Book picks similar to
Bittersweet: A short story collection plus extract of new novel Christmas at the Beach Hut by Veronica Henry
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Laurel McKay Mysteries Boxed Set
Cindy Sample - 2014
"Sample’s sleuth is an endearing character readers will adore.” RT Book Reviews DYING FOR A DATE (Book 1) # 1 Amazon Bestseller in Humor and Cozy mysteries Unsure if she is looking for Mr. Right, or Mr. Every Other Saturday Night, divorced mother of two, Laurel McKay reluctantly joins THE LOVE CLUB, a popular local dating service. Dressed to kill, she meets bachelor number one at a trendy restaurant. But the date is a bust, literally, when the guy decides Laurel is dessert, and she breaks his nose with her cell phone. It gets even worse when the man is found murdered the next morning, and Laurel has his blood on her clothes. Despite her now being a person of interest to the police, Laurel bravely ventures out on date number two. When that unlucky bachelor disappears during dinner, Laurel’s only alibi is a bottle of Dom Perignon. The sexy investigating detective thinks she’s innocent and is worried she may be the next target. That’s more than enough motivation for Laurel to find a murderer determined to kill her social life––before dating becomes a dead end she can’t escape. DYING FOR A DANCE (Book 2) Northern California Publisher & Authors Fiction Winner and 2012 LEFTY Finalist Best Humorous Mystery Discovering she has two left feet isn’t the biggest problem for Laurel McKay when she agrees to learn a foxtrot routine for her best friend’s Lake Tahoe wedding. Stumbling over the lifeless body of a sexy Russian dance star with her broken shoe heel stuffed in his mouth… is far worse. Almost as bad as running into the hunky detective she dated briefly before he disappeared from her life. When another death occurs on the ballroom floor, Laurel finds herself waltzing her way into the dark secrets of the Golden Hills Dance Studio. Navigating kids, career, wedding planning and murder requires some fancy footwork. Can Laurel tango with a killer and stay alive? DYING FOR A DAIQUIRI (Book 3) 2014 SILVER FALCHION Finalist Best Traditional Mystery and 2014 LEFTY Finalist Best Humorous Mystery When Laurel McKay attends a Hawaiian wedding, her vacation soon becomes more deadly than the calorie count in her daiquiri. Her post-wedding holiday upends after a beautiful hula dancer is found dead on the rocks below the oceanfront restaurant owned by Laurel's brother and sister-in-law. When a family member is arrested for the murder, Laurel is plunged into a mystery where exotic Big Island locations--a coffee plantation, black sand beaches and a volcano--reveal their deadly side. And where is her hunky on-again/off-again boyfriend detective when she needs him? Laurel zip-lines and four-wheels her way through the island paradise unearthing long hidden secrets. Will ingenuity and pluck be enough? Or will this hula be her last?
No Room for Regret
Janeen Ann O'Connell
He could be sailing anywhere, anytime, but he’s not, he’s going to the other side of the world. He could be anyone, but he’s not, he’s the son of a respectable London businessman. His crime? An error of judgement.In England, in 1812, there is no forgiveness. As the ship sails, eighteen-year-old James Tedder’s seven-year sentence to Van Diemen’s Land begins.Rescuing her eldest son from slave traders in Rio de Janeiro is the most difficult thing Sarah Blay has done in the last two years. Leaving England, her life, her mother, to follow her convict husband James to the other side of the world not knowing if he lives, pales in comparison. Will lives rebuild? Will love survive?
The Flower Girls
Dee Williams - 2012
The twins are the apple of their parents' eye, and each other's best friend - they always know what the other is thinking. Feisty Rose has a more rebellious nature than her sister, but it's never before interfered with their closeness. However, Rose's secret dissatisfaction with her humdrum lifestyle reaches a head when she meets the rich and handsome Rodger. To the shock of the Flowers family, she elopes with him to Gretna Green. Once Rose has the money and glamour she's always craved, nothing will persuade her to contact her family again; not even her father's death. And then, in the wake of the Wall Street Crash of 1929, everything changes. With her charmed life in shreds and with no one left to turn to, Rose is determined to build bridges those she has hurt the most. But can forgiveness be sought so easily - and can she ever truly escape her troubled past?
You Wish...
Terry Tyler - 2011
Do we control our own destiny - or might it be determined by fate, coincidence, luck...or even magic? Ruth, an amateur psychic with a husband who smokes cannabis for breakfast, is haunted by a tragic event from her teenage years which, she suspects, was the result of a wish she made on an allegedly enchanted stone. Too embarrassed to admit her fears, she keeps her secret to herself for twenty-five years. Petra is the perennial singleton amongst her friends, unable, she thinks, to fall in love. She comes across the stone at a Psychic Fair and makes a wish, just for fun. As the wish begins to come true she wishes she had chosen her words with more care. Spoilt, weight-obsessed Sarah wants nothing more than to be "size zero". As her life spirals downwards into the seedy world of drug abuse and addiction, she remembers the day at the Psychic Fair when she wished for her heart's desire. When Ruth learns of the fates of Petra and Sarah she is forced to confront her guilt and discover the truth about the Wishing Stone... Terry Tyler's debut novel is a quirky contemporary drama exploring the themes of family affairs, infidelity and guilt, incorporating jealousy, drug abuse and the obsession of a Facebook stalker, against a backdrop of secrets and superstition.
The Appetizer When You're Not His Main Course
Ni'cola Mitchell - 2010
Enjoying her life as a stay at home wifey, the couple is expecting a set of twins. Their life could not have been any more picture perfect, until the day that Yazmin was involved in a hit and run accident. Scared for the life of her babies, Yazmin damn near goes into shock after she attempts to call Trey only to be greeted by his wife of the past ten years……Monae and Malik have had a drama free long distance relationship for the last two years. Malik is a Marine, and is stationed in San Diego. They both have an understanding that once Monae graduates from UCLA, they will have their dream wedding. Planning an intimate surprise party just for two in his apartment, Monae discovers that she is not the only woman waiting for “her” man to come home……Knowing that Devaugn is in a relationship, Nia simply don’t care. He is the ideal man, and Nia is convinced that if she works hard enough, she can show him that she is all the woman that he needs. Stephanie will be a thing of the past and Devaugn can start taking care of Nia and her three children full time. Or will he…….These three friends all have one thing in common; they are really their man’s chick on the side. What happens when a woman find’s out that she is not her man’s main course, she is only the appetizer…..
The Billionaire’s Proposal
Olivia Saxton - 2018
This is business for Calvin. He has every intention of resuming his playboy life after marriage so he needs a woman who is willing to bear a child and can put up with his ways. After a quick conversation with a family member, Calvin realizes that the perfect bride was right in front of him all along. Yvonne Moore has worked for Mr. Michelson for ten years. He was a good boss and he had never expressed interest in the efficient assistant with dark framed glasses who always wore her hair in a bun. So when her billionaire boss asked her to marry him, she laughed her head off– until she realized he was serious. Yvonne wants time to think about it. Calvin is not a patient man. He’s in hot pursuit in convincing Yvonne to marry him and have his child. What Calvin and Yvonne didn’t bank on was falling in love. Warning: Explicit language and sexual scenes
Special Delivery
Lia Fairchild - 2011
Flowers had always been a big part of her life. But delivery driver Dave brings more than just bouquets. Can he help Amy find happiness again? Will Amy get even more than she bargained for? Find out in this short story about love, loss, friendship and flowers. If you're looking for a quick read (only 5k words) with a sweet romantic feel, this is for you.
The Brit Who Loved Her
Ana E. Ross - 2012
One look at Duncan, and Adrianna’s knees begin to buckle and her heart starts racing out of control. She still longs for him; there is no doubt about that. But does she love him enough to forgive him for abandoning her?
The Forest, Part 1 of 2
Edward Rutherfurd - 2000
. . A sprawling tome that combines fact with fiction and covers 900 years in the history of New Forest, a 100,000-acre woodland in southern England . . . Rutherfurd sketches the histories of six fictional families, ranging from aristocrats to peasants, who have lived in the forest for generations. . . . But the real success is in how Rutherfurd paints his picture of the wooded enclave with images of treachery and violence, as well as magic and beauty.”–The New York Post
Killer Beach Reads
Leslie LangtryA. Gardner - 2015
The perfect quick reads for vacation lounging or sipping frosty drinks poolside! **Recipes included!** Stories include: One Red Cent (Miranda Vaughn Mysteries) by Ellie Ashe Brunettes Just Wanna Have Fun (Gilda Wright Mysteries) by Diane Bator A Spot of Murder (Cookies & Chance Mysteries) by Catherine Bruns Queenie Baby: On Location (Queenie Baby Mysteries) by Christina A. Burke Done in the Sun by Mary Jo Burke Hard to Control (Hard Targets) by Wendy Byrne Lesson in Fear (Schooled in Murder series) by Tracy D. Comstock Ice Cream Bombes & Stolen Thongs (Poppy Peters Mysteries) by A. Gardner Barbecue & Bad Juju (Culinary Competition Mysteries) by Janel Gradowski A Killing in the Market (Danger Cove Mysteries) by Gin Jones & Elizabeth Ashby Dashed to Death (Misty Newman Mysteries) by Gina LaManna Scout Camp Murder (Merry Wrath Mysteries) by Leslie Langtry Heating Up the Night (Heroes of the Night) by Nicole Leiren Killer Conch Shell (Health Nut Mysteries) by Patrice Lyle The Pen is Mightier (Proverbial Crime Mysteries) by Dane McCaslin Backyard Bar-be-Feud (Working Stiff Mysteries) by Kerri Nelson Mr. Montana by Ellyn Oaksmith Motion for Misfits (Jamie Winters Mysteries) by Kelly Rey Mystic Mojo (Mystic Isle Mysteries) by Sally J. Smith & Jean Steffens Blondes' Night Out (Barb Jackson Mysteries) by Anna Snow Caper at Castle Rock (Amelia Grace Rock 'n' Roll Mysteries) by Anne Marie Stoddard 48 Hours in New York by Stacey Wiedower
Snow-Kissed Love 3 Book Box Set
Violet Vaughn - 2016
Craving for Love - Determined to get over Jason and find a man that wants a family, Casey Cassidy moves to Breckenridge, Colorado. Landing a job skiing every day, Casey finds Blaine Johnson - a wish come true. A hunky surfer turned ski instructor, he checks off every requirement on her list. Except for the one she forgot to add. Blaine has a secret. A secret so big it keeps intimacy smoldering, when Casey needs fire. No matter how hard she tries, the embers won’t ignite. Can she live without passion to get the family she craves? When Jason comes to town, Casey questions everything she wished for. Their consuming love threatens to explode and ruin her dream, leaving her with the choice between a family and the love of her life. Lease on Love - Headed for the Olympics, figure skater Lori Langley's destined for the gold. But when her sordid affair with her abusive and controlling coach is plastered all over the tabloids, Lori's world spins out of control. Now, after three long years, Lori is ready to move on. Trading in her skates for skis, Lori reinvents herself as a ski instructor in Colorado. Unprepared for what the slopes have in store for her, Lori comes face-to-face with sexy and sensitive snowboarder, Kaleb Wakefield, who jumpstarts her heart, allowing her to finally explore love again. When an avalanche from her past comes back to bury her, Lori's newfound freedom is at risk--and that risk has a price. How far must Lori and Kaleb go to fight for what they want? Rush for Love - Olympic hopeful Gretchen Nickelson doesn’t do love. Men exist for sex and a good time. Snowboarding is her main priority and a clingy boyfriend will only get between her and a spot on the Olympic team. Dark and dangerous Derrick Hamilton is all for the physical approach. His carefully guarded heart likes it hard and fast. Meeting an adrenaline junkie like Gretchen suits his sexual needs just fine. But when a steamy relationship races out of control toward love, tragedy is inevitable, and hearts aren’t the only collateral. Their accidental love threatens Gretchen’s chance for gold, and the destruction changes everything.
Sparkles In Love
Sarah Gai
Accident prone and unlucky in love. Her life has hit a stalemate. What better way to change things up than by playing Matchmaker. But Jess gets more than what she's bargained for. It also doesn't help that she lives next door to the worlds sexiest man. Fall in love with this tutu toting, pink wig wearing cutie and come along for the ride.
Heiress Without a Cause
Sara Ramsey - 2012
With rumors of insanity swirling around them, his sisters desperately need a chaperone. Ferguson thinks he’s found the most proper woman in England–and he won’t ruin her, even if he secretly desires the passionate woman trapped beneath a spinster’s cap.One chance to break the rules...Lady Madeleine Vaillant can’t face her blighted future without making one glorious memory for herself. In disguise, on a London stage, she finds all the adoration she never felt from the ton. But when she’s nearly recognized, she will do anything to hide her identity–even setting up her actress persona as Ferguson’s mistress. She’ll take the pleasure he offers, but Madeleine won’t lose her heart in the bargain.One season to fall in love...Every stolen kiss could lead to discovery, and Ferguson’s old enemies are determined to ruin them both. But as their dangerous passion ignites their hearts and threatens their futures, how can an heiress who dreams of freedom deny the duke who demands her love?
Twin Beds: Christmas at Heartbreak Hotel
Deborah Moggach - 2012
Retired actor, thrice divorced, hapless father - Buffy is well versed in the complicated family Christmas, shuffling between exes and children.Except this year will be different. He has inherited a B&B in rural Wales, and can finally escape the nearest and dearest, and play 'Myne Host' to a group of paper-hatted strangers, on escape-routes from their own clans. But when the strangers check in with their emotional baggage, and the Cab Sav begins to flow, Buffy soon realises that Christmas is never without its little complications.Join the gang at Heartbreak Hotel as they run riot, and celebrate Christmas the Buffy way.
The Chestnut Tree (A Short Story)
Jo Thomas - 2014
Could the answer to his problems lie in the chestnut orchard at the bottom of the garden?Only Ellie can help Daniel unlock the delicious secret that will bring them the fresh starts they need. And as autumn approaches, romance will blossom amid the glowing embers of the chestnut fire...*Contains an exclusive extract from Jo's brand-new novel, THE OLIVE BRANCH, out February 2015*