Astra

Being a nymph, people generally think of me as a mythological character, but I'm a real woman with things that I want out of life. Having spent my entire existence in the woods of Upstate New York, I long for more. Now my father has promised me to a satyr named Niko whom I've never met. This is my last chance to get away, so I charm a local wyvern who's had his eye on me for many years into flying me far away from this place, my father, and that satyr.

Only Niko finds me before I reach the meeting place. And damn him, but he's charming. He's not at all the careless beast I expect. Still, I'm not giving in to an arranged marriage. Of course, that means I'll never see my father or my woods again. It's an impossible choice.

Niko

I was reluctant to agree to an arranged marriage, but once I see Astras picture, I know she's my destiny. When word reaches me that she's running to avoid the match, I go after her. Even after finding her fleeing from me through the woods, I'm smitten. If she feels the bond between us, she hides it well. Unwilling to give up too soon and never have a life with her, I make a deal. If Astra will give me one week at the house I bought for us, I will abide by whatever she decides and make things right with her father.

Joy

Maybe it's weird that on the evening after my mom's funeral, I'm in front of my computer typing an email to my pen pal. Okay, so I'm a grown woman with a pen pal. We got assigned to each other when we were in the third grade while he lived overseas. My class had an arrangement with the Italian school he attended. All of my friends wrote one or two letters, but Aiden and I never stopped. Eventually, the handwritten notes became emails and text messages. Even though we've never met in person, we're connected in a way no one else seems to understand. I need that now, more than ever.

Aiden

I've spent my entire adult life comparing every woman I date to one I've never met in person. Joy is kind, smart, funny, and full of life. When she emailed to tell me her mother passed away, I regret that she waited until after the funeral to share that information. We've been writing long enough for me to know how devastated she is. Able to take my work anywhere, I pack up and drive from New Jersey to South Carolina. Seeing her for the first time, as she stocks shelves at her bookstore, I can hardly breathe. Coming here may be the biggest mistake of my life—or the smartest thing I've ever done.

Jorge

When I left Florida, I figured I'd be a lone shifter. It's not ideal. I am a panther shifter, and cats like to live in prides, but my family is dead, and my pack let me down. Well, maybe I let them down too. Broken Arrow, Montana, is a long way from home, but I got a job cooking at the local diner and the Devil's Pack Motorcycle Club hasn't asked me to leave. I call that a win, considering how my life has been going lately. All I have to do is forget the past and stay out of trouble, but when Daile walks into the diner and asks if she can put her fliers in the window, all bets are off. I'd let this woman put anything she wants anywhere she wants. She's not a shifter, so trouble, here I come.

Daile

Moving from one small town to another isn't too much of an adjustment. I like Broken Arrow and the sound of motorcycles when the club rides through. I came here to get away from heartbreak, so I have no business checking out the tall, dark, and dangerous cook. As soon as he catches me staring, I turn my head. I'm just going to find a way to make a living selling my art and not get involved with anyone. That's my plan, except those sexy eyes and the mysterious way he slinks through town at night might be enough to steer me off course.

Ariana

When the power goes out for the fourth time in a week and there isn't even any weather to blame, I'm at the end of my rope. I can't get any work done. I run into the street to give the electrical line worker in the cherry picker a piece of my mind, and before I know it, I've got a date with the sexiest man I've ever seen. Putting aside my calculator isn't easy for me. Taking chances is even more difficult. I should stand him up. It's the sensible thing to do. This is either going to be the biggest mistake of my life or my best day ever. Too bad there's no mathematical equation for falling head over heels.

Tyler

It's a routine assignment except for the gorgeous resident who comes barreling out of her house to yell at me. I have no idea what she's saying because, from the moment I see her, my mind goes blank. When I come to my senses, I apologize for the inconvenience and ask for a date. It's a whim. She's clearly out of my league, with a long argument about the flaws in my work. I'm pretty sure her saying yes is as likely as winning the lottery. Except she does. Dating someone smart enough to split the atom isn't usually my style, but the spark between us has nothing to do with her voltage issues.