L. Renee Richard

He saw me. He had me. But he won't break me. What should have been the beginning of my life felt more like a death sentence-an all-encompassing blackness. Evie, my twin sister and best friend, is no longer here. Now alone, I've become as dark as the man who tries to imprison me. Julian. He thinks he is all I have left in this world. His to toy with. To manipulate. To fear. But that woman died along with her family that night, and a stronger woman rose from those battered waves, breathing in a newfound purpose-to take revenge and reclaim my life. I am waiting on a black wave, biding my time, until a powerful wave rises in the aftermath of a storm, unexpectedly leaving casualties in its wake, ensuring I will once again be free.

Heart-Shaped Box is a novella based on the original short story for the Lovesick Anthology. Since the story had to be within a specific word count range, this is the complete novella that shows what happened before Chev and Mari and the conclusion to their story. I hope you enjoy it. Mari feels unlucky in love. Expecting a present from her boyfriend, Nate, on her birthday, she gets more than she bargained for. The next day, on Valentine’s Day, she receives a package that she hopes conveys the words she so desperately longs to hear. I need you. I love you. I can’t stand to be without you. Unfortunately, there is only one word that strikes her right through her heart. Lovesick. When she thinks her day can’t get any worse, she finds out she is wrong. Swearing off relationships, she tumbles into the arms of Chev, a guy who has always seen her. One heart-shaped box, some heart-shaped candies, and a dose of karma may be the recipe to revive her lovesick heart.

Three of the hardest things I have ever had to do: Not being able to protect my family from Julian. Breaking a promise to my sister. Pretending I was dead. The tides turned the day Julian took everything from us. My only regret is that I wasn't able to save my parents. My sister thinks I died in that fire, but it was necessary to save her life. My heart twisted, grieving at seeing her alone and at his mercy. I’ve been watching from afar, waiting and biding my time. All of the secrets and twisted lies will come to light. The element of surprise will be his demise. But exacting revenge doesn’t come without consequences. Now it’s time to finish this war we've started. Now, reunited with my sister and our families, how far will we go to win it all?

Liv is tired of the uncertainty of their relationship. She has a plan. Meet Brodie at the beach. Clarify their relationship. What she doesn’t plan on doing while working her shift in the ER is meeting Dax, her swoon-worthy patient. They plan to meet up the next day, celebrating the last days of spring break on Padre Island. There's just one problem—Brodie, her childhood best friend and recent ex-boyfriend. When she receives a video of him with another girl, she knows that they are not getting back together. One last day at the beach is the most memorable of her life—the sparks between Liv and Dax are undeniable. The future held so many possibilities. That is until they witness Brodie’s traumatic accident. Pulled in two directions, Liv must choose between her new feelings for Dax, and Brodie, someone who had always been there for her. She makes a choice, but is it the right one?

New special edition cover with interior formatting Liv is tired of the uncertainty of their relationship. She has a plan. Meet Brodie at the beach. Clarify their relationship. What she doesn’t plan on doing while working her shift in the ER is meeting Dax, her swoon-worthy patient. They plan to meet up the next day, celebrating the last days of Spring Break on Padre Island. There's just one problem- Brodie, her childhood best friend, and recent ex-boyfriend. She receives a video of him with another girl that solidifies her thoughts of not getting back together. One last day at the beach is the most memorable of her life—the sparks between Liv and Dax are undeniable. The future held so many possibilities. That is until tragedy strikes. Pulled in two directions, Liv must choose between her new feelings for Dax and Brodie, someone who had always been there for her. She makes a choice, but is it the right one?