Her Secret: A Reverse Harem Romance (Bad Influence Book 1)
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Now some of you might like it.
Some of you won’t.
RH is not for everyone, but to that awesome tribe who devour these types of stories, I hope I did you proud. Whatever your take on it, if it’s not too much trouble, leave a small review. By doing so, you’re telling me, that hey…I don’t suck, and maybe I should keep at it. If you tell me to write more, then you bet I’ll do it with a smile on my face. Because at the end of the day, that’s all any writer wants. To share their crazy stories with people who will receive them with open arms.
Before I wrap up, I’d just like to say one more thing. And that’s Thank You.
Thank you for purchasing my book in the first place. You took a shot on an unknown newbie like myself, and that means the world to me. I truly hope you enjoyed Freya and her knights. These guys kept me up at night, I tell ya! But in the end, I hope their happily ever after was worth all the trials and tribulations I put them under. It’s bittersweet seeing this story end, but I think their love will continue on, in our imagination.
Right now I have so many other stories begging for their turn, so I guess it’s time to say goodbye and get cracking.
With lots of love and gratitude,
Ivy
Ivy Fox Novels
Contemporary Romance
After Hours Series
The King – coming 2018
The Prince – coming 2018
The Duke – coming 2018
The Kingdom – coming 2018
Reverse Harem
Bad Influence Series
Her Secret – Released March 2018
Archangels MC – Expected release date May 2018
Room for Three – Expected release date July 2018
Hating You – Expected release date September 2018
Savages – Expected release date November 2018
For more news on upcoming projects, get the inside scoop and sneak peeks by joining my FB Author page here
https://www.facebook.com/IvyFoxAuthor/
After Hours Series (Preview)
The King
Prologue
You’re probably wondering who I am.
Me?
I’m no one.
No one of importance at least. I’m not rich or beautiful as most of the women I find running around this office. Which are many as I work for one of the most illustrious fashion magazines in the country.
No, not that one.
The other one.
Royal magazine. This one. The one that everybody who is anybody would sell their grandmother off to be on the cover. You see, now fashion magazines aren’t only for the wafer-thin, drop-dead gorgeous models. Now actors, actresses, musicians, socialites, hell, even politicians, get a crack at being plastered on the Royal pages. The only thing they have in common? Money and charisma. They need to have that it factor to even be a contender to any of the pages on this high-end fashion magazine.
Now, I don’t want to sound bitter. I’m not. Truly. It’s just coming to work every day and living amongst the beautiful people – when I am anything but – that kind of sucks sometimes.
So why do I stay, you ask?
Two reasons.
The first, I work for my best friend since kindergarten. My mom was her in-house nanny, and when Dad left, I was a permanent fixture to the Richardson House too. Devina was my age and right from the get-go, me and her became each other’s confidants. Almost sisters even. The only time we ever parted was when she went to an Ivy League school down in Boston – yeah that one – and I stayed put to go to NYU, thanks to my big brains and even a few strings pulled by Devina’s mom. Both of us studied business, but while Devina is fully focused on numbers and figures, I’m more of a people’s person. So when she came back to New York to take a seat at the Royal, I wasn’t surprised when she called asking me to be her personal assistant. Thanks to her, I know everybody that has any weight in this town, and they come to me directly if they want anything from Devina. So I get a lot of people kissing my ass on a constant basis, but I also have to translate her blowing them off as diplomatic as possible. Not always easy. So, yeah. I love working with Devina behind closed doors. It’s when I open said doors do I get to see the other reason I love working here.
Dean Knox.
My Achilles’ heel in every way it counts. The man oozes confidence and apathy. I have seen half-naked models making absurd figures of themselves to get his attention, and yet the man is stone cold. Always immaculate in his Gucci suit. He enters the office each morning without even hinting a smile to anyone. Unless he is talking to his sidekicks, his best friends from college who also work at Royal, he rarely says much of anything really. But he watches. God, does he watch. He is one of those people that lies back and takes everything in until he makes a judgment out of you before you even said a word to him. How do I know he does this? Well, while Dean watches his adversaries, I watch him. Pathetic? Maybe. Can a day pass by without me doing it? Hell to the no! Being a no one has its advantages after all. A man like him doesn’t even know I exist and I’ve been working for Devina who, I might add, is his co-partner in Royal for the past two years. Been in the same office with him innumerous times. Been to staff meetings, boardroom assemblies, and social gatherings, more times than I can count. Yet, he never once spoke to me more than a few odd words here and there. Still, I live for these moments.
Okay, now I sound pathetic, but believe me, if you ever crossed Dean Knox’s path in your life, you would probably not be too proud of your antics either. Think of the hottest guy you ever came into contact with. Yeah, you got that picture in your head? Good. Now double that hotness by a thousand, and even then I’m not sure you’re in the same ballpark. You see my dilemma now?
I live day in and day out amongst the beautiful people, yet I only have eyes for one.
And he’s the reason I both love and hate coming to work.
Because being reminded you are a no one kinda sucks when you desperately want to be someone’s someone.
Acknowledgments
I’m going to make this short and sweet.
I’d like to thank all my family and friends that have been supportive of me throughout my writing career. I want to apologize for all the unanswered texts and phone calls when I was stuck in my writing cave. You’re patience and understanding is greatly appreciated and treasured.
To Heather Clark that, in a drop of a dime, agreed to beta read my first attempt at writing RH. Not only was she efficient but incredibly sweet and encouraging. Heather, I will definitely bug you for all my future projects. You have saved my hide.
A big hug to Patricia, from Maya’s Teasers & Designs, for the fantastic logo as well as all the support she has given me in the past. Connecting with romance novels enthusiasts is always a treat, and I’m sure our friendship will blossom further.
To the wonderful readers’ groups on Facebook, who dedicate their time to bring attention to the Reverse Harem genre, I am in awe of you. These groups are everything to us readers and writers. They give us a platform to rave about the books that have stolen our hearts, as well as provide authors a place to connect with their tribe. Ladies, I salute you.
To all the RH Authors out there, writing book after book, feeding this hungry craving, thank you. You are an inspiration to me. You all have taught me that with hard work, an active imagination, combined with a fireless attitude anything is possible. I bow down to you all and thank you for making me believe that my passion project has a place in the literary world.
I’ve already thanked the readers who took a chance on my book, but it needs to be mentioned once again. You have made a difference in my life just by picking this little book up and giving me a shot. I am forever grateful and hope you stick with me as I continue this crazy adventure of writing outside my comfort zone. It’s been one of the most enriching experiences of my life.
Last and never least, to the two men in my life who make it all worth it.
To my husband and son.
You two put up with a lot of crazy and still love me for it. It’s not so easy doing the thing I love while juggling a full-time job and being an attentive mother and wife. But you two make it, so I don’t feel guilty, that dinner is only sandwiches and heated soup, because I was on a roll, and I totally forgot that it was dinner time. Instead, your love and determination to see me succeed are what makes me believe that I can.
To the love of my life, the man who had to read and edit a book about a bunch of dudes and one girl with a straight face, you are a blessing in my life. I couldn’t imagine a day without you, and I never want to. Our love is my inspiration, baby.
To my kiddo, whose Christmas wish was that I realize my dreams this year of being a full-time author, I must have done something right to have the privilege of being your mom. Your sweet, caring nature lets me know I’m raising one of the good ones. I love your heart, kiddo. Keep it true. Always.
About the Author
Lover of books, coffee, and chocolate ice cream!
Ivy lives a blessed life, surrounded by her two most important men, her husband, and son and also the fictional characters in her head that can’t seem to shut up. Books and romance are her passion. A strong believer in happy endings and that love will always conquer in the end.
Both in life and in fiction.
Table of Contents
Main Title
Copyright
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Epilogue 22
Author Notes
Ivy Fox Novels
After Hours Series (Preview)
Acknowledgments
About the Author