Showing results by author "Zoe Ashwood" in All Categories

I never thought I’d say this, but being kidnapped by a band of pillaging bandits wasn’t the low point of my life. No, that came when a massive, scarred orc king decided I was his mate and refused to let me leave his cave.

At my father’s dying wish, I crossed the realm, looking for his best friend...and ended up in an orc camp. It turns out the man I’d heard so much about is actually an orc, a warrior with more scars than I can count and a surly disposition. And after reading the letter my father sent him, he declares himself my guardian—and me his ward.

I signed up for the new Bone-R app for monster dating thinking I’d get a fun one-night-stand out of the deal. Instead, I’m now stranded at the hot kraken’s house at Christmas because of a massive snow storm, and what started as a very hot hookup (who knew tentacles were so…flexible?!) now feels like so much more. But surely it’s too early to be talking about serious things like family and forever, isn’t it?

My people have accused me of being a witch… If they weren’t so afraid of me, I’d be dead already, drowned in the icy river flowing from the orc lands. Terrified I’d turn them all to toads, they tied me to a tree in the deep, frozen forest and left me for the wolves. But the forest is home to larger beasts than wolves. Brutal orcs prowl these mountains, and when one finds me here, alone, I accept my life is over. Only I’m wrong. The strong, cautious male doesn’t slit my throat on sight. Instead, he rescues me, and for a moment, I think I’m saved.

The city’s best matchmaker has all but despaired over me and my brother is threatening to throw me on the street if I don’t find a husband soon. But the revulsion I feel every time anyone touches me has made it impossible for me to find a good match. All men want a willing wife in their bed, not a wretch who cringes away from the slightest brush of skin against skin. The man who finally chooses me is not a man at all. He’s an orc with long black hair, green skin, and more muscles than anyone could possibly need. He says I’m his mate.

I escaped a life of crime to save my daughter…but my plan for making it to a safer town has gone awry. The driver of the wagon we snuck on isn’t human at all, and now we’re stuck in a traveling caravan of massive orc merchants.

When my groom-to-be leaves me standing alone at the altar, I only want to escape. So I pack my bags and sneak out of my parents’ house in the middle of the night. But instead of going to a larger human city, I turn north, toward the orc lands. I’ve heard enough about orcs to know they treat women well, and I want a husband of my own - one who won’t run away but would cherish and love me instead. But now two orc blacksmiths want to claim me, saying I’m their fated mate.

Perhaps scratching the face of a rich lord was an excessive reaction to his attempt to win my hand in marriage. But how could I have known he’d get an infection and lose his eye? When the entire duke’s court turns against me, my uncle offers me a way out: serve as his emissary to the lands of King Gorvor, disappear from the public eye for a while, and return after people forget all about me.

When Lottie learns her baby twins’ father died - violently - she is determined to make friends with his brother. The man is grumpy, secretive, and strange, but she wants her kiddos to know their family, so she’s stuck with Eiric. Eiric wants nothing more than to send his dead brother’s ex packing, but she claims Mikkel is the father of her kids. Which is a problem, because their family isn’t exactly…human. And if the twins inherited the ability to shift into sea dragons, the pretty human is in for a world of trouble.

Nia’s half-brother disappeared in Norway. He’s either in hiding…or dead. Nia’s coven is after the grimoires he took, and they think she might be involved. That’s why she’s freezing her ass off in a tiny Norwegian village, looking for him. Magnus is the worst king in the history of their sea dragon clan. Considering his father - and his father before him - was a brutal tyrant, that’s saying something.

Amber Bay, Alaska, has it all. A cozy log cabin with a roaring fireplace? Check. A remote location where my family can't find me? Check. Three hot guys I can't stop thinking about? Also check. But the small off-grid town also has a mysterious undercurrent running through it. People are wary of strangers—even though they don't know I'm a witch-and mothers shoo their children away when I'm near. Something's not right here, and I intend to find out what it is.

When I arrived in Alaska, I thought I signed up for a simple IT job. I didn't think I'd have to create a massive magic spell with my funky witchy powers—for a village of sea dragons, no less. But here I am. Surrounded by my family's mortal enemies, trying to learn spells most five-year-olds can perform, and getting flustered over guys who turn into mythical beings. The worst thing: I don't even mind that much. Because as terrifying as this new world is, these three men make it worthwhile.

You'd think witch hunts were a thing of the past, but it turns out, some dragons aren't happy with a witch living in their village. What's worse, my family can't seem to let me go, and I'm scared of how far they'll go to keep me from using my magic. If I have to leave Amber Bay to save my men from being hunted, then that's what I'll do. Even if my heart will break with every mile I put between us. But they won't let me go. They'll fight for me until their last breath, and I want nothing more than to stay with them.