when a man approaches me I think he is approaching my body / this is not because I want to distrust him / I want to trust him / like I want to trust the rising tide / not to over-reach its swell / but I don’t turn my back on eitherIn her debut collection of poems, Julia Morgan Leatham analyzes the emotion of desire through a feminist lens. Employing playful language and thought-provoking metaphors, Desire delves into honest reflections on sex, power, love, trust, ...

I was never meant to stay on the sidelines. Once, I dreamed of being a sports journalist, chasing down stories and standing at the center of the action. Now, the only thing I seem to chase are the shadows of who I used to be. Roller derby was supposed to be a distraction, a way to escape the doubts that plagued me every time I looked in the mirror. What I didn't expect was Leo—a coach with a smile that could shatter my defenses and a way of making me believe in things I'd long forgotten. T...

Fashion was always my escape—a world of textures, colors, and silhouettes that made sense when everything else felt chaotic. But standing in the middle of a bustling trade show, I'm not so sure anymore. I've lost something—my passion, my spark—and it feels like the industry I once loved is pulling me under. Enter Ethan Blackwood: a rising star with designs that seem to leap off the runway, alive with possibility. One accidental meeting sends my carefully curated life into a whirlwind of cr...

In the kitchen, I'm a master. Flour, sugar, butter—these are the tools of my trade, my escape. But when my heart got scorched, I retreated to my cozy little bakery in Cedar Creek, content to hide behind sweet pastries and heart-shaped cakes. Now, the town's annual food festival looms, and it's my moment to step back into the spotlight, to prove I've found my footing again. Or at least that's what I thought until Ethan Callahan—the one who got away—returns. Our connection is undeniable, the...

Returning to my grandmother's crumbling mansion wasn't supposed to be an emotional unraveling—it was supposed to be a fresh start. But as I walk through the faded rooms, surrounded by the ghosts of old memories, I realize I'm not just facing the loss of my childhood sanctuary; I'm confronting the life I've been running from. A shattered relationship. A career in limbo. And now Jake—charming, regretful, and too damn familiar—waltzes back into my life, reminding me of everything I've been tr...

My art was my escape, my voice, until heartbreak muted it. Derek left me shattered, and with him went my passion for creating. It was easier to retreat into a world of sketches no one would see than to face the wreckage of trust. Then, Jasper strolled into my life with his easy smile, a spark of mischief in his eyes, and an unexpected way of breathing life into the places I had let grow cold. He pulls me back into the world I'd abandoned, urging me to paint again, to embrace the chaos and ...

I never expected a simple locket to change everything, but that's the thing about relics—they carry more than just dust. They hold stories. And as I find myself entangled in the past, wandering through the aisles of Martin's Antiques, I realize I'm not just looking for forgotten treasures; I'm searching for a piece of myself. Enter Jasper, with his disarming smile and a history just as complex as the antiques he curates. We're from different worlds, yet something about him stirs a longing ...

Starting an organization business was supposed to be my fresh start—finally a way to turn chaos into clarity. But when my first big client turns out to be Reed Thatcher, the man who once broke my heart, I realize there's more to clean up than just the clutter. His mess is more than just cardboard boxes and forgotten mementos; it's a tangled web of our past, filled with the kind of unresolved tension that refuses to stay neatly folded. The banter between us crackles with both familiarity an...

I was never meant to stand still. But somehow, life happened, and now I find myself frozen—my dreams of dancing fading along with the paint on the studio walls I once called home. Teaching ballet was supposed to be a temporary fix, a way to stay connected to the world I loved, but now, I feel like I'm watching life move past me. That is, until Daniel Rivers—famed choreographer and an enigma wrapped in charm—stumbles into my world. His offer? To help revive my failing studio. His presence? ...

Running Petals & Posies has always been my dream, where I can turn every bloom into a piece of art, a reflection of my heart. But when the sleek Blossom & Co. sets up shop across the street, with its neon lights and magnetic charm, my peaceful world feels threatened. It doesn't help that the owner, Cole Bennett, is as infuriatingly talented as he is disarmingly handsome. We're competing for the same customers, and the stakes have never been higher. But as our rivalry blooms, so does someth...

Coming back to Oakridge wasn't part of the plan. But neither was unraveling the life I've built while searching for pieces of myself I lost along the way. This small town holds secrets—some are the kind that haunt you, and some are wrapped in familiar faces you never thought you'd see again. Like Ethan. The boy who knew all my dreams, my fears, my heart. But that was years ago, and we've both changed. Haven't we? Now, as I navigate old wounds and unexpected reunions, I'm faced with questio...

I've spent my entire life living in the shadow of perfection—my father's daughter, the girl with the perfect grades, perfect behavior, and a future mapped out by someone else's ambition. But somewhere between the brick walls of Eastwick Academy and the sleepy streets of Maplewood, I started to unravel. The rules no longer felt like a sanctuary; they became chains, binding me to a life I never chose. And then there was Jaxon—an artist whose world is as chaotic and free as mine is restrained...