Book picks similar to
Puppy Dog Tales by Liwen Y. Ho


romance
short-story
contemporary-fiction
audio

Best Kind of Love: A Reunion Romance Novella


Rebecca Talley - 2014
    When her best friend from high school convinces Brynn to attend their ten-year reunion, Brynn hopes she’ll have the chance to reconnect with Troy Richards, the guy who stole her heart back in middle school. Craig Dawson, an attorney in San Diego, is in a relationship that’s going nowhere and wonders why he can’t seem to commit. When he sees Brynn at their reunion, he thinks he might finally understand why. The only problem—she’s still infatuated with Troy what’s-his-name. Will Brynn find the love she seeks with Troy, or will she realize the best kind of love has always been right in front of her?

Peachy Flippin' Keen


Molly Harper - 2018
    Reichert.The McCready Family Funeral Home and Bait Shop has crickets running rampant in the store and hot sauce in the Snack Shack’s ketchup bottles. But as the county coroner, Frankie has enough on her plate without worrying about the increasingly mean pranks being played at her family’s business. And the arrival of Sheriff Eric Linden, both devastatingly attractive and painfully taciturn, is enough to push her over the edge. Linden, who didn’t seem to get the memo about men in uniform and Southern charm, is condescending and cold, revealing absolutely nothing about his past as an Atlanta police officer, while also making Frankie’s job as coroner as difficult as possible. And with the town’s Fourth of July celebration coming up, it’s essential for McCready’s to be cricket-free and in good working order. Strangling the sheriff will make her job even harder. Can Frankie hold off the threats to preserve her own sanity? With her trademark “clever humor, snark, silliness, and endearing protagonists” (Booklist), Molly Harper invites fans to return to the family they first met in Sweet Tea and Sympathy. Y’all sit down and stay a while, won’t you?

Accidentally Yours


Samantha Bayarr - 2017
     Mia Fletcher is a mousy, nerdy, school teacher who is once again dateless for Valentine's Day. At the prompting from her co-worker, she agrees to ditch her cliché life, put on a party dress, and head for the Valentine Blind-Date Ball at the country club. What she didn't agree to when she signed on was meeting the very infuriating Chad Belmont. Willing to do anything to get out of a family obligation, Chad tells his friend he plans to marry the next woman he meets, and his friend takes him up on that dare until a simply party-game glitch gives them both more than they bargained for.

Once Upon A Snow Day


Kait Nolan - 2013
    Driven, dedicated, there's no room in her high-pressure life to look for love outside the pages of the books she edits. Can a fun-loving, handsome stranger change her mind? A novelette of approximately 10k words. "Meet cute" is a term used to describe a situation in which a future romantic couple meets for the first time. Meet Cute Romance is a series of romantic shorts celebrating the possibilities of that first meeting.

Pumpkin Everything


Beth Labonte - 2018
     After calling off her fall wedding, horror novelist Amy Fox is left with a broken heart, a mega case of writer’s block, and a serious aversion to all things pumpkin spice. When she receives news that her grandfather has broken his wrist driving through a Dunkin Donuts—literally straight through the front windows—five hundred miles away, in her hometown of Autumnboro, New Hampshire, Amy has no choice but to return to check on him. If she doesn’t make sure that he’s back on his feet, Grandpa may be moved into assisted living, and Amy’s beloved childhood home will be put on the market. Knowing she must return, Amy worries about the only thing worse than pumpkin spice—a reunion with Kit Parker—her childhood best friend, first love, and entire reason for skipping town in the first place. As the two reconnect, a second chance seems possible...if only Kit weren’t holding on to a secret that just might unravel everything. Set against the scenic backdrop of the White Mountains, New Hampshire, Pumpkin Everything is a small town, sweet romance, and the perfect way to kick off the fall season! A pumpkin spice latte wouldn’t hurt, either.

Kissing Tolstoy


Penny Reid - 2014
    A shorter version of this story (28k words) was entitled ‘Nobody Looks Good in Leather Pants’ and was available via Penny Reid’s newsletter over the course of 2017.

One Last Summer


Jo Noelle - 2017
    She doesn’t believe in marriage, and she’s learned to only count on herself. At her Uncle Walter’s insistence, and a little emotional blackmail, she returns to Misty Harbor Cottages to help him for one last summer in a place that's really the only home she’s ever known. Cole Zamora has worked at Misty Harbor for more than half of his twenty-three years, and imagined someday owning the place. He met Jenna when they were ten-years-old, and his young heart fell hard for her, relishing every summer she came back. That is, until two years ago, when she broke his heart and never returned. Uncle Walter proposes a challenge between the two, with the winner becoming the new owner of Misty Harbor. Now, there’s a real chance Cole could lose his heart and his home. Jenna isn’t sure which worries her more—a summer of rivalry or romance? One Last Summer is a 100-page novella in the clean & wholesome romance category.

One in a Million


Lindsey Kelk - 2018
    Infuriated by the advertising agency across the hall making fun of her job, Annie accepts their crazy challenge – to make a random stranger Instagram-famous in just thirty days.And even when they choose Dr Samuel Page PhD, historian and hater of social media, as her target, Annie’s determined to win the bet – whether Sam likes it or not.But getting to know Sam means getting to know more about herself. And before the thirty days are out, Annie has to make a decision about what’s really important…Funny, real and heart-meltingly romantic, Annie and Sam’s story is My Fair Lady for the social media age – and the perfect feel-good read.

Mistletoe Mischief


Stacey Joy Netzel - 2009
    Thanks to some mistletoe mischief in the form of their two young daughters and Santa, they discover mistletoe rules were not made to be broken.74% of the material is actually the story; the rest is samples from other books in the series.

A Single Year


Renee Hart - 2016
    It is a standalone story with HEA and no cliffhanger. Several clean romance stories have been included for your enjoyment. A successful journalist, Lauren has her dream job of writing for a magazine in Boston. When she's confronted by her boyfriend's secret lover at a company party, Lauren vows to swear off men for at least a year, maybe two or three. Luckily her cousin, Amber, invites her to share in an adventure, which is exactly what she needs after her public humiliation at work. She'll have to ditch her business suits and high heels for this undertaking. Amber lives in Alaska and has some friends that need someone to house-sit for them at their "off the grid" homestead. Their horses, chickens and goats need tending, but Amber can't do it alone. She asks Lauren to come and join her. Lauren takes a sabbatical from her job to get inspiration to write the "great American novel" and get over her broken heart, but the peace and quiet her cousin promises isn't working out quite the way they planned. BOOKS IN THE SERIES: A Single Year In The Bush A Summer Nanny In Fairbanks / The River Home Homer: End Of The Road Together In The Wild Something Wild In Anchorage Yesterday Island

The Seat Filler


Sariah Wilson - 2021
    That’s the hiccup in a warm and witty romance by the bestselling author of Roommaid.The meet-cute award goes to dog groomer Juliet Nolan. It’s one of Hollywood’s biggest nights when she volunteers as a seat filler and winds up next to movie heartthrob Noah freaking Douglas. Tongue tied and toes curling in her pink Converse, she pretends that she doesn’t have a clue who he is. It’s the only way to keep from swooning.She’s pretty and unpretentious, loves his dog, and is not a worshipping fan. No way Noah’s giving up on her, even if his affectionate pursuit comes with a bump: Juliet has a pathological fear of kissing and the disappointments that follow. What odds does romance have without that momentous, stupendous, once-in-a-lifetime first smooch? Patient, empathetic, and carrying personal burdens of his own, Noah suggests a remedy: they rehearse.The lessons begin. The guards come down. But there’s another hitch they weren’t betting on. As for that cue-the-orchestra-and-roll-credits happy ending? It might take more than practice to make it perfect.

Bah, Humbug!


Heather Horrocks - 2011
    He digs into the snowman to discover two things: the weapon fits into the body just under the head, and the snowman was supposed to be the back drop for Lexi's next show.From this improbable beginning comes friendship. Can there be more for a woman who is afraid to get close again and a man who has shadows from his childhood?Families join together and hearts are healed as this couple goes walking in a winter wonderland.

Enjoying the Show


Marie Harte - 2007
    Everywhere.Hailey Jennison is smart, funny and, unfortunately, stacked like a blonde brick house. She’s well aware the impact her looks have on the male gender, and she hates it. Socially awkward, she keeps to a safe, boring routine, meeting friends once a week for dinner, some laughs, and entertainment.Entertainment comes in the form of a little harmless voyeurism, watching the living, breathing sex god across the quad parade around his apartment half-naked. Hailey watches and yearns, indulging in this weekly fantasy that almost—but not quite—satisfies her every desire.When Gage catches Hailey in the act of ogling him, he gives her a choice—go out with him, or he’ll call the cops. But he has no intention of calling the law down on every man’s wet dream. For he’s been watching her, as well. And he has plans to fulfill her naughty fantasies.

The Boss Who Stole Christmas


Jana Aston - 2019
    Mine is the worst. The worst, hidden in a six foot tall package of male perfection. It’d be easier if he looked like an old Scrooge, wouldn’t it? Nick Saint-Croix doesn’t look like an old scrooge. He’s hot as-Um, never mind. Just bring me a new boss. Please. Sincerely,Holly Winter

Coconutty Christmas: Holiday in Hawaii


Ann Omasta - 2016
    Will the fear of being hurt keep her from experiencing all of the delightful surprises that life has to offer? Or will the trifecta of gorgeous Russ, a freak storm, and an unforgettable Christmas allow her to open her heart to the possibility of finding her happily-ever-after ending?This romantic story is part of The Escape Series, which includes the Kindle Scout winning book, Getting Lei'd, as well as its prequel novella, Aloha, Baby!, and the follow-up novels, Cruising for Love and Island Hopping. You can read and enjoy these books in any order!Download this sweet short story today because you deserve a break in Hawaii!