Book picks similar to
Shattered Reality by Brenda Perlin


romance
women-fiction
contemporary
relationships

Starting Over


Marcia Willett - 1997
    Frances and Stephen Ankerton are desperately worried about their son, Hugh, who wrongly blames himself for a fatal accident that took place nearly a year ago. While Frances turns to Annie for advice, Stephen finds a way to set Hugh's mind at rest... When Max Driver inherits some land on Dartmoor his dream becomes a reality. And a chance encounter with Frances leads to each and every one of them being touched by his warmth and enthusiasm. Soon he is an integral part of their lives and his determination to fulfil his own goal inspires the others to start over again.

An Unexpected Find (Silver Falls #1)


Hayleigh Sol - 2020
    They might be perfect for each other...but they haven’t actually met.Will they continue to play it safe or will they risk another heartbreak for a chance at love?Best-selling author Jax Rowland is writing the first book of his next spy thriller series and it's not going well. If he can't create a deeper connection between his characters, he faces more negative reviews from readers fed up with his one-dimensional Bond-girls.Dr. Sophie Grimaldi is successful, single and content to remain that way. Disappointed (or worse) by romantic relationships all her life, the only interest she has in men these days are her delicious book boyfriends. When Sophie discovers a set of handwritten notes between the pages of a library book, curiosity quickly turns to exasperation over the author’s cringe-worthy attempt at a steamy sex scene. Automatically, she scribbles her own version, forgetting all about the page when she returns the book. She never imagines the author will find her revision.Embarrassed to view his work through a mystery critic’s eyes, Jax offers Sophie a job writing the love scenes of his next novel. As sexy emails and flirty texts turn into a friendship teeming with chemistry, Sophie and Jax agree to finally meet in person. But, a series of missed connections and unexpected twists make it clear that fate has other plans for them.Will they heed the warning signs or choose to write their own destiny?**Note: An Unexpected Find was originally published with the title Book Review. This revised version (12/2020) can be read as a standalone or the first in the Silver Falls series. Due to mature content, this book is recommended for readers 18+.

The Flower Seller


Ellie Holmes - 2016
    Jessie is a pearl diver. She had thought her husband William was a pearl diver too. But when William leaves her for a much younger woman, it’s not just Jessie’s heart that is broken, her ability to trust is shattered too. All Jessie wanted was a love she could believe in. Was that so much to ask? Loyalty it seems has gone out of fashion.Refusing to retire from the battlefield of life, Jessie resolves to put her heartache behind her. She doesn’t want to be that woman who was too scared to love again. There has to be another pearl diver out there; all she has to do is find him. When fate brings handsome flower seller Owen Phillips into her life, Jessie believes he may be the one but is her fragile trust about to be shattered all over again?

The Postcard


Leah Fleming - 2014
    But when her impulsive elopement to Cairo quickly turns sour, she finds herself alone with a newborn son. Then war breaks out and Caroline feels compelled to play her part. Leaving her son, Desmond, with Phoebe, she begins a dangerous existence on the front lines. But when Caroline finally returns, Desmond has disappeared.From the wild moors of Scotland and wartime London to exotic Egypt and the Australian frontier, Leah Fleming weaves an epic tale of love, loss and the ties that bind families together.

The Hunter


Brenda Jackson - 2017
    is about all she can handle. But when circumstances throw them back together, Mallory's about to learn that the "P" in P.I. stands for playa...but even the baddest boys around can be tamed.

Wellesley Wives


Suzy Duffy - 2012
    They have it all with adoring husbands and fabulous daughters. Rosie is married with a baby of her own and Lily has a glittering career. Life is incredibly good, but then it goes bad. From Ferraris and fine art to a boathouse in Banagher, it's quite a change for the ladies who lunch. However, when Lily runs off with her father's best friend and Rosie finds herself on a yacht with another woman's husband, it's hardly surprising that their mother should worry about the next generation of Wellesley Wives. Life can't always be fun in the sun, but when it gets get chilly, there's fur! It's a roller coaster ride for Popsy and the girls, but it's certainly never dull. Enjoy the adventure with the Wellesley Wives.

Charmed by Claire: A Seriously Sweet Romance


Cindy Kirk - 2019
    Out of money and credit, she scrambles for a way out of the one-horse town. The only bright spot in her current predicament is a former flame.Tony Karelli knew Claire years earlier. That was before he turned his life around and became a minister. He’s shocked to see her and stunned when Claire gives everyone the impression that she’s his fiancée.Claire is amused by the charade and by Tony’s attempt to keep her at arms’ length. Before he can set the record straight, Tony finds himself seeing a different side of the pampered heiress and falling hard. But can he convince a woman who already has one stiletto out the door that she’s right where she’s meant to be?

Just Love Me


Shenaé Hailey - 2019
    From her college choice down to the flowers she'd have on her wedding day and what she'd name her children. With just a few days left before her thirtieth birthday, Hailey is in a sour mood. Her perfectly planned path has been horribly shattered by fate. Not only is she divorced, but she doesn't have any children, and she hasn't put her degree to use since she received it. Kane Travis has never been one to force anything. He's preferred going with the flow to avoid disappointment. Right after his thirtieth birthday, Kane finds himself taking inventory of all that he's accomplished in life. He doesn't regret much that he's missed out on because of his laid-back attitude, but there is one thing he's consistently regretted - not pursuing Hailey as actively as he desired to. Ten years ago, Kane and Hailey met and instantly clicked. Because of Hailey's strict plans for her life, she refused to entertain the thought of settling down with any man before finishing college. With Kane believing in things happening in their own timing, he offered what they considered to be the perfect solution - meeting up for Hailey's thirtieth birthday if they're both still single. There's just one problem - life has changed them both… and neither can say if it's for the better. Two old friends, one cabin, and zero chances of their lives not being changed. Will their old flame reignite and burn more passionately than it ever has, or will reconnecting be as impossible as capturing scattered ashes?

The Inn at Cranberry Cove (Cranberry Cove Series Book 1)


June Foster - 2020
    She’s inherited her aunt’s B&B and is determined to carry on her legacy. Upon preparing for guests, she learns of a century-old tale of treasure within the inn. Many have searched for the illusive gems but to no avail. She discovers a man working on the inn’s grounds, but is he the gardener Gina Price hired? Perhaps he’s searching for the hidden treasure.James Atwood, corporate executive, works in the Atwood’s thriving cranberry business. Tragedy strikes, and he’s numb and riddled with guilt. Befriended by Gina Price, he finds solace working evening and weekends in the fresh earth, fescue grass, and aromatic blossoms of the inn’s gardens, helping to divert his mind from his dishonest cousin Robert, bent on destroying the Atwood business. He continues tending the grounds after Gina passes, and the new owner believes he’s a gardener. After she calls late one night upon hearing a prowler, James races to her rescue and discovers his feelings are more than protective.Ashton’s first guests, the Claxton’s, appear out of nowhere saying they’ve had reservations for a year though she finds no record of a deposit. She chalks the failure up to faulty accounting before she arrived. When an elusive intruder continues to make frightening midnight visits, Ashton fears for her own safety and that of the Claxtons. But then, their odd comings and goings cause Ashton to wonder. Are they really vacationing visitors from California, or do they have other motives for staying at the inn?Can two people allow the majestic northwest and fragrant coastal air heal their wounded hearts? Will they discover the secret of The Inn at Cranberry Cove?

The Versions of Us


Laura Barnett - 2015
    One Day meets Sliding Doors in this outstanding debut that is causing a buzz across the publishing worldSome moments can change your life for ever. Have you ever wondered, what if...?A man is walking down a country lane. A woman, cycling towards him, swerves to avoid a dog. On that moment, their future hinges. There are three possible outcomes, three small decisions that could determine the rest of their life.Eva and Jim are nineteen and students at Cambridge when their paths first cross in 1958. And then there is David, Eva's then-lover, an ambitious actor who loves Eva deeply. The Versions of Us follows the three different courses their lives could take following this first meeting. Lives filled with love, betrayal, ambition but through it all is a deep connection that endures whatever fate might throw at them.The Versions of Us explores the idea that there are moments when our lives might have turned out differently, the tiny factors or decisions that could determine our fate, and the precarious nature of the foundations upon which we build our lives. It is also a story about the nature of love and how it grows, changes and evolves as we go through the vagaries of life.

Comeback Love


Peter Golden - 2012
    Now, decades later, Gordon is a former globe-trotting consultant with a grown son, an ex-wife, and an overwhelming desire to see Glenna again. Though she’s stunned when Gordon walks into her Manhattan office, Glenna agrees to accompany him for a drink. As the two head out into the snow-swept city, they rediscover the passion that once drew them together—before it tore them apart. And as the evening unfolds, Gordon will finally reveal the true reason for his return. . . . Comeback Love is an evocative journey into the hearts of two lovers who came of age in the 1960s, and who never truly let each other go. Plumbing the depths of youth, regret, and desire, Peter Golden deftly illuminates the bonds that mysteriously endure in the face of momentous change.

Wuthering Nights


Summer Day - 2012
    Wuthering Nights is a modern, gothic romance inspired by Wuthering Heights.

Hidden Husband


Shikha Kaul - 2015
    Her love for Raghav is true. But hailing from two very different cultures is the basis of their continued friction. Aisha is a Punjabi girl from Gurgaon and Raghav a Bihari from Ranchi. Raghav's family will certainly not accept a girl from outside their community. And yet, he continues giving her false hopes through his efforts and promises. And then they take a step which entangles her life further. Will she manage to come out of this quandary or must she continue to live in her self-created web? Explore her journey that makes her realise the atrocities being committed on women in the Indian society and the tough decisions she must take, keeping her most loved ones oblivious to everything happening in her life.

If I Could Remember


Vedant Saxena - 2021
    Only to find it was a dream. Or was it? He can’t differentiate between reality and dreams. And his memories lapses aren’t helping him either. Haunted by a past he can’t remember about, he stands at odd with the society, and his family—who favours their prodigal son, Yash.UNTIL! He discovers the session tapes of his classmate Ananya, in his psychiatrist father’s office. What’s in those tapes that incite fear in the school diva? When the tapes go missing from the office, he believes something sinister is being protected. Meanwhile, he is able to win the trust of Ananya, who reluctantly bares her traumatic past, revealing she was—RAPED & MOLESTED. It compels him to seek justice for her. But, the evils bestowed upon her stretch deep, even forcing her to—KILL.Will he be able to save her after the revelation of his family‘s involvement in her destruction? Or will the truth drive him to insanity?In this vicious dark thriller, everyone’s a liar. Everyone is hiding a secret which can’t come to light...

Fall of the Trident (Season SEALs Book 3)


KaLyn Cooper - 2021
    His work hadn’t changed so it had become his life. He went from one command to another, wherever the Navy sent him.His world was focused on the SEALs he commanded…until the day in his exuberance over a highly complicated operation, he hugged his administrative assistant.Marta Merkel had been a force to be reckoned in the SEAL world. For over twenty-five years, since her SEAL husband had been killed on active duty, she could make or break a career.Even though they were single adults past fifty, she worked directly outside his office, controlling his work life.With years of baggage, could they make this work?