Bøger af Carrie Thomas

Defeat stings, but victory burns.Trevor Steele has had plenty of professional success, both as heavyweight champion of the American Fighting League (AFL) and in owning his own gym. But now that he's officially retired from fighting, he's finding it tough to reconcile the man he is with the fighter he used to be. Enter a feisty distraction named Navie Fuller, who just so happens to be adjusting to a new life herself. Navie is no stranger to the cage nor the athletes who fight inside it. She was raised to be the beautiful but silent face behind the AFL, and her father - the CEO of the league - doesn't support her aspirations of training for her own fight. Navie has spent her life conforming to her father's demands, putting her dreams on hold to please the man who raised her. Not anymore.Determined to know every side of the business before launching a professional women's league, Navie quits her job with the AFL and leaves her privileged life in California behind, ready to combat her way to the top of a sport she's loved from afar, one uppercut at a time. What she doesn't expect to find is a burning passion for the man who commits to helping her get there. As things heat up inside-and outside-of the cage, Navie's new life is threatened when her father blackmails her, reminding everyone who holds the purse strings and the power in the world of cage fighting. Faced with a battle they're sure to lose, Navie and Trevor must decide if they're willing to risk defeat to prove they have a love worth fighting for.

One mistake doesn't usually define a person, unless your name is Conner Payne.Searching for a way to get his life back on track, Conner finds refuge at Steele Cage, a local gym, where he soon uncovers his potential for supremacy inside the brutal world of cage fighting. A natural talent for landing precise punches and powerful knee strikes could be Conner's ticket out of the hellscape of a life he's been living in for the past decade. All he has to do is train hard and avoid distractions. Should be simple enough, but Conner knows better than anyone that even when you're not looking for trouble, trouble can still find you. And this time, the devil is disguised as a feisty reporter, full of temptation and wrapped in sin.After a devastating betrayal, local columnist Willow Stevens devotes herself to her profession, searching for the security and stability she's always craved. Everything is going as planned until she's forced to cover a cage fighting match, where an altercation with a crazed fan brings her face-to-bruised-face with the winner of the cage match and possible destroyer of her heart. With her life finally moving in the right direction, Willow can't afford any wrong turns, but Conner Payne may be a detour too tempting to ignore.As their lives become increasingly intertwined, Willow and Conner's pasts continue to sucker punch them from behind. They soon find out that what doesn't kill you may make you stronger, but you still have to learn to live with the scars.

Looking to take that first responsible step into adulthood, Stephanie Garner is working toward her college degree in secondary education while serving drinks at a bar to pay the bills. As an ex-gymnast and cheerleader, she might have guys falling at her feet, but she's a firm believer in monogamy. Even though she has options, serial dating is not her thing. Her best friend and roommate, the ever charismatic Cole Banks, likes to use his charming smile and silver tongue to his advantage. The more ladies the better; as long as Ms. Right Now doesn't expect breakfast in the morning. It's quantity over quality for this bachelor, until he realizes he wants more out of life. Starting a career he can be proud of is a step in the right direction to becoming the man he eventually wants to be. The lines blur between these roommates almost daily-filled with stolen glances, cuddling, and front flips-but fear of losing their friendship holds both of them back from taking a chance on love. The path of least resistance is not only best for their precarious living arrangement, but for their friendship as well. If they'd just listen to their gut, maybe they'd discover the forever kind of love everyone dreams about.

How far would you go to achieve happiness? What if it meant letting go of everything you'd once believed in? Piper Allen is looking to spread her wings and unfortunately, her podunk hometown in Missouri is stunting her spiritual growth. Moving to Dallas to finish up college with her two friends, Stephanie and Nicole, she hopes to challenge herself to reach new heights. Her bohemian ways allow her to float through relationships frequently and with ease; when there are no strings attached, there is no chance of being hurt. Texas rancher, Moye McKenzie, is a no nonsense, good ol' boy, who doesn't play games where matters of the heart are concerned. When this straight-shooter walks into Piper's life, sparks fly and tempers flare. Wanting to give her the life she deserves, Moye has to show her that getting hurt can happen whether you're holding onto the reins or not. If she could just let go, Piper might be surprised to find she's someone's dream girl.

*****This book is YA, but does contain a darker theme and some language.***** Waking up in a house she doesn't recognize, sixteen-year-old, Sophia Sawyer, tries not to let the blankness of her mind terrorize her from the inside out. How can she not know who she is? How has she ended up chained in a basement? Trying to work through her fear, she sets her sights on escaping. When an opportunity arises, she puts her trust in a boy she doesn't know, praying he will save her life. At age four, Abram Scott learned life owes him nothing, while fourteen taught him how to throw a punch-and take one. Seventeen though... seventeen provides him with the best and worst year of his life. Before he is old enough to fight for his country, he will escape his own personal hell, save a life, live a lie, break the law, fall in love, betray that love... then lose it. Letting Sophia go while not knowing if she will return, turns into the scariest decision Abram will ever make. But that's the problem with living a lie; at some point, you have to decide which one is your truth

Compelling, captivating, and sometimes complicated; Forbidden Secrets takes you on a journey down the road less traveled. The author takes us to places we never thought we'd go and keeps us there far longer than we expected to stay.