Fool Me Once (Capone)

The best way to beat someone who plays dirty is to outmaneuver them. Can Clara finally outwit Carrington? She has no choice. His life depends on it.Clara Presley, the newest member of the County Mayo Clan organized crime society, knows there's something awry when her protective husband, John Carrington, allows her to come face-to-face with a masked, sword-wielding man who designed a treacherous scavenger hunt to ensnare her. Clara plays the fool, all the while secretly searching for the would-be marauder's identity.Her investigation takes her on a globetrotting journey through London, Philadelphia, Western Ireland, and Tuscany. Along the way, she enlists the help of Carrington's mother, sisters, and her friend, Mark Kennedy. The women manage to break the ties of control they've endured for generations while Mark risks his life and career to help them.What Clara doesn't know is that the mysterious man wants to be found. He also wants her deador so it seems. As nothing is ever what it seems in Clara's universe, she senses there's a trick lurking somewhere. And she briefly uncovers itunearthing a world of heartbreaking deception, deep-rooted greed, and coveted power dynamicsbefore she's attacked and suffers amnesia.Faced with wispy memories and emotional turmoil, Clara relies on Carrington to nurse her back to health. He unexpectedly reveals a secret more significant than she could have imagined. If only she could remember that Carrington is in grave danger, they might have a chance to save their relationship and rebuild their future.

HADES X PERSEPHONE RETELLING! BOOK 5 OF 7 A mysterious Being manifests in Clara's dream, followed by a series of paranormal events that make her second-guess herself and her future. Clara Presley is finally the captain of the County Mayo Clan, but the promotion is meaningless. Her marriage to John Carrington is a lie, and the realization has left her questioning her independence-and her future-with the man she can't quit. Then, a mysterious Being who looks and sounds exactly like her husband appears in a dream. Before Clara can decide if the Being is a warning or a delusion, Carrington is abducted, forcing her to step fully into her role as captain and mobilize an army of allies. But their reconciliation triggers a chain of events that defy logic. Are she and Carrington actually the mythical Hades and Persephone, living their fate across multiple lives? The answers remain elusive when Mark Kennedy-Clara's former lover and loyal friend-is suddenly kidnapped by the same shadowy forces. As Mark's life hangs in the balance, a desperate love triangle forms, forcing Clara to face a doomsday of repressed feelings. In a murky future filled with limitless possibilities, will she always choose Carrington as her soulmate? Author's note to readers: HOW COULD THAT BE A LIE? is a dark romance novel that contains explicit situations, themes of psychological manipulation and control (in the context of a dark romance relationship), and strong language. Reader discretion is advised. TROPES INCLUDE: • Hades & Persephone Retelling (Slow Burn)• Forced Proximity / Forced Marriage• Billionaire / Tycoon Romance• Psychological Thriller Elements• Morally Gray Hero / Unreliable Narrator Astra Capone is an English and Creative Writing graduate with a classic Brit-Lit hope, a wishful pen, and a spicy women's fiction/rom-com prayer. She currently resides near Denver, CO with her husband and her cats.