Book picks similar to
Defect by Danielle James
romance
standalone
age-gap
freebie
Loving Luke
Van Cole - 2020
HarleyFor years, hockey has been my only love, with occasional straying with nameless girls.And yet, no one made me feel that special something, until that fateful night happened.My team captain and I met up at the bar after a victory.We had one too many and I woke up in his room; naked, hungover and thirsty as hell.I’m just not sure if it’s only water I’m so thirsty for.LukeIt all started as a bet, a harmless bet.No one was supposed to get emotionally attached.But, it turns out it was his first gay experience and, now, I can’t wrap my head around it.I’m too old for this.Much older than him and I’m supposed to know better than to fall for a younger guy.Loving Luke is a standalone Gay First Time Hockey Romance with a HEA and NO cheating!
A Marquess' Miraculous Transformation
Abigail Agar - 2020
When her friend, Melora, informs her of a work opportunity at the estate of a nobleman, Lavender sees this as a chance to finally move forward. She might be hired as a simple servant, but her father's legacy of medical knowledge is still within her. Therefore, when the Marquess needs her, she is willing to offer her help and ends up nursing his broken heart too... As their special connection starts growing, Lavender realises he might be her one true soulmate. With her heart beating faster whenever they are together, could this be the beginning of a powerful love?The Marquess Ronan Beckman has found himself injured in the midst of a robbery. He is therefore in desperate need of a maid who can offer medical support as well. When he meets the charming Miss Philips, he sees that there is something so unique about her, that it makes him abandon his usual arrogance and selfishness. However, when Lady Foster, a woman that had always been after Ronan's title, sees that he is recovering, she places herself back in his life. Unfortunately, Lady Foster also soon realises that Lavender is somewhat of a threat to the future she wants for herself and Ronan. Will Ronan manage to make the right choice and realise that Lavender is everything he's been looking for his entire life?As Ronan and Lavender grow significantly closer, it is Lady Foster who continues to come between them. As if this wasn't enough, when a sudden illness strikes, they must decide just how much they trust and love each other. Determined to win this battle, they will fiercely fight for their love until the end. Will the power of their feelings manage to conquer the threat of death and romantic antagonists? Or will the wounds of the past tear their blooming love apart?
Kinda Hate You
Allie Everhart - 2019
Just the sight of him gets my blood boiling.Problem is, I'm best friends with his sister so it's hard to avoid him. And now we're going to the same college.He's also giving me swimming lessons but I have no idea why. I swear he's only doing it so he can drown me.I really hate him.I hate the smirk on his face.I hate his gorgeous blue eyes. His dark tan. His muscular arms.I hate the way my stomach flutters when he touches me in the pool.And most of all? I hate that I'm starting to like him.Me liking Cal? That was never supposed to happen.
Chief of Perversion: A Power Broker Novel
Sadie Haller - 2018
A one-hour-stand before my mother's wedding reception? Perfect. Georgia: I may have been born a romantic, but I've grown jaded about love. Being practically disowned by one's father will do that to a girl. Now all I want is solitude and the occasional anonymous pick-up. Occasional? Okay, so I haven't managed that yet. Daddy Dearest’s wedding seems like a great place to start.
Rescued By His Love
Tay Mo'Nae - 2020
When she learns that her husband has been unfaithful she goes home to try and get her mind together and piece her life back together. While trying to pick up the pieces of her failed marriage, Kalice is also forced to deal with her demons that she’s been trying to run from. Graham isn't sure how to feel about Kalice being back after she cut him off and ruined what they once shared. He promises to never allow her to get that close again and forces himself to keep his feelings buried. Will the two of them be able to handle the hurt from the past that both of them are still harboring? When Giuliana's boyfriend of three years shows a side that makes her second guess the two of them being together. She decides to accompany Kalice back to their hometown. When she runs into her old best friend, sparks fly, putting her in a compromising position. After being betrayed by his ex-girlfriend Dimitri puts all his focus on his restaurant opening until a familiar face pops back up in his life. Will the two of them feed into their feelings or choose to keep things platonic? Join these four on a rollercoaster of emotions and find out if they battle what's in their heart or choose love.
Love Crushed
Toshia Slade - 2015
Twenty-five and co-owner of a construction company, he’s ready to obtain his next goal. A wife by his side and babies to fill his house. He’s always had his eyes set on the wild and fiery Tiffany, but knew she wasn’t ready for the life he wanted. Until one drunk party snaps his restraint. It’s time to make his move and finally claim his girl.Unbound, Wild, and Free.Tiffany Johnson wants to fly through life. She can’t decide on a college major, so Josh, Mr. Has Life Planned Perfectly, isn’t an option. Even if she wants him. But she’s not ready for that kind of commitment or to be tied down. All she’s willing to give is a little fun and adventure.Secrets, Lies and Deceit.Everyone deserves to have a happily ever after, or so Tiffany thought. She was ready to give in, take the leap into forever with Josh. Until one soul crushing phone call ruined it all. What happens when everything you thought about love and life is crushed? Will Josh be able to fight and bring Tiffany back to the girl he fell in love with? Can he save the one girl he can’t live without, or has Tiffany been broken beyond repair, claiming his feisty Kitten forever?***Disclaimer*** While Ten Year Crush and Love Crushed are stand-alone stories, the characters cross over into each book and some events run parallel between each story. Some readers may enjoy starting with Ten Year Crush first to follow the natural progression of the characters and storyline.
The Orchard Inn
A.M. Kusi - 2019
He’s looking for his future. Will they take a chance on a love neither expected…Ella lives in constant fear. After seven years of concealing her whereabouts from an abusive ex, she gets an opportunity for a fresh start when one of the few men she trusts leaves her a charming inn. When a mysterious, charming guest tempts her to open her heart again, she fears the scars from the past will keep her from anything close to love.
Hardworking and successful, River has always wondered if something's missing from his life. And when he falls for the gorgeous proprietor of Orchard Inn, he knows the tattooed beauty is exactly what he needs. Moved by her pain, he encourages her to open up about her fears while he promises to stay by her side.
But just as their irresistible passions bloom, Ella’s brutal ex returns to reclaim what was never truly his.
Can Ella and River fight off the past long enough to awaken a forever love?The Orchard Inn is the inspirational first novel in the Orchard Inn romance series. If you like strong heroines, kind-hearted heroes, and a dash of suspense, then you’ll adore A.M. Kusi’s uplifting tale.Buy The Orchard Inn to watch a couple heal with love today!
Wicked Wedding
Brooke Page - 2017
Now I'm not only mortified from Malcolm's cold feet, I'm stuck in front of my peers, putting on a smile as if I'm as strong as my parents desire for me to be. Little did I know, the bartender my parents hired would be a steamy blast from the past, and Malcolm's most despised college acquaintance. Pouring drinks never looked so sexy on Josh Titlist, especially when having a quick fling with him could help cure the sting of being ditched. That is if the chemistry we shared in the past won't create another explosion... This is the first book in the Wicked Wedding Series.
Ryan's Kiss
Mel Walker - 2019
That damn kiss. one kiss that not only destroyed our future but ended my ability to believe, to trust, to love.He was my best friend. We should have known better.Three years kept us apart, yet an invisible rope continues to tug at us. He’s finally returning home and I know it’ll only be a matter of time before we must face each other again. I’m older, stronger, wiser and no longer the starry-eyed girl who followed his every command.He almost destroyed me last time, I won't give him a second chance. I can't.
Beautiful Lies
Dominique Thomas - 2018
Somewhere down the line, he’d become a beautiful liar. Detroit socialites Mercy and Mack lived what many would call a beautiful life. They were connected to all of the right people and carried a certain air to them thanks to their last name. All that was asked of them was to stay away from a particular family. Mack was easy to comply, but Mercy found it hard to stay away from the man that she felt a deep attraction to. Quincy refused to let her go, and the more he pulled her into a world where only they existed, the more Mercy began to question everything she thought she knew about her family. For Mack life was simple. She cut hair and spent her downtime with her girlfriend Charity. KD the hottest DJ in Detroit showed Mack what it was like to be with a man and soon she found herself lost in him. Only KD isn’t as open with Mack about his life as she thought he was and soon his secrets become too big for her to ignore. For Ivy and Quinn, they have one thing in common and its Hayward. They both are in love with him and while Quinn is his woman Ivy undoubtedly has a huge place in his life as well. Soon they get entangled in his web of deceit, and it makes them both question if it’s worth it to love a man that clearly only loves himself or if it’s time to move on? This is a re-release, same story, same title, new cover. This is a full novel.
Smooch
Susan Renee - 2020
No names. No rules. Just fun.Meant as revenge against my ex-boyfriend,And it was hands down the most physical and best night of my life.So, imagine my surprise when my one-night stand shows up at my workplace the following Monday, greets me by name, and asks for my number, adamant that fate is bringing us together.Of course, I refuse. I’m not looking for love, but within minutes I’m somehow shaking hands and agreeing to a convoluted blind date deal with Chett Hayes, my ridiculously nice, and very…gifted, one-night stand.Oh, and four other men.Four blind dates and a date with Chett after each one. That’s his deal.Choose Chett in the end and live happily ever after with apparently the new love of my life, or don’t and never hear from him again.The way I see it, this is a win-win for me,Until things start to get blurry and the rules are broken.Rules that were meant to keep my heart from breaking all over again.Maybe I’m right and I’m just not meant for a happily ever after,or maybe Chett Hayes was right all along and fate is real, and love is worth fighting for
Christmas in Peakview Box Set
Jill Haymaker - 2019
If you love small town western romances you'll love these stories of hope and second chances. COLORADO COWBOY CHRISTMAS Cynthia Welch has made a name for herself as one of Chicago’s top divorce attorneys at the expense of her personal life. Burnt out, she heads to Peaktop Guest Ranch for a couple of months of solitude over the holidays. AJ Coulter, a cowboy from Wyoming, has been a loner and a drifter ever since his divorce and his teenage daughters leaving for college. He finds a temporary job at Peaktop Ranch as the head wrangler. When their paths cross, Cynthia begins to question her life in Chicago, and AJ struggles to find a way to keep her in Colorado. Can the spirit of Christmas bring these two people from very different worlds together and help them find their way to true love? COLORADO GOLDEN SUNRISE Forty-three year old, Kelly Charm, feels her life slipping away in Prairie, Nebraska. A single mom, she longs for a better life for herself and her teenage son, Ethan. Having scoured online job ads for months, she finally finds an ad for a hardware store manager in picturesque Peakview, Colorado and decides to take a chance. Forty-six year old, Jake Midnight, is Peakview County’s most beloved EMT. He’s the best at what he does—professionally, that is. After a failed marriage, which ended over twenty years ago, he’s put his personal life on hold. He’s content to live alone. That is if you don’t count his three horses, two dogs, five cats, and two pigmy goats. When the unfamiliar high altitude of the Colorado Rockies causes Ethan to have an asthma attack, Jake is quick to jump to the conclusion that Kelly is an irresponsible parent. Kelly is furious at the arrogance of this man who know nothing about her or her son. Sparks fly, but there’s no denying the underlying attraction that sizzles between them. The warmth of the holiday season has been known to melt hearts, even one’s which have been closed for years. A PEAKVIEW CHRISTMAS Only five days until Christmas, and FAITH OWENS has had enough. Not willing to spend one more holiday with her abusive, alcoholic husband, she loads her two young daughters, Gracie and Hope, in her car and leaves her life in Scorpion, New Mexico behind. Newly divorced, ZANE WILDER, faces his first Christmas without his son, Ace. He can’t wait for the holiday to be over. To escape sitting home sulking, he travels from Montana to Colorado to spend the week training his young horse, Storm Cloud. When their paths collide at Hearts Haven Bed and Breakfast near scenic Peakview, Colorado, they find more than a place to rest. Two lonely, cautious hearts are brought together by the magic of Christmas, with a little help from Violet Crandall or maybe Santa himself. Will their budding romance continue when the holiday ends? Can two broken families find the missing pieces that lead to happiness? This Christmas, come home to Peakview, Colorado where everyone has a chance at love.
A Delight Before Christmas
Angie Daniels - 2006
Mistaking him for their resident pediatrician, Berlin hops onto his lap and gives him the hottest kiss of his life. From that moment onward, Berlin and Reginald are on a roller coaster ride of attraction and lust. The more they want each other, the hotter they get.
Divine: A Small Town Romantic Comedy
Aven Jayce - 2015
She hasn’t had a date in years. Look up the word single in the dictionary and you might come across her name. With only her romance novels and a relentless inner voice keeping her company, her chances of ever being happy seem hopeless … until a handsome stranger in the neighborhood catches her eye.Watching him jog past her home becomes a daily obsession. Peeking through his bedroom window turns into a midnight tonic. Now Divine is saying goodbye to her loneliness, about to do something she’s never done before—ask a man out on a date.Dan Keller was born and raised in the small university town where Divine teaches. He’s intelligent, charming, and drop-dead gorgeous, igniting a spark in Divine's heart. But as their relationship heats up, she starts to wonder if he’s too good to be true.There must be something wrong with him, right?Is he married? A serial killer? A passive-aggressive jerk?What is it?Divine is convinced Dan has skeletons in his closet, dark secrets more terrifying than her outdated clothes. But what about her? How much baggage is she carrying?Can Divine survive family shenanigans, a bullying colleague, students from hell, bird attacks, accusations of murder, a tree fort confessional, ultra-rich ice cream, strange hobbies, and kinky secrets in order to find real and lasting love?Or, on top of everything else, will self-sabotage ruin her happily ever after?Revised Edition, 2020
Along for the Ride
Mimi Grace - 2019
It’s why she offered to help her sister and brother-in-law move across the country. However, her goodwill is tested when last minute changes—mainly her father ditching her for an all-expenses paid vacation—forces her to make the journey with a man who is the human version of a pebble in her shoe. Jason Akana operates on lists and bitter coffee, but none of those things will help him on a sixteen-hour trip with the most infuriating woman. Maybe they can get along and forget their heated confrontation five years ago at his best friend’s wedding…when pigs fly. But the addition of vehicle problems, an unplanned pit stop in a small town, and chemistry that inconveniently tags along, shifts their perspectives. And once the dust settles after their trip, a tentative friendship emerges. Will these two stubborn people successfully navigate the unexpected feelings that follow close behind? Or will they hit a roadblock before reaching happily ever after?Content Warning:1. Deceased parent (died long before the start of the book)2. Verbally pushy person who's romantically interested in the heroine (NOT the hero)