Book picks similar to
Original Love by J.J. Murray


romance
interracial
interracial-romance
contemporary

Pas De Deux: A Dance For Two


Lynn Turner - 2018
    When tragedy turns her beloved Paris into a gilded cage, she jumps at the chance to work with one of the most prolific choreographers she’s ever seen. But Zack’s style is way out of her comfort zone. So is his teaching method. And his humor. And his everything. He’s a charming little connard. It’s hard not to like him. Merde. What has she gotten herself into?Zachary Coen’s first musical is opening on Broadway. Much like his life, it’s anything but conventional, so hiring Mina is simply out of the question. She’s too…classical. Too perfect. She’s all wrong for the role. Then he meets her in person and sees her cracks. Her broken pieces. How unique and beautiful each one is. And he can’t help but notice how her edges seem to fit his…perfectly.Just when teaming up seems to be working, the monsters they’ve kept hidden threaten to rip it all apart.**Content warning: The hero is a child molestation survivor and hyper focuses on what he eats as a coping mechanism. He is triggered in a scene toward the end. (While it does not get explicit, it may be triggering to some readers.)** **2018 Wishing Shelf Independent Book Awards GOLD MEDAL WINNER**

An Unlikely Encounter


Aliyah Burke - 2007
    Unfortunately, tonight she was stuck in an airport in Edmonton, Alberta, which means spending the night with a bunch of strangers, and a man who had witnessed her earlier embarrassing incident. A thirty-nine year old oil rigger, Niall O'Cinneide is also stuck in the same airport. His night improves as he notices the woman who had snared his attention the moment he saw her -- in the men's restroom. Incredible sex in a restroom is what they share before the night is over. A few weeks later they meet in Texas when Niall is staying at the hotel she is temporarily assigned to. Torrye fights her desire for this masculine temptation. Niall doesn-t care; he has found her again refuses to let her go this time. Is it possible that true love could begin from An Unlikely Encounter.

Ready to Fall


Daisy Prescott - 2013
    With rugged good looks, his ever present plaid shirt, and a dog named Babe, John is a modern alpha male lumberjack.After his favorite neighbor rents out her beach cabin for the winter, John finds himself playing tour guide to Diane Watson, a beautiful brunette with her own messy past and recent battle scars.Will he be ready to fall in love? Or will he go back to his old, flirty ways?Hold onto your heart as John Day tells his story in this male POV contemporary adult romance/romantic comedy.Ready to Fall is the first novel in the Wingmen series of standalone, lighthearted small town romances set in the Pacific Northwest. Each book can be read without having read the previous titles.

So Different


Ruthie Robinson - 2012
    Her fierce exterior masks a woman who is loving, compassionate and deeply loyal to those she loves.Adam Barnett Jr. is a dentist like his father. He has come to Austin to take over his father's dental practice while he recuperates from an accident. The timing couldn't have worked better for Adam, who just broke off his wedding engagement to a woman he thought was perfect, both inside and out.He meets Mariah at her regular dental appointment. She is interested, willing to put aside her normal reticence and give him a chance. Adam, however, assumes the worst about her, given her black eye and the bruises on her arm. He assumes that she is the victim of some form of abuse and he approaches her in an attempt to help her seek help. But Mariah, with assistance from Adam's father, has a thing or two to teach him about making assumptions. As they spend time together and get to know each other they find sex, friendship, and eventually love.

Sweet Obsession


D.A. Young - 2015
    He is consumed by the young beauty, but his dark past prevents him from pursuing her. When an opportunity presents itself for him to finally have what he desires above all else he takes it, consequences be damned. Noelle Kramer has been in love with Jack Sullivan from their first meeting four years ago. Only problem is, he doesn't seem to know she's alive. When a troubled ex resurfaces in her life, she turns to Jack to prevent her family's good name and reputation from being tarnished. The solution he presents is wildly outrageous...absolutely ludicrous...and everything she's ever yearned for. So she takes him up on his offer, after all she has nothing to lose...except her heart and soul. From the concrete jungle of New York City to the lush Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, join them as they take you on an unforgettable journey of life, love, laughter and forgiveness. This book is the first in the Men of Whiskey Row Series and the women who have captured their hearts. WARNING: This book has STEAMY love scenes. It is not recommended for those easily offended by them.

Deadly Double


Adrianne Byrd - 2005
    Raised in luxury, Josie has only been accustomed to the best. Her privileged and sheltered world, however, comes crashing down when she attends the funeral of her parents and comes face–to–face with an identical twin sister she never knew she had.Josephine and Michelle are twins that were somehow separated at birth. Unlike Josie though, Michelle was not fortunate enough to be placed in a stable household –– instead she knew only poverty, abuse and envy. Now Michelle wants Josie's life.More than happy to get acquainted with her sister, Josie welcomes Michelle into her home...then one day Josie wakes up in a mental hospital...and everyone addresses her as Michelle. Only with the help of a man from Josie's past can she have any hope of regaining her life –– before it's ended permanently.o Adrianne Byrd has a wonderful imagination that translates into well crafted stories with true–to–life passionate heroes and heroines. She has an engaging writing style that is entertaining and sexy. This is an author to watch.

A Heart Not Easily Broken


M.J. Kane - 2012
    What she doesn't expect is a blond haired, blue-eyed bass player—who won’t take “no” for an answer—to accept the challenge. When Ebony’s attempt at a brief fling turns into more, despite negative reactions from friends and family, she finds juggling love, family, and career are nothing compared to the ultimate betrayal she endures. Now her dreams spiral into lies and secrets that threaten her future and her best friend’s trust.

The Cold Blue Blood


David Handler - 2001
    He spends his time secluded in his apartment or in the dark recesses of a screening room. Although he continues to dazzle moviegoers and the film elite with his criticisms, his editor and good friend is alarmed about him. As a scheme to pull him out of the doldrums of his grief, she gives him a non-film assignment - to do a color story on the wealthy and social homeowners on Connecticut's Gold Coast. It takes some doing, but in the end Mitch agrees.He is fortunate to find a cottage to rent on Big Sister, the absolute top-of-the-line private island outside the town of Dorset. His landlady, Dolly, is pleasant and friendly, but some of the other inhabitants of this small piece of land, although too well bred to come right out and say it, are not happy to have Mitch, born of parents only one generation away from Eastern Europe and raised on the city's pavements, arrive in their back yard. But Dolly, whose husband has recently left her, needs the money, and at least she is more than gracious. The discovery of a body during a bout of optimistic gardening in Dolly's back yard brings on the other main player - Lieutenant Desiree Mitry, one of only three women on the Connecticut State Police major crimes squad, the youngest of the three, and the only black. A dedicated officer, she is the terror of everyone who doesn't really want to give a home to one of her stray cats. She is, as well, a closet artist and a complicated and beautiful woman, and she intrigues Mitch from the start.

Neurotica


Eliza Gordon - 2014
    Because Jayne is fine with the way things are: writer of obituaries and garage sale ads by day, secret scribe of adventures in distant galaxies by night. But her crippling fear of intimacy has made her the butt of jokes since forever, and hiding behind her laptop isn’t going to get her lightsaber lit.After her therapist recommends that she write erotica as a form of exposure therapy, Jayne joins forces with pen and paper to combat the demons that won’t let her kiss and tell. Unexpectedly downsized at work, she adopts a pseudonym and secretly self-publishes one of her naughty books to make ends meet. When her adorable, long-time friend Luke, co-owner of the popular Portland food truck Luke Piewalker’s, hears she’s been demoted, he insists on hiring her to sling éclairs and turnovers at his side. Her secret must be kept, but sparks ignite between them, sending Jayne and her X-Wing into a tailspin that will either make her face down her neuroses or trigger a meltdown of Death Star proportions.

Unexpected Mr. Right


Kelley Nyrae - 2008
    Instead, she keeps ending up with a broken heart. When she meets the handsome and available Nico Valenti, she doesn't want to waste her time on another broken heart. Tabby's a new woman and the wrong man is no longer for her.Nico can't get Tabby out of his mind. He's loved and left a lot of women, but Tabby is different. He wants to spend time with her even if her rules say their relationship will be a 'no sex' one.How does a one-night-stand kind of man fall in love with a woman determined to change herself? Nico and Tabby search for a way to meet in the middle and give their new found love a chance.

The Object of Love


Sharon Cullars - 2007
    But guilt and long-buried secrets could destroy their future before it begins. . .It's been five years since Lacey Burnham saw Sean Logan, and in that time her son Calvin's best friend has turned from a surly youth into a handsome, self-assured young man. Crushed with grief over Cal's sudden death, Lacey offers Sean a place to stay while he's in town--an innocent proposal that quickly becomes anything but. Lacey is stunned and confused by the yearning he ignites with a single kiss. . .Beautiful, warmhearted Lacey Burnham was a haven of comfort in Sean's troubled youth. Now, against every shred of logic she possesses, Lacey is falling hard for Sean and for a heady carnal bliss she's never experienced before. But the ghosts of the past are waiting. And sooner or later, every shadow must face the light of day. . ."Chilling and deliciously erotic by turns, an absorbing rollercoaster ride of a book." --Angela Knight on AgainSharon Cullars lives in Chicago where she works as a research analyst for a professional association. In her spare time, she reads whatever she can lay her hands on, but particularly loves works that allow her to make an emotional connection to the characters. She does not limit herself to any one genre and is a lover of mystery, romance, horror and sci-fi. She also enjoys various types of music, but generally gravitates toward soft jazz. She has written several short stories, one of which is due to be published in Masques V, an anthology of horror literature. In addition to writing, she hosts the Short Stories section of Bella Online, a comprehensive site for women. When she feels in the mood, she also dabbles in 3D art or just enjoys the wonderful attractions of the city of Chicago. Sharon welcomes comments and feedback.

Delaney's Desert Sheikh


Brenda Jackson - 2002
    But when she reluctantly agreed to share a secluded cabin with an arrogant sheikh bent on seduction, she found herself enrolled in a crash course in human sexuality. Unfortunately, commitment and love were misplaced pages in her darkly handsome mentor's manual. Jamal Ari Yassir had intended to school Delaney in sensuality for his pleasure, but his plan backfired. Instead of loving and leaving her, he became engulfed by an irresistible passion for his sexy-as-sin cabin mate. Could his convenient summer lover be the woman he was destined to share his life with?

Goodnight, Beautiful


Dorothy Koomson - 2008
    So when Mal and his wife, Stephanie, ask Nova to be a surrogate mother, she agrees—despite her reservations about what it might mean for their friendship. Then Nova’s fears are realized. Halfway through the pregnancy, Stephanie finds a text from her husband to Nova that reads “Goodnight, beautiful.” Already suspicious of their deep connection, Stephanie demands that Mal cut all ties to Nova and their unborn baby, leaving Nova to raise the child alone. Eight years later, Nova is anxiously waiting for her son, Leo, to wake up from a coma, while childless Stephanie is desperately trying to save her failing marriage. Despite her anger and hurt, Nova wants Mal to have the chance to know his son before it’s too late. Will it take a tragedy to remind them all how much they mean to one another?

A Girl Like Her


Talia Hibbert - 2018
    Between her autism, her comic book nerdery, and the whiff of scandal her small town can’t forget, Ruth will always be Ravenswood’s black sheep. Since she prefers silence and solitude to gossip and pub crawls, that suits her just fine—until Evan Miller comes to town.Ex-military man Evan is gorgeous, confident… and he’s Ruth’s new neighbour. Unlike everyone else, he doesn’t seem to mind her crotchety ways or her cooking disasters. In fact, if Ruth didn’t know any better, she might think Evan likes her.But Ruth’s been burned before, and some lessons are hard to forget.She can’t let her guard down—no matter how many home-cooked meals Evan brings over. Because affection is temporary, trust is made to be broken, and the heat of desire is a dangerous thing to play with.So why does this man feel so safe?

Trade Me


Courtney Milan - 2015
    She has no time for Blake Reynolds, the sexy billionaire who stands to inherit Cyclone Technology. But when he makes an off-hand comment about what it means to be poor, she loses her cool and tells him he couldn’t last a month living her life.To her shock, Blake offers her a trade: She’ll get his income, his house, his car. In exchange, he’ll work her hours and send money home to her family. No expectations; no future obligations.But before long, they’re trading not just lives, but secrets, kisses, and heated nights together. No expectations might break Tina’s heart...but Blake’s secrets could ruin her life.