Book picks similar to
Welcome to Serenity by Olivia Gaines


instafreebie
novella
afro-american
conflicted-emotionally-damaged-men

The Billionaire's Offer


Lila Lacroix - 2014
    Running from her ex, running from her past, running from any kind of meaningful relationship. When her boss, billionaire property developer Jonathan Jergen, offers her millions of dollars to marry her so he can stay in the country, Vanessa can't help but be tempted. After all, with that kind of money, she could escape her past forever. It should be easy, right, pretending to be in love for a couple of years? Or so Vanessa thought. As she and Jonathan get closer, Vanessa struggles to stop herself from opening up to a man, something she's learned from experience is a very bad idea. But will Jonathan's charming personality break down the barriers Vanessa has spent years building? This 15,000 word story is the first part of a trilogy.

Queen Joanna


Kate Danley - 2014
    And when a face in the mirror confronts her with a dire warning, she realizes her life is at risk. Has she awakened a curse—or been struck by madness? “Queen Joanna” presents a haunting twist on the legend of Bloody Mary. This short story originally appeared in the From the Indie Side anthology.

Little more than a Friend


Paras Goel - 2014
    At early stage he was unaware that he was in love with Siyaa but when their school ended and both of their paths were separated, he went into deep depression. As time passes Ayyan tries many times to get Siyaa back in his life, But what's going on in Siyaa's mind?

The Missing Billionaire: A Clean, Friends to Lovers Romance (Billionaires Find Love)


Christine Kersey - 2019
     Except Chloe James. Chloe has been best friends with Nathan for years—and has crushed on him just as long—but her sister died on that cruise and she holds him responsible. Wanting nothing to do with him, when she is forced to work with him she will have to come to grips with the emotions roiling within her. Nathan is desperate to earn back Chloe’s friendship and her forgiveness, but when she rebuffs him at every turn he has to do something drastic. Will she find it in her heart to forgive him or will their relationship be destroyed for good? The Missing Billionaire is a clean, standalone romance novel.

My Best Friend's Brother


Eliza Ellis - 2018
    He's her best friend's brother. Falling for him could ruin his future. Keighly Kaye is on her way to LA for the audition of a lifetime. When her BFF Bertie asks her to stop by home and help out at the Headley Family Campground, what are friends for? A week at home with friends and family might also help Keighly heal from a past wrong. Peter Headley has a decision to make: attend his father's choice of college or go after the dream job. One will help his family not lose their camp, and the other gets Pete kicked out of the house in a week. When Keighly sees the nerd she remembers is now an easy-on-the-eyes man, she finds the childhood pact to never fall for your best friend's brother needs a revision. The more time they spend together, the harder it is for Keighly to keep her promise, especially when a secret she knows could break his heart. Can Keighly risk her friendship for a chance at love? And will Pete finally get a kiss from his childhood crush? My Best Friend's Brother is a standalone novel in the Best Friend's series, a trio of sweet, clean romances. If you enjoy slow-burning chemistry, simmering kisses, and a touch of humor, then you'll fall in love with romances by Eliza Ellis.

A Cowboy's Salvation


Taylor R. Lawson - 2016
    He's been the town's sheriff even during its formative years, and he's developed quite a reputation as it's tough law-enforcing sheriff. Because of his long tenure, and dedication to his job, he's also developed a very unflattering nickname, at least for him. It's a nickname that's best not said to Sheriff Tex's face. They call him “Lonesome” Tex Wilson. During one night, in particular, one of Brimstone's residents makes the mistake of doing just that. He gets a fist in his face for his trouble, from Tex himself. But the incident makes Tex start to think about his life. He's presided over Brimstone for so long. With the advent of the railroad and Brimstone being a booming mining town, his job will only become even more hectic and dangerous. There's bound to be more outlaws and troublemakers who will try to make a quick buck through a bank robbery, or anything of the sort. Tex realizes that he can't keep doing this forever, and he's not getting any younger. He needs to have something for himself. He hesitantly fills out an application for a mail order bride service. He doesn't put much faith in it but does it anyway. After all, he's got to try something. It's kind of like Tex's message in a bottle, for his heart. Fortunately or Unfortunately for Tex, his application works better than he ever expected. Soon enough, he begins to receive letters from a sweet woman. She looks very attractive in her photograph and writes with sincerity and honesty that seems to jump out of the paper. Her name is Annie Portion. After some letters, Tex is smitten by Annie, and he proposes to her through their correspondences. Annie agrees, and she is soon off to Brimstone to get married to Sheriff Tex. They meet up, and Annie is everything that Tex every wanted and more. They get married, and it seems that everything is going just as Tex wanted. It's a storybook dream, and suddenly, “Lonesome” Tex isn't lonesome anymore. But there's a catch, and not everything is what it seems. Annie Portion is real “Redtail Annie” a mysterious and notorious female outlaw. No one has ever seen her face because it's always covered with a large handkerchief. Annie saw the sheriff's application on the Mail Order Bride service, and she saw it as a great opportunity. She figured her gang could strike with a lot more impunity if she were actually married to the sheriff. It's a bold, long-term plan that could work. It's a great idea that would have been perfect except for one thing; Annie is falling in love with Tex. With their time together, Annie begins to develop feelings for Tex. She starts to develop a real liking for her life with him in Brimstone. But her gang doesn't know this, and they're getting itchy, waiting for her signal to rob the town bank, at the most opportune moment. With the stakes so high, what choice will Annie make? Who will prevail? Annie Portion, the woman who loves Tex Wilson, or “Redtail Annie” the outlaw?

Quinn Security: A Boxset


Dee Bridgnorth - 2018
    Their town is under attack by a rogue shifter, and this time, their werewolf senses might not be enough to restore the peace. TROY The eldest Quinn might look thirty-five, but he’s walked the Tetons, Great Plains, and now Yellowstone for a century. Having served his country in three separate wars, shifting both aliases and appearances, alike—Troy can turn wolf by the light of a full moon and shift back in the blink of an eye—this towering and tatted alpha has inherited the Quinn throne, the clan of which has been operating hidden in Devil’s Fist since the first Native American took his last breath. But when a shy, bookish woman by the name of Reece Gladstone becomes a target after her co-worker is brutally murdered, Troy must untangle his complicated feelings for the librarian, feelings that have been percolating, unrepressed yet denied for years, and use every shifting trick in the book to keep her safe. KALEB Kaleb Quinn, the second eldest of the Quinn clan, likes his women like he likes his meat—raw and juicy. But recently, his playboy approach has been stilted and much to his chagrin, but not because the rumors have caught up to him. In his dreams, an ethereal woman with flowing blonde hair and a distinct darkness behind her twinkling eyes has been creeping in and overpowering his subconscious. Kaleb knows what it means, and who she is—his one true mate who he’s never met in the flesh. But as danger closes in, it seems that all of his dreams are quickly turning into a nightmare he can’t escape. Lucy Cooper has a reputation, as well, but it’s far from flattering. The slender diner waitress has seen the dark, rogue shifter up close and personal, but the Sheriff’s take on the matter, which the residents have also adopted, is that she’s on drugs and not to be trusted. Nothing could be further from the truth, but when a body turns up dead in her apartment, there’s only one man in town who believes her innocence—Kaleb Quinn. SHANE The war might have ended overseas, but Shane Quinn never came back from it. Not mentally. A loner to the bone, with battle scars peppered across his ripped physique, Shane walks the streets like dry ice wafting over cold steel. A smile hasn’t cracked his hardened exterior in all the years his brothers have known him, the running joke being that he was born angry and ready to annihilate. But when the Sheriff’s daughter, Whitney Abernathy storms into his life, Shane finds himself disarmed by her fiery spirit. Given the bodyguard’s fighting nature, this poses a serious problem. CONOR Conor Quinn knows that everlasting immortality for any werewolf hinges upon their eternal union with their one true mate. Three of his four brothers have found safety in having bonded to their destined mates, now functioning with fearless presence and power. Conor finds himself compelled, on a mission to connect with his own. But just because the determined, former marine and secret werewolf has chosen Rachel Clancy to be his one true mate, doesn’t mean that’s their destiny. Or does it? DEAN The youngest of the Quinn clan, Dean puts his love of Devil’s Fist before all else. Rugged and handsome, the tall, brooding werewolf is heavily tatted and deeply scarred and there’s nothing he hates more than a spoiled rich girl.

The Diary of Henry Chimpman: Volume 1: From the Forest to the Zoo (a fiction book for kids 8-10 and 9-12)


Nathaniel Gold - 2016
     Before the world knew his name, Henry and his family were immigrants to America. Growing up was not easy for this young chimp but he learned to adapt. Between his love of baseball, music and his family, he learns what it takes to be the best he can be. Unfortunately life is not always kind to Henry and he soon discovers that growing up can mean learning the truth and that the truth is not always friendly. Now Henry is on a mission to expose his experience in the space program. Will running for Mayor in the APE Party help his cause, or will it simply turn him into a fugitive? A cross between Forrest Gump and Planet of the Apes, the first book in the Chimpman series is a completely unique story of the triumph and fall of an immigrant chimpanzee family. If you like The One and Only Ivan, you will love Henry Chimpman.

Finger of an Angel


Panayotis Cacoyannis - 2019
    The day is unbearably hot, and the snazzy car’s air-con is broken, blowing out hot air instead of cold. Lily follows the meandering road in a state of dehydration, and experiences a series of encounters with angels and demons and ghosts from the past. As time begins to travel backwards, Lily knows that very soon she will find her way back to the city. But even when eventually she does, events nearer home seem to mirror her encounters on the long winding road that disappeared.

Big Love in a Small Town


Kate Goldman - 2015
    Three weeks later, Tessa meets Nate Wilder, a Hollywood star, at a restaurant where she waits tables on weekends, and he doesn’t hide his immediate attraction to her. Despite still being heartbroken, Tessa feels a spark and they begin secretly seeing each other. Tessa begins to fall in love with Nate and their relationship seems perfect until a miscommunication causes her to break things off abruptly. A little time passes and Tessa’s ex-boyfriend returns, asking her to come to Nashville so that they can be together again. She realizes that she definitely doesn’t want that – she has fallen for Nate, and she hopes that she hasn’t missed her chance. Now that Tessa finally realizes the truth about her feelings and what a mistake she has made, she hops on a plane for Los Angeles, but when she arrives, she isn’t prepared for what she sees.

The Sheikh's Tempting Nanny


Leslie North - 2021
    He’s a bit ashamed of how he’s wasted his life so far, with too much time spent partying, and is rather desperate to improve his image—especially to his brothers. American Sarah Jenner might just be the answer he’s looking for. She’s smart, good with the children, compassionate…and just happens to stir Imran’s blood like no one else. Even though he knows he should keep their relationship professional, the two are acutely aware of a growing attraction, one that Imran is having difficulty ignoring…He’s her boss. He’s a sheikh. Sheikhs don’t end up with nannies except in the movies. No matter how many times Sarah reminds herself to be sensible, she just can’t help being attracted to Imran. He’s so sexy and nice and understanding. Falling for her boss would be monumentally stupid and Sarah is definitely not stupid. It’s her heart that seems to be the one that’s not listening, and after fighting it she finally gives in to her desire. Then she does the dreaded Google search and sees, in vivid color, just how much of a playboy Imran is. Is she just another notch in his belt? A meaningless dalliance with the nanny? Doubts flood her. And when the two face their biggest challenge, they’ll have to learn to trust one another—or end up alone.

Loren's Hope


Jean L. Kuhnke - 2015
    Loren is perceived as a child as thin as a rail with mud caked hair when Old Tom and his boys come across Thad Walters on their way to town. Rather than take the chance that Miss Pearl won't offer him enough money for a visit at Pearl's brothel, Old Tom decides to convince Thad to buy her. Thad knew that he would do everything in his power to get the child away from the men that had her tied behind their horse half dragging her to town. When he finally payed them enough to get four steak dinners and one roll in the hay for Old Tom, he took her to his ranch planning to take the child to the next town where she could be taken in by a good family. To his surprise, when she got all the mud off, he found her to be a beautiful woman, not a child at all.

The Love of Grace: Prequel to Married By Fate (Annville Mail Order Brides)


Helen Christian - 2017
    He couldn’t wait to make her his wife and their engagement was the talk of the town. They were good people, wrapped in the love of God, waiting for their happily ever after.If only that were the end of the story...*This story is a Prequel to “Married By Fate"*-

Feels Like the First Time


Ciana Stone - 2012
     It doesn’t quite work out that way. The woman turns out to be Lily Ridenger, his first love, and the one woman who has the ability to turn his thoughts to sin with a single look. She’s in need of a place to stay and he has room to spare. So what if they have unfinished business between them? So what if there are still unresolved feelings? Chances are they’ll hook up, have sex hot enough to start a fire and go their separate ways. At least that’s what Clint thought… He thought wrong.

Monday: Sweet Romance (Sweet and Timeless Book 1)


Lily Rose - 2017
    L. Todd's steamy contemporary romance novel Monday. This story is the same as the contemporary romance and conveys all the passion of the original book without any explicit scenes or harsh language. I don’t believe in destiny. In fate. Or in soul mates. But I believe in Hawke. My life has never been whole since my parents left forever. I have my brother, someone I can barely tolerate most of the time, and I have my best friend, Marie. And I have myself. But when Hawke walks into my life, there’s an immediate connection. Our eyes lock and an unspoken conversation is exchanged. For the first time in my life, I actually feel something. But he doesn’t. He keeps me at arm’s length and pretends there’s nothing between us when there clearly is. I’m not the kind of girl to wait around for any guy, so I don’t. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t in the back of my mind. Our paths cross again in a way neither one of us expect and it changes everything. Was it destiny that made it happen? Was it fate? Or was it something else?