Escape reality with Emerson Hayes

Let Emerson take you on a journey of love and creativity through captivating stories and heartfelt adventures.

Swim Lane: Book 1 of The Bear Love Stories

Cover art by Larasita Apsari

Roan Alexander, a freshman at UC Berkeley, is a staunch feminist and future lawyer, and heeds the advice her mother gave her when she was nine: "Never get married." Roan has no desire for a romantic relationship: she's anti-love, anti-marriage, anti-kids. She doesn't want any of that typical romance, citing that it's an instrument of the patriarchy. Then she meets Casey Carter, a chauvinistic CAL swimmer destined for the Olympics. He's popped up in her life and won't go away. They have every reason to be enemies, but cosmic forces keep pushing them together. Throughout her college journey, Roan's friends and lovers challenge her views towards romantic relationships. Ultimately she learns something devastating about herself and has to come to terms with all the mistakes she's made.

In this work of women's fiction, Emerson Hayes delivers a raw, honest exploration of love's power to both heal and hurt. Because sometimes the greatest love story isn't about finding "happily ever after"—it's about finding yourself.

Welcome to Emerson Hayes' World

Discover the enchanting stories of Emerson Hayes, an author, mother, librarian, (sometimes coder), and social justice warrior, dedicated to creating fiction novels that tantalize the imagination and soothe the soul.

A bookshelf filled with a variety of novels, each with colorful and distinct covers. The titles include works by authors such as Harlan Coben, Ben Coes, and Vince Flynn. The books are neatly arranged in multiple rows, showcasing different genres including thrillers and mysteries.
A bookshelf filled with a variety of novels, each with colorful and distinct covers. The titles include works by authors such as Harlan Coben, Ben Coes, and Vince Flynn. The books are neatly arranged in multiple rows, showcasing different genres including thrillers and mysteries.
woman wearing yellow long-sleeved dress under white clouds and blue sky during daytime

Emerson crafted a rich tapestry of characters and relationships that left me feeling at times elated and at times sad, but I was always rooting for Roan Alexander.

Patricia Williams

A Kindle device displaying a book titled 'Bridgerton: The Duke & I' rests on top of a closed book titled 'Five Min'. Beside the Kindle, there is a pair of eyeglasses with a gold frame and a sprig of eucalyptus leaves, all placed on a pale beige surface.
A Kindle device displaying a book titled 'Bridgerton: The Duke & I' rests on top of a closed book titled 'Five Min'. Beside the Kindle, there is a pair of eyeglasses with a gold frame and a sprig of eucalyptus leaves, all placed on a pale beige surface.

I'm a UC Berkeley alumni and loved reading about Roan and Casey's college romance. The love story was thrilling, set against my favorite backdrop.

Stephanie Thompson

A book titled 'A Damsel in Distress' by P.G. Wodehouse lies on a white bed sheet. The cover illustration features a woman in a long coat standing beside a red vintage car, set against a backdrop of greenery. A textured green pillow is positioned to the left.
A book titled 'A Damsel in Distress' by P.G. Wodehouse lies on a white bed sheet. The cover illustration features a woman in a long coat standing beside a red vintage car, set against a backdrop of greenery. A textured green pillow is positioned to the left.
★★★★★
★★★★★