Book picks similar to
Playing the Spy by Maggie Brown


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I'm Gonna Make You Love Me


Tracey Richardson - 2018
    Firing the young Ellie Kirkland for the offense was a no-brainer.But when fate brings the two women together again, Claire finds herself questioning everything she thought she was—especially her cynical, take-no-prisoners approach to life. When she’s not breaking stories or breaking in reporters, Claire’s one outlet is to lose herself in Motown music and in the seat of a cheerful antique Mustang. But lose herself to the much younger, far-too-nice Ellie? There’s no breaking news there. Nope. That’s a story that needs to be spiked before it ever sees print.Ellie Kirkland is at loose ends—and not for the first time. Resistant to following the path her parents insist on, she’s been trying out careers like she’s trying on outfits at Banana Republic. Now that her dream of being a journalist is over, Ellie must begin again. And the woman who crushed that very dream is the very woman who just might hold the key to Ellie’s future.Genre: RomanceEditor: Medora MacDougallCover Designer: Sandy Knowles

Just Jorie


Robin Alexander - 2013
    Jorie Andolini is one of those people and has spent a lot of time envisioning that moment. She bumps into a woman at a grocery store, the woman drops a can of peas, Jorie picks it up, their eyes meet, and two souls connect. But it’s actually a wasted trip to New York, a snowstorm, and a canceled flight home that puts her in the path of Lena Vaughn.Lena has found fault in every man she’s ever dated. Her dream of finding a husband is dwindling with every year that passes. Despite what her friends say, Lena doesn’t believe she has a fear of commitment, she simply hasn’t found a man she wanted to commit to. It comes as a surprise that in fact it is a woman who stirs those desires. For Lena, it’s not really a matter of sexuality, it’s just Jorie.Travel the road to happiness with Jorie and Lena. Two crazy old women, meddling friends, and cattitude are just some sights you’ll see along the way.

Starstruck


Lesley Davis - 2016
    Her rising success has brought her quickly under Hollywood’s glaring spotlight. It also gained her the unwelcome attentions of an obsessive fan who wants more than just an autograph. Aiden Darrow is both a well-respected screenwriter and a writer of lesbian romances. As a big fan of actress C.J. Hayes, Aiden is astounded when the woman of her dreams ends up moving into the house next door to her. Their attraction is undeniable, but Cassidy is understandably nervous about getting too close to anyone. Aiden, meanwhile, is trying to separate reality from fiction because Cassidy is nothing like the character she portrays so well. All through her childhood, Aiden dreamed of a hero to come rescue her, but can she be the hero that Cassidy so desperately needs now?

The Secrets we Keep


Donna Jay - 2021
    She'd have laughed even harder if she’d been told her new, uptight, beauty parlour boss, Victoria, would steal her heart and stamp all over it. Because Sadie's way smarter than that.The saying “You don’t know what you have until it’s gone” has become Victoria's motto ever since Sadie stumbled into her ordered world. Victoria just needs a cleaner. But apparently Sadie has other talents—the sort that can crack open Victoria's heart and shatter her equilibrium.No, Sadie and her chaotic charms absolutely will not do. Victoria’s strict no-workplace relationship rules exist for a reason.But what if Victoria can’t live without her? Is it too late to win back the intoxicating young woman?An age-gap, rich-girl/poor-girl lesbian romance that embraces the big, crazy, complicated mess of fixing two broken hearts that belong together.81,000 words

The Proposal


T.B. Markinson - 2022
    The centuries-old shop is owned by Cleo Braithwaite, a woman with a fierce and frightening reputation. Cleo turns out to be nothing like the rumors but refuses to sit still long enough to be dazzled by the meticulous spreadsheets and slides Marley has prepared to seal the deal. Instead of making her proposal, Marley soon finds herself on an impromptu walking tour of London with the charming Cleo.Even though Marley has a dinner date that night with the woman she’s been chatting with online and was convinced was her soulmate, she can’t ignore the feelings her bewitching guide stirs up inside as they explore the historic city on foot. What’s more, the longer she’s with Cleo, the more Marley begins to question the business deal she’s been sent to make.Should Marley stick with the plan, or is a single life-changing day with Cleo worth blowing up the future Marley was so certain she wanted?

Aspen's Stunt


Melissa Grace - 2014
    When the bank threatens to put the farm—which has been in their family for generations—into foreclosure, they search desperately for a way to save it. Fortunately, Hollywood calls! They would like to hire Aspen as a stunt double for the famous actress, Wren Emerson. Willing to do anything to keep the farm, the naïve Aspen agrees to leave her home long enough to endure the rigorous film schedule and dangerous and demanding stunt double role under the command of the productions renowned director and prominent producer. The first awkward meeting she has with the actress eventually flourishes into a friendship Aspen never thought possible. Despite the hometown boy who pines for Aspen’s heart, and the productions staff that think Wren should date whom they deem acceptable, the two girls can’t deny their growing desires for one another. Aspen must now complete one more stunt. One that she hopes will overcome all the unrelenting obstacles they face, and will keep her home and heart in harmony, happily together.

None So Blind


L.J. Maas - 2000
    Taylor Kent, now a celebrated artist, has spent the years trying to unsuccessfully forget the young woman who walked out of her life. Best friends forever, neither woman ever had the courage to speak of the passion they felt for one another. Now, an unusual but desperate request will throw the old friends together again. This time, will they be able to voice their unspoken desires, or has time become their enemy?

Fake It


Lily Seabrooke - 2021
    She’s staying optimistic, though: she’s confident she can fake it till she makes it, roll with the punches, and find a way to save her luxury restaurant, Paramour.But it gets harder when she gets restaurant mogul and star chef Mike Wallace angry, and finds herself on the other end of a campaign to shut down Paramour.Celebrity chef Holly Mason’s show is in trouble: people are bored with her routine of helping struggling restaurants. Worse, her ex-boyfriend Mike Wallace is making backdoor deals trying to steal the starring role.Luckily, Holly’s agent Tay has a solution: ditch her show plans for the season, throw their lot in with luxury restaurant Paramour against Mike Wallace’s racketeering operation of a restaurant partnership. The cherry on top? A fake relationship between Holly and Avery to stir up drama.It would already be a mess if Holly and Avery weren’t already struggling to hold back their attraction for one another. Despite their promise not to date, the lines between acting and reality get awfully blurry sometimes.Fake It is an 80,000-word fake-dating celebrity romance between a disillusioned TV cooking star and a bright-eyed restaurant owner who’s sure she can manifest a solution to her hard times if she believes hard enough. Features an agent named Tay who calls their brilliant ideas “inspir-Tay-tion,” plenty of descriptions of food that made me hungry while I wrote the book, and a cute bisexual trans girl who gets to fall in love. Content warnings for open-door sex scenes that get a little bit kinky, a gross man who won’t stop calling his ex-girlfriend babe, and sapphics getting in the way of their own feelings, like they always do.

In Fashion


Jody Klaire - 2018
    She’s famous for stripping bare, restyling, and rejuvenating women on her UK TV show, Style Surgeon. Millions of fans, from London and Sydney to Cardiff and New York, hang off her iconic #EmbraceDesigner social media posts and there’s no challenge she can’t meet.That is, until the day she meets brash, imperfect, security guard Kate Bonvilston.Kate doesn’t care about fashionable clothes, quests for perfection, or impressing anyone, especially after having her heart shattered. She only bothers to strut into Darcy’s changing room after her mother volunteered her for a makeover without asking first.Sizing up this impossible and annoyingly attractive woman, suddenly Darcy is the one in danger of being laid bare and exposed.A lesbian romance about facing and embracing your own unique design.Thames: fashion · London · security guard · style surgeon · Wales68,000 words

Second Chances


M.J. Duncan - 2013
    Still hung up on her college sweetheart, a one-night-stand gone wrong convinces her that she needs to make a change. An offer for a one-year guest lecturer position from a small private university provides her the opportunity she needs to escape, and she jumps at it. All Charlie expected to find when she left Manhattan for rural New Hampshire was a little peace. Instead, she finds Mackayla Thomas. Eight years have passed since Charlie foolishly walked away from Mackayla, and Mackayla is determined to never let anyone hurt her that way again. For Charlie, their serendipitous meeting is a sign that happily ever after might finally be within her reach. First, however, she needs to find a way to convince Mackayla to let the past go, and to give her a second chance.

Suddenly


M.E. Tudor - 2012
    J. Thomas.Jamie and P. J. have gone to the same school since grade school but, because they ran in different circles, Jamie had never really paid much attention to P. J. She only knew that P. J. had been in a lot of trouble over the past few years and had run with a rough crowd. After seeing P. J. working at McDonald’s, thoughts of P. J. fill Jamie’s mind and she realizes she is developing a crush on this girl.Fate intertwines the girls’ lives and they slowly become friends. Some of the other people in Jamie’s life are not happy about the budding friendship between the two girls, including Jamie’s ex-boyfriend, Todd; the leader of her cheerleading squad, Diane; and Jamie’s mother. The two girls have to deal with friends and family finding out about their relationship. Jamie’s mother is determined to keep the two girls apart. P. J. is determined not to lose Jamie. In the end, the two girls find they have allies in unexpected places. Allies who want to help the girls be together, hopefully forever.

Hooked on You


Jenn Matthews - 2019
    As a teacher with two great kids and a boyfriend, she seems to have it all. Except…she’s bored as hell. Perhaps a new hobby’s in order? Something…crafty?Divorced mother and veteran Ollie has been through the wars, emotionally and physically. To relax, she runs a quirky crochet class in her London craft shop. She can’t help but notice the attractive, feisty new student. A shame Anna’s straight as an arrow.But somewhere between the chain stitches, doubles and trebles, Ollie and Anna form a powerful connection they never expected.A quirky lesbian romance about love never being quite where you expect.Tags: crochet · England · London · quirky lesbian romance · teacher · veteran98,000 words

Just Married?


Natasha West - 2019
    But when she meets Ruby Knight, a pessimistic American C-list TV actress with designs on a movie career, she makes a whopper. The pair get so incredibly drunk together that they end up getting accidently married. In the cold light of day, both women are shocked to find themselves wedded to a virtual stranger. But maybe it’s not such a big mistake? Could Ruby’s marriage to Emily help boost her profile and get her the biggest role of her life, earning Emily a big payday in the process? Only if they can make it seem like they’re really in love. And only if they can navigate the treacherous LA movie scene without tripping themselves up and giving the game away. Or worse, getting carried away with their fake relationship… But what if they do let themselves feel something? Could they fall in love? Or are they Just Married? A witty romantic comedy, ‘Just Married?’ is the latest book from Natasha West, the internationally bestselling author of ‘By Any Other Name’ and ‘The Plus One.’

Never Say Never


Rachael Sommers - 2021
    What she does need is a nanny, but the incompetent idiots sent her way make her lose faith in ever finding anyone useful.Enter Emily Walker—fresh out of college, bright, a little naive, and new to New York City. Emily is everything Camila is not and frankly it’s a little unsettling how innocent and gentle the young woman is.That’s not all that’s unsettling. Camila’s growing feelings for Emily are making it hard to maintain a professional distance. Surely she can’t possibly be falling for the nanny? God, it’s such a mid-life crisis cliché. But would it be too impossible?As time goes on, Camila starts to wonder if maybe even she can get her happy ending after all.75,000 wordsTags: age gap romance, ice queen romance, New York, opposites-attract romance, single mom

Winter Nights


Laura Conway - 2017
     The last person she expected to form a friendship with was her former high school English teacher, but when she runs into Elizabeth Fitzgerald, their connection is instant. Natalie's crush from fourteen years ago is as beautiful as ever and recently divorced. Natalie struggles to push those old feelings aside and focus on their new friendship, but when Liz tells her the reason for her divorce, she finds it harder and harder to stay away, especially on those long winter nights.