Book picks similar to
Elusive by Ali Dean


contemporary-romance
new-adult
contemporary
arc

Lead Me Not


A. Meredith Walters - 2014
    She knows what rock bottom looks like, and she is determined to crawl back up to the top after the sudden death of her younger sister. She blames herself for her part in the tragedy, convinced that she could have done something, anything, to help her.In her effort to gain redemption, Aubrey starts fresh at Longwood University and facilitates an addiction support group, hoping she can support someone else in the way she failed her sister. But what she doesn’t count on is an all-consuming fascination with group member Maxx Demelo, a gorgeous, blond, blue-eyed enigma who hides dark secrets behind a carefully constructed mask. He only reveals what he wants others to see. But Aubrey glimpses another Maxx hidden below the surface—a Maxx who is drowning in his own personal hell.As Aubrey and Maxx develop an attraction too intense to ignore, he pulls her into the dark underbelly of the city club scene, where she is torn by her desire to save him and an inexplicable urge to join him in his downward spiral. Worst of all, she is beginning to love everything she should run away from—a man who threatens to ignite in her a fire that could burn her alive…

Kiss Me Like This


Bella Andre - 2014
    Nothing seems to matter anymore...until the night Serena Britten unexpectedly ends up in his arms. Serena is a world-famous model who has only ever wanted to be normal, even though her mother has always pushed her to become a superstar. Though it isn't easy to try to leave everyone and everything she knows behind, Serena is determined to enroll in college. More than anything, she wants to turn her love for books into a new career that she actually loves. Only, she never expected to meet someone like Sean on campus—or to be instantly consumed by their incredible chemistry and connection. But when the pressures of her high-profile modeling career only get bigger and more demanding, will it make living a normal life as a college student—and falling in love with the hottest guy on campus—impossible?

Addicted to You


Krista Ritchie - 2013
    He’s addicted to booze…the only way out is rock bottom.No one would suspect shy Lily Calloway’s biggest secret. While everyone is dancing at college bars, Lily stays in the bathroom. To get laid. Her compulsion leads her to one-night stands, steamy hookups and events she shamefully regrets. The only person who knows her secret happens to have one of his own.Loren Hale’s best friend is his bottle of bourbon. Lily comes at a close second. For three years, they’ve pretended to be in a real relationship, hiding their addictions from their families. They’ve mastered the art of concealing flasks and random guys that filter in and out of their apartment.But as they sink beneath the weight of their addictions, they cling harder to their destructive relationship and wonder if a life together, for real, is better than a lie. Strangers and family begin to infiltrate their guarded lives, and with new challenges, they realize they may not just be addicted to alcohol and sex.Their real vice may be each other. New Adult Romance recommended for readers 18+ for mature content

Finding London


Ellie Wade - 2016
    ***London Wright thought she’d been in love before ... but she hadn’t ... not even close ... ... Then she met him ... Rugged and gorgeous, Loïc Berkeley, a special forces soldier is everything she’s ever wanted. Getting him to notice her was a challenge, but keeping his love is proving to be more difficult.London’s used to getting what she wants so loving someone like Loïc is a humbling and somewhat terrifying experience. For everything she has in her life, he’s the one thing she can’t bear to lose.* * * * * * * * * * * Loïc Berkeley never wanted love ...He views it as an unneeded distraction that causes nothing but pain ...Love ... for Loïc ... always ends in disappointment. ... Then he met her ... Spoiled, witty, and breathtakingly beautiful London Wright is his undoing. From the moment he laid eyes on her, he knew his life would never be the same. Though he tries to fight it, he finds himself falling for her.Having lived a life full of sorrow, finding London brought Loïc rare happiness. Though his feelings for her are strong, is what they have powerful enough to break the cycle of his past?When one is destined for heartbreak and loss, can love really change anything?*** Intended for readers 18+ due to sexual content. ***

Saved by Love (Bachelor Billionaire Kids #1)


Sharon Cummin - 2017
    He had a huge decision weighing heavy on him. What was he going to do with his future? His father had been convinced since the day he was born that he was going to take over the family business. Both of his parents were software developers, and their company was doing very well. There was only one problem. Gavin couldn't stand software development and wanted no part of the company. He wanted to join the service to help people and keep his family and the rest of the country safe. The only thing he had to do was find a way to tell his parents. Gavin stood up and looked down the table at all of the people he loved. There were five families, and between them, they owned seven houses on one stretch of a Hawaiian beach. It was their last night there, and Gavin knew he needed the support of everyone around him when he told his parents what he'd chosen to do with his life. He instantly saw concern cross his mom's face, but he had to do it. There was no going back. "I'm joining the service," he said. It didn't take long for his father to get to his feet and all of the chatter to fill the empty space between them. "I'm joining too," Gavin's best friend Jack announced. By the time everyone calmed down and both of their families accepted their decisions, Gavin was beginning to feel a little better about things. There was only one person that wasn't going to let it go that easily. That person was Gracie. Gavin was taking her brother, and that was not okay. When Jack told Gracie he wanted her to write to Gavin each time she wrote to him, she was not happy. Gracie was going to write him, but she wasn't going to make it easy. Little did Gracie and Gavin know that those letters were going to change their lives forever.

Escaping Me


Elizabeth Lee - 2013
    Forget the memory of walking in on her boyfriend in the middle of, well, another girl. Forget how she had her entire life planned out. And, forget about being perfect all the time. Unfortunately, she was Whitney Vandaveer and despite the fact that she moved to the middle of nowhere – she couldn't. He always knew he would never be more than nothing. No job, no money, no future. Cole Pritchett had accepted the fact that he would always be the screw up and he was okay with it. Until he met her. Here's the thing they quickly found out – sometimes we all need a little help escaping who we think we are.

The Ones Who Got Away


Roni Loren - 2018
    The man approaching was nothing like the boy she'd known. The bulky football muscles had streamlined into a harder, leaner package and the look in his deep green eyes held no trace of boyish innocence.It's been twelve years since tragedy struck the senior class of Long Acre High School. Only a few students survived that fateful night—a group the media dubbed The Ones Who Got Away.Liv Arias thought she'd never return to Long Acre—until a documentary brings her and the other survivors back home. Suddenly her old flame, Finn Dorsey, is closer than ever, and their attraction is still white-hot. When a searing kiss reignites their passion, Liv realizes this rough-around-the-edges cop might be exactly what she needs...

As You Turn Away


Molli Moran - 2014
    With a life as a ballerina in New York City—and the freedom she craved while growing up in a small Southern town—Quinn Reynolds seems to have everything she's ever wanted. But it's all built on a painful past she can't outrun. Desperate to make peace with her ghosts, she goes home for a visit. Back in the town she once loved, Quinn tries to rebuild the relationships she destroyed when she fled, which may be harder than she realized. And her life gets more complicated when Jonah Walker returns, reminding her of the love she's never been able to forget. Or experience with anyone else since him. Jonah Walker became someone he didn't recognize when he left his hometown to escape his anguish over losing Quinn. He kept his family at arm's length and became a shell of his former self. But if he hopes to find redemption, he has to own his mistakes—especially if he wants another chance with Quinn. Together, they struggle to forgive and create a new future. But Quinn could lose Jonah forever if they can't overcome their past and the obstacles ahead of them.(This book was updated with a new cover and new material/editing in 2017.)

The Last Thing


Briana Gaitan - 2014
    With nowhere else to turn, she escapes to LA, clinging to the promise of a fresh start.Chase Crowley is known for being selfish and unbelievably persistent. All he's ever wanted is to become a successful actor. But now that he is about to have it all, he finds that something is still missing. Money and fame aren't what he expected.After a fervent encounter, the two of them are thrown into a situation for which neither is prepared. Can Quinn extinguish her fears and let Chase in? Can Chase learn to put someone else's needs before his own?The Last Thing is a novel all about love, Hollywood, and accepting what life throws at you even if it is the last thing you want.(This is a New Adult Romance novel & contains language & adult situations. Not recommended for readers younger than 17)The Last Thing is a standalone book in the Hollywood Timelines series with NO cliff hanger ending.Hollywood Timelines Series#1 The Last Thing#1.5 Bash#2 The One Thing#2.5 Maria#3 The Love Thing (coming Winter 2015)

Stubborn Love


Wendy Owens - 2013
    She had given him her youth, and all he gave in return was misery and pain. She was ready for a new beginning, but Ashton wasn’t about to let her go so easily, even if it meant destroying both their lives in the process.Three years later Emmie convinces herself she is ready to leave all of that heartbreak in the past and find a little piece of normal for herself. She heads to New York City to pick up where she left off, determined to finish art school. Emmie is determined to focus on school and not let anything distract her, but life has a way of throwing curveballs.Paige, Emmie’s new roommate, brings Colin Bennett into her life. His smoldering eyes and lean muscular body are difficult for any girl to ignore. Only thing is, Emmie isn’t any girl. Her past makes her resistant to his charms. Colin isn’t one to give up easily, and just when he thinks he may have found a way to her stubborn heart, her tragic history may have found a way to tear them apart.

Heart of Marley


T.K. Leigh - 2014
    Having trouble coping with the loss of her soul mate, their mother tries to find comfort in drugs and alcohol… And an abusive man with a penchant for underage girls.No longer able to stand listening to his sister’s screams and cries every night for nearly three years, Cam takes matters into his own hands and they’re finally able to escape the nightmare.They’re finally able to start over…But the nightmare still haunts Marley. The years go on and she is forced to put on a smile, making everyone think that she is the perfect, well-adjusted teenager that she is supposed to be… Until she is faced with a painful reminder of her past during her senior year of high school and she’s no longer able to keep on the mask that she has been compelled to wear.Heart Of Marley is a prequel novel to T.K. Leigh’s Heart of Light.

Center of Gravity


K.K. Allen - 2018
    "If I could rewrite the rules, I'd do it for you."Lex came to Los Angeles with big dreams. To learn from the best choreographers in the business and to secure a professional dance gig working for Hollywood's elite. Everything was going according to plan—until she was shoved into the arms of the one man who could make or break her career. Come to find out, it wasn't her career she had to worry about. It was her heart. Theo didn't work with amateurs.Then again, he had never seen anyone move across a dance floor like Alexandra "Lex" Quinn. She was athleticism and grace, precision and passion, and she had a stage presence he couldn't tear his eyes from. He wanted her...on his team, in his bed. There was only one problem... He couldn't have both.

This Sky


Autumn Doughton - 2014
    She’s no stranger to disappointment but nothing could have prepared her for the chaos that unfolded when her celebrity boyfriend publicly humiliated her. Now the fairytale is officially over and Gemma is determined to put the past behind her and strike out to find a new dream. Just a few teeny-tiny details to work out: she’s currently broke, homeless and unemployed. Landon Young has his own worries. Surfer by day and bartender by night, he doesn’t have the interest or the time to be anyone’s happily-ever-after. Weighed down by the memory of what happened two years ago, Landon can barely keep his head above water. This Sky is the thoughtful and often funny story about broken trust, an unexpected love and the hopes we keep sewn in the linings of our pockets.

Third Degree


Julie Cross - 2014
    But now I’m not sure what I am. I just failed the most important exam of my life—the emotional readiness test required to get into a medical residency program—and it turns out my parents can’t stand each other. Now I’m trying to figure out how to pick up the pieces of my life, and that means re-enrolling as a college freshman, but this time I’m shutting the books and majoring in being eighteen. But so far, my roommate hates me and I’m not into the party scene. The only good thing about school has been getting to know my insanely hot RA. Marshall Collins makes me wonder about everything I missed while I was growing up too fast. Pretty soon we’re hanging out constantly, but for the first time, I find myself wanting more than a no-strings-attached physical relationship. And the lesson I really need is one Marsh definitely can’t teach me: love. Because I’m going to be alone forever if I don’t learn fast.

Mirage


Ashley Suzanne - 2013
    Two sets of best friends embark on a new adventure together, forming life long bonds. Mira and Danny are looking forward to their future as husband and wife. Everything was going according to plan. That was until tragedy struck them on graduation night leaving three broken people to pick up the pieces. Skylar has always stood in the background, watching his best friend begin a life with the woman he fell in love with until he can no longer keep a distance. Right when Mira thinks her life is back on track it spirals out of control. What if everything you thought you knew was nothing more than a mirage?This is an alternate-cover edition for ASIN B00ESL6T52.