Book picks similar to
30 Below by Wendy Stenzel Oleston


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Whispers of Love


Kimberly Rae JordanLesley Ann McDaniel - 2016
    She hates that he represents a major change in her family’s business, but finds herself intrigued by him, too. Will Makayla be able to see that change can be a good thing, professionally and personally? Or will Ethan be back to square one—in need of a job in a new city?Not This Time by Leah AtwoodAmie Reynolds wakes up on her wedding morning to find a note from her fiancé that he left the country. Needing to escape her heartache, she visits her great-aunt’s lake house for the summer and meets Drew Sullivan. Romance between them blooms, but will Drew’s secret tear them apart?Homestands by Sally BradleyA pro athlete stumbles across his ex-wife, the son she hid from him, and the rare opportunity to right his wrongs, but a secret from the past threatens their attempts to repair their shattered relationship.Secrets of Sunbeams by Valerie ComerOne animal control officer with her own escapee goat. One solar architect whose report has been eaten. Can romance and urban farming blossom on the same city block?Overture and a Prince by Christina CoryellShe’s an actress who can’t seem to get out of character. He’s a mechanic who puts little stock in imagination. Will their love story make it to the opening curtain?Gentle Like the Rain by JoAnn DurginIsabella Caccavale’s stable life plunges into a tailspin after she buys her aunt's general store in Evergreen, Maine. When “runaway” lawyer Sidney Prescott roars into town, he jump-starts her wounded heart. Will Sidney find what he seeks in quaint little Evergreen or will he take Isabella’s heart with him when he returns to Boston?Teapots & Tiaras by Autumn MacarthurWhen their best friends’ wedding in London pushes medical missionary Matthew Coalbrooke and bubbly shoe-aholic kitchenware saleswoman Anita Kiernan together, it’s dislike at first sight. But God has a bigger plan for them than they can possibly imagine.Oceans Apart by Lesley Ann McDanielThis is the Inn at Crescent Cove's biggest weekend since Lily Duarte bought it last year—a wedding. Now if only she can stop dwelling on the last wedding she planned then called off at the eleventh hour…her own. When an employee quits and handsome best man Matthew Case steps in to help, Lily’s thoughts of what might have been start to fade away.The Lifeguard, the Abandoned Heiress, and Frozen Custard by Carol MoncadoAdam Wilkerson is looking forward to a summer of fun working at the Serenity Landing Aquatic Center. Gwendolyn Cranston-Schmidt is looking for a fresh start. Can they see past both of their secrets to find their way to a real relationship?Flight 259 by Staci StallingsIt was only a chance occurrence. When Jenna Davis happens to sit next to Dr. Scott Browning and his young son on the plane to Newark, she has no idea how that one chance decision will change all of their lives forever.Smile for Me by Jan ThompsonA workaholic assistant principal who meticulously plans his schedule months in advance meets an easygoing potter and art teacher with no sense of time, living her life as the seasons come and go. Crossing paths again at the Summer-by-the-Sea Day Camp sponsored by his church in the Bahamas, how can they work together if they cannot see eye to eye?The Other You by Marion UeckermannFive years spent searching for her identity brings photojournalist Taylor Cassidy no closer to the truth. When Taylor is sent to South Africa to uncover the story behind winegrower Armand DeBois’s flagship wine, Aimee Amour, their meeting raises questions that demand answers—for them both.

Starting Over


Rachel Hanna - 2015
     When the calm and serenity of her life is threatened by a loud karate instructor upstairs, Kelly Cole goes on the offensive. With his sexy alpha hero personality, Quinn Maverick isn't budging either which makes working in the same small building difficult. A widower with a big secret, Quinn becomes Kelly's protector in a few situations, cementing the connection between them but when she finds out what he's hiding, can she forgive him? When the scars of the past bring out the guilt, can the wounds be healed? ** This is a sweet romance and features no explicit scenes. **

Ruby


Marie Maxwell - 2012
    Set in the aftermath of WW2, this gripping saga is richly evocative of the period and shows the true grit of our heroine Ruby.

Love to the Highest Bidder


Rachel Ann Nunes - 1998
    Jared is a buyer for an exclusive New York gallery. Sparks fly as the two come head to head in a bidding war for a hideous but very expensive Indian Buddha from the Kushan period. Each is determined to win the statue, but others also want the Buddha—at any cost. Thugs, art forgers, the FBI, or Jared’s beautiful and alluring boss . . . who will end up with the statue? During a string of hair-raising exploits, Cassi and Jared are forced to develop a tentative friendship that deepens into romance. Will they survive long enough to see it through? Best-selling author Rachel Ann Nunes has crafted a wonderfully intriguing and romantic drama in this fast-moving novel, bringing two idealistic young people together from opposite edges of the continent and allowing them, in their own way, to find an unexpected connection. In the end, their very lives depend on the trust they’ve developed. If you love romance and excitement that you're not embarassed to share with your daughter or your mother, you’ll be captivated by A Bid for Love.

Crispens Point


JoHannah Reardon - 2008
    She immediately connects with some of the quirky but friendly residents and begins to feel at home right away. When a friend invites her to attend a local community church, Charlotte is attracted to the pastor, but refuses to acknowledge that attraction because of some dark things in her past.What is the mysterious thing in Charlotte’s past that seems to dominate everything? Is it enough to keep her from ever finding a lasting relationship?

Waking Up Joy


Tina Ann Forkner - 2014
    When she finally wakes, her well-meaning, but bossy, brothers and sisters dismiss her claims, thinking her accident has knocked her off her rocker, but Joy has never felt better, and is determined to set the past right.Now Joy must face her darkest secret and risk reopening wounds caused by an old flame who rejected her more than twenty years ago. But taking risks brings change, as well as a new, younger man into Joy’s life, making her feel like a teenager again. Suddenly Joy’s once humdrum life is anything but boring and routine and the future beckons, exhilarating and bright.

The Fall River Family Saga


Chloe Emile - 2015
    Fall Rivers, Massachusetts. When Ryan Lochlan was orphaned after losing his parents to Ireland’s potato famine, he sailed on a ship to America for a better life. His dream came true when he met the beautiful Abby McVinny, even after her father threatened him with a shotgun. From the moment their eyes locked, their lives intertwined, and there began a journey of love, adventure, and tragedy. Ryan and his best friend Mick know how to defend the family against thieves and outlaws, but so do their women—the McVinny girls know how to handle a shotgun or two. www.ChloeEmile.com

Shattered Rose


T.L. Gray - 2013
    GrayAvery Nichols knows how to wear the mask. Perfect student, perfect daughter and perfect friend. Nobody would ever guess that inside, Avery is a prisoner to her own self loathing. Then she meets him…and everything changes. Handsome, charming and self assured, Jake Matthew sweeps Avery off her feet in an effortless fashion. Avery knows that Jake is everything she needs and all she has ever wanted. She would destroy herself to be loved by him…until he walks away.Broken and lost, Avery meets Parker. His genuine, caring nature reaches past the mask and the shattered pieces her heart begin to slowly heal. But just when Avery starts to feel whole again, she realizes the impossible.Jake never really left.

All for Anna


Nicole Deese - 2013
    Held captive by regret, 23 year-old trauma RN, Tori Sales, has seen the reality of many nightmares. But there is one nightmare she will never wake from—her last memory of Anna. Her efforts to save the little girl were not enough; she was not enough. After a year of living alone, Tori is forced to return home—a place where heartache, loss, and broken relationships lurk around every corner. Isolation is her only solace; running is her only escape. But she cannot outrun the truth forever. When a handsome, compassionate stranger enters her world, Tori is inspired to deal with her past and focus on the future—one she never believed possible. But before her quest for closure is complete, a new revelation surfaces, tainting her world yet again. Will she accept the recovery she so desperately needs? Or will she choose the escape she knows best...

Ravenstone


Louise Franklin - 2014
    She fails at both when her father abuses her. Headstrong and high-spirited, though crippled by his severe beating, she remains strong and refuses to allow him to crush her indomitable will. When her father threatens those she loves, Georgiana knows that the only thing that will protect her is a knife through his heart. Ravenstone is a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love. It is the first book in a series and what is left unanswered is the central question. We know what Georgiana has been willing to do for those she loves and must protect. But will the price be too high?

Wisdom to Know


Elizabeth Maddrey - 2013
     Is there sin that love can't cover? Lydia Brown has taken just about every wrong turn she could find. When an abortion leaves her overwhelmed by guilt, she turns to drugs to escape her pain. After a single car accident lands her in the hospital facing DUI charges, Lydia is forced to reevaluate her choices. Kevin McGregor has been biding his time since high school when he heard God tell him that Lydia Brown was the woman he would marry. In the aftermath of Lydia's accident, Kevin must come to grips with the truth about her secret life. While Kevin works to convince himself and God that loving Lydia is a mistake, Lydia struggles to accept the feelings she has for Kevin, though she fears her sin may be too much for anyone to forgive.

Refuge at Pine Lake (Pine Haven)


Rose Chandler Johnson - 2019
    This sweet, Southern romance doesn’t disappoint.” – Liz Talley Robin Lancaster, a twenty-six-year-old former kindergarten teacher, has her summer and her life all figured out. She’s ready to be on her own, writing and illustrating her children’s stories at her family’s beloved lake house. Once there, she intends to rekindle a romance with Caleb Jackson, the area’s top hunting and fishing guide, and bag him for herself.Complications arise from the start when Robin finds out her mother has rented the lake house to a man they know nothing about. Matthew McLaughlin, forty-year-old widowed university professor and author from California, shows up at Pine Lake in crisis. A sabbatical might be his only hope to save much more than his career. He needs a place of refuge. Sharing the lake house with a lighthearted young woman and her dog is the last thing on his mind. Caleb Jackson has his own plans. He’s used to things going his way, but a man staying in Robin’s house presents unforeseen challenges. When paths unavoidably entangle for these three, hearts are on the line.

Devilish Games Of A Virtuous Lady


Scarlett Osborne - 2019
    Confronted with her father's decision to wed her to a man she has never met in her life, she decides to run away disguised as a commoner. Widowed and a single father, Algernon Fletcher, Marquess of Radcliffe, is the epitome of propriety. When his daughter is rescued by a beautiful young maid, he can’t help but offer her a position in the household. But even though their attraction is fierce, Letitia's secret identity is threatening to ruin it all… An unexpected guest bears shocking tidings and Letitia comes face to face with the harsh reality: not only are they all but mere pawns in a devious game of power, but the puppetmaster is one hiding in plain sight.

Hurricane Allie


Rachel Hauck - 2013
    As Allie rushes through wedding preparations days before her wedding, Kyle makes a last minute trip to New York to secure a new client. Meanwhile, a hurricane bears down on the coast days before their wedding. Is it a bad sign the storm is named Allie? Stuck in New York, Kyle struggles to find a way home. Meanwhile, Allie scrambles to find Plan B. Her perfect wedding is ruined but not even the forces of nature can stop a wedding that was meant to be.

The Cartel Deluxe Edition, Part 2: Books 4 and 5


Ashley Antoinette - 2019
    Now fans can relive the story of the Diamond family in this second deluxe edition, containing books four and five.The Diamond family has survived murder, deceit, and betrayal. Through it all, they're still standing tall, and a new era has begun. After a failed attempt on her life, Breeze has moved into the queen's position by Zyir's side. Zyir has taken over the empire and locked down Miami's streets. He has the world in his palms, but there is always new blood ready to overthrow the throne. Young Carter has retired and moved away from the madness--that is, until he gets an unexpected visitor at his home. This person shakes up the whole family, causing chaos that threatens to bring down the Cartel for good. When a Boeing 747 drops out of the sky with the men of The Cartel aboard, the women of the family have to step into their own. With the federal government on their heels and the family on the brink of destruction, a female dynasty is born. After the government's case is thwarted, the ladies plan to take the family legit. They head west to establish a new endeavor, but with new territory comes new problems. The Carter family name doesn't ring as loud as it did in Miami. It's a new set of gangsters, a new set of rules, as the Cartel finds problems with an Arabic millionaire. Even as the new Cartel struggles to go legit, trouble always finds a way into the family's circle. Larceny, deceit, and murder are all in the cards.