Book picks similar to
Life, Liberty, and Pursuit by Susan K. Quinn
romance
young-adult
ya
first-reads
Welcome to Drama Academy
Melody Hope Mason - 2011
A loner with no ambition or desire to “fit in,” Elena has zero expectations for her fresh start. And then she meets Tristan Kent, East Clarington’s big-man-on-campus extraordinaire, the boy every girl dreams of having and the boy every guy dreams of being. The thing is, while he’s extremely irritating, totally obnoxious, and a complete egomaniac, Elena, for some reason, sort of likes him. Throw in the jealous Queen Bee and her followers, the jocks on the basketball team, and the general student population that somehow ebbs and flows with the popular crowd’s whims, and Elena is about to find out that navigating through her new school—and her new emotions—without going completely insane, might just be the greatest challenge of her life.
Cat O' Nine Tails
Patricia Leever - 2011
As they grow closer, Aeron reveals her jaded past with Queen Winifred to Orrin; he doesn’t hesitate to offer his help to bring Winifred’s evil reign to an end. Aeron and Orrin soon discover that the strongest weapon in their combined arsenal is the love they have for each other.
Whirlwind
Robin DeJarnett - 2010
She sees in his penetrating blue eyes not just an evening, but a lifetime together that includes much more than a glass slipper and a kiss.Realizing she shared a few salacious emails with Jason months ago, a humiliated Melissa loses herself in the crowd, thankful he doesn’t know who she is. But he does know—and with a gentle touch and a steamy kiss, he soon picks up their flirtation right where it left off.As midnight strikes, Melissa succumbs to Jason’s sexy pull, unaware that a woman’s body has been discovered in the wake of the party. When evidence points to Melissa as the killer’s next target, the lines between fantasy and reality blur. She goes into hiding, charmed by one mysterious man and hunted by another.Cinderella lost a shoe—Melissa could lose both her handsome prince and her life.
Three Daves
Nicki Elson - 2010
You can read the details and reasoning behind the rewrite here: Why did I re-write Three Daves?"Find the new novellas here: Three Daves 2.0Jennifer Whitney was the last American virgin. At least that’s what she felt like in 1986 as she began her sophomore year at Central Illinois University. She was proud of her decision to wait for the right guy, and yet she was getting restless. It seemed like everyone around her was doing it... and having fun doing it, too. She didn’t want to become the campus slut or anything, but surely there was a difference between a trashy skank and a nice girl with a little experience. Perhaps it was time to stop relying on fate to guide her and instead take matters into her own hands. And with that realization, Jen decided to find “the one” and lose her virginity, although not necessarily in that order... Nicki Elson has created a heroine that everyone will cheer for as she comes of age in the mid-1980s. Whether you lived through the decade and survived the bad hair and acid-wash jeans, or just heard the wild stories, readers of all ages will identify with Jen Whitney as she searches for “the one,” enjoying her romantic ups and downs, made even more entertaining by Nicki Elson’s amusingly wry sense of humor.
Passion Fish
Alison Oburia - 2010
Struggling to escape the clutches of a creepy ex and looking to add some adventure to her personal life, Eve is off on a much needed escape, and a business trip to Boston. But before she goes, her pack of dedicated girlfriends plan a send-off party that includes mind-bending kisses from not one, but two, sensational -- yet anonymous partners. Will a chance encounter and a searing kiss somehow end in a love match? Will her career take off or lie in ruins when the grant results are in? Join Eve on her whirlwind journey through intrigue and ingenuity, terror and true love. Once the passion fishing starts, her life will never be the same. Passion Fish is one part romance and one part heart pounding thriller. An innocent game of sexy distraction ignites a spark of love and a dangerous obsession in this exciting debut novel from Alison Oburia and Jessica McQuinn. Oburia and McQuinn offer an intriguing, suspenseful spin on the games people play when it comes to love, and the surprising lengths to which they ll go to earn it... and to keep it.
Stitches and Scars
Elizabeth A. Vincent - 2010
With her two best friends by her side, she's ready to start over and not look back. During her first major exhibition at a legitimate art gallery, Kate expects the inevitable nerves, but what she doesn't anticipate is meeting someone who—with one glance—leaves her breathless. What happens when the charming mystery man disappears, leaving Kate wanting more? Without even knowing his name, the odds of finding him again are stacked against her. Will fate intervene, and if it does, will her old wounds prevent her from acting on the undeniable connection she feels?
Streamline
Jennifer Lane - 2012
He's captain of his high school swim team with a bright future in college and beyond. But Leo has secrets. His mother's crippling car accident has devastated his family and left Leo to deal with his father's abuse, battered and alone. Leo's girlfriend Audrey Rose is poised for her own share of success. As one of Florida's top high school swimmers, Audrey dreams of college swimming stardom. But there's an obstacle to her glorious rise to the top. Her number-one supporter -- her father -- is in prison for murder. Part murder mystery, part tale of young love in a military family, this gripping story takes readers on a journey from Pensacola to Annapolis. Leo and Audrey must band together to rise above the adversity they encounter and find their true selves in the process. When everything's on the line... streamline.
The Righteous and the Wicked
April Emerson - 2014
The sound of a bulldozer. A chance meeting at a gas station. A gust of wind through a chime. Benign events become something more when viewed through the lens of fate.Emma Santori is a prisoner of tragic memories. Locked in a spiral of depression, she leads a desolate and empty life, trapped in her decrepit home. Rooted in routine, she’s numb and vacant. As a lonely Catholic school teacher, her only joy comes from her young students. One Saturday morning, her isolation is infiltrated by a mysterious architect building a home beside hers.That man is Eric Wilder and he’s keeping a secret—a secret that’s destroying his life. Filled with guilt and self-loathing, he’s forced to move often. He chooses the small northeastern town of Pine Lake as his latest refuge, and hopes to make a successful attempt at starting his life over. As always, he’s unable to make that happen.That all changes when he meets Emma.She finds herself drawn to Eric when she accidentally bumps into him, but Eric’s unfazed by their first meeting. When a gust of wind brings these two people together once again, Emma discovers Eric’s secret. She’s forced to battle between her Catholic faith and her desire for this stranger.Their attraction is intense and they soon discover they’re each lonely and longing for what the other has to offer. As their friendship blossoms, Emma realizes her passion and lust for Eric are the remedy to her depression. Eric discovers his feelings for Emma are the only antidote to his secret burden.They begin an erotic journey, which leads these beautifully broken people to discover that love can be both righteous and wicked.
Fourteen
C.M. Smith - 2011
Arianna Weller and Evan Drake are worlds apart, moving in different circles until they are forced together for a science fair project. Putting aside their differences from the past is not easy for either of them, but can they do it long enough to realize that they're not that different after all?
A Million Miles Away
Lara Avery - 2015
The only person who doesn't know about the tragedy is Michelle's boyfriend, Peter, recently deployed to Afghanistan. But when Kelsey finally connects with Peter online, she can't bear to tell him the truth. Active duty has taken its toll, and Peter, thinking that Kelsey is Michelle, says that seeing her is the one thing keeping him alive. Caught up in the moment, Kelsey has no choice: She lets Peter believe that she is her sister.As Kelsey keeps up the act, she crosses the line from pretend to real. Soon, Kelsey can't deny that she's falling, hard, for the one boy she shouldn't want.
Violins of Autumn
Amy McAuley - 2012
Instead of running air raid drills like most girls her age, she lies about her age and trains to become a spy. Now known by her secret agent persona, Adele Blanchard, she finds herself parachuting over German-occupied France under the cover of darkness to join the secret Resistance movement. Prepared to die for her cause, Adele wasn't expecting to make a new best friend in her fellow agent or fall for a handsome American pilot. With the brutality of war ever present, can Adele dare to dream of a future where the world is at peace and she is free to live and love of her own accord?
This Ordinary Life
Jennifer Walkup - 2015
That is, until her brother Danny’s latest seizure forces her to miss the interview, and she’s back to the endless loop of missing school for his doctor appointments, picking up the pieces of her mother’s booze-soaked life, and stressing about Danny’s future. Then she meets Wes. He’s the perfect combination of smart, cute, and funny. He also happens to have epilepsy like her brother. Wes is living a normal life despite his medical issues, which gives Jasmine hope for Danny. But memories of her cheating ex-boyfriend keep her from going on a real date with Wes, no matter how many times he asks her. Jasmine can’t control everything. Not who wins the internship, not her mother’s addiction, not her brother’s health—not even where her heart will lead her. She wishes she could just have an ordinary life, but maybe what she already has is pretty extraordinary after all.
The Summer I Found You
Jolene Perry - 2014
And all they're looking for is the perfect distraction.Kate's dream boyfriend has just broken up with her and she's still reeling from her diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Aidan planned on being a lifer in the army and went to Afghanistan straight out of high school. Now he's a disabled young veteran struggling to embrace his new life. When Kate and Aidan find each other neither one wants to get attached. But could they be right for each other after all?
Something like Normal
Trish Doller - 2012
It’s not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he’s had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up. And as he and Harper see more of each other, he begins to pick his way through the minefield of family problems and post-traumatic stress to the possibility of a life that might resemble normal again. Travis’s dry sense of humor, and incredible sense of honor, make him an irresistible and eminently lovable hero.
After the Fall
Kate Hart - 2017
Raychel sneaks into Matt’s bed after nightmares, but nothing ever happens. He doesn’t even seem to realize she’s a girl, except when he decides she needs rescuing. But Raychel doesn't want to be his girl anyway. She just needs his support as she deals with the classmate who assaulted her, the constant threat of her family’s eviction, and the dream of college slipping quickly out of reach. Matt tries to help, but he doesn’t really get it… and he’d never understand why she’s fallen into a secret relationship with his brother. The friendships are a precarious balance, and when tragedy strikes, everything falls apart. Raychel has to decide which pieces she can pick up – and which ones are worth putting back together.