Coastal Elite Series by Sam Mariano, Laura Lovett

Featured in the Filthy Elites anthology April 2022! He could have been my hero. He saved my life that night, a beautiful dark angel slicing through my fear and the water, dragging me from its deadly clutches. He should have been my hero. I thought maybe he was. Villains aren’t supposed to win, and good should always conquer evil, but in the elite coastal town I live in, the only purpose a label has is letting you know what something—or someone—costs... moreFeatured in the Filthy Elites anthology April 2022! He could have been my hero. He saved my life that night, a beautiful dark angel slicing through my fear and the water, dragging me from its deadly clutches. He should have been my hero. I thought maybe he was. Villains aren’t supposed to win, and good should always conquer evil, but in the elite coastal town I live in, the only purpose a label has is letting you know what something—or someone—costs. Good, bad; it’s all relative, and it hardly matters. Baymont, California is a land of beautiful villains and happy-ever-afters that are just out of reach. Especially for me. Until Dare moves the world beneath my feet, and even though I’m afraid to trust it—to trust him—boy, am I tempted. In more ways than one. Being with Dare is scary, but being without him is impossible. He makes it impossible. Dare’s no hero, that much is clear, but maybe…. Maybe he’s mine. This story contains triggers and is intended only for a mature, adult audience. See the opening author's note for more explicit triggers, but know this is a very dangerous relationship with a very dark hero. less

HAYDEN. Cheerful, doe-eyed, mildly neurotic—Gemma Cane is not at all my type, but when the brown-eyed beauty stormed into my office, all fired up and wearing the garb of a belly dancer, I couldn’t tear my gaze away. She was seeking justice, but I had something else in mind. She couldn’t afford me, but I had other ideas about that, too…. GEMMA... moreHAYDEN. Cheerful, doe-eyed, mildly neurotic—Gemma Cane is not at all my type, but when the brown-eyed beauty stormed into my office, all fired up and wearing the garb of a belly dancer, I couldn’t tear my gaze away. She was seeking justice, but I had something else in mind. She couldn’t afford me, but I had other ideas about that, too…. GEMMA. Arrogant, cocky, an outright bully—Hayden Atwater is the sort of man I usually go out of my way to avoid, but when my horrible neighbor stepped way over the line, I wanted to crush him, and to do that, I knew I’d have to fight fire with even hotter fire. The notoriously cutthroat lawyer was the first weapon I could think of, but the last man I should trust. I realized that as my anger subsided and I registered the predatory gleam in his stormy ocean eyes. I left his office empty-handed, but now, he won’t leave me alone. I know there can never be anything between us and we are completely impossible, but that word isn’t in Hayden’s vocabulary. If there’s no room for him in my life, he’ll make room. But then, disaster strikes. Surely now, even Hayden can see that some things really are impossible, and maybe we’re one of them. less

I had a plan to get through senior year. Get good grades, stay busy with clubs, don’t forget to carve out time for Mom and Hannah, and most importantly, stay far, far away from Landon Atwater. That plan collapsed at the end of summer when my mom announced her surprise engagement… to Landon’s father. Now, I have to live with the jerk who has spent years tormenting me... moreI had a plan to get through senior year. Get good grades, stay busy with clubs, don’t forget to carve out time for Mom and Hannah, and most importantly, stay far, far away from Landon Atwater. That plan collapsed at the end of summer when my mom announced her surprise engagement… to Landon’s father. Now, I have to live with the jerk who has spent years tormenting me. At school, I could make sure we weren’t in the same classes and turn the other way if I saw him in the halls, but avoiding him gets a lot harder when I’m living in his seaside mansion. Especially because he doesn’t want to be avoided. Landon has always loved taunting and controlling me, but now he has the ultimate advantage and he’s not afraid to use it. Landon is the chaos machine that could blow up this newly minted family—and my mom’s chance at happiness—and, unfortunately for me, he knows I won’t let him. I was prepared to be on my guard at school, but I didn’t plan to spend senior year avoiding capture in my own home. Unfortunately, it seems Landon has a plan of his own. And no lock on my bedroom door is going to keep him from accomplishing it. Contempt is book three in the Coastal Elite series! Readers first meet Parker and Landon in book two, Undertow . Contempt is intended for a mature adult audience, and anyone requiring trigger warnings is urged to read the author's note at the beginning of the book. less

SOPHIE:. I knew better than to go to that party. I would have been much happier curled up at home eating Halloween candy by myself, but I had Mom’s voice in my head telling me to make an effort now that I was in college, to put myself out there and socialize. If I’d stayed home, I wouldn’t have met him. SILVAN:. Men have always committed atrocities chasing after their desires. The men in my family have it down to an art form... moreSOPHIE:. I knew better than to go to that party. I would have been much happier curled up at home eating Halloween candy by myself, but I had Mom’s voice in my head telling me to make an effort now that I was in college, to put myself out there and socialize. If I’d stayed home, I wouldn’t have met him. SILVAN:. Men have always committed atrocities chasing after their desires. The men in my family have it down to an art form. Personally, I’ve never experienced a desire that ran so deep it poisoned my soul. Until the night I laid eyes on her. It’s really too bad she didn’t feel the same way. It could have been a fairy tale. I guess our story was meant to be something a little more twisted. Oh well. I desire Sophie Bradwell, and I don’t care how many terrible things I have to do to get her… and keep her. Surrender was previously released as Sophie’s Surrender by the same authors. This Coastal Elite re-release contains the exclusive Coastal Elite bonus story, Sleeping Beauty. This is a dark romance intended for a mature adult audience. If you have sensitivities to certain themes commonly found in dark romance, please make sure you read the author’s note at the beginning of the book. less