncover the truth behind who is after her, and why. [[word count: 60,000-70,000 words]]

ORGINALLY A 'PAID' STORY. NOW PUBLISHED ON AMAZON/KU *** 4 CHAPTER SAMPLE HERE *** When Jake Bryant's daughter is kidnapped for ransom, he's forced to gamble with her life in order to discover which of his enemies has taken her hostage and to what end. ***** Jake Bryant's daughter, Sam, is in trouble. Her all-star quarterback boyfriend gave her pills to help her study for a test, but the pair are caught on school grounds with the unprescribed drugs. Since Sam's grandfather is a district court judge, she gets off with a slap on the wrist. Austin isn't as lucky. But with Austin's precious future at stake, his brother attempts a Hail-Mary pass by kidnapping Sam for his release. Can Jake rescue her before time runs out, or will they both pay for her mistake with their lives? [[word count: 70,000-80,000 words]]

After falling in love with a younger and much less successful man, can Yiwen convince herself and her parents to accept him into their wealthy family? ***** When Yiwen Wang suddenly finds herself 30 and single, she lets her well-meaning best friend talk her into a blind date with the handsome Zi'an Li. And not only is he plucked straight out of a movie screen, his witty banter over dinner also convinces Yiwen he's exactly the type to make her toes curl. Yet, by some wicked twist of fate, he's five years younger than her and has no house, car, or stable, high-paying job. So how is she ever going to convince herself and her parents that he's the right choice? Especially when her new, attractive boss makes it very clear that he's interested in her? [[1st Place, Flower Awards, Chicklit Category]] [[1st Place, The Golden Awards, Chicklit Category]] [[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]

Storie Sovany is used to being dismissed as the fat friend, until she moves from New York City to rural Ohio for college and the charming frat boy Liam Alexander approaches her. Torn between disbelief and flattery, Storie hopes her luck may have finally changed - but is it too good to be true? [author's note: this is not a romance!]

After escaping a stalled elevator into a zombie apocalypse, Emily must learn how to trust people again or risk losing everything in this terrifying world. ***** For Emily, every day of the last two years have been a blur. She keeps her head down, takes her college courses online, and only goes out to work at her mandatory internship. But all that changes on the day the office elevator breaks down, leaving her trapped when the screams begin. And when the doors finally open, revealing a dystopian world ruined by bloody teeth and disease, Emily is launched into a terrifying run for her life, caught between the strangers she's not sure she can trust and the man-eating monsters that hunger for her flesh. Now she must learn not only how to survive in this new and dangerous world, but also how to overcome her own inner demons before they cost her something more precious than her life. [[Wattys' Shortlist]] [[Promoted by AMC]] Content and/or Trigger Warning: The story contains some gore, violence, strong language, and dark themes. [[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]

WATTPAD BOOKS EDITION Everest is the most popular boy in school. He's handsome, wealthy, and captain of the football team-he has the world at his fingertips, but he's desperately unhappy. And when those feelings become too much to bear, he tries to take his own life. On the surface, Beverly's different from Everest in every possible way. She's quiet, shy, hard working, and keeps to herself on campus, focusing on her schoolwork and her part-time job, distracting herself from her less-than-perfect upbringing. When Everest returns to school after his attempt, he's in more pain than ever. Discarded by his friends, he draws little empathy and too much attention from those who surround him. But when Beverly and Everest meet unexpectedly in a dusty corner of the old library, they discover together just how rich life can be when given the freedom to just be yourself.

Ella is falling apart trying to live a "perfect" high school life. Then she meets Ren, who can see past her scars. Suddenly perfection isn't her only option. ***** Ella Volkov is a gifted music student, but she's depressed and starting to crack under the pressure of high school. Her overbearing father won't even let her choose what instrument she plays. Then she finds herself alone at a party with Ren, her best friend's crush. She'd always thought he was rude, but after that night he's all Ella can think about. Now she's trapped. If Ella dates Ren, it will ruin her friendship with Jenny. But if she stays true to Jenny, she's losing the one person who can see past her scars. It's up to Ella to decide if she will forge her own path, or stay in the "perfect" box designed for her... Content and/or Trigger Warning: depression, anxiety, self-harm, violence, sexual assault. [[word count: 50,000-100,000 words]]

[This story will become free on June 15th 2022] In the sequel to When Best Friends Kiss, Liam is faced with the life Alex has built without him. Can their love survive when they've become so different? ***** Fresh out of university and settled into a new apartment, Liam and Alex are ready to start their life together. While Alex finds passion in journalism and has more friends than he can count, Liam is frustrated with his photography and awkward around Alex's LGBTQ friends. Seeing the life Alex has built without him, and how different they've become, Liam finds his insecurities resurfacing and mental health spiraling downwards. After the time they've spent apart, do Liam and Alex really belong together? Or will their love story end before it starts its next chapter? (Sequel to When Best Friends Kiss.) [[word count: 30,000-40,000 words]]