Book picks similar to
Drowning by Rachel Firasek
new-adult
romance
abuse
freebies
What Once Was Perfect
Zoe York - 2013
Heading home always stirs up mixed emotions for Laney Calhoun. Twelve years ago she left for graduate school, broken-hearted. She's found professional success, but positive personal relationships have proved elusive. Running into her ex-boyfriend fans flames she thought long extinguished, and causes a renewed interest in love. Not with Kyle, of course. Never again. But as sparks fly and items of clothing disappear, she scrambles to keep her emotions in check. ...Now he has a second chance to get it right. Kyle Nixon let Laney slip away once. Their chemistry together is undeniable, but steamy sex is not enough to convince her to let him back into her heart. Even if she did trust him again, her career as a paediatric surgeon is five hundred kilometers away from the hometown that he loves, and the life he once chose over her. Come home to Wardham. Come home to love.
Nashville Heat
Bethany Michaels - 2009
Alternate Cover Edition for ISBN 9781301117901When Sydney Stratton moved to Nashville to follow her dream of making it in the country music business, she never counted on meeting Dex Wilder, country's hottest star, let alone hooking up with him! But after a few hot encounters with her cowboy lover, raw lust turns to something deeper and Sydney helps Dex write a new song that reveals a totally different side to the celebrity bad boy she knows only from the tabloids.As Sydney struggles with revitalizing her floundering career as well as the burgeoning romance with Dex and all of its unique difficulties, revealing photos of the two of them come to light, as well as a secret Dex has been hiding that threatens any future they might have together.
Lash
L.G. Castillo - 2013
Obey the Archangels. Don't show yourself to humans. Never fall in love with one.He broke them all.Banished to Earth for defying the archangels, Lash is given one last chance to redeem himself. His mission is simple: protect Naomi Duran, a captivating young woman lost in grief. The assignment proves to be anything but simple when the Archangels withhold key information about Naomi and refuse to restore Lash's powers. When an unexpected source reveals centuries-old secrets, his trust is shaken to the core, and he begins to doubt those whom he had once considered to be his greatest allies.Determined to avoid anything that would risk his chances of returning home, Lash struggles with the greatest obstacle of all--his growing feelings for Naomi. But when her life is threatened by an unknown source, Lash questions the wisdom of the Archangels and his ability to keep her safe. Soon, Lash will have to choose where to place his trust--in the home he has fought so hard to regain or in the forbidden love he can't bear to lose.
The Boys of Summer
C.J. Duggan - 2012
She wants nothing more than to forget the past haunts of high school and have fun with her best friends before the dreaded Year Twelve begins.To Tess, summer is when everything happens: riding bikes down to the lake, watching the fireworks at the Onslow Show and water bomb fights at the sweltering Sunday markets.How did she let her friends talk her into working?After first-shift disasters, rude, wealthy tourists and a taunting ex-boyfriend, Tess is convinced nothing good can come of working her summer away. However, Tess finds unlikely allies in a group of locals dubbed ‘The Onslow Boys’, who are old enough to drive cars, drink beer and not worry about curfews. Tess’s summer of working expands her world with a series of first times with new friends, forbidden love and heartbreaking chaos.All with the one boy she has never been able to forget.It will be a summer she will always remember.
Love on Beach Avenue
Jennifer Probst - 2020
Making dreams come true is her business at Sunshine Bridal, which she runs with her two sisters. When her best friend announces her engagement, Avery is thrilled to take charge of the giddy bride-to-be’s big day. Less thrilling? Her best friend's arrogant and demanding brother, who just so happens to be the man of honor.Carter Ross’s first instinct: call 911. He promised to always take care of his impulsive little sister, and he honors that vow. Even if it means taking over her wedding, where he is sure Avery will fail. At best, Avery is unpredictable. At worst, if she’s anything like the spitfire of a college girl he remembers, the main event could run wild.With Avery and Carter wrestling for control, tempers heat up. So does the spark of attraction they’re fighting with every kiss. As the wedding draws near, it’s time to reconcile a rocky past and make a decision that could change everyone’s lives. Because what they’re rebelling against looks a lot like love.
Broken
Kelly Elliott - 2013
With no running water or electricity in their home, no parents around to protect them, they quickly learned how to survive and depend only on each other.When a tragic accident takes Mike away from Layton, and the only other person that he ever let into his heart walked away from him, leaving his heart shattered, Layton focuses all of his time and energy into the ranch he and his brother dreamed of. He makes a vow to himself to never let love in again. The last thing Layton needed or wanted was more heartache.Whitley Reynolds grew up in a privileged home in upstate New York. When she landed the star football player in high school no one was surprised, not even Whitley. She dreamed of a life with Roger living in New York City and happily followed him there. The first time Roger hit her for arguing with him about a dinner party, she forgave him. The more it happened, the further Whitley withdrew from her friends and family. One fateful day things go to far. Whitley makes a promise to herself and finds the courage to do the one thing she thought she’d never be able to do.Fleeing with her best friend Courtney, Whitley was determined to put her past behind her and start a new life in the small town of Llano, Texas, where no one would ever find out about her past.Will they both ever learn to trust and love again, or will their pasts come back to haunt them, keeping them both alone and…Broken.
Painted Faces
L.H. Cosway - 2012
She has a habit of making offensive jokes and speaking her mind too often. She doesn't have the best track record with first impressions, which is why she gets a surprise when her new neighbour Nicholas takes a shine to her.Nicholas is darkly handsome, funny and magnetic, and Freda feels like her black and white existence is plunged into a rainbow of colour when she's around him. When he walks into a room he lights it up, with his quick wit and charisma. He is a travelling cabaret performer, but Freda doesn't know exactly what that entails until the curtains pull back on his opening night.She is gob-smacked and entirely intrigued to see him take to the stage in drag. Later on, Nicholas asks her if she would like to become his show assistant. Excited by the idea, she jumps at the chance. Soon she finds herself immersed in a world of wigs, make-up and high heels, surrounded by pretty men and the temptation of falling for her incredibly beautiful employer.In this story of passion and sexual discovery, Nicholas and Freda will contend with jealousy, emotional highs and lows, and the kind of love that only comes around once in a lifetime.**Not suitable for younger readers. Contains some strong language and scenes of a sexual nature.**
Love Love
Beth Michele - 2013
She's funny. And oh yes, she's a bit klutzy.
When Gabrielle left sunny California bound for the energy of Manhattan, she was willingly leaving the life she had known for the new life she would create. But was she really leaving something behind or was she running away?On the outside, Gabrielle Willis had it all under control. A new life in Manhattan, a great roommate, and a good job. But she was haunted. Haunted by a memory she'd tried to forget and by a family who'd abandoned her. Enter Dane Rhodes. He was gorgeous, smart, and sexy as hell. Just what Gabby wanted, or so she thought. But when she met Brad Dixon, the sweet guy with the crooked smile, he began to make her see that the very thing she was trying to run from, was the very thing that just might push her to see the light.**This Contemporary Romance contains mature language and sexual content and is only recommended for readers 17 and older.**
Collide
H.M. Ward - 2012
He's pining over some girl that doesn't know he's alive. The confident swagger and endless stream of girls is a facade. It conceals his loneliness and hides how messed up he's really become trying to flee from a life that's battered him to his core.Trystan tries to figure out how to make it clear how much he loves Mari, but every insincere kiss and every broken promise haunts him, because she knows them all. Now, Trystan has to prove to the one girl he's actually fallen in love with that she's not just another conquest. Mari has no idea who Trystan loves, but she can tell that whoever it is has captured his heart entirely. Soon Mari sees the man behind the mask, the guy that Trystan tries so hard to hide. Everything about him is appealing, and too hard to resist. In a moment of desperation, Trystan uploads a love song he wrote for Mari, but before he can show it to her, the video goes viral. Everyone wants to know who he is, and the only thing shielding him is an anonymous account name and some thick shadows hiding his face. Tyrstan realizes that the consequences of revealing his identity will be disastrous. Everything he's tried so hard to hide will be exposed. It's a secret that is impossible to keep and the only girl who he wanted to hear it will never believe him.The Secret Life of Trystan Scott is an addicting romance with lots of tension and steamy kisses. The story is told in 20,000 word segments. Each book is another episode, building on the previous. The books in the TRYSTAN SCOTT series will get hotter as it progresses and cross from YA into New Adult by the end of the series.
From the Wreckage
Michele G. Miller - 2014
When disaster strikes, their labels become irrelevant.“In a matter of minutes on a Friday night, I lost my school, my identity, the security of my first love, the personality of my sweet fearless brother, my best friend, my town, everything as I knew it. Everything changed.”"Minutes—that’s all it takes to change your entire life. How do you deal with that?”For high school senior Jules Blacklin surviving the storm is only the beginning. Faced with her life's new reality, she must find a way to rise from the wreckage and answer the question—how do you get back to normal when everything normal is gone?The From The Wreckage series is a Young Adult to New Adult series with one trilogy and multiple character spin-offs. Please see the reading order below:Jules and West's trilogy1. From the Wreckage2. Out of Ruins3. All that RemainsSpin-offs best read in order but CAN be read alone4. West: A male POV novel of From The Wreckage5. Into the Fire: Dani's story6. After the Fall: Austin's story7. Until We Crash: Jess and Carter's story
Shocking Heaven
D.H. Sidebottom - 2013
Determined to take control of her life and move on from her turbulent past,Eve strictly orders no drama, no bullshit and definitely no relationships.That was until she met deep and moody Jax Cooper, The vocalist for local band 'Room 103'. Jax is arrogant and egotistical, an alpha male straight through to his core, but so damn hot, and Eve soon finds his relentless pursuit of her, harder and harder to resist.But both hold tortured souls and secrets, secrets that could blow their whole lives apart...literally.Except sometimes it's not secrets or damaged spirits that threaten their relationship...it's life itself.Eve soon finds out that if you're going through hell, then the only way out the other side, is to just keep going.This book contains explicit sex scenes, strong language and lot's of heartache. And of course...one hell of an alpha male.
Lessons In Love
Jessica Peterson - 2016
Charming. Funny as hell. Too bad sexy Spaniard Rafa Montoya is off limits.Yeah, I fantasize about what his mouth can do other than speak four languages during our tutoring sessions. But I need to focus on bringing up my crappy grades, not his mouth. And I don't want to fall for yet another guy I can't have in the long run—I'm leaving Madrid to go back home at the end of the semester.The icing on the cake? My best friend Maddie is crushing on Rafa, too. Hard.Keeping my distance shouldn't be difficult, considering the attraction I feel for him is obviously one-sided. Only, it’s not. One earth shattering encounter involving a bathroom stall, a kiss to end all kisses, and a semi-public orgasm tells me he’s feeling it, too. The connection we share is impossible to resist.He wants me. I want him. But I'm leaving Madrid soon. And I know it will break Maddie's heart if she finds out about us.I need to keep things friendly with Rafa before we all get hurt. I just wish he’d stop being so damn wonderful—and so damn great in bed. I never imagined learning Spanish would be this much fun…or cause this much trouble. The books in the STUDY ABROAD series are STANDALONE stories and can be read in any order!
Addicted to Him
Lauren Dodd - 2013
I had a huge secret and I was trying to run away from it as fast as I could. I managed to get myself shipped a thousand miles away for the summer to my estranged father and perky new stepmother’s house. Nobody knew me there and that’s the way I liked it. I didn’t have to be the screwed-up girl with the terrible secret anymore; I could be anybody I wanted to be.Being sequestered at Dad’s house turned out to be amazing. I started wondering if somehow I could convince him to keep me forever and then I might have a shot at a normal life for a change. Enter hot, mysterious, moody Seth and my desire to become a permanent resident of Colorado just quadrupled.I had never met anyone like Seth. I trusted him more than I had ever trusted anyone. I craved his lips, his body, and his touch. It didn’t take long for me to become totally addicted to him. The way he could get my body to respond was incredible. Before long I was spilling every dark secret I had to him never dreaming that he would someday use that knowledge against me.I should have known my fairy tale wouldn’t last forever. Secrets that I prayed would never see the light of day were soon exposed, changing my life forever. I couldn’t run anymore. I had to decide if I wanted to stay the same girl who never fights for herself, or try to find the strength inside myself to live the life I knew I had always deserved.This is a complete novel at 75,000 words. Content warning- This novel contains adult situations and may not be appropriate for readers under eighteen.
Dragonfly
Leigh Talbert Moore - 2013
Pulling Anna into their extravagant lifestyle on the Gulf Coast, Lucy pushed her outside her comfort zone and Jack showed her feelings she's never experienced... Until he mysteriously withdrew.Anna turned to her internship at the city paper and to her old attraction for Julian, a handsome local artist and rising star, for distraction. But both led to her discovery of a decades-old secret closely guarded by the twins' distant, single father.It's a secret that could cost her the boy she loves and permanently change all their lives.
He Loves Me Not
Christine Kersey - 2011
After all, she's barely met the two men it could be referring to. But as she begins to fall for the man with the striking blue eyes, the disturbing messages increase.Refusing to believe warnings from an anonymous sender, and trusting her own heart, Lily presses forward with her relationship, eventually coming to understand the meaning behind the messages as she fears for her life.He Loves Me Not does not contain any profanity or sexual content.