Showing results by narrator "Kate Rudd" in All Categories

Here are 35 Stories of fitting in, consequences, and following your dreams for older teens, including "Fitting In... or Not"; "That Was Embarrassing"; "Consequences"; and "Going for It"

Dark, sexy, and dangerous, young Ben Powell could steal kisses as deep and stormy as Whitefire Lake. But when he cruelly accused Carlie Surrett of unthinkable sins, he left her in the dust of her shattered dreams. Now, steelier than ever after his stint in the army, Ben is back - making Carlie curse the love that all but destroyed her...and the volcanic passion that still sears her soul.

Mags has a lot to wish for — a nice house with a mama who isn’t tired out from work; a normal little sister; a brother who doesn’t mooch for food; and, once in a while, she’d like some new clothes for school. When her sister Hannie finds a stuffed unicorn, Mags’s wishes start to come true. She knows the unicorn can’t really be magic, but she won’t let anything jeopardize her newfound luck - even if it means telling her own sister to believe something that can’t possibly be true.

Araminta Palomer, the oversheltered child of a wealthy family, enlivens her life by imagining a near-invisible animal playmate: Willbe. But "Minta" possesses an unsuspected psychic talent, and so she unwittingly creates a tulpa, an envisioned being that gradually becomes tangible, first to herself and then to others. Willbe seems a loving companion at first, but as Minta matures, he changes into an increasingly perilous and unreliable friend.

Here are 34 stories of self-esteem, dating and doing the right thing for older teens, including "Happy to Be Me", "Dating, Crushes, and Just Friends", "Doing the Right Thing" and "Love Gone Bad".

Lisa Hawley is perfectly satisfied living on her own. Having fully recovered from a brutal divorce nearly two decades earlier, she has successfully raised her kids, Juliet and Theo, seeing them off to college and beyond. As the owner of a popular boutique on Nantucket, she’s built a fulfilling life for herself on the island where she grew up.

Marrying Glenn Lambert was either the smartest thing Maggie Kingsbury has ever done or the craziest mistake of her life. Best friends as children, they went their separate ways until a chance encounter at a wedding inspires this spontaneous leap of faith. How could she resist the sweet spell of a moonlit night and whispers of devotion guaranteed to melt her heart? But past disappointments and unhealed emotions soon start to wreak havoc with their vows.

Lily Morrissey knows exactly what she wants in a husband: a big bank account. Not that she’s greedy or shallow; she just needs the security for herself and her beloved grandmother. But husband-hunting is harder than she expected, especially with her best friend Jake in the way. In fact, Jake - who would be perfect for her if he weren’t so committed to everything money can’t buy - is becoming downright distracting, with those jade eyes and that disarming grin.

Carly Grieves is made of strong stuff. Tough and adventurous, she journeys to the wilds of Alaska looking for a new beginning. She finds more than she bargained for in Brand St. Clair, a rugged bush pilot who stirs something primal inside Carly that shocks her with its intensity. But he’s also a man with wounds, a widower stuck in the past. Carly desires him deeply, but she can’t compete with a dead woman for a place in his heart.

During her sophomore year at Middlebury College, Emily meets Max—“you” as she intimately refers to him in the book. Not exactly a tomboy, but not quite a girly girl either, Emily is intent on finding a masculine boyfriend to assuage a deeply rooted fear that she may not be quite feminine enough. Max—a boisterous class clown beloved by his many straight guy friends—has recently come out as gay and is embracing his newly claimed identity. Initially, Max and Emily dislike each other, but end up growing close after a make-out dare on Halloween.

Sadie Wilson’s heart stops the moment the phone rings. Deep in her soul, she knows what’s coming, and the voice on the other end only confirms her fears: Emma never made it to school. Her sweet, scared five-year-old climbed onto the bus for her very first day of kindergarten…and then vanished.

November 13, 2015. It was a Paris night that began like so many others - until a series of terrorist attacks brought darkness to the City of Light. Stirred by the tragic events at the Bataclan music club, One Night in November locks into the hearts and minds of all those whose paths crossed that fateful fall evening...

It sucks being with Grandpa in this new town. It sucks that they left the old place without finding Rosco. Travis doesn’t want to do anything, especially try to get by in his classes, which never seems possible, anyway. He’s a Bluefish - stupid, angry, alone. Then, suddenly, there’s a girl. Velveeta. She’s up in his face and she’s not backing down. She is as loud as he is quiet, as outgoing as he is shut in. She’s pretty, in a funky, scarf-wearing sort of way, and she’s smart - way smart - smart enough to figure out that Travis has a secret.

Ketilsey Island, 1960. Near this deserted island off the western coast of Iceland, the dawning of spring brings with it new life for the local wildlife. But for the decaying body discovered by three seal hunters, winter is a matter of permanence. After it is found to be a Danish cryptographer missing for months, the ensuing investigation uncovers a mysterious link between him and a medieval manuscript known as the Book of Flatey. Before long another body is found on Flatey, another tiny island off the western coast.

It was supposed to be another typical day at the office. Stevie Charles knew the famous rock band, Split Decision, would be staying at the hotel where she worked. But she had no idea that she was in danger of being swept off of her feet by one of the band members. Stevie didn't believe in fairy tales. She wasn't jaded, she was simply indifferent. She was too focused on her business to waste time daydreaming about all the A-list celebrities that came into the hotel on a regular basis.

I was in high school when I fell in love with Bradley Clark, the star of the football team. Things happened with us, and I ended up being homeschooled during my senior year. I am now the single mother of a three-and-a-half-year-old boy named Mac whose football star father has never so much as met him.

If Hallie McCarthy is going to get married and start a family the way she wants to, she’s going to need a plan. And a man. Since Hallie’s an organized, goal-setting kind of person, she gives herself a year to meet Mr. Knight in Shining Armor. But all her dates are absolute disasters. Aren’t there any nice, normal guys out there? Too bad she can’t just fall for her good-looking neighbor, Steve Marris. He’s definitely not her type. Anyway, Steve’s busy trying to win back his ex-wife, who’s busy getting married—just not to Steve.

The first time I met Daniel King, he had a busted nose. He was also a couple of years younger than me, which seemed like a lot back then. I had always thought of him as more of a little brother or friend.

Alec Abramson was a notorious player—an unapologetic ladies' man. He lived that lifestyle for years until the day he was reunited with his first love. Alec was a literal rockstar who had all the women he could handle. But after a chance meeting with Grace, he realized she was the only one he wanted. He had made a mistake by being careless with her feelings all those years ago, and now he had to begin the quest to win her back.

Ricky Dunn is the equivalent to a splinter under my fingernail. Romantic? Right. He’s the older brother of my best friend, and no matter how hard either of us try, we can’t seem to avoid each other. The problem started on the night my best friend and I graduated from high school. The party was joyous, a celebration. That night, I willingly gave Ricky a part of me—more than the kiss we told others about. Our deal was simple. No strings.