Book picks similar to
If Not For Love by Rebecca Jenshak


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Whatever It Takes


L. Maretta - 2013
    His wife, Emma, was always able to brag to her friends about how caring, loving, helpful, and successful he was. Having been married five years, they have just put the finishing touches on their dream home and are ready to start a family. Everything seems ideal until one day Gavin confesses to Emma that he was unfaithful, turning their entire relationship from perfect to a total disaster. Suddenly Emma's carefully controlled world is chaotic and her future uncertain as she struggles to determine if she is able to forgive Gavin or have the strength to move on.

Not Your Hero


Anna Brooks - 2015
    He lives his life just the way he likes it - no regrets and no promises.Courtney Gallagher is a single mom doing her best at raising her young son. She longs to feel wanted again, to receive the touch of a loving man. Even though her heart is fragile, she has hope there’s someone out there for her and her son.Courtney rents a place from Sam, and their relationship becomes complicated. Sam is willing to let her in his bed, but not his heart. Courtney feels a pull towards Sam, but learns that trust is definitely something to be earned.*Contains Adult Content**Standalone*

Have Mercy


N.E. Henderson - 2019
     It's hard to get over that kind of betrayal. It leaves a mark on the heart. A slow bleed that never goes away. She was my girl. We were supposed to be partners. She was going to be the mother of my children down the road. The only girl to warm my bed. She was my forever girl. Until she ran away. I thought she felt the same. But if she did she wouldn't have ditched me like I didn't matter. All the plans we made meant nothing to her. She disappeared without so much as a goodbye. Those cuts are the deepest. A gaping hole that can't be sealed. I could've stomached anything else—a meaningless one-night stand, drifting apart, vanishing love. But abandonment is a deadly strike that can't be forgotten. It sticks with you forever. Three months later she showed up, expecting me to welcome her back with open arms. Excuses, lies, not even her crying eyes could make me believe the manipulative bullshit coming out of her mouth. For months I felt like I was burning alive. She shattered my heart and stole my soul.  I moved on. Now, eighteen years later, a nightmare unfolds. Every detail makes my stomach churn. Lies come to the light. The truth is uncovered. And the people I thought I knew become strangers. The heartbreak I felt was only a scratch compared to the sliced open heart in my chest.  Winning her back seems like an impossible feat. She may never forgive me, because the thing about mercy—you have to give to receive. ***Have Mercy is a 107K word standalone, second chance love story.***

Lit (Wrecked Hearts #1)


Gabrielle Gibson - 2018
    He's single and that’s the way he likes it. Women? They’re entertainment as far as he's concerned. And for indulging his insatiable appetite for sex, which may be bordering on addiction. Jessie Sparks can’t help herself. She’s falling in love with Jack, but she’s sure he’ll never see her as anything more than his inexperienced, awkward friend. She's also pretty sure that a guy like Jack is too hot for a good girl like her to handle. For the first time in his life, Jack really cares about a girl. The last thing he wants to do is to hurt the feelings of this pretty little sweetheart who seems determined to turn his world upside down. But there’s no way he can change. Not even for her. And Jessie could never be just a one-night stand. He swears they’re just friends. But those sizzling, stolen kisses are getting hot...hot enough to cause the raging inferno that’s about to be lit. **Warning...this story is not a hero/heroine romance. The characters in this book may be dark, damaged, and flawed. It is the first in a series, contains sexually explicit scenes and ends on a cliffhanger. It is intended only for readers 18+ who enjoy dark, erotic stories that feature difficult relationships. "Lit" is the first book in the Wrecked Hearts series.

Only Ever You


Siobhan Davis - 2019
     He’s the hot-as-sin rocker hiding a secret that would devastate his fans. She’s the only girl he’s ever loved, but keeping her safe means he had to walk away… RYDER My entire life is a lie, propelled by one wrong decision that altered my fate. If fans knew the truth, they’d run away screaming. But all they see is Ryder Stone, moody guitarist and lead singer of Torment, and a potential notch on their bedpost. Only two people know who I really am. My manager has a vested interest in keeping my secret, and the girl I was forced to leave behind doesn’t even know the true extent of my shame. Losing Zeta is both my biggest regret and my proudest moment. But she was the glue keeping me together, and I’m struggling to survive without her. Especially when demons from my past continue to haunt me and the threat of disclosure is ever present. When she reappears in my life, this time, I’m too weak to push her away. Her love has the power to save me. Mine has the power to destroy her. ZETA I’ve worked hard to forget my past. To rise above my messed-up childhood and make something of myself; however, there’s no forgetting him. Ryder’s gorgeous face and drool-worthy body are plastered over tabloids and TV screens, reminding me I’m still in love with the boy who captured my heart in juvie. When he failed me, I thought I’d never again experience such heart-crushing pain. But watching him fall out of clubs with a succession of different girls renews the agony, resurrecting countless unanswered questions. Now my boss has sent me to interview him. It’s a massive scoop for the magazine, and turning it down would kill my career. So, I delude myself into thinking I can handle this. Perhaps this is the closure I need to finally move on. Except I’m terrified nothing has changed and one look into those soulful eyes will suck me in again. Ryder almost destroyed me last time. This time, he could ruin me forever. Full-length standalone title. Due to sensitive content and possible triggers, this book is recommended to readers aged eighteen and older. Please refer to the note at the start of the book (Click Look Inside).

In Your Arms


S.L. Sterling - 2019
    I didn't plan to take a trip down memory lane on the eve of our anniversary. But taking this trip down memory lane leaves me in tears, sharing a story of deceit, lies, ...and misunderstandings. The man I gave my heart to ten years ago is being ripped away. CarterWe lost each other over the past decade.That’s why I'd tried to push off this trip until after our anniversary. As usual, my career took precedence over what was important... US. Yet, the last thing I expect when the plane lands is a call saying that my wife thinks I’m having an affair. I almost lost her once and promised that would never happen again. Now I'm headed home to claim what's mine before someone else does.

Third Base


Heidi McLaughlin - 2015
    In his second season with the Boston Renegades he has set his eyes on the girl behind the visitors’ dugout.That girl is Daisy Robinson, a journalism student at the University of Boston and a die-hard Renegades fan.But with new found love comes challenges and Ethan and Daisy have to deal with his crazy schedule, school finals and his presence on her campus for some much needed media training. For Ethan nothing can come between him and Daisy, until a secret that she’s been keeping threatens to destroy them both.

Once and Again


Elisabeth Barrett - 2015
    Growing up in Eastbridge, Connecticut, Carolyn Rivington was a young debutante who did whatever her parents asked. So when her father demanded that she break things off with the boy from the wrong side of the tracks or else, she did. Now Carolyn’s family is deep in debt. She’s no longer a member of the Briarwood Golf and Yacht Club, she’s an employee. And the tanned, tattooed, dangerously handsome stranger who saunters into her lobby isn’t just her new boss . . . he’s also her first love. The last time he saw Carolyn, Jake Gaffney was in the back of a police cruiser, handcuffed and humiliated. But seeing her again stirs other memories: a blanket on the beach, the moon above their heads, and the most expensive bottle of wine he could afford. Now the tables have turned. As a real-estate magnate and Briarwood’s new owner, Jake doesn’t have to answer to anyone. But now that he’s back home, he’s finding it hard to live down his old reputation. Before they can move forward, Jake and Carolyn must face their pasts. But it’ll take more than sizzling chemistry for them to heal old wounds and return to the love they once shared.

Serendipity


Janet Nissenson - 2013
    But with the dawn of a new day came only heartache and betrayal, and her dreams were snuffed out like so much fairy dust. Nathan Atwood felt like the lowest sort of life form after seducing the incredibly beautiful girl he met in New York, only to break her tender heart with the confession that he was already involved with someone else. Leaving Julia was the hardest thing he’d ever done, and the memory of their passionate night together haunted his dreams for months afterwards.Now fate has brought them together again, and they are forced to work alongside each other. Will Julia be able to put aside the feelings she still has for her handsome boss and forge a new life for herself in San Francisco? And how long will Nathan be able to resist the gorgeous woman he’s never really stopped thinking about or wanting?

Where the Stars Fall


Ana Simons - 2020
    Left without closure, a year has passed and he's more determined than ever to make the man pay for hurting the ones he loves most, his family.​Immersed in his search for justice, falling in love was the last thing on his mind. Until fate steps in and a chance encounter changes everything.Seeing Olivia again, so unexpectedly, at his best friend's wedding, stirs up memories he had long ago put away. She'd been his first love, his kindred spirit... and the woman who left him without saying so much as goodbye.Which doesn't make him want her less. He knows it, the moment she locks her deep green eyes on his.Even knowing it might be too late to repair what's been once broken, Brian refuses to lose her again and sets out to find a way back to her heart. But it's been more than ten years since their story was left unfinished. Will they get one last chance to make things right? Or will Brian learn that sometimes justice comes at too high a price?***NOTE TO READERS: A full-length, standalone contemporary romance, Where the Stars Fall was previously published as Falling Home (Book 1 of the Free Falling Duet). This edition has been fully revised with added and edited content. Cover by Perrin Brunson, @ The Author Buddy

Her Cowboy


Kat Catesby - 2019
    He’ll give you the ride of your life…but you’ll be tied up for it. Just the way he likes it.New girl Katie Morgan is starting over after surviving a brutal ex. The last thing she wants is to fall for another dominant male. Ash and Katie have different needs when it comes to love, but they can’t deny their attraction and when they collide, it’s fireworks. Can they build a relationship that doesn’t send Katie running for the hills? Or is Ash too much for her to handle?Her Cowboy is the first book in the steamy ‘All For Her’ romance series. If you like your book boyfriends hot AF, dominantly swoon-worthy and with a protective streak a mile long, then pick up your copy of this sizzling new novel by Kat Catesby. Her Cowboy is a standalone steamy romance with no cheating or cliff hangers. Happily Ever After guaranteed!

On the Mend


Tina Gallagher - 2018
    Now it seems that goal depends on this one assignment. Yes, our relationship happened ten years ago, but my heart still winces when I think about him. He was my first love after all. But I’m older and wiser now, and I won’t let anything stand in the way of snagging my promotion. Not even one sexy player who thinks we’re going to kiss and make up. …but he’s full of surprises. Back in college, I loved two things… Sabrina Kelly and baseball. The baseball has worked out great. Sabrina, not so much. I know I broke her heart, but I’m not that guy anymore. I’ve wanted to reach out to her for years, but it was never the right time. Busting my knee may keep me off the field this season, but it’s also given me the chance to get her back into my life. Sure it’s just as my physical therapist, but that’s a start. Now that she's here, I just have to convince her to give me another chance. On the Mend is the first book in a steamy new baseball series. If you like hot athletes, sizzling romance, and second chances you’ll love the first installment of the Carolina Waves series.

The Rebound


Winter Renshaw - 2018
     I told him I’d wait for him. He promised to do the same. But life happened. I broke my promise long before he ever broke his—and not because I wanted to. We never saw each other again … Until ten years later when Nevada unexpectedly returned to our hometown after an abrupt retirement from his professional basketball career. Suddenly he was everywhere, always staring through me with that brooding gaze, never returning my smiles or “hellos.” Over the years, I’d heard that he’d changed. And that despite his multi-million dollar contracts and rampant success, life hadn’t been so kind to him. He was a widower. And a single father. And rumor had it, he’d spent his last ten years trying to forget me, refusing to so much as breathe my name … hating me. But just like a rebound, he’s back. And I have to believe everything happens for a reason. AUTHOR'S NOTE: For a limited time, this book contains one bonus book, which means THE REBOUND ends around 50% on your Kindle. Rest assured that it is still a full-length novel. :-)

Taking Her


R.R. Banks - 2018
    I owned this world.Men wanted to be me.Women wanted to be with me.Life was one big party until my best friend died,And I left it all behind.I found success and kept my billions.I was untamable, cold, and incapable of love.Then a twist of fate brought me Zoe.A raven-haired beauty with virgin curves, and luscious lips.I claimed her innocence and she became my new addiction.But someone thinks he owns her.And he'll do whatever it takes to steal her from me.When it comes to Zoe and our unborn child.I'll do everything to keep my family safe.Even if that means taking her...If they try and stop me, I'll make them pay!

Tiller


Shey Stahl - 2018
    I knew him before he was the sinfully gorgeous FMX rider with infinite hate in his blood. I knew him back when he was a shy little boy hoping a girl would love him back. That guy, he's nowhere to be found inside the devil known as Tiller Sawyer. Truth is, I didn't know who he really was... the crazy, sadistic, angry, introvert who uses drugs and alcohol to mask his own demons. Everyone warned me about Tiller. They told me he was cold and ruthless and screwed up. They told me he'd destroy me if I went to him for help. Alone and desperate, I was left with no other choice. Maybe I should have listened, but I didn't. Now I'm in too deep, and he doesn't know how to stop. And the only thing I'm certain of is I'll never be enough for someone like Tiller. It wasn't enough he took my heart when we were five. Now, he wants to destroy me completely.