Book picks similar to
Haunted Hearts by Ariana Cane
giveaways
romance
slow-burn
contemporary
Screwed Up
Harloe Rae - 2021
And the pressure is getting to me. Those who know me best highly recommend I take the edge off by any means necessary. As it turns out, the new security guard at Bayside Regional is just what the doctor ordered. Dane Owens is a disaster waiting to happen.Maybe that’s why I can’t look away. He plays fast and loose with no plans of slowing down. Especially when it comes to dating.We’re polar opposites, which is precisely why this arrangement is temporary.But there’s plenty to keep us occupied until our expiration date.All I need is for Dane to follow the rules that long.A Bayside Heroes standalone romance.
If You Ask Me
Libby Hubscher - 2022
She has an answer for how to politely handle any difficult situation…until she discovers her husband, Sam, has been cheating on her. Furious and out of sensible solutions, Violet leaves her filter at the door and turns to her column to air her own frustrations. The new, brutally honest Dear Sweetie goes viral, sending more shock waves through Violet’s life. When she burns Sam’s belongings in a front-yard, late-night bonfire, a smoking-hot firefighter named Dez shows up to douse the flames, and an unexpected fling quickly shows potential to become something longer lasting.A lot of people want to see the old polished Violet return—including her boss, who finds her unpredictability hard to manage, and Sam, who’s begging for another chance. But Dez appreciates Violet just the way she is—in fact, he can’t get enough of her. The right answers don’t come easily when Violet finds herself at her own personal crossroads. But maybe, by getting real, Violet can write her own happy ending.
A Rebel's Beacon (Alaskan Rebels #1)
Sara Blackard - 2021
A dog trainer establishing her mark. Can they rely on each other when a rescue mission turns deadly?Bjørn Rebel has achieved his lifelong dreams: a helicopter of his own and a business showing-off his beloved Alaska.When the local search and rescue team asks for air support, he jumps at the chance to volunteer. Not only will his experience flying evac missions for an elite division of the army give search and rescue a big advantage, it will give Bjørn a chance to redeem himself after a botched mission left rumors clinging to him he can’t shake.Sadie Wilde is flying high on the success of the K9 breeding and training program she started with her family.Since childhood, Sadie, her sister, and her cousins planned to have a kennel dedicated to breeding superior dogs for search and rescue and law enforcement. With her father and uncle heading up the local SAR, she’s seen first hand how a well-trained dog can mean the difference between life and death. Sadie’s determined to do whatever she can to ensure her dogs are the best. Bjørn, Search and Rescue’s newest recruit, just might be the ticket to taking her training program to new heights.When a routine rescue mission takes a sinister turn, will Bjørn and Sadie be able to uncover the truth in time or will they be the ones needing to be saved?If you like high-soaring action, toe-curling romance that keeps it clean, and a family of captivating characters, you’ll love Sara Blackard’s riveting romantic Alaskan adventure series.A Sweet Adventure Romance
Journey to Winter Garden
Londyn Skye - 2017
Seeking solace from such devastation, Lily secretly begins teaching herself to play her new master's piano: an instrument that she is forbidden from touching. Lily becomes an extraordinary pianist and gets away with secretly playing for fourteen years until the master's son, James, discovers her deceit. The “punishment” that James gives Lily starts her on an unprecedented journey that dramatically alters her life and influences the lives of thousands, including a man with great power. Lily's groundbreaking journey also unveils the secret altruistic love of a particular man who has been forbidden from expressing his love to her for years. But the question remains whether or not the strength of his love will be powerful enough to free Lily from the shackles of slavery and protect her dreams and her life while on her turbulent Journey to Winter Garden.WARNING!!!! Please be advised that this entire series features the following material that some readers may find disturbing, inappropriate, or triggering:Extreme profanity, racial slurs, extremely graphic violence, sexual misconduct, master/slave intimate relationships, explicit sexual content, violent mistreatment of slaves. Reader discretion is advised!!!NOTE: This book is recommended for those who are seeking a very raw, real, deeply emotional, and cerebral story. It is a very long continuous turbulent saga and is, therefore, not recommended for those who are seeking a storyline with instant gratification. It is also not recommended for those seeking escapism that only consists of joyous moments.
My Summer in Seoul
Rachel Van Dyken - 2021
Intern with Korea’s number one record label? Yes, please. Find out there’s a huge scandal I need to help “manage”… not so much. Add in the fact that I don’t recognize the “superstars” of the label and think they’re interns…And my dream job quickly becomes more of a nightmare.But I’m in Seoul, the one place that is beginning to feel more and more like home...Except it isn’t home, and the drama surrounding the biggest K-pop group in the world, SWT, is consuming my every moment. Spoiler alert. They hate me. Everything I do is wrong: wrong clothes, wrong honorifics, wrong manners. Till the leader of SWT takes pity on me.But pity is dangerous when it comes from someone as beautiful as him. Every SWT member is gorgeous, perfect, and cultivated to be an idol… lethal to a girl’s heart.And sanity. But fame plus a perfect face and voice don’t equal an easy life. As their comeback nears, the stakes rise higher. Suicide watch…Angry fans…Threats…All I want to do is survive. But the price for survival might mean losing my heart.And like a character in a K-drama, I’m not sure if there will be an actual happily ever after…Or simply a lesson learned.
Crossing the Ice
Jennifer ComeauxJennifer Comeaux - 2014
They vow not to let anything get in their way, especially not Josh and Stephanie, the wealthy and talented brother and sister team.The heart doesn’t always listen to reason, though…The more time Courtney spends with sweet, shy Josh, the harder she falls for him. But they are on opposite sides of the competition, and their futures are headed in opposite directions. Will their friendship blossom into more or are their paths too different to cross?After you finish the book, read the bonus epilogue here! http://bit.ly/1nGYTO0
Dangerous Waters
Toni Anderson - 2012
As she investigates the crime, Holly soon realizes the sleepy town is rife with secrets. But what unsettles her most is the residents’ insistence that she bears a striking resemblance to the victim of a murder from three decades earlier. She shrugs off the uncanny likeness as a coincidence. But her simmering attraction to Finn Carver, one of the divers who discovered the corpse, isn’t so easy to ignore.Finn, a former Special Forces soldier, knows it’s best to keep his distance from Holly. Yet it isn’t long before they both give in to the consuming desire they share. And as the danger escalates, Finn and Holly must rely on each other to thwart the plans of a cold-blooded killer who’s intent on keeping the past buried.
The Last Queen: A Novel of Courage and Resistance
Chitra Banerjee DivakaruniChitra Banerjee Divakaruni
In this dazzling novel, based on true-life events, bestselling author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni presents the unforgettable story of Jindan, who transformed herself from daughter of the royal kennel keeper to powerful monarch. Sharp-eyed, stubborn, and passionate, Jindan was known for her beauty. When she caught the eye of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, she was elevated to royalty, becoming his youngest and last queen--and his favorite. And when her son, barely six years old, unexpectedly inherited the throne, Jindan assumed the regency. She transformed herself from pampered wife to warrior ruler, determined to protect her people and her son's birthright from the encroaching British Empire.Defying tradition, she stepped out of the zenana, cast aside the veil, and conducted state business in public, inspiring her subjects in two wars. Her power and influence were so formidable that the British, fearing an uprising, robbed the rebel queen of everything she had, but nothing crushed her indomitable will.An exquisite love story of a king and a commoner, a cautionary tale about loyalty and betrayal, a powerful parable of the indestructible bond between mother and child, and an inspiration for our times, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's novel brings alive one of the most fearless women of the nineteenth century, one whose story cries out to be told.
The Highland Fling
Meghan Quinn - 2021
James has lost her way. So when she and her best friend stumble upon a “help wanted” post to run a coffee shop in the Scottish Highlands, they apply on a whim. Who knows? Maybe traveling to a new place is just what she needs to figure out her next move.When the friends arrive in the tiny idyllic town of Corsekelly, they instantly fall for the gorgeous Highland landscape and friendly townspeople. But Bonnie finds a less-than-warm welcome in Rowan MacGregor, the rugged local handyman. Busy wrestling his own demons, Rowan’s in no mood to deal with the quirky American—even if she is a bonny lass.As Bonnie and Rowan’s paths inevitably cross, insults—and sparks—fly. Can the pair build on their similarities to help each other find purpose and direction…and maybe romance too? Or will their passionate tempers fling them apart?
The Fireproof Girl
Loretta Lost - 2016
When the constant danger became too much to bear, she ran away, thinking she could survive on her hacking skills alone.That was until she met Cole Hunter. He became the only person she could trust: her family, her friend, her partner-in-crime. Her everything. After struggling through college and starting their lives together, she believed that nothing could ever tear them apart. Until it did.When news of a brutal murder reaches Sophie, she’ll do everything in her power to fix what is broken. If it isn’t too late…---------When Cole was nine years old, he watched his whole family burn to death in a house fire. Fueled by years of obsession, he started one of the world’s leading architectural firms, with a mission to design homes resistant to fire, earthquakes, floods, and every threat known to man. Sophie was his secret weapon. She was his purpose. Since they were teenagers, he was determined to build a better life for her, so she could finally be safe, and they could be together. But disaster has always followed Cole around, ripping away everything he loves. This time, if he isn’t careful…His enemies might just take him down.
The Roughest Draft
Emily Wibberley - 2022
But on the heels of their greatest success, they ended their partnership on bad terms, for reasons neither would divulge to the public. They haven't spoken since, and never planned to, except they have one final book due on contract.Facing crossroads in their personal and professional lives, they're forced to reunite. The last thing they ever thought they'd do again is hole up in the tiny Florida town where they wrote their previous book, trying to finish a new manuscript quickly and painlessly. Working through the reasons they've hated each other for the past three years isn't easy, especially not while writing a romantic novel.While passion and prose push them closer together in the Florida heat, Katrina and Nathan will learn that relationships, like writing, sometimes take a few rough drafts before they get it right.
Never Fall for Your Fiancée
Virginia Heath - 2021
Unfortunately for him, his mother is determined to find him one, even from across the other side of the ocean. So, Hugh invents a fake fiancée to keep his mother’s matchmaking ways at bay. But when Hugh learns his interfering mother is on a ship bound for England, he realizes his complicated, convoluted but convenient ruse is about to implode. Until he collides with a beautiful woman, who might just be the miracle he needs.Minerva Merriwell has had to struggle to support herself and her two younger sisters ever since their feckless father abandoned them. Work as a woodcut engraver is few and far between, and the Merriwell sisters are nearly penniless. So, when Hugh asks Minerva to pose as his fiancée while his mother is visiting, she knows that while the scheme sounds ludicrous, the offer is too good to pass up.Once Minerva and her sisters arrive at Hugh's estate, of course, nothing goes according to his meticulous plan. As hilarity and miscommunication ensue, while everyone tries to keep their tangled stories straight, Hugh and Minerva’s fake engagement starts to turn into a real romance. But can they trust each other, when their relationship started with a lie?
First Light
Isabel Jolie - 2021
Letting someone in could be devastating for my family.For the most part, isolation isn’t a hardship. I haven’t been looking for love or any kind of serious relationship.But then I met Logan. I tried to keep my distance. He won’t let me.Logan is gentle, kind, and loving. Everything I never knew I needed in my life.He’s also a cop—exactly the kind of man who’d never understand my truth.So, while he has shared his deepest, darkest secrets, I keep mine hidden.Too bad I can’t keep my heart locked away, too.Because now I’m falling for a man who can never be mine. Not truly, anyway. How can I ask him to be my future when I can’t even let him help me survive my present?******A steamy girl next door romance featuring a former-military, grumpy hero temporarily relocated to a resort island with a small-town atmosphere, right off the coast of North Carolina. First Light is a standalone steamy contemporary romance. The Haven Island Series can be read in any order; you do not need to read any of the other books in the series to enjoy First Light.
Trouble
Tia Louise - 2021
But his naughty eyes flashed, his full lips curled into a knowing smile, and I should have run.I didn’t. I kissed him instead.Then he gave me a job when I needed it the most.I never get involved with clients, but Spencer Carrollton is wickedly handsome in a bespoke suit. He’s devastatingly sexy out of it. He’s possessive, demanding, and the best sex I’ve ever had. He’s an arrogant billionaire, who thinks I’ll fall at his feet, but I’m not going down that road again.Until he pulls me out of danger and insists I move in with him to be safe.As the nights pass and we grow closer, I know I’m losing this fight.Spencer Carrollton always gets what he wants.The trouble is, he wants me.(TROUBLE is a STAND-ALONE, enemies-to-lovers, billionaire-boss romance. No cheating. No cliffhanger.)
A Circle of Crows
Kelsey Kingsley - 2021
But when the body of a tourist is found in the woods, the detective begins to see that things aren't all that they seem in the sleepy little town, especially when the murder is ruled as an accident. With raised suspicion, Alec now has to wonder, who is trying to cover up the killing of Grace Allan?Realizing he can't trust anybody, Inspector Brodie sets out to solve the mystery on his own, until he meets Rosie Allan, a woman determined to help catch her sister's killer. Stubborn and set in his ways, Alec is reluctant to accept her assistance, but Rosie is persistent, not to mention beautiful, and he finds her impossible to refuse.Together, they begin to uncover the dark secrets hidden within the small Scottish town, and with those secrets, they find answers. But can they solve the mystery without getting themselves killed—or worse, falling in love?