Book picks similar to
Just Breathe by Célia Pereira


romance
single-parent
tattoo
contemporary-romance

When You Come To Me


Jade Alyse - 2011
    Sure it seems simple in the grand scheme of things. After all, she's got her family supporting her, and family is all that matters. She is ostracized in her dorm for being just a little bit quiet and a little bit conservative. But that doesn't bother her…initially. Her roommate is loud and wild and white, drinks beer and has sex with her boyfriend. They are polar opposites in every sense of the word. But when Natalie decides to accompany her roommate to a house party off-campus in a cozy house of blue siding, her world is turned upside down the moment that she's knocked unconscious with a flying beer bottle. Yes, you read that correctly. When she comes to (in more ways than one) she is face to face with Brandon Greene, a preppy, oatmeal-skinned New Yorker, with a loud mouth, a grand smile and an open heart. Brandon makes his intentions clear from the beginning: he is hopelessly in love with his girlfriend, Sophia, but does not want to marry her. He does, however, want to be friends with Natalie.Neither Brandon nor her curiosity about him make sense to her at all, and her sense of complacency begins to tumble as she and Brandon grow closer. She's thrust into a love triangle that she wants no part of and suddenly, a streamlined future to success in the medical field is the last thing on her mind — all she sees now is a shade of gray. Brandon and Natalie have a powerful dynamic; but can it stand the weight that time, spatial disparity and color have placed on them? "When You Come to Me" is a sometimes humorous, sometimes dramatic take on the loss of innocence in its most colorful form.

Moonlighter


Sarina Bowen - 2019
    Two adversaries. Only one bed in their hotel room.I'm at the height of my hockey career. Yet my arrogant brother is always trying to recruit me into the family business: a global security company so secretive that I don't even know its name.Pass, thanks. I don't need a summer job.But the jerk ambushes me with a damsel in distress. That damsel is Alex, the competitive, sassy girl I knew when we were kids. Now she's a drop-dead gorgeous woman in deep trouble.So guess who's on a flight to Hawaii?It's going to be a long week in paradise. My job is keeping Alex safe, while her job is torturing me with her tiny bikinis. Or maybe we're torturing each other. It's all snark and flirting until the threat against Alex gets serious. And this jock must become her major league protector.Moonlighter is a stand-alone novel for Brooklyn Bruisers team member Eric Bayer. No cliffhangers, no prior experience necessary. Expect: a growly hero, a lady boss with no time for his attitude, and a war of wills and hormones. Bonus: a hunk wearing a baby in a sling.

Work in Progress


B.J. Harvey - 2019
    He’s always wanted what his parents have: a good marriage, lots of kids, and financial security. He thought he’d have the first two with his ex-girlfriend while the third would come once he got his house-flipping business off the ground. When his ex doesn’t subscribe to his five-year plan, he makes Cook Brothers Construction his sole focus.Then he moves next door to April Williams, a sassy single mom he can’t stop riling up. Throw in her matchmaking mother-in-law, who’s set her sights on Jamie being April’s knight in a leather tool belt, and a house threatening Jamie’s sanity, and it should be a recipe for disaster, but Jamie wants this three-month project to last forever. That’s if he can stop being the neighbor from hell and prove to April he’s not just flipping a house — he wants to flip her heart.

Well...THAT Was Awkward


Megan Montgomery - 2020
    Medallion!John and Em meet on the boardwalk as the moonlight dances off the Chesapeake Bay.She thinks he’s gorgeous and comes down with a case of instalove.He thinks she’s a panhandler and gives her five dollars.The embarrassment is enough to send Em running for a life makeover. The only problem is, she’s spent the last decade looking after everyone else in her little town and now she’s totally forgotten how to self-care.Adding to that garbage heap of a situation is tonight’s blind date.Of course it turns out to be the man who mistook her for homeless. And, of course, he’s a Navy test pilot stationed a stone’s throw away from her antiques shop. All the whiskey and chocolate in the café can’t help the awkwardness between Em and this cold and stoic modern-Mr. Darcy.Fortunately, their tiny, tight-knit community won’t let one (or two) bad nights come between what everyone knows might just be an uncannily perfect couple.When they both let down their guard, Em and John’s chemistry creates more sparks than a jet's afterburners, but there’s a lot to lose if she tries—and fails—at this relationship.Unless she decides to trust John to help her navigate, Em might be stuck circling the runway in a loveless holding pattern.

Unfiltered & Unlawful


Payge Galvin - 2014
    But why should Sugar give in to the Harley-riding tattoo artist when his longest relationships haven't lasted more than a weekend? Sugar's life takes a turn for the dangerous when someone comes looking for the people connected to the Cave shooting and the cash they split. To protect herself and those she cares about, Sugar has to get out of town–and fast. When Adam insists on coming with her, Sugar finds herself holed up in a tiny house with a hot man, a stash of cash, and a lot of secrets. Can Sugar protect both her life and her heart when temptation is so close? Or is the past she's fled going to catch up with her?"A full-throttle read that's dangerously sexy and exciting. I can't wait to see what happens next!" —Jeaniene Frost, NYT bestselling author of the Night Huntress series"A fun, rollicking start to an exciting new series concept. . . .And the hero, oh the hero, steals the show here. Adam is hot, hot, hot and readers will want him as badly as Sasha does." —RT Magazine

A Very London Christmas


Sara Madderson - 2021
    She’s scored the best nannying role ever, to four-year-old Bea, and they plan to take festive London by storm. Cue hot chocolate! Ice skating! Father Christmas at Harrods! It’s like a fairytale, except for the part where Saoirse starts to fall for her boss, Bea’s dad. Divorced. Unreasonably gorgeous. Loaded. And either completely heartbroken, or the love child of Scrooge and The Grinch. She can’t decide which.Miles is determined to give Bea a proper Christmas this year. Last Christmas--the year her mother left them and the world shut down--was a disaster. So he’s hired a sweet, bubbly, Christmas-obsessed nanny to be her companion. Which seems smart, because he couldn't be less festive. But he feels a lot less smart when Saoirse’s warm heart, endless enthusiasm and angelic looks play havoc with his heart (and his trousers). His heart is not open for business. It is firmly, irreversibly shut. Besides, he could never be serious about a woman who buys a Mrs Claus seat cover for the toilet in his penthouse.WARNING: A Very London Christmas is a grumpy sunshine, single dad, nanny-boss romance containing enough festivity to warm the Scroogiest hearts, and a sprinkling of Christmas spice!

Dirt


Cassia Leo - 2017
    Then, in one brutal instant, the universe tilted on its side, discarding us into black nothingness.Now, I have a cocky a**hole for a husband. The only way we communicate anymore is when we’re fighting or f**king.With nothing left to lose, I write Jack a goodbye letter and head for Portland, where I quickly meet a neighbor who helps me find a job. My new neighbor—hot, tattooed ex-soldier Isaac Evans—is complicated. Nevertheless, we form a fast friendship, bonding over our mutual desire to create something beautiful from the wreckage of our lives. But despite the distance between us, Jack and I are still trying to make things work—fighting and f**king dirtier than ever. And he doesn’t appreciate my new friendship with Isaac. Not one f**king bit.

Inescapable Fate


Hanleigh Bradley - 2019
    DCI Trent is a misogynistic pain in the arse. Being a young police officer, Georgia has met her fair share of men who don't understand that she can hold her own. Every single time she has proven them wrong.Will she be able to prove to Walker Trent just how capable she is or will she get herself into a heap of trouble, danger and chaos? And when chaos ensues who will be there to save her?

The King


Skye Warren - 2017
    My father gambles every night, falling deeper and deeper into debt. When he hits the bottom, he places a new bet: his daughter. I'm his entry bet to the biggest underground poker game. Every kind of danger circles the velvet-covered table, but only one man makes me tremble. A trailer park princess. The son of a criminal king. We don't belong together, but I'm caught in a twisted game. His eyes meet mine with dark promise. And when he puts down his cards, I know I'm going to lose more than my body. I'm going to lose everything.

Winter


Nikita Rae - 2013
    As Avery Patterson, she is no longer the daughter of a serial killer. No longer the girl who was bullied and abused through high school. A fresh name and a fresh start at Columbia University means Avery can leave all that behind. There’s only one thing marring her dream of a clean slate…. A boy with a past of his own… Luke Reid has a lot going for him: sex appeal, badass tattoos and insane musical talent. Despite his guitar skills, his calling in life has always been to serve and protect. A NYPD cop by day, singer in rock band D.M.F by night, from the outside Luke seems like he’s got it made. But falling for a girl whose father was accused of deeply sinister acts—a man whom Luke shared a devastating history with, himself—only serves to complicated things. Pieces of a puzzle…. Four symbols, four methods of destruction. A trade. Borrowed wings. Dark secrets that threaten to destroy.Author's Note: This book was previously released under the pen name Nikita Rae. There have been significant changes to the storyline and voices of the characters. The book has also been re-edited. Please make sure the original book is not already in your kindle library before purchasing! New Adult Romantic Suspense novel. Suitable for readers 16+.

Captive


Samantha Jacobey - 2013
    When you grow up with a Motorcycle Gang of Mercenaries and Drug Lords like the Dragons, a normal life is more like a fairytale. For years, she accepted her dark reality, a world consisting of drugs, sex, violence and murder. In the end, she learned the most valuable lesson: survival.After years of being ruled by the Dragons, Tori uses her skills of seduction and assassination to free herself from the grasp of the people who vowed they would never let her go. Taken in by the FBI, she fears not everything is what it seems, and soon finds herself lost in a web of lies and deceit. She thought getting away from the Dragons would put her on a path to a new and better life, but now she must face the cold hard truth” there is always a price to be paid. ˃˃˃ Excerpt "Quietly, he explained to her that he was going to arrange for another group to kill the Dragons and send her to live with someone who would take care of her. Not understanding, she asked why she would have to go with someone else. If the Dragons were dead, why couldn't she just go with him? He refused to explain, and simply said, "You are going to have a different life, baby girl. A life I cannot give you. You must be strong and willing to do whatever it takes to make this happen. Promise me you will do this...." ˃˃˃ Book 1 of 7 in A New Life Series This is the first in a series that chronicles the life of a young woman who is raised by a group of men who work as freelance mercenaries in the dark world of drug trafficking and murder for hire. They acquired the young woman at a very young age, as she has no memory of life before them. The book opens as she has broken free and moves through a series of current events and flashbacks that explain the beginning of her story. It is very dark with an unfinished feel, because in the end, the past is not the real story - the real story is what happens from here. ˃˃˃ WARNING: GRAPHIC SCENES This book is intended for readers 18+ and contains scenes that may cause distress to some readers: Domestic Abuse, Kidnapping, Rape and Substance Abuse are described in detail.

Dakota Peace


Megan Kinney - 2020
    Her peace is short lived when a flat tire strands her on the other side of South Dakota with nothing but her high heels and a speeding ticket. State Trooper Travis Wilkins offers to keep her company while she waits for a new tire, but the quick fix turns into an overnight stay which turns into an extended stay. She soon finds herself in the middle of a foster child’s kidnapping case helping the handsome law man. His presence doesn’t quite settle her anxious heart. With the support of her new friends and her blossoming relationship, Natalia starts to believe she could finally experience a peaceful life … until an armed madman threatens it all.

Red Team Box Set


Riley Edwards - 2018
    He's a professional, a tier one contractor. She’s the mission. Protecting Olivia Cox, the daughter of a White House aide should be his only objective. So why does he keep finding himself in her bed? Even if she's fully clothed and terrorized by memories of her recent kidnapping. As the days pass it becomes nearly impossible to keep his growing attraction under wraps. With a drug cartel in hot pursuit, Panther and the Red Team have no choice but to take Olivia on the run. Alone in a beautiful mountain cabin, sparks fly. Giving in seems inevitable, and Olivia must decide if she’s all in or if she’ll fold as Panther plays a no-holds-barred game of the heart.
 REDEEMING VIOLET A woman who betrayed her county. Violet Myers has a good reason for her treachery—better to sacrifice the few to save the many. The only problem is, no one believes her. With a platoon of Navy SEALs walking into an ambush, the stakes are high. Her only hope is convincing the sexy Jaxon “Blue” Cain she’s telling the truth this time. A man who took an oath to protect his country from all enemies—foreign and domestic. Jaxon “Blue” Cain bleeds red, white, and blue. The former Air Forces Pararescueman takes the promise he’s made to serve his country as an honor. Disloyalty. Dishonor. Deceit. The three D’s Jaxon hates the most—Violet has a lot to make up for before she’ll find redemption. RECOVERING IVY They met in a bar. The sex was phenomenal. Then she walked away. That’s where the story should’ve ended, but when Ivy Matthews shows up in the middle of Zane “Viper” Lewis’s op she opened his eyes to a life the former SEAL didn’t know he wanted. Ivy's thirst for revenge unstoppable, no one; not even the pragmatic Zane Lewis can quench her desire. Ivy is a closed book, she’s locked up tight and hides behind much-needed walls. But when Zane finds a crack in her armor, he exploits it, like any good tier one operator, he uncovers the secrets of her sordid past. But it’s too late. Ivy’s in the hands of a madman. Zane has one chance to recover the woman who has captured his heart. His perfect match. But as guilt bears down, this is one mission he may fail. Does love conquer all, or are the traumas of war too deep to heal?

The Parable of the Mustard Seed


Lisa Henry - 2020
    Caleb Fletcher was the teenager John saved from a cult eight long years ago, and he’s now the young man John wants in ways that neither of them should risk.Eight years after his rescue, Caleb is still struggling with PTSD and self-harm. John has always been his rock, but now Caleb wants more. Can he convince John to cross a line and love him the way they both crave? And when the monsters from Caleb’s past come back seeking to silence him for good, will John’s love be enough to save him?

Love Songs for Skeptics


Christina Pishiris - 2021
    Truly, she does. As an editor at a major music magazine in London, it's part of her job description. But love? Let's just say Zoë's been a bit off-beat in that department. After falling hard for her best friend, Simon, at thirteen and missing every chance to tell him how she felt before he left town, Zoë came to one grand conclusion: Love stinks.Twenty years later, Simon is returning to London, newly single and as charming as ever, and Zoë vows to take her second chance. But Zoë's got other problems now: In order to save her magazine from closure, she has to land the biggest interview of her career with a notoriously elusive rock idol. There's just one problem: Nick, the arrogant publicist who seems determined to stop the story and ruin Zoë's life.With her brother's big(ish) fat(ish) Greek wedding on the horizon, Zoë begins to wonder if her first love is the right love. In the wake of a life-changing choice, Zoë must decide if she's right to be skeptical about love, or if it's time to change her tune...This charming and quirky debut has it all: childhood friends, love triangles, enemies-to-lovers, and a My Big Fat Greek Wedding subplot.