*This is the first book in a duet. The second book is The Lies That Shatter, available now.Where do you run when everything has been stripped away? MercedesAfter making the biggest mistake of her life, Mercedes Elliott thought moving halfway across the world was the right decision. But six months later, she’s isolated, dependent on a dangerous relationship with her boyfriend, Jason Marsh, and no closer to rebuilding her once promising legal career. Running low on hope, Mercedes secretly reaches out to the one man she never thought she’d see again.AlecAlec McKinley always regretted letting Mercedes slip through his fingers. So when she invites him for coffee, he jumps at the chance to see her. Mercedes is just as beautiful as he remembered, only he can't help but notice the pain lingering in her eyes. The TruthAfter Mercedes' relationship comes to a violent head, she finds herself unable to escape her boyfriend's grasp. That is, until Alec makes an unexpected offer that could be her saving grace. But accepting that offer comes at a cost.Being near Alec ignites a flame Mercedes thought had burned out long ago. And when they realize Jason is not the man they thought he was, she and Alec uncover a stunning truth that will change everything between them.Will they let the past ruin them for a second time, or give in to the truth they’ve been keeping secret.**Please visit author's website for a list of content warnings.

She was off limits.Too young.The boss's daughter.Forbidden.I knew it all along, but it didn't change the absolute possession I felt when it came to her... nothing would change how I felt about her.So I did what I had to; I waited until the time was right to make her mine, only to find out there is one thing that could ruin it all.

When danger threatens, will their instant connection be enough to survive?She's the good daughter. He's the privileged playboy. Their forbidden attraction could cost them everything.Layla Habib has always played by the rules—working for her father's PI business while pursuing her teaching degree, living the life her traditional father expects. But when she locks eyes with the gorgeous stranger who walks into her favorite coffee shop, something shifts inside her. Ben is everything she shouldn't want—privileged, carefree, and completely out of her league.Instant attraction. Undeniable chemistry. Their connection is all-consuming, the kind of love-at-first-sight that rewrites your entire future. But when her father unknowingly takes on Iranian operatives as clients, Layla's world explodes into a nightmare of espionage and murder. Her father is arrested, then murdered in prison. Now she's being hunted by the same people who killed him.With a mysterious security team offering protection through disappearance, Layla faces an impossible choice: vanish forever, leaving Ben behind... or risk not only her life but his as well.In a world of espionage and danger, their instant connection becomes their greatest strength—and their deadliest weakness.A steamy, emotional prequel to the ALIAS series featuring forbidden romance, star-crossed lovers, forced separation, protective hero, witness protection, interracial romance, and a love worth risking everything for. Perfect for readers who love their romance with high-stakes suspense and emotional depth.About the ALIAS Series:What happens when disappearing is your only option—and falling in love wasn't part of the plan?ALIAS helps people vanish when their lives depend on it. This pulse-pounding romantic suspense series features protective alpha heroes, strong heroines fighting impossible odds, found family dynamics, forced proximity romance, enemies-to-lovers tension, workplace romance, witness protection, second chances, and the healing power of love wrapped in danger, desire, and deadly secrets.Each book delivers standalone romance with series-long suspense. Start with DUPED and fall in love with the operatives who protect the innocent while discovering that the heart is both the most vulnerable target—and the strongest shield.Perfect for fans of: Sandra Brown, Suzanne Brockmann, Elizabeth Lowell, Julie Ann Walker, and readers who love romantic suspense with instant attraction, forbidden love, and heroes who will sacrifice everything.What readers are saying:"Breathless adventure!""This book kept me guessing to the end. Loved the characters and the story line.""I'm a huge fan of Sandra Brown, and Lisa Hughey is giving her a great run for her money."Tropes: Instant connection • Forbidden romance • Star-crossed lovers • Forced separation • Second chance romance • Protective hero • Witness protection • Interracial romance • Love at first sight • Enemies hunting them • Found family • Suspense romance • Steamy romanceContent note: Steamy romance with suspense, danger, espionage, and emotional depth. HEA guaranteed.

From USA TODAY bestselling author, Maureen A. Miller, comes adventure and romance in the jungle.Deep in the Guatemalan jungle, a yearly event draws some of the top collectors of rare antiquities. The patrons of this event are an ensemble of the world's richest criminals. Drug lords. Corrupt politicians. Eccentric CEO's. They are there solely to get their hands on illegal artifacts.Mitch Hasslet, a war photojournalist relegated to a desk job, is the sole witness to a heist of Mayan artifacts. Recruited by the mysterious director of the Museum of Art and Antiquities, Mitch is sent to the last location where the stolen shipment was tracked. Guatemala. Acting as a museum staff photographer, Mitch joins a group of archaeologists. His goal is to locate the artifacts as swiftly as possible so that he can collect his compensation and get the hell out of the jungle.Alexandra Langley is about to run out of funds. She has yet to discover the lost Mayan civilization she knows lurks in the rainforest. To achieve her grant, she will accept the museum's latest nuisance, Mitch Hasslet, and any other obstacle that is sent her way. Unsuccessful and desperate, Alex has decided to move the group to a portion of the jungle referred to as "No Man's Land"—a sector where archaeological teams have ventured but never returned.As Mitch and Alex inch towards passion, will their bond protect them in a jungle filled with deceit?

Two straight guys. One desert island.Troy Tanner walks out on his boy band’s world tour rather than watching his little brother snort his life away. Screw it. He’ll take a private jet home and figure out his life away from the spotlight.But Troy doesn’t make it home.The plane crashes on a jungle island in the South Pacific. Forget dodging the paparazzi—now Troy’s desperate for food and water. The turquoise ocean and white sand beach looks like paradise, but danger lurks everywhere. Thank God the pilot survived too.At least Troy’s not alone. He has Brian.Brian’s smart and brave and strong. He doesn’t care that Troy’s famous. Brian’s real. As days turn into weeks with no sign of rescue, Troy and Brian rely on each other. They make each other laugh despite being stranded. They go from strangers to friends.What happens when they want more?Although he and Brian both identify as straight, their growing desire burns hotter than the tropical sun. If they explore their sexuality a thousand miles from anything or anyone, can their newfound love survive in the real world if they’re finally rescued?Beyond the Sea by Keira Andrews is a slow-burn LGBTQ+ romance featuring bisexual awakening, scorching first times, an age gap, and of course a happy ending.

She disappeared without a word. Now the man she left behind wants answers—and a second chance.Laura ran from Andy Friessen for a reason.She left without a word, determined never to go back to the man who broke her heart. But when divorce papers finally force Andy to face the truth, he realizes too late that losing Laura may be the biggest mistake of his life.Now Laura is fighting to protect the life she’s built far from Andy’s powerful family and the pain of the past. But Andy isn’t ready to let her go. Not without a fight. Not when too much remains unsaid between them.As secrets surface and old betrayals threaten everything, Andy and Laura must decide whether love is worth the risk—or whether some wounds can never truly heal.Runaway is a gripping second-chance romance filled with emotion, longing, family conflict, and the kind of love that refuses to stay buried.