Showing results by author "Maria Barnett" in All Categories

Learning to swim in just a few hours is a challenging task, as swimming requires practice, confidence, and a level of comfort in the water. However, this guide can provide you with some guidelines to help you make progress in a short amount of time. This guide is based on real life experience teachings. I have proven time after time that a person with the right disposition may learn to swim, propelling oneself through the water with one's own momentum, in few hours. To get confidence in the water may take more than few hours. Keep in mind that individual results may vary, and it's always ...

The Abyss remembers every secret. And it never forgives. Born of the deep and bound to its ancient laws, Kaelen is heir to a throne carved from salt and shadow. The surface world whispers of mermaids, but few dare speak of the princes who guard the Abyss—merciless, immortal, and sworn to silence. Until Kaelen breaks the vow. Drawn to a forbidden shore and to the mortal woman who stirs his heart, he risks more than exile. The Abyss demands obedience, and love is the greatest defiance. War brews beneath the waves, a storm of blood and prophecy, and only a prince who dares to betray his own ...

Sam and I have our whole future planned—college, adventure, and a life filled with love. He’s my best friend, my high school sweetheart, and the boy I can’t imagine my life without. But I never saw Jake coming. Jake, my neighbor and childhood friend, has been watching me, loving me in secret for years. Now, he’s ready to act on his obsession, and he’s not asking for my love. He’s demanding it. When Jake’s obsession turns dangerous, my world unravels in an instant. Trapped, terrified, and far from the safety of Sam’s arms, I realize that Jake won’t let me go. He’ll stop ...

(Refined with mysticism, ancient sea, forbidden love, Leviathans, and ritual law) Seductive. Sacred. Dangerous. Mermaids in the Myst is a sensual, myth-rich collection of tales of forbidden desire, awakening power, within haunting echoes of love that will not drown. Before the first fires touched land, before humans dared to name the stars, the sea was already singing. Beneath its shifting surface lies a realm of ancient rituals, veiled priestesses, warrior-tritons, and songs too powerful to be heard by the unchosen. Here, every breath is bound by law. Every bond is shaped by lineage. And ...

Adam, an investment banker from Manhattan needs a change. After spending a short vacation in Snowfall Springs, he decided to sell everything and move to the cozy town. He buys Coffee Corner, a quaint and charming coffee shop that is popular with the locals. But Coffee Corner isn't entirely empty; it's haunted by the ghost of a woman named Emma. Emma has been in a coma for 15 months. The granddaughter of Coffee Corner's previous owner, she is determined to "return" to her body and get her life back. It turns out that Adam is the only person that can see or hear Emma. They work to figure out ...

William. Retired marine biologist. Widower. Notorious silver fox. Scorching hot trouble wrapped up in a drool-worthy package. I moved to this town to escape heartbreak. Getting into a relationship with the town's most desirable widower is not in my plan. But he knows what he wants and won't stop until he gets it. And this time he wants me. Never mind that he is twice my age. The local town's rumor mill is going wild. His adult children are convinced I am the wicked witch bent on stealing their dad. I was supposed to start a new life. Alone. But that explosive kiss has started something I ...

Thanksgiving has always been a bad day for Arabella. a Thanksgiving has never been kind to Arabella. It was the day her engagement fell apart… and the day her father disowned her. For seven long years, she’s built a life on her own terms—raising her son, working hard, and never looking back. Until a message from home changes everything. Her father wants her back. And for a moment, Arabella dares to hope that this year might finally bring forgiveness. Instead, he tells her that her son is an inconvenience… because he’s already arranged a marriage of convenience for her. Heartbroken...

Seductive. Sacred. Dangerous. The tides have never forgotten the vows spoken in secret. In this second volume of Mermaids in the Myst: Tales of Forbidden Love, four new stories rise from the Codex Sea—each a song of love daring the ancient laws of salt. The Siren’s Veil — A keeper’s daughter unravels the truth behind a forbidden song. The Coral Bride — A marriage bound in coral hides a hunger deeper than vows. The Lantern Below — In the gloom of the trenches, a diver discovers a light meant to destroy him—or save him. The Tide That Remembers — A queen who defied the ...

In the quiet aftermath of loss, my world was confined to the boundaries of raising Ethan, my son, whose unique perspective on life challenges me daily. I have accepted that I will grow old alone, and that my focus will be on him. But then came Emily. Her smile is enough to make my days brighter. And the unexpected catalyst, brought close by the simple friendship between her dog and Ethan has ignited a spark I thought long extinguished, making me yearn for a connection I believed was forever lost to me. After one night that blurred the lines between companionship and a deeper longing, fear ...

The Billionaire Heir and the Hotel Staffer. Off-Limits. Impossible. Irresistible. Returning to Arkansas for a family staycation at Diadem-Hedge should be routine—smile for the press, manage the Fitzgerald name, and keep the drama under wraps. Simple. Predictable. Then I meet her. Marriott isn’t just another hotel staffer. She’s chaos where I’m control, fire where I’m ice, and the only person in this place who refuses to treat me like the heir I was born to be. She storms into my life with a sharp tongue, a stack of linens, and zero interest in the rules I live by. I should walk ...

When I first laid eyes on Isabella, I knew I was in trouble. She’s my best friend’s sister—and a threat to everything I’ve worked for. Too beautiful, too tempting—too impossible to resist. One night of surrender changes everything, and dark secrets rise to the surface. Now, I’m torn between the woman I can’t stay away from and the revenge I’ve lived for. Her father ordered my parents’ deaths, and nothing can ever be the same. The pull between us is dangerous, but the truth? It’s devastating. With every touch, every kiss, the line between love and betrayal blurs. The ...

They thought the past was buried—until fate gave them one more chance to rewrite the ending. After years apart, Lily Thompson never expected to cross paths with Jake Carter—the man who broke her heart and walked away. But when she returns to Willow Creek with their gifted son, an unexpected reunion sparks the embers of a love once thought extinguished. Jake is a man torn between reputation and redemption. As his world crumbles under scandal and betrayal, Lily becomes the unexpected anchor in his storm. However, trust isn’t easily mended, and forgiveness comes at a price. In the small ...

Enemies on the Force. Forbidden Off Duty. One Secret Could Shatter Everything. Michael is the last person I want as my partner. He’s cold, ruthless, and convinced I don’t belong here. To him, I’m just a rookie with too much heart and not enough experience. But when rumors of corruption shake our precinct, I start to wonder if his bitterness is hiding something more. The deeper I dig, the more I realize I’m in over my head. Someone is covering up crimes from the inside—someone powerful, dangerous, and willing to do anything to keep the truth buried. Michael warns me to walk away, ...

In the high-stakes world of law, my clash with Dante Ravenscroft began in his opulent office. He, the undefeated legal titan, and I, the challenger with victories that apparently lacked significance. Our verbal sparring was laced with tension, petty provocations revealing a side of him that was unexpectedly laughable. As the details of the case unfolded, I sensed an enigma beneath his confident facade. The courtroom awaited, a stage for our legal joust, where our battle of wits would reach its climax. Beyond the legal theatrics, an unexpected connection formed—an entanglement of love ...

Paws and Healing In the quiet aftermath of loss, my world was confined to the boundaries of raising Ethan, my son, whose unique perspective on life challenges me daily. I have accepted that I will grow old alone, and that my focus will be on him. But then came Emily. Her smile is enough to make my days brighter. And the unexpected catalyst, brought close by the simple friendship between her dog and Ethan has ignited a spark I thought long extinguished, making me yearn for a connection I believed was forever lost to me. After one night that blurred the lines between companionship and a ...

A love that defies death, a secret that spans lifetimes. Samuel, haunted by visions. Emily, drawn to the forbidden. Willowbrook's ancestral Mansion conceals a love story from the 1890s. Against society's constraints, Samuel and Emily ignite a passion that's both irresistible and perilous. But a sinister presence from the past threatens to unravel their chance at happiness, as secrets long buried resurface, weaving a tangled web of desire and danger. Together, they uncover the truth of their past lives, a love that transcends time, but their powerful families and a relentless force stand in ...

A disillusioned soldier, a wrongfully convicted woman both looking for a second chance at life and love. I knew things were bound to be different, but not this way. My grandma is gone, and her legacy - the cookie factory has long been closed. My sister hates me. My path to redemption will be harder than I thought. But then, there's Ben. My childhood sweetheart is nursing the same heartbreak as me. Together, everything seems brighter and easier. But can we emerge from this mess together and whole? Or will we crumble with pressure?

As a Navy Seal, I thought I had seen them all. How wrong I was. One unexplainable and mysterious encounter while on duty has all led to this. A marriage in paradise for my mate, meeting beautiful Pippa, and the threat of a mermaid’s curse that threatens to destroy the happiness of everyone. Protecting everyone is my default. No one gets left behind on my watch. But I did not count on the danger to be closer than expected. This wedding has to go on without a hitch. And if I am lucky, I just might take home the girl, too.

Hard pass on the grumpy billionaire who nearly cost Whiskers one of her nine lives. Never mind that he’s also the most gorgeous man I’ve ever laid eyes on. Fresh off my longtime boyfriend’s betrayal, I’ve sworn off men. Permanently. Until Leonard. Leonard, who has everything—looks, charm, and more money than I can imagine. Leonard, who is definitely out of my league when I’m just a small-town librarian with a cat, a quiet life, and no family left. But he’s impossible to ignore. His eyes promise things I’ve only ever dreamed of, and every time he’s near, my resolve crumbles...

The Hollywood Heartthrob and the Woman He Was Never Meant to Love. A Secret Affair. A Ruthless Scandal. Robert is the industry’s golden boy—charming, untouchable, and every director’s dream. Laurene is the woman behind the lens, capturing stars without ever stepping into their world. Until him. What starts as stolen nights and whispered promises quickly turns into something deeper, something neither of them can afford. Robert’s carefully crafted image as Hollywood’s ultimate bachelor is his ticket to success, and Laurene’s past has already taught her that love in the spotlight ...