What we're reading in TLS this week:

We have a number of new fics we are loving in TLS lately and we have brought them to the rec list for you to join us in raving about them! We also added a splash of old favorites we adore and that haven't updated in a bit, to send the writers some love from the fandom. We hope this lemony list gives you loads of reading hours, like it has for us. Take a peek and leave the writers some love!

♥ Nic & Six

After Jane Died by beegurl13-rec'd by Nic
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9252977/1/After-Jane-Died
Bella had the perfect life – amazing husband, wonderful children, great family...until one night it came crashing to an end. Struggling to care for her children and put her life back together, she wonders if she'll ever be happy again. But the hardest part just might be the confusing things she feels for Edward...her brother-in-law. Rated M

Back to Life by alliz-rec'd by Nic
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11213088/1/Back-to-Life
After a broken engagement, Bella finds herself back in her hometown working for her sister and brother-in-law. Her past and present come full circle when she realizes her high school boyfriend, Edward, will be working with her. Their ending was explosive, causing Bella to keep a secret from him all these years. Is it better to know you're alive by living, or to keep yourself closed? Rated M

Bitter Sun Rising by Alisa Pearce-rec'd by Moni M
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11507600/1/Bitter-Sun-Rising
Bad boy Jacob Black doesn't return Bella's crush, so she decides to date someone safer: a harmless nerd in her math class named Edward Cullen. Little does she know that he is secretly a powerful and ruthless gang leader enmeshed in a vicious drug war that will put her life—and all her beliefs—at risk. Rated M

Blue Satin and Cowboy Boots by Symphiann-rec'd by LayAtHomeMom
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7177833/29/Blue-Satin-and-Cowboy-Boots
There were 4 unwritten laws in Forks during 1883.1-you listened to your Pa.2-You worshipped God.3-You did your chores without complaint.4-You stayed away from the Cullen brothers. I had no problems with those laws until a pair of green eyes looked my way. Rated M

Dank by nadiak-rec'd by Nic
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9949005/1/Dank
She wants a thrill and she finds it in the bad boy from the dangerous side of the tracks. Watch them both intertwine themselves into worlds they never even belonged in. Learning the best lesson there is. We're all different but yet the same. Rated M

Dark Paradise by Allihavetodoisdream-rec'd by Nic
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10594891/1/Dark-Paradise
She lives in a make-believe world of open roads and endless freedom to escape an addiction-riddled mother and a grabby older man with sick intentions. Adrift in a place of uncaring hearts, she makes her getaway. She finds a ratty old motel, late night smokes, a new life, and a boy with a past as clouded as her own. A boy with a dark gentleness too beautiful to ignore. Rated M

Delphian City by Boom-Boom Jones-rec'd by Nic
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8028439/1/Delphian-City
There are dark secrets in Delphian City. Edward Cullen is one of them. Rated M

Here's To Now by iambeagle-rec'd by LayAtHomeMom
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11798618/2/Here-s-To-Now
"When everything goes wrong, that's when adventure starts." Rated M

Holiday Cheer by winterhorses-rec'd by MariahajilE
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11689673/1/Holiday-Cheer
Edward's in serious need of a little Christmas cheer this holiday season. Maybe he can find some at the bottom of a bottle at Carlisle's bar. Rated M Slash

Kairos by sparklymeg-rec'd by Nic/Midnight Cougar
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11801717/2/Kairos
Summary: Kairos - from Ancient Greek - the right or opportune moment - the perfect timing. Age is just a number, but timing is everything. Originally written for the May to December Romance Contest. Rated M

Milk Teeth by Sparrownotes24-rec'd by LayAtHomeMom
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11793793/1/
England 1991. Indie rock and bombs, fire and riots. We partied and ran wild, trying to find ourselves amongst the ashes. I found a lot more than that. Rated M

Rescission by GeekChic12-rec'd by Nic
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9533161/1/Rescission
We met. We got off. We went home. We weren't lovers. We weren't even friends. We were f- buddies. It worked... Until it didn't. Rated M

The Age of Innocence by Pattyrose-rec'd by SixDlb5
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10815898/1/The-Age-of-Innocence
On the eve of the Second World War, young Isabella has been taken from all she knows and is now stepdaughter to one of the richest men in America. Spending her summers in Washington State, she's unaware that this is where she & a young boy will find their fate, where childhood friendship will mature into the fiercest love: a love that must endure the end of innocence. Rated M

The Front by Alwaystryingtodobetter-rec'd by MariahajilE
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11745042/1/The-Front
Front: noun...the foremost part or surface of anything ; a facade ; verb...to meet face to face. It's all in the semantics, isn't it? Bella Marie works all hours to pay off her father's debts when she's thrown from the pot into the fire. Rated M

The Student body by Drotuno-rec'd by Nic
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11788395/1/The-Student-Body
When Bella's subject drops out of her experiment with less than two months left before her thesis is due, she panics. In walks Edward Cullen, best friend and fellow med student. Staying clinical may prove difficult when things get personal. Rated M

What we're reading in TLS this week:

Let’s jump starting your Monday with some Lemonade! We have some delicious choices for your reading pleasure. Get cozy & dig in. Be sure to let the author know where you saw their story featured & leave them some love. Have a great week!

♥ Nic & Six

Anywhere But Here by SparklingTwilight-rec'd by Drotono/Maplestyle
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5112906/1/Anywhere_But_Here
J/B & E/A are living on the streets of Seattle. What happens when their paths cross one day? Will they rise up against the odds, or hit rock bottom? Drugs, drinking, excessive obscene language, and mature adult content. OOC. Canon Cpls. Rated M

Dark Thing Make a Myth of Yourself by bicyclesarecool-recd by LayAtHomeMom
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11757552/6/Dark-Thing-Make-a-Myth-of-Yourself
"I feel her before I see her, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up in attention. When I shut my locker, she's parting the crowd like the red sea. Bella Swan is looking right at me, a smirk poised on her dark lips and something fierce in her dark eyes. There's something about her, something otherworldly. A storm is coming and I feel like i'm about to be caught in it." Rated M

Getting Blitzed by Nolebucgirl-rec'd by Jenn Granat
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10676370/1/Getting-Blitzed
The continuing adventures of Cockyback and Reed Girl. College is over and real life awaits. How will they handle the ups and downs thrown their way as Edward enters the NFL and Bella approaches graduation? Rated R for Rainbow. Sequel to Sideline Collision. Rated M

Honor by Content1-rec'd by Nic
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11508902/1/Honor
Love can find us in the strangest of places or perhaps at the most extraordinary of times. As the Cullens celebrate the life of Esme and Carlisle's son, James, Edward discovers that his little brother sent a present that just might change his life. Winner of the "Most Swoon-Worthy" Character in the Meet the Mate Contest. Rated M

Hounding for Love by EllieJacks-rec'd by Nic
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11200414/1/Hounding-for-Love
Bella moves to Seattle with Alice and Rose but when both her friends find love in the big city, she finds herself at the edge of temptation and disaster when she meets Edward Masen who is a self confessed ladies man. Rated M for adult content. Rated M

Key West The Honeymoon by pattyrose-rec’d by Nic
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11777828/4/Key-West-The-Honeymoon
DeepDiver-ward and his Beautiful Bella have tied the knot and are now embarking on a long, catamaran honeymoon around the Caribbean. Sailing along the open waters without another soul in sight, Edward guarantees Bella a honeymoon she won't soon forget. E/B. Rated M. Romance/Humor. Lots of Lovin'. Rated M

My Life as a Trophy Wife by Jenna Ray-rec'd by MariahajilE
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6263351/19/My-Life-as-a-Trophy-Wife
Sometimes marriage can be more like a business agreement. Broke college student Bella and her best friend's Lawyer brother, Edward, have come up with just that. A business agreement to make life easier for them both. First comes marriage, then comes? Rated M

No Strings Attached by JiffyKate-rec'd by Nic/Six Dlbfive
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11562555/1/
I got the rundown before I ever stepped through the doors: everyone is anonymous, no strings attached, no questions asked, and what happens in the club stays in the club. I got it. I thought it wasn't going to be a problem, but then I saw her. Rated M

One Summer by cynosure23-rec'd by Nic
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11742933/1/One-Summer
One summer, we packed our bags and headed to Southampton. Meeting Edward Cullen was not in my plans, but it changed my life entirely. Rated M

SoCal by Krazyk85-rec'd by MariahajilE
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10810837/1/SoCal
Being with them wasn't the problem, but losing me was. A life filled with sandy beaches and sunshine, I felt safe here. Nothing bad ever happens in SoCal, except maybe bad Mexican food. Or so I thought. This isn't your everyday love story. Based on the movie Savages. Rated M

The bitter, the sweet by Rochelle Allison-rec'd by Maplestyle
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10226411/1/the-bitter-the-sweet
Bella's 24. She's got a career she loves, close family & friends, and a little girl she loves more than anything. She doesn't need anything more, but sometimes she sure wants it, and when Edward shows up he'll either upset the balance or make everything sweeter.
Rated M

The Keepsake by Windchymes- rec’d by Drotuno
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7562914/1/The-Keepsake
Some things you never forget, they just hurt too much to remember. Rated M

The Practicum by TheFicChick-rec’d by Nic
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8906792/1/The-Practicum
"We're going to be teaching high schoolers how not to get each other knocked up or infected with gonorrhea. It's hardly a romantic evening for two." Rated M

The Poor Writers Travel Diary by 101blankPages-rec’d by Midnight Cougar
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11735711/1/The-Poor-Writer-s-Travel-Diary
"Travel the world with me, Bella." Some search for love. Some search for a story. Some search for a love story. Rated M

You Came Too Early by Elliania-rec'd by Nic
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8065162/1/You-Came-Too-Early
Edward and Bella married too young and for all the wrong reasons, so no one acted surprised when their marriage crumbled down. Two kids and five years later, events force them to live under the same roof for a while. Will they realize what they lost? Rated M

Happy Valentines Day, Sweethearts!

Everyone here at TLS wants to wish all of you sweethearts out there a most wonderful Valentines Day and we've got some sweet reading suggestions for you if you're planning to stay in and keep warm on this lovely day of ours.

Every Valentines Day for the last few years, I think of that one amazing fic that we all know of and love... The Blessing and The Curse by TheBlackArrow. And not just because it's an all-time favorite for a large percentage of the fandom... but because TheBlackArrow also gave us the sweetest Valentine ever, when she gave us the story of Valentine Blythe and Samurai Ken.
Sadly, I just went searching for it with excitement to be able to link it here in this post for you but it's gone. I was so excited about a V-day re-read of Valentine Blythe too.
Heartbreak.
But Sally does have an author page on facebook that you can follow under the name Sally Thorne Author and there you can find out all the details on what she's up to and all the details on her first book... The Hating Game which will be available in August. I would read anything Sally writes, but after reading the synopsis for her next book, I'm really looking forward to it. Here's a snippet and a link to preorder:

The Hating Game

Lucy Hutton has always been certain that the nice girl can get the corner office. She’s charming and accommodating and prides herself on being loved by everyone at Bexley & Gamin. Everyone except for coldly efficient, impeccably attired, physically intimidating Joshua Templeman. And the feeling is mutual.

Trapped in a shared office together forty (ok, fifty or sixty) hours a week, they’ve become entrenched in an addictive, ridiculous never-ending game of one-upmanship. There’s the Staring Game. The Mirror Game. The HR Game. Lucy can’t let Joshua beat her at anything—especially when a huge new promotion goes up for the taking.

If Lucy wins this game, she’ll be Joshua’s boss. If she loses, she’ll resign. So why is she suddenly having steamy dreams about Joshua, and dressing for work like she’s got a hot date? After a perfectly innocent elevator ride ends with an earth shattering kiss, Lucy starts to wonder whether she’s got Joshua Templeman all wrong.

 Maybe Lucy Hutton doesn’t hate Joshua Templeman. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.

But since that doesn't come out until August, today is the perfect day for a cuddly first time read or a re-read of  my personal choice for a V-day fic rec: The Blessing and The Curse. Unless you've have been hiding under a rock, or just never gave TB&TC the time of day, please go and read it now and live-text us your thoughts in the comments section of this post. I would love to feel all the feels vicariously through you today. I'll link you below. And I might even be doing a re-read myself.

The Blessing and The Curse by TheBlackArrow

Read it here: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5100876/1/The-Blessing-and-the-Curse

By pretending she is falling for Edward, Bella is fulfilling Esme's dying wish. But sexy, possessive Edward can read her mind. Will she ever get into his? Can Bella forget the pain of her teenage years, and can she resist his relentless seduction? AH.

I've also got a published book rec, and it's another great read from one of our very own, we used to call Khar, but we now refer to her as J.M. Darhower:

By Any Other Name by JM Darhower

A deadly rivalry. 

Two families at war. 

Nobody is safe, not even the innocent. 

Especially the innocent. 

Blood will be spilled. 

Genevieve "Genna" Galante knows a thing or two about causing trouble. After all, it's engrained in her DNA. As the only daughter of Primo Galante, notorious boss of the Galante crime family, her life is dictated by a certain set of rules… rules Genna was never very good at following. 

Matteo "Matty" Barsanti never wanted anything to do with the family business, but as the first-born Barsanti son, certain things are expected of him. It's his duty, according to his father, to help take down the enemy... even if that enemy means something to him. 

A chance encounter on an elevator changes the course of lives, causing the biggest trouble of Genna's young life. The only good Barsanti is a dead Barsanti. She's heard it said time and time again. So what happens when she falls in love with one of them? 

The story of star-crossed lovers caught in the middle of the biggest rivalry New York has ever seen, determined to make it… if only they can survive their parents' feud.

Guys, I'm telling you. If you loved Emancipation Proclamation, which is now Sempre, you have got to believe me when I say you will adore this book. And yes, it's a published book and yes it costs money but it's Valentine's Day, you deserve a great book on V-day and you're worth way more than three bucks. Do yourself a solid and buy it here for just $2.99. Trust me when I say it's worth more than that... it's so damn good. I mean, I read this book over a year ago and I'm still thinking about it, that's how good it is. You can check out the reviews on it if you don't believe me.

I can't talk published books without mentioning our very own Counselor, whom we now refer to as Diane Munier. I read Darnay Road for the first time a few weeks ago and it was the happiest seven hours I've had in a long time. Such a sweet, fun read. I highly recommend cuddling up to this one and smiling your ass off:

Darnay Road by Diane Munier

Starts out in summer of 1963. Sweet little ten-year-old Catholic school girl Georgia Christine meets eleven-year-old smoker with armpit hair who really does live on the wrong side of the tracks Easy. She and Abigail May are mystery solvers, The Darnay Spies, in their spare time, and Easy Caghan (E.C.) and his brother Cap will keep these two little ladies on their sleuthing toes. Darnay Road leads them into a future where their childish friendship blooms into love. Will the Vietnam War be the one challenge they can’t overcome?

I felt so satisfied after putting Darnay Road down, but I admit, it also made me ravenous for more of Diane's writing, so I immediately began a re-read of Finding My Thunder and my god, that book. I just can't think of any other book that has been as meaningful and poignant as that one. Which is no wonder as to why it won Honorable Mention Literary Fiction in the 2015 New York Book Festival.

Finding My Thunder by Diane Munier

The story takes place in the late sixties. Hilly Grunier has been in love with Danny Boyd since she was a kid telling scary stories on summer nights at the fire hydrant while Danny pulled close on his bike. But when Danny is thirteen, their friendship ends when he and his brother Sukey have a vicious fight over Hilly. Years pass, and Hilly carries a secret and growing love as she watches Danny rise athletically to the top of their school’s food chain. He even dates the prom queen and rumor says they are engaged. Now Danny has graduated and shows up in her dad’s shop looking for some temporary employment until the army picks him off for Vietnam. He’s thrown aside his college scholarship and the golden girl. He seems to be searching for something new before he leaves town. He seems to be searching for her. Hilly can’t let him go overseas without showing him how she feels. But once he’s gone, her own battle intensifies. It’s a long road to finding her thunder.

This fic-turned-book is everything... I cannot stress it enough.

That's all for my picks, but I've got a few more recs from the other admins for you below!

Nic's rec: Felt by LayAtHomeMom

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9643827/1/Felt

Former lovers lay it all out on the table. Taking shots never hurt this good. Entry for the Dirty Talkin' Edward Twific Contest

Nat's rec: Quickie Mart Cupid by prettykittyartist

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7834639/1/Quickie-Mart-Cupid

Quickie Marts, flat tires, expensive suits, gangster rap, g-strings and velvet roses. Valentines' Day wasn't going as planned. Rated: Fiction M

LayAtHomeMom's rec: How Bella Got Her Groove Back by TheFicChick

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9011528/1/How-Bella-Got-Her-Groove-Back

Edward owes Bella one, and he's a man determined to deliver – but as he quickly discovers, some debts are not easily repaid.

Jaime's rec: We Come to Life Beneath the Stars by lillybellis

https://www.fanfiction.net/u/1809968/Lillybellis

As Bella Swan starts over with hopes of finding her future, Edward Cullen is hanging on desperately to his past. She's treading water, and he's a corporate golden boy. They share an office, but few words...until one night changes everything.

Nic's rec:  Boycotting Valentines Day by jennlynnfs

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5681116/1/Boycotting-Valentine-s-Day

Valentine's Day approaches, but Bella chooses to hang out with her best friend Alice. They decide to boycott Valentine's Day. Non-Valentine's Day activites are planned, including no boys. But, Alice's brothers, Edward and Emmett, don't count, right? Rated: Fiction M

Nic's rec: The Maybe Valentine by Rochelle Allison
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9067528/1/The-Maybe-Valentine
Life is what happens when you're busy making plans. Edward and Bella cross paths one Valentine's Day night when their dates leave them hanging. Long walks, lots of talks, and maybe some kissing.
Rated: Fiction M

Nat's rec: I Fell in Love by anhanninen
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9247324/1/I-Fell-in-Love
Set in her ways and believing that the world only takes, reclusive Bella finds her life turned completely around when she meets a handsome and compassionate man. Love doesn't happen in one moment. It happens in every moment. All Human

Nic's rec: Orange Kisses and Peppermint Hearts by SparrowNotes24
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9069015/1/Orange-Kisses-and-Peppermint-Hearts
He is gone, leaving her with the bitter sense of absence and the sweet taste of his name on her tongue. Then, a mysterious letter arrives, bursting with the flavors of a love story. Will the words that grace the page change the course of her life?

Nic's rec: Fill Me With Your Poison by Nolebucgrl
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7007740/1/Fill-Me-with-Your-Poison
Bella Swan's intrigued by vampires. Edward Cullen's bored and alone. What happens when they meet?

From all of us at TLS to all of you... Happy Valentines Day, we love you all!

You know what time it is... Flashfic Friday, of course!

I'm back again.

Big thanks to all the writers and the readers that have participated and commented in the prompts on Wednesday and Thursday, we hope you'll come back to read/write some more today! I've absolutely LOVED all the entries thus far.

You know the drill... pick one prompt, or if you're a pro, go with two or three. Tell us your name and the word count and give us an entry that is 100 to 1000 words and post it in the comments. Everyone's invited and first time writers are strongly encouraged... get your writing shoes on and get in the comments :)