Book picks similar to
Down & Dirty by J.H. Croix
romance
ebook
contemporary
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Exploding: A Mafia Romance
Tuesday Embers - 2016
She thinks her biggest problem will be defending her storefront from the violence of the rival family, who would much rather see her chased back into the east end of the city with the rest of the brawling O’Keefes. When Vince, the older, terrifying head from the enemy family shows up with flowers instead of his gun, Fallyn worries the fighting between her family and his will escalate from fists to firearms. Caught between her family and the possibility of more, Fallyn must decide just how much she’s willing to sacrifice to keep her business, her secret love, and her life. This is book one in The O'Keefe Family Collection Trilogy.
Meant to Be
Edie Claire - 2004
On the eve of her thirtieth birthday, Meara O’Rourke can’t help but feel alone. With her last remaining relative newly buried and her potentially disastrous engagement freshly broken, she makes a resolution to begin her life anew -- only to have an unexpected phone call turn her whole world upside down. Her biological mother Sheila, whom she met only once six years before, lies in critical condition in a nearby hospital. And though the woman once refused to see her daughter ever again -- her last wish is just the opposite.A few whispered words, and Sheila is gone. But the questions she has put into her daughter’s head, and the historic stone inn she has unknowingly bequeathed, sweep Meara up into the whirlwind of another life -- and a legacy of deception. When Meara begins to have memories of a place she's never been, she realizes that while finding out the truth about her birth and adoption could answer all her questions -- it could also tear her apart.
Hard Time
Hope Conrad - 2016
Her sweet little body against his. Under his. Her screaming his name until she admits she’s never had better.Now he’s found her again, working in a bookstore of all places, and she’s just as gorgeous as he remembers. Only Katie thinks he can be redeemed. That there’s a good man underneath his darkness.He’s not so sure.But then Katie becomes his. Katie and her daughter.And he’ll risk everything, including fighting the devil himself, to protect them.
Harbor Falls Romance Box Set: Two-Book Series Starter
Maddie James - 2020
She will run the inn, write her cookbooks, and pick up an occasional catering job with her cousin, who owns the local bakery. Her life in Harbor Falls is predictable--a welcome change from the chaos of recent months (when her sister ran off with her fiancé)--and that's the way she likes it. Until chaos rides his bad ass Harley up to her bed and breakfast doorstep--and her perfect, predictable, and well-planned world starts crumbling like yesterday's blueberry muffins.Brad Matthews has other ideas. When Suzie worked as his sous chef in Asheville months earlier, he had no intention of falling in love with the sassy chef--no room in his life for romance. But when she disappeared and took Brad's heart with her, his good intentions shattered. Even though Brad's plan to win Suzie back involves making the people of Harbor Falls a bit angry (Suzie included), it is part of his bigger plan to get his life and career on track, and to win Suzie Hart back into his arms--permanently.But can Suzie let go of their muddled past, and her well-planned future, in order to find happiness with hunky Chef Brad? Can Brad alter his own plan, in order to win Suzie back? Take My Heart - When Shelley Hart ran off and married her sister, Suzie's, fiancé, the whole town of Harbor Falls was in a twitter. A few years later, her husband deceased and with two little girls in tow, her only recourse is to go home for the holidays. Will Suzie, forgive her? What about that boy she left behind?Harbor Falls Police Officer Matt Branson values being alone. Dubbed the town hermit, he prefers the solitude of his mountain cabin to socializing with friends--friends who say he still pines after the woman who got away. But the snowy day he pulls over an older model sedan speeding into Harbor Falls, things change. His gut slams against his backbone as a tearful woman rolls down the car window. His heart melts when she looks up into his eyes.Shelley Hart is back in town--the woman who sent him into his cave in the first place.
The Accidental Kiss
Heatherly Bell - 2019
Two best friends are about to find out if the legend is real. Lt. firefighter Dylan Reyes believes the sunset kiss legend is nothing more than a tourist attraction. He's a big fan of exit plans, science and health insurance. But since the last time his best friend Charley was in the city, he hasn't stopped thinking about her naked. One night, and a realistic dream, changed everything. When Charley Young spreads the word that Dylan has kissed a woman at sunset and is now engaged, her prank sets off a sequence of events. Her intent was to keep single women away from the hunky firefighter, but it has other, far reaching consequences. Charley doesn’t quite know how to break the news to Dylan, but he’s been kissed at sunset. By her. Last time she was in the city a year ago. It was an accident. Seriously. She’s not kidding. And if the legend is true, this could be the start of something big. Like true love. Too bad Dylan isn’t a believer… "Readers looking for a tender romance that leans more toward the emotional than the physical will find this very satisfying." ~ Publishers Weekly on Country Gold.
Foundation: A Grouchy Geek Romance
Lainey Davis - 2020
They're brilliant, brooding and barreling into relationships whether they like it or not.Zack Brady doesn’t do relationships. He does calculations.When his family engineering firm sends him to investigate a sinkhole at a client’s house, Zack feels a tremor in the foundation of his carefully calculated world.Her name is Nicole Kennedy. She’s loud and crass, and has no time for nonsense. She certainly doesn’t have time for a mysterious trench swallowing her yard. To make matters worse, the grouchy engineer who shows up to fix it is the same jerk she’s forced to run beside during the corporate relay race her boss insisted she run.Somewhere between jogging and poring over geotechnical engineering plans, Nicole and Zack feel the earth move. Can they overcome their past to build something meaningful?Foundation is book one of the Brady Family series. If you love messy family dynamics, unforgettable characters and sizzling chemistry, you’ll devour this new series by Lainey Davis, creator of the Stag Brothers series.
Searching for Glory
Hunter J. Keane - 2012
She's on a hit television show and engaged to one of the most desired men in Hollywood. Her life is perfect. But then she gets a letter in the mail that changes everything. The past she has been trying to forget for so long has finally come back to haunt her. Gloria Star hasn't always been an A-list celebrity. She used to be just a regular Midwestern girl named Glory Stark. Now she is forced to reconcile her two lives because Johnny Carter, the only man she ever loved, has asked her to return to her hometown, and she can't say no. Ten years ago, one night changed everything for Gloria and Johnny. Not only did Gloria lose Johnny, but she also lost herself.Now she's headed back to Princeton, Missouri, to reconnect with her sister and make amends with Johnny. She quickly realizes that returning to Glory Stark's life isn't going to be easy. As she faces painful truths about her past and an uncertain future, Gloria learns that forgiveness is essential, family is everything and love is forever.
Safe In His Arms
Melanie D. Snitker - 2016
He's looking to build a future . . . with her. Will she open her heart and let him help, or keep on running alone?Anna Henderson is guilty of one thing: trusting the wrong man. Now she’s running for her life from an ex-boyfriend who will stop at nothing to find her. The little town of Quintin, Texas seems like the perfect place to lay low, and its quaint little diner may just give her the new start she’s looking for. The more she gets to know the diner’s handsome owner, the more of a connection she feels with him. But she can’t put her heart—or his safety—at risk.Joel Ash knows all about second chances. After all, he pulled himself out of his rough past and became a successful restaurant owner. So, when a nervous woman walks into his diner looking for a job, he can’t say no—even though he’s convinced she’s hiding something. He soon finds himself falling for the beautiful stranger, and he thinks he may have a real chance at winning her heart. But when Anna’s past catches up with her, both their lives are thrown into turmoil. His only thought is to protect Anna, and their possible future together, at any cost.An inspirational Christian novel about faith, new beginnings, and overcoming fear with love.
Loving Callie: A Lucky Strike Lovers Novel
Julia Jarrett - 2020
But when she sees him again at the Lucky Strike pub, sparks fly a second time, igniting a powerful chemistry between them. This new relationship could be a love greater than she has ever dreamed of. Her family is a roadblock, though, and it's harder than Callie expected to have to negotiate her parents' expectations. They will never approve of Jake. A pub owner does not fit into their political ambitions, and if Callie keeps seeing him, she risks losing her only family.Her entire life has been about trying to earn her parents' respect and approval. Now she has a chance to have the love she has waited a lifetime for, and Callie faces an impossible choice.Read the debut novel reviewers say is “Everything I Want In A Contemporary Romance” and “An Insta-Love Story Done Right.”
Second Chances
Bria Marche - 2015
Thomas for Abby Melrose Bellavance, or so she thinks. That is, until her husband Remy steals her trust fund and disappears for parts unknown. Now, with five million reasons to write off men for good, she returns to Charleston, broke and groveling at her mother’s feet.Living again in the opulent mansion on South Battery, Abby is thrown another curve ball. Her mother passes away, leaving Abby with an enormous home but no money to support it.Turning the mansion into a boardinghouse has its advantage—immediate cash—and disadvantage—two of the hottest men in Charleston are now Abby’s tenants.Abby wants love again, especially with hunky Erik, the handyman, and sexy Brandon, the prominent attorney, living in the mansion with her. They are so different, yet they’re similar in one way she needs to avoid—they are men, and she should keep her distance.As the southern summer blazes on, Abby’s life becomes even more complicated. Personal secrets are revealed, and fate deals her one final blow. She wonders if she will ever be given a second chance at falling in love.
The Billionaire Kings 3-in-1 Collection
Serenity Woods - 2020
Tangled up in Blue: A Rainy Day Women Romance
Linda Steinberg - 2021
Deadbeat dads, that is. Until she's arrested by a handsome detective who won't listen to reason. But when she discovers a dead body while working a case, she needs Detective Tall, Dark and Handsome's Help.Protect and serveWhen Dallas P.D. detective Trey Donovan arrests a feisty, gun-toting woman with a stack of hundred dollar bills stashed in her camisole, he senses this is no ordinary drug bust. He manages to maintain his professional composure but he can't get her out of his mind. On his next case, when he finds Selena standing over a dead body, they agree to work together to catch a killer.Trey is by the book; Selena prefers to color outside the lines. But the chemistry between them sparks creative detective work. And ignites simmering passions. Despite their intentions to keep the relationship professional, a rainy night stakeout leaves them 'tangled up in blue.' And when Selena's out-of-the-box ideas put her in danger, Trey realizes this is a woman he will never put out of his mind. And that's a 'Dunn deal.'Tangled up in Blue is the first book in the Rainy Day Women series, featuring women empowering women--and the men who love them. In a converted warehouse near downtown Dallas a group of strong, professional women come together to volunteer their services to the women of an under-served community. They name their facility the Rainy Day Women's Center. Each book is a stand-alone romance about competent, independent women and the equally competent, independent men they can't ignore--or live without.
Home to Stay (Clocktower Romance)
Becke Turner - 2020
She’s determined to open Robey’s Rewards to support her family and honor her husband, but first she has to win the only available lease in historic Sunberry. Wouldn’t you know, Ryan is her competitor? And she for sure won’t be falling for him in the middle of a fierce competition.Desperate to keep her three teens inside the law, Ava moves to her hometown. Renovating Gram’s old farm will keep them out of trouble while she negotiates a lease in the historic district. Just when she thinks she’s achieved success, her wayward boys find more trouble. Worse, their rescuer turns out to be the Marine who led her deceased husband on his fatal patrol.She’s not falling for his kindness, his help with her boys, or his help repairing the farm. Besides, he’s trying to ease his guilt by helping out the poor widow and her kids. She almost lets down her guard until she learns he’s her competitor on the only available lease. Too bad for him because she and her boys are going to kick him to the curb and win that lease.Five years haven’t eased Marine officer Ryan Murphy’s guilt about losing the best man in his unit. Now, he’s losing his heart to the man’s widow. But how does he choose between a comrade and a widow, especially when the family he never believed he could have is right in front of him? If you like a second chance romance with a courageous woman willing to risk everything for family, you’ll enjoy Becke Turner’s award-winning romance HOME TO STAY. Escape to the Sunberry, North Carolina world of romance, pick up your copy of HOME TO STAY, today.
Antihero
C.J. Pinard - 2016
She's trying to stay clean and walk a straight path. Is the chemistry storming between them enough to keep them together? Ellis I did my time, both on the streets and in the Marine Corps. Now that I’m out, I’m feeling sort of lost. I need to find a job and get past this disability the ugliness of war has left me with. The only thing that makes me feel grounded and stable is Talia Logan. She’s a red-haired breath of fresh air when I feel like I’m drowning in nightmares and responsibilities. So why can’t I just commit to her – make her mine? Because I’m jacked up and no good for anyone. Especially her. Talia The only part of my past I’m proud of is how I beat the addiction that almost killed me. I’m on the right path to a clean life, a college degree, and new friends. Ellis Anderson keeps coming over to worship my body and whisper sweet things in my ear that keep me hanging onto him. But he’s bad for me. A guy with too many demons that I don’t have the time or energy to deal with. So why can’t I just tell him to get out of my life? Because I’ve traded one addiction for another, that’s why. Antihero is book 1 in the Imperfect Heroes series. For readers 18+. Reading order: Antihero (Imperfect Heroes 1) Above Protection (Imperfect Heroes 2) Beneath Broken (Imperfect Heroes 3) Beyond Love (Imperfect Heroes 4, releasing in Spring 2017) Each book can be read as a standalone, however, this is the recommended reading order.
The Barrington Billionaires Collection: Books 1-5
Jeannette Winters - 2020
His company was closing a deal that would cement his spot at the top. The last thing he needed was a distraction from the past.Lena Razzi had spent years trying to forget Brice Henderson. When offered the opportunity of a lifetime, would she take the risk even if the price would be another broken heart?Book 2: Table for TwoDean Henderson never backs down from a challenge. No matter the cost or the opponent, when it comes to business, if he wants it he gets it. No exceptions.Tessa Brooks left her small town to get out of the spotlight of being the preacher’s daughter. Boston is the perfect place to blend in and finally be herself. A low profile job in the HR office of Poly-Shyn fits perfectly into the life she is creating for herself.When Dean takes over as the new CEO, sparks fly. Tessa grew up hearing about the difference between right and wrong, but no one ever told her that wrong could feel so good.They belong together, but they might realize it too late.There are consequences to loving a powerful man--and sometimes they’re deadly.Book 3: You & Me Make ThreeShaun Henderson learned young that the best defense is to strike first. It’s perfect in business but not in matters of the heart.Morgan Pereira had walked away from a high profile position to protect her son. Years later she is given another opportunity to climb the corporate ladder.Taking the job opens wounds Morgan thought had healed.If Shaun really does want her, he’ll have to learn that some things can’t be forced. Love plays by its own rules.Book 4: Virgin for the Fourth TimeBennett Stone has dedicated his life to protecting and saving lives when others failed. The word impossible is not part of his vocabulary.Zoey Henderson has spent most of her life defending herself against her tarnished reputation, as a consequence of her father’s actions. Her five over-protective brothers believe no man will ever be good enough for her.When Zoey experiences some medical issues, the urgency of finding her biological mother becomes paramount. Although her brothers tried and failed earlier, her quest is not one of curiosity. She needs answers, and there’s only one man who will go to any lengths to find them.Bennett has been warned that Zoey is off limits. But no one controls his business decisions and when she calls, he takes her on as a client.When Bennett discovers the information Zoey’s been searching for, he knows he can’t have it all. How can he decide between his pride and their passion?Book 5: His for Five NightsAlex Henderson needs to know the truth about his mother, even if it means exposing the family’s darkest secret to the world.Ziva Grzyb will do anything to stop the human trafficking ring that is terrorizing her country. She wasn’t able to save her older sister, but she is determined to save other young women from the same fate.Alex finds it will take more than money to gain answers. Willing to risk it all, including his reputation, he pretends to follow in his father’s footsteps.When Ziva hears yet another Henderson is on the prowl in her country, she sets out to take him down.Alex doesn’t expect an adversary to be his only hope. Ziva doesn’t think she can defend, never mind love, a Henderson. Will the key to their hearts also be the key to their freedom or will they pay the price for a crime neither committed?